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Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Presentation

The Education and ICT ( e-learning ) doctoral programme focuses on the study of the phenomena linked electronic teaching and learning, the institutional or social framework, and technology-mediated online learning systems in general in any geographic or cultural setting, while also opening up this focus to include any innovative research that uses ICT in the framework of education. To do so, the programme offers interdisciplinary work that currently covers fields of knowledge as diverse as psychology and pedagogy or computer engineering, law, tourism, economics, mathematics and the humanities, among others.

The challenges facing education in the 21st century are closely linked to competent and rational use of Information and Communication Technologies as we know them, and the different forms that these technologies might take in the immediate future. This connection between education and ICT will not remain the same over time, rather it will become more complex, taking on new challenges that are hard to foresee at present. The mutually influencing evolution of education and ICT requires professionals who are knowledgeable and curious about technological advances, while also being committed to the social ends inherent in all levels of education, clearly including non-formal forms of education. Likewise, study and analysis in the field of education requires interdisciplinary and intersectoral work that opens the door to companies that develop and apply knowledge in any of the different areas of learning.

The Education and ICT doctoral programme focuses on online teaching and learning, the institutional or social framework, and technology-mediated online education systems, in general, in any geographic or cultural setting. It is open to any innovative research that involves the use of ICT in education. With this in mind, the programme supports interdisciplinary work that covers fields as diverse as psychology, pedagogy, computer engineering, law, tourism, economics, mathematics or the humanities, among others.

Competences

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

We welcome candidates who are already involved in education; this includes teachers and other education professionals from any type of university or school, who may be professionally active or not, and wish to learn more about technology-mediated education or e-learning. We also welcome public- or private-sector professionals involved in senior management, coordination, policy-making, advisory services, consulting and evaluation of e-learning projects, instructional design or development of digital education resources and environments.

The programme is open both to those interested in building a long-term career in the field of research, in either the business world or academia, and to professionals in this sector seeking to boost their career prospects with doctoral-level education.

Career opportunities

Coordination of online learning programmes for schools, teaching training, universities, vocational training or lifelong learning for businesses.

Primary or secondary school management, including the development of digital transformation plans.

Consultancy for schools or cultural/socio-educational organizations on the development and assessment of online learning projects.

Coordination of innovation or research projects associated with the use of digital technology in education or socio-education-related fields.

Consultancy for public administrations and governmental and non-governmental bodies with an international or global scope in relation to online education and training.

Senior management and consulting in the publishing and development of digital education resources and curricular materials or online learning environments.

University teaching.

Download the programme (PDF)

The UOC Doctoral Programme of Education and ITC (e-Learning) 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 bachelor's, university master's degrees and 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.

Start

18 Sep 2025
Online

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Admission: March 5, 2024
Languages: Catalan, Spanish, English
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Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Programme of study

The study plan is based on a series of training and research activities (courses, seminars and thematic and methodological workshops) aimed at training for research in the field of education and technology, which support the preparation and defence of the doctoral thesis in order to obtain the doctoral degree.

The learning format of the doctoral programme is generally distance and online, with support provided by the teaching staff, thesis supervisors, tutors and other members of the research community. The course can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis. Students on the full-time programme are advised to obtain a grant that enables them to work on the doctoral programme on a full-time basis. Some grants, such as the UOC doctoral degree grants, may require the student to live in Barcelona, so some training and academic activities in the programme are also available in in-person format.

The programme is run in Catalan, Spanish and English, and the learning resources may be in any of these three languages.

Study plan

The programme is run in Catalan, Spanish and English, and the learning resources may be in any of these three languages. A high level of English language proficiency is therefore required.

Each doctoral student, with the guidance of their thesis supervisor and their cohort tutor, draws up a personalized training plan based on their selection of the most suitable activities for their doctoral thesis project, which will in turn contribute to the development of skills necessary for participation in academic life. Within these activities, presenting papers at conferences and publishing articles during the programme are considered essential training experiences that must be carried out before the doctoral thesis is defended.

Various types of training activities are available when drawing up the personalized training plan: foundation and methodological courses, bridging courses, seminars, workshops and courses for professional development as a researcher. Some of these activities are compulsory, but most are optional.

Students are advised to consult their assigned tutor regarding the right time to develop the various activities included in their training plan.

Type of training activity	Duration	Teaching mode	Timing	Compulsory or optional
Courses	One semester	Online	During the research period	Recommended
Bridging courses	One semester	Online	1st year (1st or 2nd semester)	Optional
Training seminars	Two months	Online	During the research period	Highly recommended
Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses	One semester	Online	During the research period	Optional
Workshops	10 hours	Online	During the research period	Optional

Students' learning pathways may include bridging courses. These bridging courses are based on the specific training needs associated with the entry requirements and are assigned by the Doctoral Degree Academic Committee.

If, for example, the student does not have the required B2 level of English, they will be required to study the courses offered by the UOC's Centre for Modern Languages: English B2.1. and English B2.2.

In any event, to complete the doctoral studies, we recommend that students achieve a C1 level of English, which can also be achieved through the English C1.1 and English C1.2 courses.

