Doctoral Programme in Business Management (interuniversity: UPC, UPM, UPCT, UOC)
Presentation
The doctoral programme in Business Administration and Management seeks to inspire, develop and channel research in areas related to economics and the world of business.
The strategic alliance between the four participating universities enhances the possibility of leveraging synergies and mutually benefiting from the complementary strengths of a critical mass of high-quality research teams. An active partnership such as this will boost research potential and open the door to new areas and lines of doctoral research. To further our already advanced knowledge of business analysis and other concomitant lines of research, the participating universities jointly contribute their wealth of unique experiences in relation to the complexities of the digital economy and knowledge society, as well as a shared approach to applied economics.
The fast-paced nature of technological change brings about accelerated transformations in the skill set needed to properly analyse and lead busi...
The doctoral programme in Business Administration and Management seeks to inspire, develop and channel research in areas related to economics and the world of business.
The strategic alliance between the four participating universities enhances the possibility of leveraging synergies and mutually benefiting from the complementary strengths of a critical mass of high-quality research teams. An active partnership such as this will boost research potential and open the door to new areas and lines of doctoral research. To further our already advanced knowledge of business analysis and other concomitant lines of research, the participating universities jointly contribute their wealth of unique experiences in relation to the complexities of the digital economy and knowledge society, as well as a shared approach to applied economics.
The fast-paced nature of technological change brings about accelerated transformations in the skill set needed to properly analyse and lead business organizations. The doctoral programme thus provides new opportunities for students to acquire complex and versatile skills. It places a strong emphasis on knowledge transfer, which can benefit the production system by delivering improvements and innovations or a greater ability to analyse organizations and the environments in which they operate.
Doctoral students will find a wide range of research lines and methods in the programme, meaning they have ample opportunities to undertake research relating to their interests and concerns. They will also join research groups that have earned established status and funding, collaborating with teams of proven ability.
The doctoral programme in Business Administration and Management entails developing and directing research in this field of study and relating to the wider field of economics, with particular attention to business management, the employment market and the tourism sector.
Competencies
The doctoral programme develops the following basic competencies (as per Spain's Royal Decrees RD 99/2011 and RD 576/2023):
C1. Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the research skills and methods related to this field.
C2. Conceiving, designing or creating, putting into practice and adopting a substantial research or creation process.
C3. Contributing to expanding the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
C4. Developing a critical analysis and assessment and synthesizing new and complex ideas.
C5. Communicating with the academic and scientific community and with society in general regarding the student's areas of knowledge, employing the formats and languages habitually used in their international scientific community.
C6. Fostering scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress in a knowledge- based society, in academic and professional settings.
C7. Fostering open science and citizen science (in accordance with Article 12 of Spain's Organic Law 2/2023, of 22 March) so as to contribute to the status of scientific knowledge as a common good, with assessment of the doctoral student's performance of interdisciplinary activities relating to the different aspects of open science and citizen science, and the development of skills in both disciplines through microcredentials or similar.
Admission profiles
Recommended admission profiles
A1) Candidates with an official qualification in Business Administration and Management or similar.
These candidates have already acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. There is therefore no need for them to complete any bridging courses on the topic of their chosen line of research.
A2) Candidates with an official qualification in the line of research chosen for their doctoral thesis.
These candidates have already acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. There is therefore no need for them to complete any bridging courses on the topic of their chosen line of research.
A3) Candidates with an official qualification in another field that includes a Business Administration and Management-related specialization associated with the line of research chosen for their doctoral thesis.
These candidates have already acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. There is therefore no need for them to complete any bridging courses on the topic of their chosen line of research.
A4) Candidates with an official qualification in another field but with proven professional experience associated with the line of research chosen for their doctoral thesis.
In such case, the PhD programme academic committee will assess whether the candidate has acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. In such case, candidates with this profile will not have to complete any bridging courses on the topic of their chosen line of research.
B1) Candidates with research training and/or experience.
These candidates have already acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. Therefore, candidates with this profile do not have to complete any bridging courses on scientific methodology.
B2) Candidates without research training and/or experience.
These candidates have not acquired the competencies necessary for embarking upon the PhD programme. Candidates with this profile will therefore have to complete bridging courses on scientific methodology. Specifically, they must participate in the Introductory Programme on Management Research (IPMR) offered by the coordinating university.
Career opportunities
Thanks to its interdisciplinary nature, there are a wide variety of career opportunities resulting from this PhD programme. In addition to those in the academic world (teaching and research), the PhD programme boosts the credentials of those seeking a professional future in public or private companies. In the business world and in public administrations, a doctorate in Business Administration and Management can help open the door to senior management and board positions. What's more, many companies (particularly those with R&D&I departments) with a need for highly trained analysts to improve their products and services are increasingly calling for professionals with a doctorate in Business Administration and Management.
Other opportunities include careers in research at both national and international research centres, as well as in the research services and departments of large corporate groups and non governmental organizations (NGOs).
Official qualification
The UOC's Doctoral Programme of Business Management (interuniversity: UPC, UPM, UPCT, UOC) is a programme that has been approved by the Spanish Universities Council, and its implementation has been authorized by the Government of Catalonia, in accordance with current legislation.
The UOC's doctoral programmes have full academic validity throughout Spain; where such is the intention, they are qualifications to perform regulated professions, in accordance with the regulations applicable in each case.
The certificates for these programmes are issued together with a Diploma Supplement (DS), providing details of what the student studied, their results, the professional competencies obtained and the qualification's level in the Spanish higher education system; the aim of this is to facilitate recognition of the qualification and promote students' and graduates' mobility within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
In other countries, the val...
The UOC's Doctoral Programme of Business Management (interuniversity: UPC, UPM, UPCT, UOC) is a programme that has been approved by the Spanish Universities Council, and its implementation has been authorized by the Government of Catalonia, in accordance with current legislation.
The UOC's doctoral programmes have full academic validity throughout Spain; where such is the intention, they are qualifications to perform regulated professions, in accordance with the regulations applicable in each case.
The certificates for these programmes are issued together with a Diploma Supplement (DS), providing details of what the student studied, their results, the professional competencies obtained and the qualification's level in the Spanish higher education system; the aim of this is to facilitate recognition of the qualification and promote students' and graduates' mobility within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
In other countries, the validity of the official university qualifications issued by the UOC will depend on each specific country's education laws.
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Start
18 Sep 2025
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Online
100%
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Admission: March 5, 2024
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Languages: English, Spanish, Catalan
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Official qualification
Fully online method
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Among the top universities
According to the World University Rankings 2024, the UOC is in the top 7% of the world's leading universities.
Programme quality
The quality of this degree programme is endorsed by the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU), which ensures that rigorous standards, including those demanded by the EHEA, are met.