Access and Admission to the Doctoral Program in Mechatronics Engineering
> ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA
> PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME STUDENTS
> STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The recommended profile is that of a person with studies in technical or scientific fields, possessing knowledge of fundamental technologies (Mechanics, Electricity, Electronics, Control, Computing, etc.) and an interest in Integration and new technologies. This profile is typical of most Spanish Technical Degrees, as well as some specializations in Physics studies.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA
The specific process for admission and enrollment in the Doctoral Programs at the University of Málaga is described in the University's Doctoral Regulations, available at https://www.uma.es/secretariageneral/newsecgen/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=519
Firstly, applicants to a Doctoral Program must hold official Spanish Bachelor's degrees, or equivalents, and a University Master's degree (unless exempted) or meet the requirements outlined in Article 6 of R.D. 99/2011, and fulfill the requirements set by the Academic Committee of the corresponding Doctoral Program.
The required level of English for doctoral students will be that which, according to current legislation, graduates of the new degree titles achieve, i.e., B1 or an equivalent level.
Additionally, applicants must obligatorily indicate the research line they are interested in within the research lines of the Program.
The Doctoral Program in Mechatronics Engineering defines the following admission profiles:
i) Students with direct access to the doctorate: This includes students coming from University Master's in Mechatronics Engineering and other similar Master's programs with a research profile. These students will not need to take specific training complements.
ii) Master's in Industrial Engineering, Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Naval Engineering, Mining Engineering, other Engineering Master's that provide access to professional titles, and other Engineering Master's, depending on the relevance of the Master's to the topics of this Doctoral program.
If the completed Master's does not have a research profile in its training, students will need to take the specific complements defined for this program, as detailed later.
iii) Doctors, Graduates, and Engineers within the provisions of Article 6 of R.D. 99/2011 in Engineering and Science areas not included in points 1) and 2). If the completed studies do not have a research profile, students will need to take the specific complements defined for this program, as outlined later in this document. Acceptance into the Doctoral Program will be decided by the Academic Committee of the Mechatronics Engineering Doctoral Program based on the relevance of the completed qualifications to the topics of this Doctoral program. These students will need to take the specific training complements as specified in section 3.4.
iv) Foreign students: In the case of applicants holding a degree obtained according to foreign education systems, without needing its homologation, upon verification by UMA that it accredits a level of training equivalent to the official Spanish Master's degree and that it qualifies for access to doctoral studies in the country issuing the degree, general admission criteria will be applied. This admission will not imply, in any case, the homologation of the prior degree nor its recognition for other purposes than access to Doctoral studies. The selection of candidates will be carried out by the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Program based on merit and capacity criteria. The applicable training complements will be applied to these students according to their affinity with profiles i), ii), or iii) mentioned above.
If the number of applicants exceeds the maximum set for the Doctoral Program, the Academic Committee will select the applicants based on a previously established and approved scale by the Postgraduate Committee of the University of Málaga.
The scale will consider the academic record of the Bachelor's and/or Master's degree leading to the Doctoral Program (if completing the latter is an indispensable requirement). The assessment of the academic record must be at least sixty percent of the overall score.
Additionally, the criteria will include the following aspects:
- The suitability of the studies that allow access to the third cycle, in relation to the research object in which the candidate wishes to develop their doctoral thesis.
- The candidate's curriculum.
- The interest for the Faculty, School, or Research Center of the research line in which the candidate wishes to conduct their work, through reports from the corresponding Departments, Centers, and thesis supervisors.
- The coherence of the proposed thesis topic, if any, with the research lines of the Doctoral Program.
- Other research-related merits.
- The availability of research staff with permanent affiliation to the University of Málaga and accredited research experience to supervise the thesis in the requested research area. The availability of necessary means for the research work that the candidate intends to develop.
The admission requirements and subsequent assessment will be recorded on the Doctoral Program's website.
Pre-registration applications for the Doctoral Program must be submitted to the responsible Center's secretariat within the deadlines established by the University of Málaga (usually during the months of September and February). Update: The UMA Doctoral School (ED-UMA), as the responsible center for pre-registration and access, has adopted an online application format, whose link is published on the university's website during the established deadlines. Information about this online platform and the corresponding deadlines is available at https://www.uma.es/doctorado/info/12410/acceso-doctorado/.