Timing	Assignatures	ECTS credits	Type	Language
1st year	Research Design in Social Sciences	5	Mandatory	English
2nd year	Elearning Thematic Seminar	3	Mandatory	English
1st or 2nd semester	Research in e-Learning	5	Optional	Catalan/Spanish
1st or 2nd semester	Research Methods	5	Optional	Catalan/Spanish
1st or 2nd semester	Data Analysis Techniques	6	Optional	Catalan/Spanish
1st or 2nd semester	Construction of Instruments for Research	5	Optional	Catalan/Spanish
1st semester (1st or 2nd year)	Advanced Qualitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research	5	Optional	English
1st semester (1st or 2nd year)	Advanced Quantitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research	5	Optional	English
1st or 2nd semester	English B2.1	6	Optional	English
1st o 2nd semester	English B2.2	6	Optional	English

Fundamental methodological courses

These are highly recommended advanced courses in research methodology, which, if applicable, must be taken between the first year (full-time students) and the second year (part-time students).

Temporal Distribution	Subject	Credits (ECTS)	Tipology	Language
1st semester (1st or 2nd year)	Advanced Qualitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research	5	Optative	English
1st semester (1st or 2nd year)	Advanced Quantitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research	5	Optative	English

The UOC also offers research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses in English aimed at students, researchers and faculty to foster research in scientific, academic and business fields.

Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses can be recognized as free elective credits on bachelor's degree courses. If you are studying a doctoral degree at any university and have obtained a competitive grant, you can also study it as part of your training resources.

You can check all the courses in the website: https://estudios.uoc.edu/en/doctoral-programmes

The following seminars differ in the extent to which they are compulsory or optional.

"PhD Seminars" are compulsory as they form part of the doctoral degree assessment and monitoring process.

Timing	Field of the education and ict	ECTS credits	Type	Language
2nd year (1st semester)	Phd Seminar 1¹	0	Compulsory	English
4th year (1st semester)	Phd Seminar 2¹	0	Compulsory	English

¹These seminars are assessed and synchronous and will be on-site and online.

Itinerary and duration

Students studying full-time will complete the programme in a maximum of 4 years, and in a maximum of 7 years if studying part-time, from admission to the programme to the doctoral thesis's defence. This timeframe does not include maternity or paternity leave, or any long-term sick leave that the programme's Academic Committee may consider appropriate to approve.

The Academic Committee may also authorize an extension of these periods for the maximum number of times stipulated by the applicable legislation, and under the conditions determined by the relevant doctoral programme.

The personal training plan is established for each doctoral student after they have enrolled in the programme. This document lists all the training activities, established by the thesis supervisor and approved by the Academic Committee, for the doctoral student's development.

Before the end of the first year, the doctoral student must produce a research plan that includes the aim, questions and objectives to be achieved, the proposed methodology and the resources and time planning to produce the thesis. A positive assessment by the Academic Committee of the research plan submitted in the first year is an essential requirement for continuing in the programme.

The doctoral student must take and successfully complete the specific training activity that is included in their personalized training plan during the programme.

Each doctoral student also creates and maintains an "Activities Document", in which they record all the training activities they carry out as part of their training pathway. In this document, they also reflect on their progress in the research plan and in research development by means of all the activities carried out.

The programme's Academic Committee assesses the progress made in each doctoral student's research plan and Activities Document every year, as well as the reports that the thesis supervisor must issue to that end.

Activities in the organized research period in face-to-face teaching mode	Completion date
Selection and admission Personal interview (in person or over the phone) Results of the admission process Acceptance	February to March - year 0
Admission Assignment of the doctoral tutor Assignment of a personalized pathway	June - year 0
1st year - 1st semester Completion of courses and activities included on the personalized pathway Participation in the doctoral research seminar Signing of the doctoral candidate agreement	September to February - year 1
1st year - 2nd semester Completion of courses and activities included on the personalized pathway Participation in the doctoral research seminar Drafting of the research plan Elaboration of the document for renewal of the grant by the Thesis Supervisor Assessment of the research plan by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee	February to July - year 1
2nd year Elaboration the record of activities Participation in the PhD Seminar 1 Elaboration of the document for renewal of the grant by the Thesis Supervisor Annual progress assessment by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee Preparation of the doctoral thesis	September to July - year 2
3rd year Completion of the doctoral thesis Preliminary assessment of the doctoral thesis by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee Submission of the thesis and registration for the oral examination Oral examination on the doctoral thesis	September to July - year 3

Activities in the organized research period in distance teaching mode	Completion date
Selection and admission Personal interview (in person or over the phone) Results of the admission process Acceptance	February to March - year 0
Admission Assignment of the doctoral tutor Assignment of a personalized pathway	June - year 0
1st year - 1st semester Completion of courses and activities included on the personalized pathway Signing of the doctoral candidate agreement	September to February - year 1
1st year - 2nd semester Completion of courses and activities included on the personalized pathway Drafting of the research plan Assessment of the research plan by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee	February to July - year 1
2nd year and consecutive years Elaboration the record of activities Participation in the PhD Seminar 1 (2nd year) Participation in the PhD Seminar 2 (4rd year) Annual progress assessment by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee Preparation of the doctoral thesis	September to July - year 2, 3 and 4rd
5rd year Completion of the doctoral thesis Preliminary assessment of the doctoral thesis by the doctoral programme's Academic Committee Submission of the thesis and registration for the oral examination Oral examination on the doctoral thesis	September to July - year 5

