The Doctoral Program in Engineering and Public Policy (DEAEPP) consists of a doctoral curricular component and the preparation of an original research thesis.

The overall structure corresponds to 240 ECTS, with a standard duration of 4 years / 8 semesters, organized as follows:

The predominant scientific area of the cycle of studies is Engineering and Management.

Official and updated information on the curriculum should be consulted in Fénix, DGES, and official accreditation and publication records.

Curricular Structure by Scientific Area

The list of optional curricular units is established annually by the legally and statutorily competent bodies of IST.

Organization

The program is organized into two main components:

1. Curricular component, corresponding to the Doctoral Course, with 30 ECTS
2. Research component, corresponding to the curricular unit Doctoral Thesis in Engineering and Public Policy, with 210 ECTS

The curricular component allows the student to consolidate advanced training at the interface between engineering, technology, and public policy, select curricular units aligned with their scientific path, and complete cross-cutting training relevant to the development of the doctorate.

The research component leads to the definition, development, writing, and public defense of an original thesis.

Operating Regime

The DEAEPP was developed in partnership with the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, USA) and is part of the CMU-Portugal program.

The program operates in two formats:

1. IST/CMU Dual Degree — in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, where students spend part of their path at CMU to obtain the double degree;
2. Track entirely at IST — a program entirely taught at Instituto Superior Técnico.

In the case of the dual degree, candidates must be admitted by both institutions and typically present recent results from the GRE and TOEFL exams, applying directly to the EPP program at CMU. The final classification of candidates for the dual program is determined by a Joint Selection Committee.

Coordination

The coordination of the cycle of studies is ensured by the program's coordination team. Updated information on the coordination should be consulted on the official course page on Fénix.

• Course description on Fénix
• Access regime on Fénix
• Carnegie Mellon University — Engineering and Public Policy (EPP)

Curricular Component

The curricular component corresponds to the Doctoral Course, with 30 ECTS.

According to the study plan published in Order No. 6462/2021, the 30 ECTS are distributed across three scientific areas:

The curricular component is concentrated in the 1st year of the cycle of studies. The research component (Thesis) runs throughout the four years.

Study Plan

Mandatory Curricular Units

The curricular component includes the following mandatory curricular units:

• Public Policies Theory, Practice and Analysis (EGO, 6 ECTS) — introduction to decision-making in the context of public policy, market failures and public intervention, paradigms and conceptual frameworks for policy analysis, and engineering and management approaches to public decision-making
• Quantitative Research Methods (EGO, 6 ECTS) — training in quantitative methods to support research
• Models and Applications in Decision Analysis (EGS, 6 ECTS) — models and methods for decision analysis and their applications

Free Options Block

The Free Options Block corresponds to 12 ECTS, completed through two optional curricular units of 6 ECTS each.

Free options can be chosen from all scientific areas of IST, allowing the student to complete training aligned with their scientific path and thesis topic. The list of optional curricular units is established annually by the legally and statutorily competent bodies of IST.

The selection of curricular units must be made in coordination with the program coordination and the student's scientific path.

Técnico Doctoral School

The Técnico Doctoral School brings together information and initiatives transversal to Técnico's doctoral programs, including training in transversal skills, PhD Fast Track, teaching opportunities, internships, internationalization, career, and academic life.

These initiatives are available to students of the Doctoral Program in Engineering and Public Policy, complementing advanced training and the development of the thesis.

• Técnico Doctoral School — Transversal Skills
• Técnico Doctoral School — Internships
• Técnico Doctoral School — Teaching Support
• "Fast Track" PhD

Thesis Monitoring Committee (CAT)

The Thesis Monitoring Committee (CAT) monitors the scientific development of the doctorate, in conjunction with the student, the scientific supervision, and the program coordination.

The role of CAT is to support the regular monitoring of the research plan, evaluate the progress of the work, and identify any potential needs for scientific, methodological, or institutional adjustment.

Formation and Deadline (Article 14)

According to the General Doctoral Regulations, the formation of the CAT follows these main rules:

• Deadline: The formation of the CAT must be proposed to the coordinator of the doctoral program within 12 months from the official enrollment date (Article 14, paragraph 2).
• Composition:
  • The committee must have a maximum of six members (extra members are allowed only on an exceptional basis and with proper justification).
  • It is constituted by the scientific supervision team and a minimum of two professors, researchers, or experts of recognized merit eligible for the jury (provided the supervisory members do not exceed the number of the remaining members).
• Presidency: It is held by the most senior IST member in the highest category, excluding the members of the supervision team.

The composition, operation, and formal moments of monitoring must be confirmed in the regulations applicable to Técnico's doctoral programs and the specific rules of the program.

Useful Links:

• Regulations
• Postgraduate Area — Doctoral Programs
• IST General Doctoral Regulations (PDF)

Progress in Research Activities

Progress in research activities corresponds to the continuous development of the scientific work leading to the thesis, at the interface between engineering, technology, and public policy.

This phase generally includes:

• definition and consolidation of the research topic
• critical literature review
• formulation of research questions
• methodological development
• collection, processing, or production of data, when applicable
• development of models, methods, analyses, or empirical studies to support decision-making and public policy design
• production of scientific results
• presentation and discussion of results in seminars, conferences, or other scientific contexts
• preparation of scientific publications, when applicable

The monitoring of progress should be done in conjunction with the scientific supervision, the CAT, and the program coordination.

Writing the Thesis

Writing the thesis corresponds to the systematization of the research work developed during the doctorate.

The thesis must present an original scientific contribution in the area of Engineering and Public Policy — typically in the design, analysis, and evaluation of public policies in domains where technology is a determining factor — and demonstrate the capacity for autonomous research, methodological mastery, and a critical framing of the studied problem.

The specific structure of the thesis should be defined with the scientific supervision and in accordance with the applicable Técnico standards. In the case of students in the IST/CMU dual degree regime, the rules applicable at Carnegie Mellon University must also be observed.

Thesis Defense

The thesis defense corresponds to the public act of appraisal and discussion of the research work developed.

The submission, appraisal, formation of the jury, scheduling of the public exam, and other procedures must follow the regulations applicable to Técnico doctorates and the rules of the Postgraduate Area. In the case of students in the IST/CMU dual degree regime, the procedures established under the partnership with Carnegie Mellon University also apply.

• Regulations
• Postgraduate Area — Doctoral Programs