If you wish to advance your academic training through a doctorate, we introduce you to the advantages of pursuing this type of specialization.

A PhD is a specialization that grants you the skills to obtain a doctoral degree. This degree is awarded by an educational institution to those who demonstrate mastery of a branch of scientific knowledge or specialty.

Investing in a PhD, besides allowing you to specialize in a specific area of interest, is a way to pursue new professional opportunities, such as investing in research in a particular field or an academic career, i.e. teaching in higher education. If you want to achieve one of these goals, getting a PhD is a step that proves to be very beneficial.

According to the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGES), a doctorate includes the completion of an "original thesis especially for this purpose, appropriate to the nature of the branch of knowledge or specialty, or the compilation of a coherent and relevant body of research work.

A doctoral degree can also imply "course units aimed at research training," explains the DGES, "whenever the respective regulatory norms so provide. The doctoral degree will be awarded to students who have successfully defended their thesis, and corresponds to level 8 of the NQF and EQF (the qualifications table is available here).

What You Should Consider Before Pursuing a PhD

To apply for a doctoral degree, you must already have a master's degree. However, in some cases, you can also apply for a PhD if you have a bachelor's degree, depending on the specific requirements set by the university itself.

Regarding its duration, it will depend on the educational institution and on the course itself. However, commonly it lasts between 6 to 8 semesters and awards 180 to 240 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits.
It is also up to the higher education institution itself to approve the curricular structure and the study plan of the doctoral course, as well as the rules regarding the thesis, considering the orientation, presentation, defense, and jury.

Regarding the costs of the doctoral course, each academic year corresponds to a tuition fee that is usually higher than that of the undergraduate degree in the same area. In public higher education, this fee is set depending on several factors, with a minimum value corresponding to 1.3 of the national minimum wage in force and a maximum value that is calculated by applying the consumer price index of the National Statistics Institute.

You can also apply for PhD scholarships, granted by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

1. A PhD allows you to continue your education, usually in the same or very similar area of study;

2. It helps you develop critical and strategic thinking, learning to look at a situation from several angles and identifying new solutions and opportunities;

3. By taking a PhD, you also learn how to manage projects effectively: you learn how to organize a team to a high standard, as your management skills are developed during the course of the program;

4. You can invest in an academic career, as a professor in higher education;

5. You can invest in research, using innovative work techniques that will put you one step ahead in the research field;

6. Your CV is enriched, which increases the probability of distinguishing yourself from other professionals in the same field. At the same time, your prestige is increased;

7. You can discuss higher salaries, since you increase your level of training and knowledge.

Doctoral Program in Information Management at NOVA IMS

Aiming to promote knowledge and innovation in the field of information management, 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, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and training of researchers, higher education teachers and professionals in these areas.

About NOVA IMS

The higher education courses offered by NOVA IMS aim to train higher education graduates to be prepared to face the challenges of an increasingly globalized and competitive market.
NOVA IMS assumes as its vocation to contribute to the conversion of data into value ("From Data to Value"), through Data Science and Analysis ("Data Science and Analytics"), by means of an integrated and properly articulated focus on teaching, research and third mission initiatives.

Doctoral Program in Information Management at NOVA IMS

The Doctoral Program in Information Management aims to promote knowledge and innovation in the area of information management, focusing on the analysis of the impact of this management in the creation of wealth, the improvement of the performance of organizations and the development of new methodologies and tools to support decision making. The Program has a special focus on the areas of Data-Driven Marketing, Data Science, Geoinformatics and Information Systems, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and training of researchers, higher education professors and professionals in these areas. Additionally, the PhD program in Information Management is integrated in the NOVA Doctoral School (NED), the Doctoral School of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, which aims to promote quality, interdisciplinarity and internationalization of doctoral programs across the university, as well as to strengthen the personal and professional training of doctoral students through training programs of cross-disciplinary skills.