Doctoral Programme in Nuclear and Particles Physics

In general, the master studies that provide access to this doctoral programme without supplementary training is the Master's in Nuclear and Particles Physics and its Scientific and Technical Applications, offered by the USC.

Access without supplementary training:

• AREA OF SCIENCE: Master’s in Biotechnology, Master's in Science and Technology of Colloids and Interfaces, Master's in the Science and Technology of Materials, Master's in Mathematical Engineering, Master’s in Photonics and Laser Technology, Master's in Mathematics, Masters in Advanced Chemistry, Master's in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling, Master’s in Statistical Techniques
• AREA OF HEALTH SCIENCE: Master’s in Biomedical Research, Master’s in Drug Research and Development.
• AREA OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE: Master’s in High Performance Computing, Master's in Information Technology.

All of them offered by the USC.

In the case of other universities, the degrees with direct access are those analogous to the University of Santiago and/or areas of knowledge whose subject matter is consistent with the required prior training, the objectives and research lines assigned to the Doctoral Programme. The Doctoral Programme's Academic Committee is the body that decides on the direct admission or if the applicants need to pass certain supplementary training subjects, depending on the documentation they provide.

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 will be considered (maximum 15 ECTS).

In the case of candidates who do not have a Master's degree, they will require an equivalence in research training credits, at least equal to those of the Master's that provides direct access, which are 12 ECTS.

Students with an unaccredited foreign degree can apply for admission to doctoral studies provided they can certify a level of studies equal to the Spanish official University Master's Degree and authorises the holder to access Doctoral level studies in the issuing country. This admission will under no circumstances entail the accreditation of the previous degree nor its recognition for purposes other than to access these courses.

Intermediate knowledge of the English language is required. This knowledge must be certified before the DPAC with by means of any official certification (intermediate level: B1, TOEFL, Cambridge, Official School of Languages, etc.). If applicants lack the official certification, the DPAC will submit the candidates to the tests it deems appropriate: speaking and/or written test and/or personal interview, to determine their knowledge of the English language.

Specific criteria of admission are the following:

1. Academic transcript: 65%
2. Previous research experience in the area of Nuclear and Particle Physics (participating in research projects, papers, congresses, etc.): 35%

• Admission profile

  No training complements:

  - In general, students who have completed a master's degree in the field of Physics and Astronomy will be able to access this doctoral programme.

  Other profiles:

  - Other areas that may give access, subject to review by the CAPD and with the possibility of requiring training complements, are Biology and Genetics; Biochemistry and Biotechnology; Biomedical sciences; Earth sciences; Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications Engineering; Computer and Systems Engineering; Mathematics and Statistics; Chemistry.

  - In the case of other profiles that have not completed a master's degree, an equivalence of training in research credits will be required, at least equal to those of the master's degree that gives direct access, which correspond to 60 ECTS.

  - For any other profile, the CAPD will study the cases individually, may or may not admit the students and establish 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 a degree in 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 Spanish University master's degree and that it authorizes in the country issuing the degree for access to doctoral studies. This admission will not imply, in any case, the approval of the previous degree that the interested party holds 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 the 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.

  3) 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.

  4) 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.

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

  6) Diploma holders, 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

  1) A feasibility report issued by a professor within the framework of the line of research to which it is linked.
  2) In addition, the student must have a minimum level of knowledge of one of the following languages, English, Portuguese, French, Italian or German, equivalent to level B1. The required level will be accredited with the corresponding official certification of those included in the list of accreditations recognized 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

• Admission rules

  1. Academic record: 70%

  2. Previous research experience in the field of Nuclear and Particle Physics: 15%. (Publications, communications and other scientific contributions to conferences, participation in research projects). Supporting documentation must be presented.

  3. Other aspects accredited in the candidate's resume: 15%. (Research stays, courses taken and courses taught, foreign language at level C1 or higher and knowledge of languages other than the native language, etc. Supporting documentation must be presented.

• 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.

• Experimental high energy physics: study of the standard model, search for physics beyond the standard model and development of detectors.

