Doctoral Programme in Engineering for Rural and Civil Development

Access profiles without supplementary training:

• University Master’s degree in Agronomic Engineering by USC.
• University Master’s degree in Forest Engineering by USC.
• University Master's degree in Civil Engineering (roads, canals and ports) offered by any Spanish university.
• University Master's degree in Geodesic Engineering offered by any Spanish university.
• Graduates with any engineering and architectural degree who have completed an official master's course in the field of engineering.
• Students with the Diploma of Advanced Studies obtained through the programme «Engineering for Rural Development» from the USC or any other based on the judgment of the Academic Committee.

Other profiles:

In the case of candidates with profiles different to those mentioned above, the Academic Committee evaluates each case individually. The possibility of requiring supplementary training (maximum 15 ECTS credits) will be considered.

The Doctoral Programme establishes the following supplementary training courses for its potential students, based on their admission degree. The programme's Academic will interpret the following general standards on a case by case basis:

• Master's in Agronomic Engineering, Master's in Civil Engineering (roads, canals and ports), Master's in Land-surveying and Master's in Forestry Engineering.
• Graduates in Agricultural Engineering, Graduates in Agri-food Industries, Graduates in Civil Engineering, Graduates in Geomatics and Topography Engineering, Graduates in Forestry Engineering and the Natural Environment + Official Master's in the field of Engineering.
• Graduates in Agricultural Engineering and the Rural Environment + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Technology and Rural Environment Planning Module in the Master's in Forestry Engineering.
• Graduate in Agri-food Industries Engineering + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Agri-food Technologies Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in Forestry Engineering and the Natural Environment + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Forestry Industries and Energies Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in Geomatics and Topography + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Specialty in Agro-Engineering Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in Civil Engineering + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Specialty in Agro-Engineering Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in other fields of engineering and Architecture + Official Master's degree in Licensed Professions.
• Graduates in other fields of engineering and Architecture + Official Master's degree from the field of Engineering.
• Graduates in other fields of engineering and Architecture + Official Master's degree NOT from the field of Engineering: 6.0 ECTS from the Specialty in Agro-Engineering Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in Experimental and Social Sciences + Official Master's degree from the field of Engineering: 10.0 ECTS, with 2 possibilities:
  A) 3 ECTS from the Technology and Rural Environment Planning Module, 4 ECTS from the Technology of Plant and Animal Production Module and 3 ECTS from the Agri-food Industries Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering B) 3 ECTS from the Technology and Rural Environment Planning Module, 4 ECTS from Forestry Planning and Improvement Module, and 3 ECTS from the Forest Fires Module in the Master's in Forestry Engineering.
• Graduate sin Experimental and Social Sciences + Official Master's Degree other than in the field of Engineering: 15.0 ECTS with 2 possibilities:
  A) 5 ECTS from the Technology and Rural Environment Planning Module, 5 ECTS from the Technology of Plant and Animal Production Module, 5 ECTS from the Agri-food Industries Technologies Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering
  B) 5 ECTS from the Forestry Industries and Energies Module, 5 ECTS from the Forestry Planning and Improvement Module, and 5 ECTS from the Forest Fires Module in the Master's in Forestry Engineering.
• Graduates in Veterinary Science + Official Master's Degree in Engineering: 10.0 ECTS from the Milk Production Specialisation Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.
• Graduates in Veterinary Science + Official Master's Degree other than in the field of Engineering: 15.0 ECTS from the from the Milk Production Specialisation Module in the Master's in Agronomic Engineering.

The supplementary training will be carried out from the degrees of Master's in Agronomic Engineering and Master's in Forestry Engineering, offered at the University of Santiago de Compostela's Higher Polytechnic School, Lugo Campus.

The Doctoral Programme's Academic Committee will establish the supplementary training courses based on students' prior training and their research interests, from the report by the assigned tutor.

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

1. Academic transcript: 40%
2. Knowledge of English (candidates must provide proof: First Certificate, etc.): 10%
3. Curriculum: 15%
4. Professional experience (candidates must provide documentary proof: certificate of employment history, copy of contracts, etc.):10%
5. Research experience (candidates must provide documentary proof: publication of articles, monographs, participation in research groups, etc.): 15%
6. Previous Collaboration with the Department of Agroforestry Engineering: 10%

• Admission profile

  No training complements:

  - In general, those with degrees in the fields of engineering, architecture, science and technology or graduates in degrees related to the lines of research of the doctoral program will not be required to complete complementary training.