Research lines

More information

Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Academic team

Doctoral School Management
Program direction
Academic Committee
Tutoring
Thesis directors team

Doctoral School Management

David Masip Rodó

PhD in Computer Engineering (UAB). He teaches courses on artificial intelligence, infographic, computer vision and business intelligence. He is currently the director of the UOC Doctoral School. His research focuses on the study of computer vision algorithms dedicated to the analysis of human behaviour, facial perception and object and scene recognition.

Web

CV

Program direction

Iolanda García González

She has a PhD in Pedagogy from the University of Barcelona. She is currently director of the UOC's doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning) and associate professor of Education and ICT in its Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences. She has been the Innovation coordinator at the UOC's eLearn Center and an associate professor in the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Education.

Academic Committee

Antoni Badia Gargante

He is a qualified teacher of Mathematics and Science, and Physical Education (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB), has a degree in Psychology (UAB), a master's degree in Educational Psychology Research (Ramon Llull University), and a PhD in Psychology (UAB). He's a Professor in the UOC's Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, and a member of the SINTE interuniversity research group. In 2010, he was a visiting professor at the University of Colorado (Denver, USA) and, in 2018, at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). Area of expertise: Educational Psychology. He currently teaches on the Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education. He has four main research interests: teacher identity, teacher learning, teacher as inquirer, and technology-enhanced learning.
Atanasi Daradoumis Haralabus

Doctor in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). His teaching activity focuses on subjects in the field of information management systems. His research interests revolve around emotional intelligence, alternative (holistic) education, learning analytics, e-learning, collaborative, affective and adaptive systems, and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL).

Web

CV
Enric Serradell López

Dr Enric Serradell López is an economist and associate professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. He has a PhD in Business Management from the University of Barcelona.

His work brings together professional and academic activities. His main lines of research are business management, e-learning and skills development, problem solving and the innovative use of ICT products and applications in management, particularly in business simulators and business games. He is director of the MeL (Management & eLearning) research group, whose aim is to analyse and design innovative environments for decision-making and the creation and development of skills related to personal and professional decision-making. His research has been published in academic journals and presented at leading international conferences.

Web
Gerard Josep Ferrer Esteban

Gerard Ferrer-Esteban is a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). He holds bachelor’s degrees in education sciences and social education, and a PhD in Sociology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), with a focus on school autonomy and inequalities. He coordinates the LES (Laboratory of Social Education) research group at UOC and contributes as a research fellow to GEPS (Globalization, Education and Social Policies) and GLANCE (Global and Comparative Studies in Education) research groups at UAB. His research areas include educational policy, school segregation, educational inequalities, community education, and teaching strategies. Ferrer-Esteban has experience in research and academia in Spain and Italy, working as an adjunct professor, lecturer, and researcher in comparative education, education theory, intercultural education, and research methods. He has also contributed to education policy and school effectiveness research at the Agnelli Foundation in Italy. He has been involved in R+D projects and contracts funded by institutions such as the European Research Council (ERC) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, covering topics from school autonomy to social segregation and school improvement.
Gisela Grañena Gimeno

Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition with a certificate in Statistics and Evaluation from the University of Maryland, M.A. in Intercultural Communication from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and postgraduate degree in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) from the University of Barcelona. She has been a professor at UOC since 2013 where she coordinates the B1 English language courses. She is also the director of the master's degree in Technology-mediated language teaching and learning and the principal investigator of the TechSLA research group. Her research interests include the role of cognitive aptitudes in second language learning; the creation of optimal psycholinguistic environments in distance language learning; aptitude-treatment interactions; task-based language teaching (TBLT); measures of implicit and explicit language knowledge; and the effects of early and late bilingualism on long-term L2 achievement.

CV
Iolanda García González

She has a PhD in Pedagogy from the University of Barcelona. She is currently director of the UOC's doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning) and associate professor of Education and ICT in its Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences. She has been the Innovation coordinator at the UOC's eLearn Center and an associate professor in the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Education.
Julio Meneses

Full Professor of Research Methods at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Director of Learning and Teaching Analysis at the eLearning Innovation Center (eLinC), and researcher of the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (UOC).

Web

CV
Lucrezia Crescenzi-Lanna

Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow (UOC) with extensive experience in
coordinating international projects in early child education and
technology. She has a background in Developmental Psychology (La
Sapienza University), obtaining a PhD in Education Communication and
Art (UB). She is currently the director of the Child Tech lab (UOC).
Her research focuses on the study of young children's learning with
technology in kindergartens, children's socioemotional and cognitive
behavior during collaborative activities with digital play, and the
ethical implications of educational research using advanced technology
(artificial intelligence) with children.

