Phd in Economic Analysis and Business Strategy

2025/2026

Access

Students who meet some of the criteria listed in Article 4 of the UDC PhD Policies and Regulations will be able to access to UDC PhD programmes.

Applications

Candidates matching one of the general entry requirements for PhD students will be assessed in accordance with the specific criteria and merits for each programme. Information relating to application procedures and requirements are included in the programme structure for each course.

The decision to offer a student a place on a UDC PhD programme is the result of an application-specific evaluation process, and does not affect the academic or professional status of the candidate’s existing qualifications.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 5: Applications.

12 places offered in academic year 2025/2026

Recommended profile of admission

The entry profile to this doctoral programme is aimed at students with advanced knowledge in the areas of Economics or Business who have familiarised them with the main theoretical paradigms and research methods of their specialisation and who have had a good academic performance. This degree of knowledge or familiarity will be understood to exist when the student has completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees in these areas. More specifically, good academic performance means that they have obtained an average grade of A in their previous studies. By sufficient theoretical and empirical training we mean, in general, that it accredits a course in econometrics (6 credits) and microeconomics (6 credits), or finance (6 credits) and business economics (6 credits) at an advanced level. If you have completed Bachelor's Degree studies in other areas, it will be an essential requirement to accredit a Master's Degree in Economics or Business obtained before the closing date of the admission period to the Programme. This may also be accredited in view of the subjects taken in both the Bachelor's and Master's degrees. In order to be trained in scientific research in the area of Economics or Business, knowledge of advanced topics in these areas is therefore required. In addition, students from other Master's programs that, in the opinion of the CAPD, enable the student to successfully tackle the Program may be admitted to the Program. An example of this situation can be students from Master's programs in engineering, mathematics or statistics. The CAPD will evaluate whether the profile of this Master's degree meets the requirement of theoretical and methodological knowledge, since this Program covers all areas of research in the field of Economics and Business, among which there may be both economic mathematics and engineering and operations in the field of production organization.

Application general procedure

Applications and registration for PhD programmes will be made using the online application system on the UDC website, accompanied by all necessary supporting documents. Applications and registration for external students will be made here.

If you need more information, you can check this sources the Application general procedure.

Applications procedure for students whose foreign degree/diplome has not been officially recognised

See EIDUDC Application and registration.

General procedure by the CAPD

See EIDUDC Application and registration.

Specific access requirements of the CAPD

The selection criteria will be based on the academic record and curriculum vitae.
An interview with the candidate may be relevant in which his/her ability to express oneself in English will be highlighted, his/her information about what a doctoral programme entails, and his/her ability and willingness to undertake the completion of a doctoral thesis.
It is highly valued that you have contacted a potential thesis supervisor prior to the application for admission and that he or she has agreed to address it to you. This aspect must be demonstrated by attaching a management commitment in case of admission signed by a researcher of the Program.
In the case of foreign students who do not prove fluency in Spanish or Galician in an interview, a minimum level of B2 in English will be required as an essential requirement.
Admission criteria:
1. CV (35%). Bachelor's and/or master's degree studies (orientation and content), as well as official qualifications, courses and training activities received and/or taught, and the rest of the activities and merits contained in the CV that the Academic Committee (in a reasoned manner) considers most suitable for the development of research activity within the framework of the programme's lines of research, will be assessed. The candidate must include a research project proposal of a maximum of 3000 words (what is going to be researched or what is the problem that is suggested to be addressed under a scientific research approach, why it is important and for whom the results of that research are important, area of research, a brief summary of how this research is proposed to be carried out). The CAPD may ask for the opinion of a potential thesis supervisor who is a member of the teaching staff of the Programme.
2. Academic record, average grades of Bachelor's degree (10%).
3. Academic record, average Master's grades (15%).
4. Previous training in scientific research (15%). Subjects studied, or previous research experience in scientific aspects of the area of Economics or Business, or research contracts or participation in scientific research projects will be valued. Specifically, an assessment of the scientific quality of the Master's Thesis of the degree that gives access to the Programme will be included, a document that must be attached in the application phase.
5. Accreditation of language knowledge (15%). B1 level of English corresponds to 5%, B2 of English to 10%, and C1 or higher of English corresponds to 15%. In the case of foreign students who do not prove fluency in Spanish, a minimum level of B2 in English (10 points) will be required, and a C1 or higher level of English will correspond to 15%, so that it is guaranteed that the potential doctoral student and the thesis supervisors can maintain a fluent conversation.
6. Letter of commitment from thesis supervision in case of admission of a researcher who belongs to the Program (10%), who may act as thesis supervisor in case of admission. In addition, they must indicate their favourable opinion on the research proposal presented, an aspect that will be accredited by mentioning this in the letter of commitment or by electronic signature in the research project.
Each of these criteria will be assessed on a scale of 0 to 10 and then the weight of each criterion will be applied to obtain the final score. In the case of the average grades of Bachelor's and Master's degrees, those studies that are not related to the areas of Economics or Business may be penalized. In view of the provisional list of evaluations and places offered, a minimum score may be determined, without this implying a higher admission to the places offered.

Deadlines

The application for admission (or registration renewal) and enrollment in PhD studies will be carried out according to the terms approved by the Governing Council of the UDC.

Registration

See information on how to register for UDC PhD courses.

Predoctoral grants

See UDC predoctoral grants.