  - If the master's studies are not related to the research lines of the doctoral programme, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assess the need to take training complements

  - Students with the DEA degree obtained through doctoral programmes in the field of engineering will also have access to the programme.

  Other profiles:

  - For any other profile, the CAPD will study the cases individually, being able to admit or not the students and establishing training complements if necessary. These complements may not exceed 15 ECTS.

• Requirements

  Access

  1) In general, to access a doctoral programme it will be necessary to be in possession of the Spanish bachelor's degrees, or equivalent, and a university master's degree..

  2) Likewise, anyone who is in any of the following cases may access:

  a) Be in possession of a university degree from Spain or from another country that is part of the European Higher Education Area that qualifies for access to the master's degree in accordance with the provisions of article 18 of the R.D. 822/2021 and pass a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in all university studies, of which at least 60 must be at master's level.

  b) Be in possession of a Spanish graduate degree, the duration of which, in accordance with community law regulations, is at least 300 ECTS credits. These graduates must take the complementary training required by the programme on a compulsory basis, except that the study plan of the corresponding bachelor's degree includes research training credits equivalent in training value to the research credits from master's studies.

  c) University graduates who, after obtaining a place in training in the corresponding test for access to specialised health training places, pass with a positive evaluation at least two years of training in a programme to obtain the official title of one of the specialties in Health Sciences.

  d) Be in possession of a degree obtained in accordance with foreign educational systems, without the need for its homologation, 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 authorizes in the issuing country of the degree for access to doctoral studies. This admission will not imply, in any case, the homologation of the previous degree held by the interested party or its recognition for purposes other than access to doctoral education.

  e) Be in possession of another Spanish doctoral degree obtained in accordance with previous university regulations.

  f) Be in possession of a university degree that has obtained correspondence to level 3 of the Spanish Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education, in accordance with the procedure established in Royal Decree 967/2014, of November 21, by which establish the requirements and procedure for the homologation and declaration of equivalence to a degree and to an official university academic level and for the validation of foreign Higher Education studies, and the procedure to determine correspondence to the levels of the Spanish Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education of the titles of Architect, Engineer, Graduate, Technical Architect, Technical Engineer and Diploma.

  2) Doctoral students who will begin their doctoral programme in accordance with previous university regulations will be able to access doctoral education upon admission, in accordance with the provisions of the USC Doctoral Studies Regulations. In any case, they must meet the requirements generally established in said legislation for access to doctoral studies.

  3) Graduates, architects or engineers who are in possession of the Diploma of Advanced Studies obtained in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 778/1998, of April 30, or who achieve the research proficiency regulated in Royal Decree 185/1985, of January 23.

  4) Graduates, architects or engineers who hold a master's degree in accordance with Royal Decree 56/2005 or Royal Decree 822/2021, or have completed 60 ECTS of master's studies, may access doctoral studies.

  5) Graduates, technical engineers or technical architects who can prove they have 300 ECTS credits in all university studies, of which at least 60 must be at master's level, may also enter.

• Specific requirements

  A feasibility report within the framework of the line of research to which it is linked.
  1) If the student does not demonstrate a minimum knowledge of Spanish, Galician or Portuguese, the student must have a minimum level of English knowledge equivalent to level B1. The level of (language) will be accredited with the corresponding official certification of those included in the list of accreditations recognised by the Centro de Linguas Modernas (CLM) of the USC for the different levels of the Common European Framework:https://www.usc.gal/es/servizos/clm/acreditacion/index.html or equivalent.

  2) It will be promoted that, due to the characteristics and scientific level of the doctoral programme, the student must reach a minimum level of English knowledge equivalent to level B2. To achieve this objective, the USC has the USC Centro de Linguas Modernas (CLM) for the different levels of the Common European Framework.: https://www.usc.gal/es/servizos/clm/acreditacion/index.html .

• Admission rules

  1. Academic Record: 20%

  2. Bachelor's and master's degrees in the field of Engineering and Architecture: 10%.

  3. Adequacy of the research project included in the admission process to the corresponding line of research of the doctoral programme: 25%.