The Academic Committee of the Doctoral Program will resolve the applications and send their resolution to the corresponding Administrative Unit of the University for the formalization of enrollment within the deadlines established by the University of Málaga.
Students may prioritize pre-registration in more than one Doctoral Program at the University of Málaga, provided they meet the requirements for each program. If none of the chosen programs can be offered due to not reaching the minimum number of students, they will have an additional ten-day period to opt for another program and may be accepted if they meet its requirements and on equal terms with the rest of the applicants.
Students admitted and enrolled in a Doctoral Program will be considered research trainees and will enroll annually at the University of Málaga.
Once the pre-registration and enrollment periods have concluded, new applications can be considered as long as there are vacant places and the access conditions to the Program described above are met.
PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME STUDENTS
The duration of doctoral studies will be a maximum of three years, full-time, from admission to the program to the submission of the doctoral thesis. If after the three-year period the thesis has not been submitted, the Academic Committee may authorize an extension of this period for one more year, which exceptionally could be extended for another additional year if deemed appropriate and justifiable in cases of force majeure.
The Doctoral Program in Mechatronics Engineering also considers the possibility of pursuing Doctoral studies part-time, provided the program's Academic Committee authorizes it. In this case, such studies may last up to five years from admission to the program to the submission of the doctoral thesis. For part-time studies, the extension may be authorized for two more years, which exceptionally could be extended for another additional year.
As stated in the regulations of the University of Málaga, and more specifically in section III of the Good Practice Guide for Doctoral Programs, a part-time doctoral student is understood to be one who performs a job or activity (whether paid or not) that prevents them from dedicating more than 60% of their time to the achievement of the doctorate. To request part-time admission to a Doctoral Program, the candidate must prove this situation, which must be evaluated and authorized by the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Program.
Generally, the percentage of students pursuing part-time doctoral studies in this program should not exceed 30% of the total enrolled students.
The chosen modality for each student will be recorded in the commitment model signed by the doctoral student, the director, and the tutor (see http://www.uma.es/doctorado/info/46973/compromiso-documental-supervision/) and can be changed if circumstances require it. In this case, the doctoral student must request the change from full-time to part-time. This request must be directed and justified before the academic committee responsible for the program, which will decide on the appropriateness of the request. The changes must be authorized by all parties signing the supervision commitment document and will be recorded in said document.
A permanent change in the working or occupation conditions of a part-time doctoral student that no longer prevents them from pursuing full-time doctoral studies must be communicated to the tutor, who will proceed with the process for changing the modality of the doctoral student. Likewise, the doctoral student may request a temporary withdrawal from the program for a maximum period of one year, extendable to another year. This request must be directed and justified before the academic committee responsible for the program, which will decide on the appropriateness of the request.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The University of Málaga recognizes that addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities is an acknowledgment of the values of the individual and their right to higher education and training. For this reason, and with the objectives of: a) guaranteeing equal opportunities and the full integration of university students with disabilities into academic life, and b) promoting awareness and sensitivity among other members of the university community, the University of Málaga has an office dedicated to attending to its students with disabilities: the Support Service for Students with Disabilities (SAAD). This office is responsible for providing appropriate support and advisory services, which will assess the need for possible curricular adaptations, alternative pathways, or studies for doctoral students.
This service is aimed at guiding and assisting individuals with a disability percentage of 33% or higher, who wish to enroll or are enrolled at the University of Málaga, addressing the needs arising from the student's disability situation, which may hinder their university studies and place them at a disadvantage. These needs vary depending on the individual, the type of disability, the studies undertaken, and their socio-economic situation, thus requiring an individualized evaluation and attention for each student.
Below are examples of resources. These are indicative, as depending on the student with a disability, new measures may arise or the nature of existing ones may change:
- Academic and vocational guidance and advising for students and parents.
- Curricular adaptations in coordination and collaboration with the competent faculty.
- Technical aids for curricular access: recorders, self-copying notebooks, FM transmitters.
- Reserved seating in university classrooms and facilities.
- Sign language interpreters.
- Adaptation of classroom materials: benches, tables, chairs.
- Adaptation of class materials: notes, practical work.
- Financial assistance for transportation.
- A student collaborator for study support.
