The Doctoral Program in Engineering and Management consists of a doctoral curricular component and the preparation of an original research thesis.

The overall structure corresponds to 240 ECTS, organized as follows:

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

Organization

The program is organized into two main components:

1. Curricular component, corresponding to the Common Core, with 30 ECTS.
2. Research component, corresponding to the curricular unit Doctoral Thesis in Engineering and Management, with 210 ECTS.

The curricular component allows the student to consolidate advanced training in Engineering and Management, 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.

Curricular Component

The curricular component corresponds to the Common Core, with 30 ECTS.

According to the curricular structure registered with DGES, the 30 ECTS are distributed as follows:

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

The program includes a Common Core and different specializations associated with the doctoral thesis.

Each student's specialization is defined by the scientific and technological content developed in the curricular unit Doctoral Thesis in Engineering and Management, following an opinion from the supervisors, the coordinator, and the program's scientific committee.

The Free Path corresponds to a path without a specialization. In this case, the student completes the curricular units of the Common Core and the curricular unit Doctoral Thesis in Engineering and Management to obtain the degree.

The Specialization Block allows the student to deepen advanced training in fundamental areas of Engineering and Management.

Specialization Block

Among the curricular units published in the curriculum are:

• Optimization and Applications
• Models and Applications in Operations, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Sustainability in Engineering and Management
• Models and Applications in Decision Analysis
• Economics and Strategy: Theory and Applications
• Entrepreneurship: Theory and Models
• Econometric Methods
• Topics in Engineering and Management I
• Strategy and Innovation Management
• Topics in Engineering and Management II
• Business Analytics and Simulation
• Advanced Seminar in Information Systems
• Research in Health Systems and Services
• Specialization Elective I
• Specialization Elective II

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

Transversal Skills Block

The Transversal Skills Block corresponds to 6 ECTS.

These curricular units may include training in skills relevant to the development of the doctorate, such as scientific writing, science communication, research methodologies, scientific project management, ethics, leadership, entrepreneurship, and other transversal skills.

The available offerings should be consulted annually through the Técnico Doctoral School.

• Técnico Doctoral School — Transversal Skills

Free Options Block

The Free Options Block can correspond to 0 to 12 ECTS, according to the approved path.

It may include optional curricular units, internships, teaching support, or other training activities provided for in the curriculum, when applicable and subject to approval.

Among the options published in the curriculum are:

• Elective I
• Elective II
• Non-Academic Internship I
• Research Internship Abroad
• Teaching Support I
• Teaching Support II

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.

• Técnico Doctoral School — Transversal Skills
• Técnico Doctoral School — Internships
• Técnico Doctoral School — Teaching Opportunities
• "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.

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
• 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 Management and demonstrate the capacity for autonomous research, methodological mastery, and 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.

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.

• Regulations
• Postgraduate Area — Doctoral Programs