PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering

Education

PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering

It became operational in 2009/2010. The minimum number of credits for the degree is 240 (4 years).

Objectives

The Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (PDEQB) aims to be an excellence project at the 3rd Study Cycle level , which is strongly oriented towards research, supported on the proven expertise of teachers and researchers of the Chemical and Biochemistry Engineering Section of FCT NOVA’s Chemistry Department and the associated R & D Laboratories.

The PDEQB aims to train highly qualified professionals able to play a major role in terms of research, education, entrepreneurship and leadership in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering and horizontally in related fields such as environment, energy and materials.

Main objectives to ensure that the holder of this degree is equipped with the following capabilities:

Systematic understanding capacity of new situations or wide multidisciplinary situations in the various fields of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering;

Has acquired, through the Doctoral Course, components and developed research work for the preparation of their thesis, competencies, skills and research methods associated with the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, in its various aspects;

Ability to conceive, to design and develop original scientific research in Chemical  and Biochemical Engineering, identifying suitable research methods for solving complex problems with no single solutions, in new situations or contexts, that require the use of multidisciplinary knowledge situations;

Have performed a significant number of original and competitive research, in accordance with the internationally accepted requirements and quality standards; at least part of that investigation should have been published or accepted for publication in journals with an independent evaluation system;

Be able to communicate with his/her peers and with the academic comunity and with society in general on the specialization area and to formulate arguments and conclusions in a clear and unambiguous way;

Be capable of using their knowledge and / or research results, to illustrate the link between knowledge and technology and to reflect on the relevance of both to social, cultural or technological progress.

The Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is directed to Master holders (2nd Cycle or equivalent) that have solid training in areas traditionally associated with Chemical and Biochemical Engineering or in border areas that intersect with this, such as the environment, energy and materials.

The preferred recipients of the Doctoral Program in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering are motivated candidates for the development of a scientific career, regardless of nationality discrimination:

Organizations and companies deprived of employees with advanced skills;

Highly qualified young people from around the world, claiming a thorough scientific expertise with the characteristics of a PhD;

Teachers and Colleges investigators;

Researchers at institutes and research centers.

Curriculum

Career opportunities

The curricular component includes compulsory subjects (Entrepreneurship and Thesis Project Preparation), optional courses integrated into five major scientific fields (Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry, Engineering Sciences and Social and Economic Sciences), and a targeted elective course belonging to the scientific areas of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering or where the contents of which has great affinity with the dissertation subject.

The differentiating elements between the two PDEQB specialties - Chemical and Biochemical Engineering - are the syllabus individually set for each student by the Scientific Committee assisted by the Tutor, the program content of the Optional Directed Discipline and the PhD theme.

Chemical and biochemical engineers work in a wide range of industries, including petrochemical and natural gas, chemicals synthesis, polymer and plastics production, food industry, pharmaceuticals, nanotechnology and new materials, wastewater treatment, biotechnology, environmental protection and quality control. Potential career opportunities include advanced production areas, process development, industrial plants design and construction, and applied and basic research.

Doctors in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering will have further career opportunities in research or research and development centers associated with public and private institutions, and with higher education institutions.

Schedule

Daytime

Tuition fee

Portuguese students:

2 750 Euros/ year 

Foreign students:

2 750 Euros/ year 

Applications

1st phase: 11th march to 5th april 2024

Applications

Entrance requirements for the 2024/2025 academic year

Vacancies for 2024/2025:

10

Admission rules:

  1. Hold a master's degree or legal equivalent in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering or related;
  2. Hold a degree in Chemical Engineering or similar with a minimum grade of 14 and a particularly relevant academic or scientific curriculum recognized as attesting the capacity to accomplish this study cycle by the Scientific Council;
  3. Hold a higher education degree, obtained at a national or foreign institution, recognized as appropriate by the Programme Scientific Committee and to have a particularly relevant academic or scientific curriculum recognized as attesting the capacity to accomplish this cPhD by the Scientific Council;
  4. Have a professional or scientific curriculum recognized as relevant and appropriate by the Scientific Council, under proposal from the Scientific Committee of the program.
  5. Candidates must have a good command of spoken and written English language and, in justified cases, the Scientific Committee may accept applicants under other conditions.

Ranking:

Candidates  selection is responsability of the Scientific Committee by assessing the submitted documentation. Potentially eligible applicants may be called for an interview.

Course coordinator:

Professor José Paulo Mota

pdeqbq.coordenador@fct.unl.pt

Registration and Accreditation

DGES

Registration number R/A-Ef 3075/2011/AL01 on 07/10/2022

A3ES

Publication date of the accreditation decision: 10/02/2022

Period of validity of the accreditation:
6 years from 31/07/2020

About the Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry is a permanent organic unity of the NOVA School of Science and Technology, devoted to teaching, to scientific research and to provide services in areas of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Chemical Engineering. The Chemistry Department (DQ, founded in 1981, has recognized market implementation in education and employment, particularly so because of the novelty and specificity introduced by the course in Applied Chemistry with which teaching at the School of Chemistry began.

More info