Objectives

The DPTS covers all main transport systems topics, from transport policy and planning to infrastructure design and maintenance, at the various spatial levels (from international to local), and for the various modes (air, rail, road, etc.). The program has an estimated duration of 3 to 5 years. In the first year students receive advanced training in some key subjects in Transport Systems, and at the same time they prepare a thesis project. In the remaining time, they develop their doctoral thesis along the lines established in the thesis project.

Upon completion of the DPTS, students are expected to have acquired the knowledge, skills, and competences they need for a transport-related career in academia, including teaching and research, as well as for a high-level professional career in the public or the private sector.

Since 2007/2008, in the three schools, a total of 176 students have been involved in the DPTS or its predecessor programs, 47 of which of 23 different foreign nationalities. On average, 56 candidates have applied annually to the program and 16 have been admitted. Up to now, more than 60 students have completed the program and obtained the PhD degree.

Fields of Specialization

The DPTS involves studies with a total minimum duration of 3 years, but typically takes 4 years to complete (for full-time students). In the 1st year, students make the so-called Doctoral Course. The remaining years are dedicated to the preparation of the PhD thesis.

The Doctoral Course comprises 5 teaching course units and the preparation of a thesis project in Transport Systems. One of the course units, Research Methodologies, is mandatory and the other 4 are optional. At least two of the optional units must be selected among the ones listed below. The remaining units can be selected among any other course units offered at the doctoral level in the participating schools.

In addition to the course units indicated below, the students of the DPTS will be able to attend, from 2016/2017 on, a new unit on Transport Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The course units listed below are taught in English, an lectures are given in one of the schools, and broadcast to the other schools by videoconference.

Course Units of the Doctoral Course:
Risk and Decision-Making; Road Traffic Management; Transport Demand Modeling; Transport Infrastructure and Operations Optimization; Business Models and Contracts; Highway and Airport Infrastructure Engineering; Railway infrastructure Design and Maintenance; Simulation of Land Use / Transport Systems; Transport Policies and Institutions.

 

Information

APPLICATION CHANNELS AND ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The main channel for applying to the DPTS is the 1st MPP call. This call runs from late January to mid April. Only candidates to this call qualify for the scholarships awarded by the DPTS (see below). The other possible channels are the 2nd MPP call for applications, which runs from mid-April to mid-July, and calls made independently by FEUP in June or later.

Candidates from outside the European Union are strongly advised to apply within the 1st MPP call, as otherwise it is likely that they will not be able to complete their visa processes in time of arriving to Portugal before the start of the academic year (begining in September).

The website for MPP applications is: http://www.mitportugal.org/application/applying.html

In order to be admitted to the DPTS, candidates are required to hold a pre-Bologna Licentiate diploma (typically corresponding to 5 years of higher education) or a post-Bologna Master diploma (second cycle of higher education) in Engineering, Management, Economics, Mathematics, Geography, Information Systems, or related areas.

Holders of scientific, academic, or professional qualifications or curriculum considered by the Scientific Committee as demonstrating the capacity of candidates to complete the DPTS may also be admitted to the program.

 

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

For the 3 universities together, the DPTS offers 10 scholarships annually to the 10 best-positioned candidates (who have explicitly asked for a scholarship) in the 1st MPP call. These scholarships include university registration fees, a monthly stipend of 980 Euros, and support for a possible stay at MIT for a period of up to two semesters.

Moreover for the year 2016/2017, the DPTS at FEUP is going to open 2 additional specific scholarships.

In addition to the DPTS scholarships, there are various other scholarships to which students can apply. This is notably the case of the FCT regular PhD scholarships, which are open only to residents in Portugal, and, in the case of foreign candidates, the PhD scholarships awarded by their countries (such as the Brazilian “Ciência sem Fronteiras” scholarships).

More information on FCT scholarships can be found at: http://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/concursos/index.phtml.en

Contacts

PDST Director 

Jorge Pinho de Sousa

jsousa@fe.up.pt

 

Executive Assistant

Isabel Ribeiro

isabel@fe.up.pt

 

General information

Study Plan

Involved Organic Units

Certificates

Predominant Scientific Areas