The programme's research areas comprise:

L1: Applied cognitive psychology

Research into social phenomena from a cognitive psychology perspective. The main areas of interest are: aesthetic preferences; moral psychology and all social and political processes involving emotions; judgement and decision-making.

L2: Critical social and political thought

Research into social and political philosophy from a critical theory perspective. The main areas of interest are new social and political movements, and feminist theory.

L3: Behaviour and health

Research into social factors impacting health. The main areas of interest are mental health and community interventions.

L4: Applied ethics

Research into social issues posing new ethical challenges. The main areas of interest are the sources and justifications for moral norms and intuition, and emerging contemporary ethical issues.

Doctorands shall study in-depth and become up-to-date in the selected material, as well as attain research skills to a certain degree of independence so that, in the long term, they can develop their own independent line of research linked to public or private institutions.

The goal of the PhD programme is to train and prepare researchers who are focused on studying:

• (i) the human perceptual and cognitive structure, in particular higher functions among which are the unique features, in evolutionary terms (autapomorphy), of linguistic communication, moral behaviour, and aesthetic judgments (language, moral, and aesthetic),
• (ii) diseases and ageing, based on particular circumstances, specifically changes due to emotional states, and
• (iii) groups that, being shaped by social dynamics throughout history, have taken on behaviours derived from individuals. 

Core Skills

• CB11 - Systematic comprehension of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to this field
• CB12 - The ability to devise, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial research or invention process
• CB13 - The ability to contribute to widening the frontiers of knowledge through original research
• CB14 - The ability to perform a critical analysis, assessment and synthesis of new and complex ideas
• CB15 - The ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community, as well as with society as a whole, about their areas of knowledge in the methods and languages commonly used within the international scientific community
• CB16 - The ability to promote scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural advancement in academic and professional settings within the knowledge-based society.
• CB17 - The ability to foster open and citizen science in accordance with Article 12 in Organic Law 2/2023 of 22^nd March as a way to contribute to scientific knowledge being deemed a public good, through assessing the cross-cutting activities linked to these areas undertaken by doctorands, as well as the training received in both fields through micro-credentials or similar. (From the implementation date of RD 576/2023 of 4^th July.)

Personal Skills and Abilities

• CA01 - Work in contexts where there is little specific information
• CA02 - Uncover key questions that need to be answered in order to resolve a complex problem
• CA03 - Design, create, develop and undertake new and innovative projects in their area of knowledge
• CA04 - Work in a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary setting
• CA05 - Incorporate knowledge, handle complexity and provide opinions with limited information
• CA06 - Intellectual criticism and defence of solutions.

Other Abilities

• OC01 - Understanding any professional activity must respect fundamental rights, promote gender equality and the principle of universal access and design for all individuals, and protect the environment in accordance with the values inherent to a culture of peace and democracy.

Recommended Entry Profile

The recommended entry profile is as follows:

• An undergraduate degree (fouror five-year) in social sciences (including psychology) or arts and humanities
• For those with four-year degrees, a master’s degree geared towards research
• The drive to research social phenomena and issues from a wide-ranging cognitive perspective.

Entry

Candidates interested in applying for a place on the PhD programme need to submit their pre-registration application within the deadline and as per the methods set by the UIB Doctoral School (EDUIB).

The EDUIB will verify whether applications fulfil the admission requirements for the PhD programme, in accordance with what is set out in Article 6 in Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28th January that governs Official PhD Programmes.

After verifying the requirements, the EDUIB will submit the application to the Academic Committee for the PhD Programme to make its admission decision.

Finally, the EDUIB will publish the list of admitted candidates and provide the enrolment dates.

This procedure will be governed by Regulatory Agreement of 24th February 2025 that approves the Regulations Governing the Organisation of PhD Programmes at the University of the Balearic Islands, published in FOU [Official University Gazette] no. 585 of 28th February 2025, and implementing Article 7 in Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28th January that governs Official PhD Programmes.

Admission

The admission procedure is as follows:

1. In order to be admitted, candidates must submit the documents below, as well as those accrediting they fulfil the entry requirements:
   • An abstract or draft version of their thesis
   • A thesis supervision proposal
   • Their master’s thesis (failing this, any research they have undertaken)
   • Accreditation in the programme’s languages of instruction**.
   The EDUIB has implemented the following endorsement procedure from possible supervisors:
   • Candidates wishing to take the programme must submit the relevant endorsement document during pre-registration. The document can be found on the website (link) and downloaded when starting the pre-registration procedure. It must be duly filled in and signed by the prospective supervisor
   • The template must include the prospective supervisor’s commitment with regard to the following aspects:
     • A suitable thesis proposal in line with the programme’s research areas
     • Confirmation that the individual fulfils the relevant thesis supervision requirements, i.e. a recognised six-year research period or, where they are contract employees not eligible to request said period, accreditation of equivalent merits in accordance with the criteria set by ANECA for their area of knowledge
     • The prospective supervisor must also attach their CV
   • Where candidates are unsure of how to obtain an endorsement, they must contract the programme’s coordination team for advice
2. Firstly, the Academic Committee for the PhD Programme will verify whether candidates’ master’s theses accredit the required level of initial research training. In this regard, it will consider whether the master’s programme is geared towards research training and whether the thesis represents original and individual research. Candidates who have not taken an official master’s degree must accredit previous research training
3. Where suitable applications do not outnumber total spots, all candidates will be accepted. In turn, where suitable applications exceed the total number of available spots, candidates will be ranked in accordance with their master’s academic record/transcript (for candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees) or their undergraduate academic record/transcript (for candidates with five-year degrees).

** The required languages on the PhD programme are Spanish and English.

Candidates whose first language is not Spanish must at least have an accredited level equivalent to B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, 2002) from the European Union Council to be admitted to the PhD programme.

In turn, candidates whose first language is not English must have an accredited level equivalent to B2 or higher, in line with the aforementioned framework.

B2-level Spanish and English will be deemed accredited for candidates who fulfil any of the following conditions:

• Submitting certificates or diplomas equivalent to a B2 level, in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, 2002)
• Having taken university courses in the stated language
• Having taken high school studies in the stated language.

Agreements and framework agreements of UIB. Search of agreements  .

The programme coordination team recommends candidates arrange a tutorial before submitting their application in order to assess whether their interests align with the programme, as well as to seek advice on whom to contact for endorsement of their proposal.

The programme coordination team and academic committee will be available for assistance, guidance, queries and any issues that may come up throughout the process.

Any justified requests for changes or withdrawals regarding supervision will be resolved by the Academic Committee for the PhD Programme

Supervision and monitoring of doctorand training activities and their PhD theses shall be in line with the UIB procedures for PhDs (RD 99/2011), the UIB Doctoral Degree Regulations (https://seu.uib.cat/fou/acord/15770/) and the verified degree report that you may consult on the "Results" webpage. The administrative and academic procedures that students must perform during their PhD may be viewed on the "Procedures" section of the UIB Doctoral School website:

• Thesis Charter and Code of Best Practice
• Research Plan and Record of activities
• Initial review and annual reviews
• PhD Training Activities
• Thesis Deposit and Viva
• Distinctions for PhD degrees