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CV
Marcelo Fabián Maina

Director of the Master in Education and ICT (eLearning).
Associate professor of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences.
Doctor in Information and Knowledge Society from the UOC.
M. Sc. Communication from the University of Montréal.
Member of the research group consolidated by the Generalitat of Catalonia Edul@b (SGR 01111)
Fellow of EDEN Digital Education Europe.

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CV

Thesis directors team

Adriana Ornellas Rios da Silva
Agusti Canals Parera

CV
Albert Sangra Morer

CV
Aleksandra Malicka

Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics.
Alicia Aguilar Martinez

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Amalia Susana Creus

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Ana Elena Guerrero Roldán

PhD in Information and Knowledge Society from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC).
Her teaching activity focuses on the use and application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in academic and professional environments. Her field of research revolves around the computer vision, machine learning and affective computing.

CV
Anna Espasa Roca
Antoni Badia Gargante

He is a qualified teacher of Mathematics and Science, and Physical Education (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB), has a degree in Psychology (UAB), a master's degree in Educational Psychology Research (Ramon Llull University), and a PhD in Psychology (UAB). He's a Professor in the UOC's Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, and a member of the SINTE interuniversity research group. In 2010, he was a visiting professor at the University of Colorado (Denver, USA) and, in 2018, at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada). Area of expertise: Educational Psychology. He currently teaches on the Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education. He has four main research interests: teacher identity, teacher learning, teacher as inquirer, and technology-enhanced learning.
Atanasi Daradoumis Haralabus

Doctor in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). His teaching activity focuses on subjects in the field of information management systems. His research interests revolve around emotional intelligence, alternative (holistic) education, learning analytics, e-learning, collaborative, affective and adaptive systems, and computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL).

Web

CV
Elena Barberà Gregori
Enric Mor Pera

Web

CV
Enric Serradell López

Dr Enric Serradell López is an economist and associate professor in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. He has a PhD in Business Management from the University of Barcelona.

His work brings together professional and academic activities. His main lines of research are business management, e-learning and skills development, problem solving and the innovative use of ICT products and applications in management, particularly in business simulators and business games. He is director of the MeL (Management & eLearning) research group, whose aim is to analyse and design innovative environments for decision-making and the creation and development of skills related to personal and professional decision-making. His research has been published in academic journals and presented at leading international conferences.

Web
Eulalia Canals Fornons

Ph.D. in Linguistics from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (2007). After working as a Spanish and academic writing teacher at different colleges in New York (Hunter College, Brooklyn College and NYU), she held a postdoctoral researcher and teaching position in the Language Didactics Department at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona for three years. She was the content manager for Open Education Europa portal and chief editor of the e-journal eLearning Papers from 2012 to 2014. She currently teaches at the Centre for Modern Languages, where she coordinates advanced English courses

CV
Eva Bretones Peregrina

Web

CV
Gerard Josep Ferrer Esteban

Gerard Ferrer-Esteban is a lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). He holds bachelor’s degrees in education sciences and social education, and a PhD in Sociology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), with a focus on school autonomy and inequalities. He coordinates the LES (Laboratory of Social Education) research group at UOC and contributes as a research fellow to GEPS (Globalization, Education and Social Policies) and GLANCE (Global and Comparative Studies in Education) research groups at UAB. His research areas include educational policy, school segregation, educational inequalities, community education, and teaching strategies. Ferrer-Esteban has experience in research and academia in Spain and Italy, working as an adjunct professor, lecturer, and researcher in comparative education, education theory, intercultural education, and research methods. He has also contributed to education policy and school effectiveness research at the Agnelli Foundation in Italy. He has been involved in R+D projects and contracts funded by institutions such as the European Research Council (ERC) and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, covering topics from school autonomy to social segregation and school improvement.
Gisela Grañena Gimeno

Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition with a certificate in Statistics and Evaluation from the University of Maryland, M.A. in Intercultural Communication from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and postgraduate degree in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) from the University of Barcelona. She has been a professor at UOC since 2013 where she coordinates the B1 English language courses. She is also the director of the master's degree in Technology-mediated language teaching and learning and the principal investigator of the TechSLA research group. Her research interests include the role of cognitive aptitudes in second language learning; the creation of optimal psycholinguistic environments in distance language learning; aptitude-treatment interactions; task-based language teaching (TBLT); measures of implicit and explicit language knowledge; and the effects of early and late bilingualism on long-term L2 achievement.

CV
Guillem Bautista Perez
Iolanda García González

She has a PhD in Pedagogy from the University of Barcelona. She is currently director of the UOC's doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning) and associate professor of Education and ICT in its Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences. She has been the Innovation coordinator at the UOC's eLearn Center and an associate professor in the University of Barcelona's Faculty of Education.
Jordi Conesa Caralt

PhD in Software Engineering (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya). His teaching activity focuses on databases and data analysis. His field of research is in e-learning, lifelong learning and semantics. He is currently a member of the UOC SmartLearn Research Group,

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Jordi Planella Ribera
Josep Cobarsí Morales

PhD in Business Organization. He teaches courses on information systems and knowledge management. His research is in information systems, knowledge management, information behaviour, competitive intelligence, crisis management and health informatics.