  4. Prior research experience and its results: 10%. Supporting documentation must be submitted.

  5. Professional experience: 5%. Supporting documentation must be submitted (insurance history, coy of contracts, grants, etc.)

  6. Other aspects accredited in the candidate's resume: 5%. (Research stays, courses taken, and courses taught related to the research lines of the programme. Knowledge of a foreign language at level C1 or higher and knowledge of languages other than the native language, etc. Supporting documentation must be presented.

  7. Personal Interview: 25%.

• Title extinction

  El programa de doctorado podrá extinguirse por alguna de las siguientes causas:

  Que no supere el proceso de renovación de la acreditación establecido en el artículo 10 del RD 99/2011.

  • Que no acredite el cumplimiento de los requisitos establecidos por la normativa estatal o autonómica vigente.

  • Que se formule una propuesta de extinción del programa al amparo de los procesos de revisión y mejora del título de acuerdo con el procedimiento aprobado por la universidad.

  • Que concurra cualquier situación excepcional que impida el correcto desarrollo del programa de doctorado.

  La extinción producirá los siguientes efectos:

  • Comportará la pérdida de su carácter oficial y la baja en el RUCT.

  • No se podrá matricular nuevo alumnado en el programa de doctorado.

  • En cualquier caso todo el alumnado afectado deberá ser informado de la extinción y de las consecuencias en lo relativo al desarrollo de sus estudios.

  La Universidad adoptará las medidas necesarias para garantizar los derechos académicos del estudiantado que esté cursando dichos estudios en los términos establecidos en la resolución de extinción del plan de estudio, y aprobará el procedimiento de extinción de los programas de doctorado en el seno de la universidad.

• Forest management

  Teachers	Area
  Ignacio Javier Diaz-Maroto Hidalgo	Agroforestry Engineering
  Alberto Rojo Alboreca	Agroforestry Engineering
  Juan Gabriel Alvarez Gonzalez	Agroforestry Engineering
  Roque Rodríguez Soalleiro	Plant Production
  Guillermo Riesco Muñoz	Agroforestry Engineering
  Pablo Vila Lameiro	Agroforestry Engineering
  Ana Daria Ruiz Gonzalez	Agroforestry Engineering
  Ulises Dieguez Aranda	Agroforestry Engineering

• Projects and planning

  Teachers	Area
  Martin Barrasa Rioja	Agroforestry Engineering
  Manuel Francisco Marey Perez	Agroforestry Engineering
  Emilio Rafael Diaz Varela	Engineering Projects
  Cesar Perez Cruzado	Engineering Projects

• Sustainable rural construction

  Teachers	Area
  Ramón Ángel Mariño Allegue	Agroforestry Engineering
  María Elena Fernández Rodríguez	Agroforestry Engineering
  Manuel Mendez Lodos	Agroforestry Engineering

• Civil and maritime engineering

  Teachers	Area
  Rodrigo Carballo Sanchez	Hydraulic Engineering
  Jose Gregorio Iglesias Rodriguez	Hydraulic Engineering
  Alberte Castro Ponte	Transport Engineering and Infrastructures

• Design of agricultural and food products

  Teachers	Area
  Enrique Rafael Arbones Maciñeira	Agroforestry Engineering

• Agricultural mechanization

  Teachers	Area
  Javier Bueno Lema	Agroforestry Engineering
  Carlos Amiama Ares	Agroforestry Engineering
  Jose Manuel Pereira Gonzalez	Agroforestry Engineering

• Sustainable water management

  Teachers	Area
  Xan Xosé Neira Seijo	Agroforestry Engineering
  Montserrat Valcarcel Armesto	Agroforestry Engineering
  Tomas Serafin Cuesta Garcia	Agroforestry Engineering
  Jorge Dafonte Dafonte	Agroforestry Engineering
  Javier Jose Cancela Barrio	Agroforestry Engineering

• Energy and environmental modelling of livestock farms

  Teachers	Area
  Manuel Ramiro Rodriguez Rodriguez	Agroforestry Engineering
  Maria Dolores Fernandez Rodriguez	Agroforestry Engineering

• Geomatics applied to engineering

  Teachers	Area
  María De La Luz Gil Docampo	Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry
  Juan Pedro Ortiz Sanz	Agroforestry Engineering
  Xesus Pablo Gonzalez Vazquez	Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry
  Ines Sante Riveira	Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry
  Jaime Rodriguez Pereña	Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry
  Maria Teresa Martin Sanchez	Cartographic Engineering, Geodesy and Photogrammetry

