Doctoral Programme in Biodiversity and Preservation of the Natural Environment

Generally speaking, the Master's degrees that provide access to this programme without supplementary training are:

• Environment and Natural Resources; Marine Biology; Aquaculture; Biotechnology (offered by the USC)
• Biodiversity and Ecosystems; Acquaculture; Land ecosystems, Sustainable Use and Environmental Implicvations (offered by the University of Vigo)
• Technology and Environmental Management offered by the University of A Coruña
• The master's with a similar content offered by other Spanish universities
• Students holders of the Diploma of Advanced Studies obtained by the USC's 5-year graduate degree in Biology or other 5-year graduate degrees from all Spanish universities will also have access to the doctoral programme without supplementary training.

In the case of profiles of prospective students who have not taken a Master’s course, they will need an equivalence of training in research credits, equal to at least the master's degree that provides direct access, which is 60 ECTS credits.

Points for each merit are evaluated by the committee in the following way:

1. Previous degree to access the programme: 20%
2. Academic transcript: 20%
3. Curriculum: 20%
4. Professional experience: 20%
5. Research experience: 20%

Although it is not necessary for candidates to certify their knowledge of English , it is advisable, for certain training activities require knowledge of this language. Therefore, it is advisable to have a B1 or B2 level in CEFR knowledge scale.

• Admission profile

  The admission profile establishes the knowledge, skills and abilities that students wishing to access this programme must possess and, consequently, the most suitable qualifications for access to the programme and which determine admission and, where appropriate, the need or otherwise for PhD students to undertake further training.
  The academic training of students will be linked to the branch of knowledge of Sciences and, within this, to one of the following fields of knowledge (Annex I, RD 822/2021): 1) Biology and genetics, 2) Environmental sciences and ecology.
  In general, the Master’s Degrees that will allow access to this PhD Programme without additional training will be those oriented towards the study of Biodiversity and ecosystems, Marine Biology, Environment and Natural Resources, Aquaculture, Biotechnology, Genetics and, in general, Master’s Degrees of similar content taught in Spanish universities. Students with a DEA degree obtained through a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from a Spanish university will also have access to the Programme without complements.

• Requirements

  Access

  The general access and admission requirements are those set out in Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official PhD studies, and as amended by Royal Decree 576/2023, of 4 July. These are:
  1. In general, in order to access an official PhD programme, it shall be necessary to hold an official Spanish Bachelor´s degree, or equivalent, and a Master´s degree or equivalent, provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been obtained in these two courses as a whole.
  2. Access may also be granted to those who are in one of the following situations:
  a) To hold official university degrees or equivalent Spanish degrees, provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been passed in these courses as a whole, and accredit a level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.
  b) To hold a degree obtained in accordance with foreign education systems belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), without the need for homologation, which accredits a level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework, provided that this degree entitles access to PhD studies in the country of issue of the same. This admission shall not imply, in any case, the homologation of the previous degree held by the interested party nor its recognition for purposes other than access to PhD studies.
  c) To hold a degree obtained in accordance with foreign education systems outside the EHEA, without the need for its recognition, after verification by the university that it accredits a level of training equivalent to that of the official Spanish university Master´s degree and that it entitles the holder to access PhD studies in the country in which the degree was awarded. This admission shall not imply, in any case, the homologation of the previous degree held by the interested party, nor its recognition for purposes other than that of access to PhD studies.
  d) To hold another PhD or Doctorate degree.
  e) Likewise, university graduates who, after obtaining a place in training in the corresponding entrance examination to specialised health training posts, have passed with a positive evaluation at least two years of training in a programme for obtaining the official qualification in one of the specialities in Health Sciences, may also be admitted.

• Specific requirements

  A compulsory requirement for admission to the PhD programme is the submission of a report by the student consisting of a reference letter from a lecturer on the programme who i) endorses the potential viability of the future thesis within the framework of a line of research of the programme to which it is linked, and who ii) could act as supervisor if the necessary requirements for this are met.
  Furthermore, given the characteristics and scientific level of the PhD programme, the student must have a minimum level of English equivalent to level B2, not only because it is currently the common language of scientific communication at international level, but also because part of the courses, both specific and transversal, as well as various activities of the programme can be carried out in this language. The language level will be accredited with the corresponding official certification of those included in the list of accreditations recognised by the Modern Language Centre (CLM) of the USC for the different levels of the Common
  European Framework: https://www.usc.gal/es/centro/centro-lenguas-modernas.

• Admission rules

  Students will be selected for admission to the programme on the basis of the following criteria:
  • Academic record (40%) determined by the grades obtained in the bachelor´s and master´s degree (or DEA or research proficiency).
  • Curriculum Vitae (20%). In this section, preference will be given to previous research experience and its results (publications, communications and other scientific contributions to conferences) and their adaptation to the lines of research of the PhD programme. Likewise, professional experience related to the lines of research of the PhD programme, research stays, courses taken or taught will also be valued. Candidates must submit supporting documentation.
  • Accreditation of a level of English equivalent to level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages (20%).
  • Personal interview (20%): In this section, motivation and aptitude, communication skills, etc. will be assessed.
  The same criteria will be applied to all students regardless of whether they are full-time or part-time.