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CV
Julio Meneses

Full Professor of Research Methods at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), Director of Learning and Teaching Analysis at the eLearning Innovation Center (eLinC), and researcher of the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (UOC).

Web

CV
Julià Minguillón Alfonso

PhD in Computer Engineering (UAB). His teaching activity focuses on subjects related to management, data mining and data visualization. His field of research revolves around educational data mining, Learning Analytics and the analysis of users behavior in educational or collaborative virtual environments such as Wikipedia .

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CV
Llorenç Andreu Barrachina
Lourdes Guàrdia Ortiz
M. Elena Rodríguez Gonzàlez

CV
Marc Romero Carbonell
Marcelo Fabián Maina

Director of the Master in Education and ICT (eLearning).
Associate professor of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences.
Doctor in Information and Knowledge Society from the UOC.
M. Sc. Communication from the University of Montréal.
Member of the research group consolidated by the Generalitat of Catalonia Edul@b (SGR 01111)
Fellow of EDEN Digital Education Europe.

Web

CV
Maria Jesús Marco Galindo

Graduated in Computer Science, with a Master's in Business Management and Organization (UPC) and a PhD in Education and ICT (UOC). Her teaching activity focuses on programming, transversal skills, and project management. Her research revolves around the didactics of programming and curriculum engineering. In 2021, she received the Jaume Vicens Vives Award for University Teaching Quality from the "Generalitat de Catalunya", which recognizes excellence in university teaching, and in 2023, the AENUI Award for Teaching Quality and Innovation from the "Asociación Española de Enseñantes Universitarios de la Informática".

CV
Marie Christine Appel

Graduate in English Language and Literature from the University of Aarhus and M.Phil. in Applied Linguistics and Ph.D. from Trinity College, University of Dublin. Her main research interests are the use of ICT in education, communication within virtual environments, second language acquisition and corpus linguistics.

CV
María Jesús Martínez Argüelles
Mireia Montaña Blasco

PhD in Communication. Member of the Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences, and academic director of the Master's Degree in Strategy and Creativity in Advertising.

My research activity focuses on the impact that the media have on people's well-being, particularly among the more vulnerable population groups: children, young people and the elderly. My main research interests lie in new media practices, media consumption and the influence of persuasive communication on people. I have studied the relationship between advertisements of hedonistic, low nutritional quality food and the consequences in children.

Since 2013, I have been a member of the Learning, Media and Entertainment (GAME) research group at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.

In 2019 I was a visiting scholar at Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, KU Leuven in Belgium.

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Montse Guitert Catasus

Ph.D. in Education Sciences from the University of Barcelona (1995). Director of the Digital Skills area and coordinator of the ICT Skills course since it began in 1995. She also teaches on the Master's Degree in Education and ICT, coordinating the Online Teaching pathway. She has been the principal investigator of the Edul@b research group since 2009.

CV
Montse Vall Llovera Llovet

Ph.D. in Psychology. Former UOC Assistant Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Lifelong Learning. Member of the UOC's Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences.

CV
Rosa Maria Mayordomo Saiz
Teresa Guasch Pascual

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Teresa Romeu Fontanillas
Teresa Sancho Vinuesa

CV

More than 30 years' experience in e-learning

In 1995 the UOC was launched as the world's first fully online university. More than 30 years later, we are still pioneers in digital education.

Our eLearning Innovation Center oversees the evolution of our educational model, to ensure unique, high-quality, connected and networked learning experiences.

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According to the Young University Rankings, published by Times Higher Education, we are sixth best in Spain.

Times Higher Education
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Shanghai Ranking

We are among the world's top 150 universities for communication and the top 200 for education.

Shanghai Ranking
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U-Multirank

Excellent ratings in knowledge transfer, regional engagement, and teaching and learning.

U-Multirank

Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Call for applications

Access requirements
Admission requirements
Access documentation
Evaluation criteria
Calendar

To be admitted to the doctoral programme, applicants must meet both the general requirements stipulated by the UOC and the programme's specific requirements.

First of all, students must submit proof of meeting one of the following sets of requirements:

Hold an official Spanish bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and an official university master's degree (or equivalent), having passed at least 300 ECTS credits in the two degree courses.
Hold an official Spanish university degree that was issued under a former university education system (a licenciatura, arquitectura or ingeniería degree) and corresponds to level 3 of the MECES (Marco español de cualificaciones para la educación superior) framework.
Hold an official university degree that was issued in a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) country, entitles the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country, and corresponds to level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
Hold an official university degree that was issued in a country outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), subject to verification that the qualification is equivalent to an official university master's degree and entitles the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country.

General requirements

To be admitted to the doctoral programme, applicants must meet both the general requirements stipulated by the UOC and the programme's specific requirements.

