Doctorate
UFP • Doctorates • Political and Humanitarian Studies (D)
Result of the accreditation process by the Agency for Assessment and Accreditation of Higher Education (A3ES) • DecisionAccredited • Number of years of accreditation: 6 • Validity period of accreditation: 31/07/2027 A3ES Resolution • Self-assessment report
Maximum number of admissions: 15
ABOUT THE COURSE
Context
The 3rd cycle of Political and Humanitarian Studies critically examines contemporary political trends and systems, analyzing the urgency of incorporating humanitarian issues into the new governance of the world system. Its program continues the work of the 2nd cycle of Studies in Humanitarian Action, constituting a pioneering and innovative educational offering at the highest level in Portugal.
Objectives
- To foster research at the intersection of Political Studies and Humanitarian Action through the critical study of contemporary political systems and the organizational systems of humanitarian action. Its contents combine the formal theory and methods of Political Science with a more specific critical analysis of humanitarian social policy, enabling the incorporation of human issues into global governance.
- To consolidate the skills necessary for the production of original scientific works of a theoretical and applied nature in the area of Political and Humanitarian Studies, and to acquire essential tools for the development of research work in a stimulating and international research environment.
- To prepare graduates to perform specialized scientific and technical work, enabling them to identify the causes and effects of current humanitarian crises, as well as to design solutions that promote human well-being and dignity or prevent the risks of their occurrence.
Course duration
Typically, the duration of the study cycle is three years, which may be extended by one or two more years. The timeframe may be interrupted for legally and routinely admissible reasons.
The 3rd cycle of studies (doctorate) in Political and Humanitarian Studies awards 180 ECTS credits, of which the first 60 correspond to the doctoral course, whose study plan consists of mandatory and optional curricular units.
Curriculum Plan
3rd Cycle (Doctorate) • 3 years (1 year: curriculum planning; 2 years: thesis preparation)
According to Order No. 7892/2021, Official Gazette, 2nd Series, No. 155, of August 11
Predominant scientific area: Political and Humanitarian Studies
1st YEAR • 1st SEMESTER
| COURSE UNIT | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Development and trends in humanities studies | 12 |
| Advanced research methods | 12 |
| Contemporary systems and trends in political studies | 6 |
1st YEAR • 2nd SEMESTER
| COURSE UNIT | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Planning and presentation of the thesis project. | 8 |
| Seminar I (choose 1): • Citizenship, Gender and Religion • Ethical Dilemmas in Humanitarian Action • Human Rights, Education and Development • Geopolitics of Conflicts • Governance, Security and Humanitarian Issues • Migration, Demographics and Social Integration |
11 |
| Seminar II (choose one different from Seminar I): • Citizenship, Gender and Religion • Ethical Dilemmas in Humanitarian Action • Human Rights, Education and Development • Geopolitics of Conflicts • Governance, Security and Humanitarian Issues • Migration, Demographics and Social Integration |
11 |
2nd YEAR • ANNUAL
| COURSE UNIT | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Doctoral thesis | 60 |
3rd YEAR • ANNUAL
| COURSE UNIT | ECTS |
|---|---|
| Doctoral thesis | 60 |
Research Lines
Students and professors in the doctoral program in Political and Humanitarian Studies share a common scientific interest – that of questioning the new challenges arising from contemporary political trends, and explaining the impact and scope of politics on processes that prove necessary for the development of humanitarian action, with a direct influence on the lives of populations.
Thus, the postgraduate course promotes the development of research projects in research fields as diverse as:
- international organizations and development plans;
- Intergovernmental relations, institutions and political systems (institutional transition and reform);
- comparative political studies;
- contemporary political ideologies;
- global governance;
- elites and political behaviors;
- education and development;
- social policy;
- Economic performance and human development;
- Cultural identity, gender policies, migration, conflict prevention and peacekeeping;
- environmental law;
- The new challenges and threats to human rights;
- among many others.
The languages of instruction for the doctoral program are Portuguese and English.
Doctoral theses are normally submitted in Portuguese. They may be written and submitted in English, Spanish, or French when duly justified and proven by the student and with a favorable opinion from the supervisor.
Coordination & contacts
Coordination: Professor Doctor Judith Gonçalves de Freitas
(PhD in Political Science and PhD in History)
coord.3c.eph@ufp.edu.pt • jfreitas@ufp.edu.pt
Request information about the course:
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
ACCESS QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must hold a master's degree or equivalent in fields of study relevant to the scientific areas of the program, namely: Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Cultural Studies, Social Studies, History, Anthropology, Economics, Law, Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, Humanities and related fields; and also holders of a bachelor's degree with a particularly relevant academic, scientific or professional curriculum, recognized by the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of the Fernando Pessoa University as demonstrating the capacity to undertake the program.
DOCUMENTS FOR APPLICATION
a) Authenticated master's degree diploma or certificate;
b) Authenticated diploma or certificate of the bachelor's degree;
c) Curriculum Vitae (template) Europass or Lattes);
d) Statement of intent for the thesis (thesis proposal – maximum 1500 words – in Portuguese and English);
e) Letter of motivation (free template);
In the case of foreign qualifications:
i. Candidates must submit an official statement, issued by the Higher Education Institution that awards the academic degree, indicating the final grade (if not included in any of the documents mentioned above) and the respective quantitative grading scale used (e.g., 0 to 100; 0 to 10, etc.). If this statement is not submitted, the minimum passing grade on the Portuguese scale (10 out of 20) will be considered. The same applies to any other qualification certificates or diplomas submitted with the application;
ii. Diplomas/certificates not written in Portuguese, English, French, or Spanish must be accompanied by a translation into Portuguese, which must be legalized by the Portuguese consular agent in the country of origin of the diploma/certificate or legalized by... Hague Apostille.
iii. Certificates from educational establishments in non-EU countries:
For application purposes, simple copies of the certificates are accepted. For enrollment, it will be necessary to submit the certificates with which you applied for the competition, whether copies or originals, authenticated with the [certificate/document name]. Hague Apostille in the country where the documents were issued. If the country has not acceded to the Convention, the documents must be legalized by the official education services of that country and by the respective Portuguese diplomatic authority.
Notice: Candidates may submit their application conditionally even if they are missing any required proof of qualifications or other documents, and must submit them by the application deadline. If they fail to do so, they may express their intention to move their application to the next phase, or it will be deemed inadmissible in the final ranking, and it will no longer be possible to add documents to the process. A new application must be submitted in a subsequent phase, if one exists.
NOTES
For more information about the application process, please consult the General Requirements for Applying to Doctoral Programs
School Dates & Fees
Timeline:
Applications are open for the 2024/2025 academic year.
For more information, please contact the coordinator: coord.3c.com@ufp.edu.pt
Requirements for applying:
Information about Application Requirements.
Precarious:
Information about bribes