• Title extinction

  The PhD programme may be terminated for any of the following reasons:
  • Failure to pass the accreditation renewal process established in article 10 of RD 99/2011.
  • Failure to accredit compliance with the requirements established by the state or regional regulations in force.
  • A proposal is made to terminate the programme as part of the degree review and improvement process in accordance with the procedure approved by the university.
  • The occurrence of any exceptional situation that prevents the correct development of the PhD programme.
  Termination shall have the following effects:
  • It will entail the loss of its official status and its removal from the RUCT.
  • It will not be possible to enrol new students in the PhD programme.
  • In any case, all affected students must be informed of the termination and of the consequences for the development of their studies.
  The University shall adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the academic rights of the students who are taking these studies under the terms established in the resolution for the termination of the study plan, and shall approve the procedure for the termination of the PhD programmes within the University.

• Biodiversity and conservation of the terrestrial environment

  Teachers	Area
  Pablo Ramil Rego	Botany
  Teresa Cornide Paz	Botany
  Joaquin Gimenez De Azcarate Cornide	Botany
  Maria Inmaculada Romero Bujan	Botany
  Emilio V. Carral Vilariño	Ecology
  Mª Jesús Aira Rodríguez	Botany
  Maria Teresa Rodriguez Lopez	Zoology
  Ignacio Garcia Gonzalez	Botany
  Francisco Javier Amigo Vazquez	Botany
  Santiago Ortiz Nuñez	Botany
  Rosa Ana Vázquez Ruiz De Ocenda	Botany
  Francisco Javier Iglesias Piñeiro	Zoology
  Ramon Alberto Diaz Varela	Botany
  Luis Miguel Serrano Perez	Botany
  Sergio Rodriguez Roiloa	Ecology
  María Jose Vidal Malde	International PhD School of the University of Santiago de Compostela (EDIUS)
  Andres Baselga Fraga	Zoology
  Gonzalo Perez De Lis Castro	Botany

• Biodiversity and conservation of aquatic environments

  Teachers	Area
  Maria Celia Besteiro Rodriguez	Zoology
  Juan Angel Diaz Pazos	Zoology
  Mª Del Carmen Lopez Rodriguez	Botany
  Marcos Andres Gonzalez Gonzalez	Zoology
  Fernando Cobo Gradin	Zoology
  Sandra Barca Bravo	International PhD School of the University of Santiago de Compostela (EDIUS)
  Rufino Vieira Lanero	Zoology
  María Del Carmen Cobo Llovo	International PhD School of the University of Santiago de Compostela (EDIUS)

As recorded in the historical data of the University of Santiago de Compostela, the ‘Biodiversity and conservation of the natural environment’ programme has maintained a considerable number of students over the years, most of whom have completed their studies with the presentation of supervised research work, PhD theses, and who currently occupy positions in industry, teaching and research.
Across the globe, human activities are causing the devastation of biological communities. Threats to biological diversity are unprecedented, and never in the history of life have so many species been threatened with extinction in such a short period of time. The coming decades will decide what fraction of the planet’s diversity will survive.
Current efforts are focused on understanding diversity, saving species, establishing new conservation areas and protecting existing natural parks. The training of experts in Biodiversity and Conservation is understood as a scientific commitment that aims to cover a need for a territory like Galicia for experts and evaluators of its Natural Environment.

• Basic skills

  - Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to that field.
  - Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial research or creative process.
  - Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
  - Ability to carry out critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
  - Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
  - Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.
  - Ability to promote Open Science and Citizen Science, in accordance with article 12 of Organic Law 2/2023 of 22 March, as a way of contributing to the consideration of scientific knowledge as a common good, through the evaluation of transversal activities carried out by the PhD student related to different dimensions of Open Science and Citizen Science, as well as the training acquired in these disciplines in the form of micro-credentials or similar.

• Other competencies

  - Ability to carry out a critical analysis and assessment of biogeography and biodiversity of fauna and flora.
  - Ability to carry out a critical analysis and assessment in the conservation and management of protected natural spaces.
  - Ability to carry out an analysis of marine resources.
  - Acquisition of skills in the analysis and resolution of complex problems in the field of observation of the marine, terrestrial and freshwater environment.
  - Acquisition of skills in the analysis and resolution of complex problems in the field of sustainable use of resources.

The graduate profile that the PhD Programme in Biodiversity and Conservation of the Natural Environment aims for its students is one in which, in addition to the acquisition of the skills involved in the development of a PhD thesis, it allows them to obtain other transversal skills related to teamwork and networking, internationalisation and the achievement of a high quality scientific production.
The general capacities of the graduate profile are as follows: 1) Ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation; 2) Ability to contribute to the extension of the frontiers of knowledge through original research; 3) Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas; 4) Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community; 5) Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific progress within a knowledge-based society.
The specific capacities of the graduate profile will depend on the line of research to which the PhD thesis has been assigned, and may refer to one or more of the following: 1) Capacity for critical analysis and evaluation of biogeography and biodiversity of fauna and flora; 2) Capacity for critical analysis and evaluation in the conservation and management of protected natural areas and endangered species; 3) Capacity for analysis of marine resources.

The main objective of this Masters degree is to train professionals and researchers in aquaculture; professionals with a solid recognised training at job level and researchers whose training allows them to carry out their research, with cutting-edge technologies, while keeping abreast of problems in production processing.