First of all, students must submit proof of meeting one of the following sets of requirements:

Hold an official Spanish bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and an official university master's degree (or equivalent), having passed at least 300 ECTS credits in the two degree courses.
Hold an official Spanish university degree that was issued under a former university education system (a licenciatura, arquitectura or ingeniería degree) and corresponds to level 3 of the MECES (Marco español de cualificaciones para la educación superior) framework.
Hold an official university degree that was issued in a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) country, entitles the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country, and corresponds to level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
Hold an official university degree that was issued in a country outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), subject to verification that the qualification is equivalent to an official university master's degree and entitles the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country.
Hold a doctoral degree.
Hold an official Spanish bachelor's degree that, in conformity with EU law, comprises at least 300 ECTS credits. In this case, the applicant will have to take the necessary bridging courses, unless the specific doctoral programme includes research training credits that are equivalent in value to the research credits obtained in master's degree studies.
Hold an official university degree for which, prior to obtaining a place through the corresponding examination for access to a specialized medical training programme, candidates had to have passed with a favourable assessment at least two years of training in a programme to obtain the official certificate in one of the health science specializations.
Hold an official university degree that corresponds to level 3 of the MECES (Marco español de cualificaciones para la educación superior) framework, in accordance with the procedure set forth in Spain's Royal Decree 967/2014, of 21 November, establishing the requirements and procedure for officially recognizing and declaring equivalence with respect to the official university degree programme and academic level and for validating foreign higher education studies, and the procedure for determining correspondence with the MECES levels of the official arquitectura, ingeniería, licenciatura, arquitectura técnica, ingeniería técnica and diplomatura degrees.

Applicants who have not passed the Introduction to Research credits in a university master's degree will need to take the bridging courses determined by each programme, as appropriate.

In the case of applicants who only have an official university bachelor's degree which, in accordance with the rules of EU law, has a duration of 300 ECTS credits, or have not taken and passed a minimum number of Introduction to Research credits in a university master's degree programme, their continuation in the doctoral programme is conditional upon them passing the bridging courses corresponding to the Introduction to Research module, pathway or courses for the corresponding period of academic training.

According to Decree 822/2021, of September 28, students with a disability equal to 33% or more have a reservation of 5% of the places.

As well as the general and additional requirements established by the University, the doctoral programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning) establishes the following specific requirements:

If you're not a citizen of an English-speaking country, you must provide proof of a level of English equal to or higher than B2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
If you have attended school or have completed a bachelor's or master's degree (or equivalent qualification with regards to enrolment in the doctorate programme) in English in a country where English is an official language, you will be deemed to have an equivalent level to the one required.
You may also demonstrate your linguistic competency in English by means of another official certificate that proves you have a level equivalent to or higher than the one required. You can consult this equivalency table to see examples of certificates that correspond to these levels.

Admission requirements

As well as the general and additional requirements established by the University, the doctoral programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning) establishes the following specific requirements:

If you're not a citizen of an English-speaking country, you must provide proof of a level of English equal to or higher than B2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
If you have attended school or have completed a bachelor's or master's degree (or equivalent qualification with regards to enrolment in the doctorate programme) in English in a country where English is an official language, you will be deemed to have an equivalent level to the one required.
You may also demonstrate your linguistic competency in English by means of another official certificate that proves you have a level equivalent to or higher than the one required. You can consult this equivalency table to see examples of certificates that correspond to these levels.

Candidates for the part-time (online) doctoral programme who do not meet the required level will have the opportunity to access the doctoral programme with a B1 level if they undertake to attain a B2 level before completing the research plan at the end of the first year. According to regulations, if the student does not attain this level, the research plan cannot be approved.

If you wish to enrol in the programme on a full-time basis, you must provide proof of a level equal to or higher than B2 from the time of application.

The UOC's Centre for Modern Languages offers English courses to attain the minimum level required for admission into the different doctoral programmes.

The UOC offers an online English language proficiency test, which can be accessed via this link, to accredit your knowledge of English. A score of between 72 and 94 accredits a level corresponding to B2 as defined by the CEFR. When taking this test, you must specify the code that corresponds to the UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya): 4418. This code does not exempt the student from paying the corresponding exam cost and fees.

Meeting the above requirements does not guarantee admission to the doctoral programme. These requirements must be met in order to apply for admission to the doctoral programme.

If you apply for a UOC grant, you must accredit a level equal to or higher than B2 from the time of application. For other grants, financial aid or research contracts, please consult the terms and conditions and requirements for each case (level of English and part-time or full-time format).

To apply for admission to the UOC doctoral programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning), you must submit the following documents:

- A photocopy of your DNI, NIE or passport.

- A certificate attesting to the level of English required by the doctoral programme (B2).

- Endorsement letter issued by the UOC researcher supporting you as a candidate and your doctoral research project. This letter is essential for you to be considered for admission. To request this letter, you must review the research lines described here, choose the thesis proposal that best suits your research interests and contact the responsible researcher.

- Research project. A document of no more than five pages describing your research idea and how it relates to the thesis proposal you have chosen. This document is essential for you to be considered for admission and must include the following sections:

Purpose and justification of the research, explaining how it fits into the chosen line of research and thesis proposal.

Admission documents

To apply for admission to the UOC doctoral programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning), you must submit the following documents:

- A photocopy of your DNI, NIE or passport.

- A certificate attesting to the level of English required by the doctoral programme (B2).

Purpose and justification of the research, explaining how it fits into the chosen line of research and thesis proposal.
Theoretical background and brief state of the art of the chosen topic.
Research problem and questions.
Outline of research methodology and context.
Expected results.
References.

