Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences

1. Who may be admitted to the Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences?

As a general requirement, applicants must hold official Spanish university degrees of Bachelor’s (or equivalent) and Master’s (or equivalent), having successfully completed at least 300 ECTS credits across both qualifications.
In addition, applicants may be admitted under any of the following circumstances:

1. Hold official Spanish university degrees or equivalent Spanish qualifications, having completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in total, and demonstrate Level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (MECES).
2. Hold an official Spanish Bachelor’s degree with a duration of at least 300 ECTS credits. These graduates must compulsorily complete the additional training courses referred to in Article 7.2 of Royal Decree 576/2023, of 4 July, unless their degree programme already includes research training credits equivalent in academic value to those from Master’s studies.
3. Hold a university degree and, after obtaining a training place through the corresponding national examination for specialist health training, have successfully completed at least two years of training in a programme leading to an official specialisation degree in the field of Health Sciences.
4. Hold a foreign degree obtained under an education system outside Spain, without the need for official recognition, provided that the university verifies that it demonstrates a training level equivalent to that of an official Spanish Master’s degree and grants access to doctoral studies in the awarding country.
5. Hold another Spanish doctoral degree obtained under previous university regulations.
6. Hold the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) or have achieved research proficiency as defined under earlier academic frameworks.
7. Hold an official Spanish university degree that has been assigned a qualification level within the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education equivalent to those of Architect, Engineer, Licentiate, Technical Architect, Technical Engineer, or Diploma holder.
   Clarification: Admission to doctoral studies with non-official (“own”) Master’s degrees or equivalent qualifications is not permitted.
   The maximum number of places offered each academic year in the Doctoral Programme is 15. If the number of applicants exceeds the available places, the Doctoral Academic Committee will carry out a selection process based on the following criteria: Type of qualification granting access to the doctoral programme; Employment as a Medical Specialist at Burgos University Hospital; Previous specialised training in Health Sciences at Burgos University Hospital; Academic record; Professional experience.

2. What are the admission criteria?

Among applicants who meet the qualification requirements for admission to doctoral studies, priority will be given to those who satisfy the following criteria, ensuring the acquisition of the necessary competences:

1. Scientific knowledge and technical skills acquired during undergraduate and Master’s studies that are applicable to the field of biomedical and health sciences. The ideal applicant profile comprises graduates or degree-holders in Biomedical or Health Sciences disciplines (Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Psychology, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine) or any other qualification recognised by the Academic Committee as relevant to the programme.
2. Completion of the University Master’s Degree in Health Sciences: Research and New Challenges, or another research-focused Master’s degree with equivalent content.
3. Holding a MIR, EIR, BIR, FIR, QIR, PIR, or RFIR qualification related to the field of Health Sciences.
4. Possession of an English language level equivalent to B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), enabling comprehension of scientific literature and active participation in training activities relevant to the development of the doctoral thesis. International students must provide evidence of a B2 level in Spanish.
5. Academic record obtained in the Bachelor’s, Licentiate, or Master’s degree in Health Sciences: Research and New Challenges, or in another research-oriented Master’s programme of similar content.
6. Final Master’s Project grade.
   7. Supervisor’s report on the Final Master’s Project assessing the candidate’s research qualities and skills.
7. Other research merits, such as publications or conference contributions.
   Accordingly, the recommended applicant profile is someone who has completed studies in disciplines such as Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Biology, or Psychology, and has undertaken a Master’s programme related to these fields. The candidate should also possess training in the use of equipment and in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies applied within the various areas of biomedical and health research; the ability to collect, analyse, and present results obtained through these methods; competence to design and conduct research studies in the field of biomedical and health sciences efficiently and safely; and strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.

3. When and how should I pre-enrol and register for a doctoral programme?

All information regarding the instructions and regulations for pre-enrolment and registration in the doctoral programme — including procedures and deadlines for enrolment, required data and documentation, tuition fees, and registration cancellations — can be found by clicking HERE.

