Courses / Department of Physics

PhD in Physics Engineering

General Objectives of the Course

Provide students with a general understanding of the rationale and methods of research in physics;
Give the basic skills for application and development of methods of research in fundamental and applied physics in the specific areas of the course;
Providing appropriate training for the modeling, experimentation and computation and lead to the execution of original scientific work, creative and critical in an area of physics;
Providing experience of group work and interaction with national and foreign professional physicists;
Developing skills to conduct independent research work of quality, according to international standards, which can be presented at international conferences and, above all, to be published in international journals of high quality.
The first year includes the submission of a Thesis Project with the main lines of planned research. Subsequently, students will develop original research work constituting the doctoral thesis. The cycle cannot exceed five years.

Admission Requirements

The requirements to access the PhD program are those defined by the regulations of the University of Coimbra.
1 - Candidates to the cycle of studies leading to a doctor degree in Physics Engineering must fulfill one of the following requirements:
a) Having a master’s degree or legal equivalent, namely in Physics Engineering or similar areas.
b) Having a graduation in Physics Engineering at University Education level with at least 5 full-time years, or equivalent when obtained abroad, revealing good basic knowledge of Physics.
c) In well justified cases, candidates with an academic, scientific, or professional curriculum recognized by the scientific council of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, as being particularly relevant to pursue this cycle of studies and reaching a curricular evaluation of at least 134/20 points.
2 – The recognition referred above in b) and c) is effective only to access this cycle of studies and do not confer an equivalence or official recognition of the degrees of bachelor or masters.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Professional Goals

Fundamental and applied research, university career, development and improvement of new products and instruments, management.

Mode of Study

B-learning

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese/ English

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

As assessment is a pedagogical activity inseparable from the teaching process, its aim is to establish the students' competencies and knowledge, their critical sense, ability to recognize and resolve problems, as well as their written and oral presentation skills. Students may only register for exams for classes they are currently enrolled. The following are examples of assessment items: Oral or written exams, written or practical work, individual and group projects that may require an oral defense, as well as class participation. Assessment for each class may include one or more of the above mentioned items. Grading is based on a scale of 0 to 20 and a grade of 10 is required to pass. Whenever the grade comprises more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according a formula published in the course outline .

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

. Acquisition of advanced knowledge in a particular area of Physics, complementing that obtained at a Master’s level in Physics or similar field.
. Development of competences, abilities and research methods in a particular field of Physics.
. Development of ability to autonomously conceive, design and perform original research work of high quality according to international standards.
. Development of critical analysis skills and of ability to synthesise new ideas and perspetives.
. Development of communication skills – with pairs, with the scientific community and with the society – in a particular area of physics.

Course Coordinator(s)

Joaquim Marques Ferreira dos Santos
jmf@gian.fis.uc.pt

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning is carried out in accordance with the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The legal framework for the qualification is established by the decrees: Decree-Law nr 74/2006, 24th March, in its current wording

Graduation Requirements

Approval on PhD examination.

Access to Further Studies

There are no further degrees.

Study Programme

Paths: Instrumentation; Metrology and Quality

Academic year
2024-2025

Course Type
3rd Cycle Studies

DGES Code: 5552

Qualification Awarded: Doutor

Duration: 6 Semester(s)

ECTS Credits: 180.0

Annual Fee: 2750.0

Applications

Call for Applications

3rd Cycle Course

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 09-09-2024
End date: 18-12-2024
2nd Semester: Start date: 03-02-2025
End date: 22-05-2025

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2022-07-31 a 2028-07-30
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Ef 1526/2011/AL01; 2022-10-04