Humanities and Communication

The doctoral programme in Humanities and Communication from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) trains students to research the social change phenomena that can be found in social practice and ideology. 

By studying new forms of social interaction, communication and artistic expression, our aim is to broaden our understanding of phenomena such as globalization, neocolonialism, inequalities, social movements and appropriation of technological innovations. This doctoral programme fosters an interdisciplinary, international approach to the study of these phenomena, which is also mirrored in the structure of the programme’s research groups.

Learning to research

The Humanities and Communication programme from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) offer students the possibility of taking part in the University’s research groups and projects in the fields of humanities, social sciences and communication science. Working with the UOC’s researchers, students acquire a global vision of the different fields of research related with their own research subject. And by assisting researchers in data collection and analysis and later in disseminating the results, students acquire the practical expertise of professional researchers. These research groups often work in collaboration with faculty members from the areas of linguistics, communication, literary studies, philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology and art. In general terms, the research projects apply a constructivist approach and preference is given to interpretative, hermeneutic and qualitative methods.

Curriculum includes

• At the start of the research period of the doctoral programme, the UOC will map out a personalized learning pathway for each student taking into account his or her research skills and knowledge (particularly in terms of research methods) and research interests. This pathway may involve courses, seminars and other research training activities. If such activities are included on a student’s personal learning pathway, they must be completed with a passing mark.
• In order to gain the advanced training they require to complete their research project, students must complete the courses, subjects or activities that have been mapped out on their personal learning pathway during the research period of the doctoral programme.