If you want to invest in your academic training through a PhD, know more about the relevant factors to ensure you make the right choice.

To obtain a doctorate, a specialization that offers specific skills in a given area and which allows you to obtain a doctoral degree, it is necessary to already have a master's degree, although there are situations in which the application to a doctoral course is allowed with only an undergraduate degree - you must take into account the specific requirements demanded by the university to which you intend to apply.

The educational establishment will award the doctoral degree, where the doctorate is completed to those who demonstrate that they have mastered a branch of scientific knowledge or specialty.

As the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) explains on its official website, the doctorate includes writing an "original thesis, especially for this purpose, suited to the nature of the branch of knowledge or specialty, or the compilation of a coherent and relevant set of research work."

Advantages of doing a PhD:

There are several advantages to doing a PhD, for example:

• It allows you to specialize in a specific area of interest;
• It helps to develop critical and strategic thinking and to identify new solutions and opportunities;
• It's a way of pursuing a new career, being able, for example, to invest in research in an area or even following an academic path, teaching in higher education;
• With regard to salaries, as your level of training and knowledge increases, you have the opportunity to discuss higher values.

As this is a very important decision for your future, it is essential that you take some points into account before deciding which specialization you are going to invest in.

Related article: Do you know the advantages of obtaining a PhD?

10 tips for choosing a PhD

1. Conduct extensive research on the options available to you, considering your area of interest: What courses can you take? What subjects are taught?
   
   
2. Also, find out about the educational institutions with the best recommendations and reputation, as the choice of where you will take the course can make all the difference when applying for a position;
   
   
3. Be aware of the duration of the specialization in order to be able to manage your expectations. The time will depend on the educational institution you choose to take this specialization, as well as the course itself, although it is often between 6 and 8 semesters;
   
   
4. You should also research what career opportunities this course can offer you, taking into account your objectives;
   
   
5. You should take into account the costs of the doctoral course, as each academic year corresponds to a tuition fee that is normally higher than that corresponding to a degree in the same area;
   
   
6. Consider that there are scholarships to support doctoral studies, granted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) that you can apply for. Find out about the possibilities;
   
   
7. To apply for a doctoral course, you must submit your application at your chosen university, ensuring that you meet all the requirements demanded by the educational establishment itself;
   
   
8. Bearing in mind that there may be differences between educational institutions, you should know that the course usually includes a first curricular phase and the development of a thesis;
   
   
9. There are professions that even require a doctorate. You must inform yourself well on this point;
   
   
10. Pursuing a PhD requires great dedication. It is essential that you understand whether it is possible to manage your whole life and fit in a specialization course that will take up a lot of your time.

NOVA IMS Doctoral Programs

The Doctoral Program in Information Management at NOVA IMS has a special focus on the areas of Data-Driven Marketing, Data Science, Geoinformatics and Information Systems, with the aim of promoting knowledge and innovation in the field of information management and thus contributing to the advancement of knowledge and training of researchers, higher education professors and professionals in these areas. You can learn more about the program here.