  Teachers	Area
  Juan Jose Saborido Silva	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Bernardo Adeva Andany	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Maximo Plo Casasus	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Pablo Vazquez Regueiro	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Cibran Santamarina Rios	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Xabier Cid Vidal	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Antonio Romero Vidal	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Diego Martinez Santos	International Doctoral School
  Abraham Antonio Gallas Torreira	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics

• Theoretical physics: the standard model under extreme conditions, string theory, gravitation, quantum information and other theoretical developments.

  Teachers	Area
  Carlos Miguel Merino Gayoso	Theoretical Physics
  Jose Manuel Sanchez De Santos	Theoretical Physics
  Alfonso Vázquez Ramallo	Theoretical Physics
  Jose Luis Miramontes Antas	Theoretical Physics
  Elena Gonzalez Ferreiro	Theoretical Physics
  Javier Mas Sole	Theoretical Physics
  Nestor Armesto Perez	Theoretical Physics
  Carlos Alberto Salgado Lopez	Theoretical Physics
  Jose Daniel Edelstein Glaubach	Theoretical Physics
  Christoph Adam	Theoretical Physics
  Riccardo Borsato	Theoretical Physics
  Pier Paolo Giardino	Theoretical Physics
  Bin Wu	Theoretical Physics

• Astrophysics: neutrinos, gamma rays, cosmic rays and gravitational waves.

  Teachers	Area
  Gonzalo Parente Bermudez	Theoretical Physics
  Enrique Zas Arregui	Theoretical Physics
  Ma Angeles Lopez Aguera	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Lorenzo Cazon Boado	Theoretical Physics
  Jaime Alvarez Muñiz	Theoretical Physics
  Hector Alvarez Pol	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Jose Angel Hernando Morata	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Thomas Dent	Theoretical Physics

• Nuclear physics and medical and technological applications

  Teachers	Area
  Faustino Gomez Rodriguez	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Jose Fernando Benlliure Anaya	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Maria Dolores Cortina Gil	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Diego Gonzalez Diaz	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Beatriz Fernandez Dominguez	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Pablo Vazquez Regueiro	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Manuel Caamaño Fresco	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Abraham Antonio Gallas Torreira	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Hector Alvarez Pol	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Francesc Yassid Ayyad Limonge	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
  Aaron Jose Alejo Alonso	Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics

El programa de doctorado se desarrolla en el prestigioso campo de la Física Nuclear y de Partículas, que trata de conocer la estructura de la materia mediante el estudio de sus componentes más elementales en términos de núcleos, partículas y las interacciones entre ellas. Este campo generó en los últimos 50 años una gran variedad de aplicaciones tecnológicas en los campos de la energía, medicina e industria en general.

Las líneas de investigación propuestas en el doctorado son punteras en los campos de la física experimental nuclear y de partículas de los grandes aceleradores LHC del CERN o del GSI, en campos más aplicados de las radiaciones ionizantes en la medicina, industria y en la física ambiental, en la exploración del universo por medio de partículas y radiación de alta energía, en la descripción de la estructura de los hadróns y del confinamento de los quarks, en las teorías modernas de unificación de las interacciones fundamentales, supersimetría, extensiones del modelo estándar de las partículas elementales y de las teorías de campos integrables.

• Basic skills

  - - Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and research methods related to said 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

  - Training to research in adronic phenomenology and in the physics of quark and gluon plasma.
  - Obtain advanced knowledge in astroparticle physics and nuclear astrophysics research.
  - Knowledge of the most modern electronic instrumentation techniques applied to research in nuclear and particle physics.
  - Training to carry out research in theoretical physics of the standard model and its extensions.
  - Knowledge of soliton theory, integrable theories and supersymmetric theories.
  - Knowledge of the techniques applied in investigations of environmental radioactivity and ionizing radiation.
  - Mastery of programming, simulation and data analysis techniques.
  - Training to research in quantum field theory, string theory and gravity.
  - Advanced knowledge of the fundamentals of nuclear and particle physics.
  - Experience in participating in some of the most cutting-edge experiments in nuclear physics and high energy physics.

A very high percentage of the programme's graduates, a percentage that we estimate at 80% even without having complete data on all graduates, continue their careers associated with research and/or teaching in higher education centres through postdoctoral research contracts or with temporary or permanent positions as researcher and/or professor in national and foreign centres. The rest of the graduates divide their activity between the world of private business, mainly in the sectors of data management, programming, Big Data and artificial intelligence, and teaching in secondary education centres.

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.