• Agricultural mechanisation

  Teachers	Area
  César Resch Zafra	International Doctoral School
  Adrián Botana Fernández	International Doctoral School
  Gonzalo Flores Calvete	International Doctoral School
  Roberto Besteiro Doval	Agroforestry Engineering

El Programa de Doctorado "Ingeniería para el Desarrollo Rural y Civil" tiene como antecedente el Programa de Doctorado del Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela que obtuvo la Mención hacia la Excelencia para el periodo 2011-2014.

En el Programa están enmarcadas 14 líneas de investigación y 46 doctores apoyados por los grupos de investigación del Departamento de Ingeniería Agroforestal. En concreto podemos mencionar las siguientes:

Gestión Forestal. Proyectos y Planificación. Construcción Rural Sostenible. Gestión del Agua. Ahorro y eficiencia Energética. Fotogrametría y teledetección. Ingeniería civil y marítima. Diseño de productos agrarios y alimentarios. Simulación Numérica en Estructuras. Gestión de frondosas autóctonas para tonelería. Mecanización Agraria. Ingeniería de la Producción de Leche

El Programa cuenta con convenios y colaboraciones con entidades de investigación, lo que asegura tanto para doctores como doctorandos una potencial movilidad en España y el extranjero.

Esta titulación pretende dotar al medio rural de profesionales con una adecuada capacidad de diagnosis de los problemas existentes y conocimientos para resolverlos, desde la investigación aplicada propia del campo de la Ingeniería, para contribuir al desarrollo rural, haciendo especial hincapié en la investigación, desarrollo y transferencia de resultados.

Consideramos que con esta titulación se da una respuesta a una demanda creciente de profesionales e investigadores aplicados ya que se pretende proporcionar a los estudiantes una formación científica y tecnológica avanzada y de calidad.

• Basic skills

  • Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and research methods related to that field.
  • Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial research or creation process.
  • Ability to contribute to expanding the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
  • Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
  • Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their areas 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.

• Other competencies

  • Ability to apply the scientific method and to manage legislation and sources of information for the design and critical assessment of trials.
  • Ability to work in conditions that avoid damage to the environment.
  • Ability to apply safety regulations associated with the risks that exist in the development of their work.
  • Ability to identify problems not yet resolved, in one of the Programme's lines of research.
  • Ability to acquire advanced scientific knowledge in the field of agroforestry and civil engineering that allows you to generate new ideas within a line of research.
  • Ability to assess the importance of documentary sources, manage them and search for and understand information for the development of any research work.
  • Identify, locate and obtain data required in a research work; as well as designing and guiding research.
  • Ability to assess research results and attract funding sources. That the student acquires the necessary knowledge about the mechanisms of financing research and technology transfer, as well as current legislation on data protection and the legal protection of results.
  • Ability to prepare a scientific article of impact in any of the programme's lines of research.
  • Ability to prepare, present and defend their contributions in scientific meetings.
  • Ability to transmit this knowledge to people in the business sector and undergraduate and graduate students in subjects related to agroforestry or civil engineering.
  • Ability to participate, coordinate and direct the R&D departments of companies related to their lines of research.
  • Ability to develop research activity with social responsibility and scientific integrity.

Regarding the profile of the graduates, they are a doctors who, although they have delved into a very specific aspect of research, have acquired extensive training and skills. These professionals have had the opportunity to be in contact with research methods and work groups. They have acquired skills in the interpretation and analysis of results and their dissemination through the writing and presentation of different works (communications at conferences, articles in specialised magazines, books or book chapters, patents...). In short, professionals prepared to work in the area with great capacity to analyse problems in the agricultural, forestry, environmental, civil engineering and geomatic engineering fields, develop methodologies for their resolution and implement practical solutions to said problems, which represents a great added value for the company or institution in which it is integrated.
Therefore, they can be integrated into research and development teams or analysis and advisory teams; and occupy operational management positions, middle management positions and senior management positions within the institution or company.

Currently, doctors who have obtained the title of doctor in this doctoral programme are employed in very diverse sectors as university professors, as researchers with postdoctoral contracts, work in public administration, in public research organizations, in companies.

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.