Description of program

    The Department of Signal Theory and Communications (TSC), Barcelona Tech (UPC), offers a comprehensive PhD programme oriented to scientific formation in the following areas:
    • Communications with physical and radio support
    • Study of phenomena associated with the generation, propagation and radiation of electromagnetic signals at frequencies ranging from RF/microwave to optical wavelength
    • Basic techniques of the signal processing and its applications in communications, voice and image processing
    • Telecommunication systems
    The research areas are involved in international networks and European projects with a great number of national and international partners. These collaborations always involve directly or indirectly PhD students, since the research that they carry out is integrated into these projects. At present the program has the distinctions of quality and internationality of the Spanish and Catalan administrations.


    The Signal Theory and Communications PhD program is focused on the research activities leading to the preparation of a PhD dissertation. The maximum duration of full-time doctoral studies is four years. It can also be studied part-time (prior authorization from the Program Academic Committee) with a maximum duration of seven years.

    The student must have a PhD advisor assigned by the Academic Committee before being admitted to the Program. Six months later at most, the Committee will assign him/her a PhD supervisor. The supervisor and the student must sign a commitment agreement that establishes their rights and obligations.

    After the first year of studies, the student must present and defend the Research Plan that describes the methodology used and the objectives to be achieved with the thesis.

    The activities of the student must be collected into the PhD Document of Activities (DAD) which will be evaluated yearly.

    The research culminates in PhD thesis dissertation that must be defended in front of an examination panel.