PhD in Human Ecology

General characterization

Degree pre-requisites

Length: 8 semesters. Total credits: 240 credits (60 from curricular units + 180 credits from the non teaching component). Non teaching component modalities: Thesis. Number of credits for free option scheme: 10 credits. The free-elective seminar can be chosen among curricular units from the postgraduate training offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FCSH/NOVA), in other units of NOVA University of Lisbon, or other institutions of national Higher Education or foreign, by agreement or protocol.
The degree of «doutor» corresponds to the level 8 of the NQF and EQF-National Qualifications Framework/European Qualifications Framework.

Conditions of admittance

The doctoral programme in Human Ecology seeks to provide advanced training for graduates and those with Master’s degrees in the areas of Social Sciences and Humanities and graduates and those with Master’s from other areas of study who seek to acquire or develop knowledge in this area within a multidisciplinary approach. It offers a continuum of training and specialization of knowledge for all those who have completed a Master’s in Human Ecology and Contemporary Social Issues at the FCSH Faculty, or in related fields and who wish to proceed to the 3rd Cycle of Studies. The course is designed with the aim of preparing students to obtain a doctoral degree, by acquiring the necessary skills for those who want to develop research projects in the academic field of Human Ecology or those who want to contribute in their area of work in a business context, so as to take more informed decisions.

Evaluation rules

The cycle of studies leading to the degree of Doutoramento (Doctorate) includes following a doctoral programme that consists of course units aimed at providing training to do research, and the submission of an original doctoral thesis especially written for the purpose and which is appropriate to the nature of the branch of knowledge or speciality and which contributes to expanding the boundaries of knowledge. Grades for the seminar-type course units are awarded using a numerical scale ranging from 0 to 20. The final grade awarded to the doctoral course is expressed by Approved or Not Approved. When a candidate is awarded an Approved classification, the final grade of the doctoral course is expressed as a number between 10 and 20, on a scale of 0 to 20, and is the mathematical average of the grades obtained, in which the course units with 10 ECTS have a weighting of 1 while the final thesis has a weighting of 2. The research project is defended in a public defence held at the end of the semester in which the student concludes the doctoral course. It is assessed by a jury comprising 3 members. The thesis is awarded a classification of Approved or Refused through a justified nominal vote with no abstentions permitted; if the thesis is approved, the jury then votes on a grade which may be Good, Good with Distinction or Very Good. The final qualification is awarded under the terms of Article 36, nº 2 of Decree-Law 74/2006, of 24 March, altered by Decree-Law n.º 107/2008, of 25 June, 230/2009, of 14 September, 115/2013, of 7 August, 63/2016, of 13 September, 65/2018, of 16 August.

Structure