- Contributions and supporting evidence. You must complete and submit the contributions template in order to be considered for admission. (You can edit this template with Adobe. You can also find it in a Word format in the Virtual Campus under Admission Requirements section)This will contain a selection of contributions, chosen at your own discretion and accompanied by a brief explanation, which should demonstrate and enable assessment of your prior knowledge, experience and skills as they relate to doctoral study. You must provide evidence for each contribution. This evidence may be tangible (where possible) or merely mentioned. Examples of evidence include previous research (in Catalan, Spanish or English), letters of recommendation, products resulting from a project or study, or activities included in your CV.

- Curriculum Vitae
This should include details of your education and professional and/or academic experience.

- Letter of motivation/introduction
A brief, two-page presentation of your professional and educational background in research and in the field of education and ICT, including your motivation to undertake research and focus on the chosen topic, to apply for the doctoral programme and, if applicable, to apply for a grant. You should describe your aspirations and explain how the doctoral programme fits into your career plans. It is also important to indicate your availability and the conditions under which you intend to pursue the doctorate, including whether it will be full-time or part-time (distance learning).

- Evidence that you meet the admission requirements
Further information can be found in the relevant section of the Campus Secretary's Office. If you have obtained a degree in a higher education system outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and it has not been officially recognised (homologado), you will need to authenticate it through diplomatic channels (or, if necessary, through the Hague Convention Apostille). If you have certificates, degrees or academic transcripts that are not written in an official language of Spain or in English, they must be accompanied by a certified translation into Catalan, Spanish or English. Failure to submit these documents, or discrepancies between them and the information given in the application form, may result in non-admission to the doctoral programme.

- Documentation that proves compliance with the access requirements:

Academic certificates corresponding to your education to date, detailing the courses taken and the marks obtained, the dates, the type of course, the number of credits and the average grade in your academic record (if these certificates have not been submitted already as proof of fulfilment of the admission requirements).
If the academic certificates are from a foreign institution, you must submit the Declaration of equivalence of average grades issued by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

For any Spanish official university degree certificate, you must provide the record of its entry in the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities' registry of degree certificates, or alternatively provide a copy of the degree certificate and the corresponding transcript or Diploma Supplement.
Any master's degree certificate issued in another European Higher Education Area (EHEA) country must entitle the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country and must correspond to level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). To support this you must provide a copy of the master's degree certificate and the corresponding Diploma Supplement.
For any university qualifications from higher education systems outside of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that have not obtained official recognition in Spain, you must provide a copy of the master's degree certificate and the corresponding transcript, together with certification from the university that the qualification entitles the holder to admission to doctoral studies in that country.

If the certificates and academic records are not written in an official language of Spain or in English, the documentation must be accompanied by a sworn translation into Catalan, Spanish or English.

You will find more information on the corresponding page in the Procedures section of the Virtual Campus > Doctoral programme admissions documentation.

If you fail to provide this documentation or there are significant inconsistencies between it and the information in your application, your application to the doctoral programme may be rejected.

Once your admission documentation has been checked and your application accepted, your admission to the doctoral programme is subject to your submission of the official academic documents, duly legalized in accordance with the country in which they were issued.

Finally, we recommend that you include a document containing a list of all the documents submitted.

All applications that meet the requirements will be evaluated by the doctoral programme's academic committee according to the criteria and merits listed in the table below:

CRITERION (dimension)

CRITERIA (elements, merits)

DOCUMENTS / EVIDENCE

MAXIMUM SCORE

1. Academic record

Average mark (bachelor's degree)

Average mark (master's degree)

Average mark calculations

Academic transcripts

2. Research project

Project suitability:

- Degree of definition of the research idea, relevance, interest and fit.
- Knowledge of the field (correct approach to the problem, appropriate references).
- Research competence (adequacy, methodology, correct formulation, questions, consistency, results).

Evaluation criteria

All applications that meet the requirements will be evaluated by the doctoral programme's academic committee according to the criteria and merits listed in the table below:

CRITERION (dimension)	CRITERIA (elements, merits)	DOCUMENTS / EVIDENCE	MAXIMUM SCORE
1. Academic record	Average mark (bachelor's degree) Average mark (master's degree)	Average mark calculations Academic transcripts	15 25
2. Research project	Project suitability: - Degree of definition of the research idea, relevance, interest and fit. - Knowledge of the field (correct approach to the problem, appropriate references). - Research competence (adequacy, methodology, correct formulation, questions, consistency, results). - Academic skills (academic writing, use of information sources, etc.).	Research project presented	20
3. Education and research experience	Previous knowledge and/or experience and development of academic and scientific skills (academic writing, use of information sources, use of data for decision-making, application of research methods, etc.).	Contributions / Evidence presented	20
4. Professional experience and personal skills	Previous knowledge and experience in the field of education and ICT, education and/or other fields related to the research topic. Personal, professional and/or social action skills.	Contributions / Evidence presented	20
TOTAL			100

EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE

The first evaluation phase is carried out based on the documentation submitted by each candidate and the score of all dimensions using an evaluation rubric. This phase generates a total score that makes it possible to establish a ranking among the applications evaluated. A minimum score threshold of 50 points (out of a maximum of 100) is established that candidates must obtain in this phase in order to be accepted.