4. What is the duration of doctoral studies?

Students may enrol in Doctoral Programmes under different modes of study commitment.

1. Full-time: The maximum duration of doctoral studies is four years, counted from the date of the student’s enrolment in the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis.
2. Part-time: The maximum duration is seven years, counted from the date of enrolment in the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis.
3. Students with disabilities: When the doctoral student has a recognised degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the maximum duration of doctoral studies will be six years full-time and nine years part-time.
   If, upon expiry of this period, the thesis deposit request has not been submitted, the Academic Committee responsible for the Programme may, at the request of the doctoral student, authorise an extension of one additional year, which may, in exceptional circumstances, be further extended for another year under the conditions established in the corresponding Doctoral Programme.
   For the purpose of calculating the period of enrolment in the programme, interruptions due to illness, pregnancy or any other grounds provided for in the applicable regulations will not be taken into account.

5. What are the training complements listed in the programme admission requirements?

Applicants who meet the conditions for direct access will not require any additional training.
In all other cases, the Academic Committee to which admission has been requested may decide, based on the applicant’s prior training, that they must complete a number of additional credits. These credits are referred to as training complements. The Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme will establish the training complements to be undertaken according to the training accredited by the applicant.
The specific training complements will consist of the sessions and seminars offered by the University of Burgos and will, in all cases, comply with the provisions of the University of Burgos’ doctoral regulations.
Applicants whose curricula vitae do not include prior research training must undertake the Module 1 on Research Methodology in Health Sciences: from the idea to transfer, of the University Master’s Degree in Health Sciences: Research and New Challenges (18 credits) or equivalent training. This training must necessarily include proficiency in statistical software (SPSS, R, Mplus, etc.) and statistical techniques for data analysis (univariate and multivariate).
The training complements must be completed during the first year of doctoral studies, calculated from admission to the Doctoral Programme. These complements must receive a favourable report from the responsible academic bodies.

6. Are the Cross-disciplinary Activities compulsory?

The  Cross-disciplinary Activities (research training) offered each academic year must be completed by all doctoral students. At least 80% of this training must be undertaken, in addition to the specific training specified in the Programme’s Memorandum, in order to be eligible to submit the doctoral thesis.

7. Who are the Tutors and Directors in the Doctoral Programme?

All holders of a doctorate from the University of Burgos who belong to the Doctoral Programme (see Faculty within the Doctoral Programme) and have accredited research experience may act as Tutors. The Tutor may be the same person as the Thesis Director.
All Spanish or foreign doctors with accredited research experience, authorised by the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme, may direct doctoral theses. If they do not belong to the Programme (see Faculty within the Doctoral Programme), they must have a Tutor or Co-director within the Programme.

8. Process for the development and approval of the Research Plan

In accordance with Article 11.7 of the Memorandum of the Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences, which states verbatim: “Annually, the academic committee of the programme shall evaluate the research plan and the activities document together with the reports that the Director and the tutor must issue for this purpose. If the academic committee detects significant shortcomings, it may request that the doctoral student submit a new research plan within a period of six months. If the shortcomings persist, the academic committee shall issue a reasoned report and the doctoral student shall be definitively withdrawn from the programme”, the following process must be followed for the preparation of the Research Plan:
The doctoral student shall prepare the Research Plan during the first six months of the first year under the supervision of their Director(s).
The Research Plan shall be sent to the Coordinator of the Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences so that it can be forwarded to the Evaluation Committee established for this purpose.
The Evaluation Committee shall issue a Report with the estimated changes and suggestions, which shall be returned to the doctoral student so that they can respond to said recommendations.
The doctoral student shall resend the modified Research Plan to the Programme Coordinator so that the Evaluation Committee can give its approval.
Once the favourable report has been issued, the Academic Committee shall approve the Research Plan, which shall be uploaded to the platform by the doctoral student.
A document with the rubric prepared by the Academic Committee is attached to serve as a guide when preparing the Research Plan: Proposal of evaluation criteria (186.79 KB)