In the case of candidatures that opt for a grant (and occasional cases where the committee deems it necessary) a second phase of evaluation is carried out consisting of an interview with the candidate. This interview is carried out by a member of the academic committee and the UOC researcher who has endorsed the candidacy. The purpose is to contrast and clarify the merits, aptitudes and motivations argued through the documentation presented and above all to assess their suitability to do the doctorate.

The assessment of the interview, through a set of criteria also through the rubric, allows a maximum of 10 points to be obtained (note that grant candidates cannot obtain a score of 0 for any of the criteria subject to evaluation in this phase). The final score is added to the one obtained in the first phase, and the new score makes it possible to obtain the final ranking that decides which candidates win the grant.

Finally, there are two rankings of the applications evaluated, one for those who opt for a grant and one for those who don't. Based on these, two ordered lists are drawn up, one for the candidates who are proposed to obtain the grant and one for the candidates admitted to the doctoral program in the part-time modality (without grant). In total, the admitted candidates cannot exceed 20 places. Candidates who dont receive a grant, or those who are not admitted due to having exceeded the 20 places, are placed on a waiting list.

2 December 2024: Start of the call for applications for access and admission to doctoral programmes.

3 February 2025: End of the call for applications for access and admission to doctoral programmes.

19 February 2025: Publication of the provisional lists of applications to be assessed. The lists will be published on the Doctoral School website.

19 February to 26 February 2025: Period for appeals of the applications to be evaluated.

28 February 2025: Publication of the final lists of applications to be assessed.

Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Request access

Apply for the Welcome and Information Service is a free, no-obligation procedure that provides you with a user name and password that will allow you to enter the UOC's Virtual Campus, from where you will be able to:

1. Contact experts who will help you settle any doubts you may have about applying.
2. Consult the Campus Secretary's Office for information about the programme of studies, enrolment prices, documentation, etc.

Access requirements

Before requesting access, check that you meet the requirements for the programme you want to be admitted to.

Access form

On the access form, you must give your personal details and the educational level you have attained.

Access Documentation

You will find a list of the documentation you need when you request access and can consult the Campus Secretary's Office.

Discounts

If you are eligible for any of the discounts stated in the Price Decree, you will have to submit the appropriate documentation, following the instructions given by the virtual Secretary's Office.

Virtual campus

After you have requested access, you will receive a user name and password that will allow you to access the Virtual Campus, where you will find all the information and resources you may need.

Researcher

You will find the information to contact the lead researcher in the "research lines" section. The researcher can provide support for preparing your application and will be your sponsor, if he or she agrees. Once you have been admitted to the programme, he or she will advise and guide you in choosing courses, in accordance with your prior academic background, your interests and the amount of time you have.

Virtual Secretary's Office

There is a Procedure on the Campus where you can consult and manage all academic matters, such as viewing the programme of studies, payment options or the discounts available.

You can complete the admission form the virtual campus Procedures / Doctoral programme admission documentation, where you will have to give your academic details, whether you want to apply for a grant and the research line you are interested in.

You must submit an enrolment proposal after having chosen the courses you want to follow during the semester, which your tutor will analyse so that you can complete enrolment with his or her counselling. It is a step prior to completing enrolment.

Having completed the previous step, you must attach the documentation in the same section. You can see which documentation you must attach in the corresponding section within Procedures / Doctoral programme admission documentation.

When you have completed all the steps, the doctoral programme's academic committee will assess the applications that have been submitted.

If you pass the first phase of the admission process, you will receive notification confirming that you have entered the second phase and a telephone interview will be scheduled.

If you pass the second phase of the admission process, you will receive notification to confirm that you have been admitted. You will have a maximum of one month (counting from the admission notification) to confirm your acceptance of the place on the doctoral programme; if this confirmation from you is not received, you will not be admitted to the programme.

It is at this point that you will be able to complete enrolment, choosing your preferred payment option from among those available. If you are eligible for any of the discounts stated in the Price Decree, you will have to submit the appropriate documentation, following the instructions given by the virtual Secretary's Office.

Remember that once you have enrolled, you will have ten days to send the admission documentation.

The Government of Catalonia establishes the public prices for credits and other academic services charged by public universities in Catalonia and the UOC. You can consult the prices in Decree 125/2023, of June 28th.

The fees will be those applicable when enrolment is completed. Subject to annual revisions.

Price and enrolment Fees
Price per credit	32,28€/cr*
Price per learning resources credit	15,16€/cr*

Biannual Fees
Fee for supervision, tutorship and continous assessment of the doctoral thesis	200,56€
Fee for the management of your record	54,54€
Fee for learning support services	101,47€

Fees
Fee for requesting your certificate	218,15€
Fee for oral examination and defence of the doctoral thesis	156,87€
Fee for requesting your record	54,54€

Research lines

Academic pathway

This programme belongs to an academic pathway. Find out about the studies with which you can achieve your goals.

Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-Learning)

Presentation

Official qualification

Official qualification

Programme quality

AQU quality seal