• To foster an updated, innovative and interdisciplinary conceptual and methodological framework for the discipline of Archaeology.
• To promote a more rigorous approach to the research, recovery and dissemination of Archaeological heritage. This is a strategic research, innovation and development line due to its capacity to achieve social cohesion and to generate economic wealth through exploitation of the new knowledge produced and the ancient remains recovered.
• To guarantee a specialized training based on the following three factors: Development of the necessary critical thinking to build up historical knowledge from archaeological data; rigorous information retrieval with interdisciplinarity and innovation as working references; social commitment for transfer of high-quality knowledge.

You may check the complete list of competencies offered by this doctoral programme.

The ideal applicant profile is people like you, who are interested in developing research in Spatial Archaeology and are willing to take advantage of the opportunities offered in this field. Applicants should be motivated for making new discoveries through research, and have the capacity for critical thinking, comprehension, interpretation and application of research results, as well as basic skills in computer tools and English language.

Below, you may check the general and specific access requirements of the programme.

General access requirements for Doctoral Programmes at the University of Jaen

In general, access to an official doctoral programme is available to persons in possession of a Spanish official bachelor's degree, or equivalent, and a university master's degree.

Access is also available to persons who meet one of the following conditions:

1. Being in possession of an official Spanish university qualification, or one of another member country of the European Higher Education Area, which qualifies them for access to a master's degree in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of October 29, and having obtained a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in all official university studies, of which at least 60 must be at master's level.
2. Being in possession of an official Spanish degree whose duration, according to the rules of Community law, is at least 300 ECTS credits. These graduates must attend the mandatory bridging courses referred to in Article 7.2 of these regulations, unless the curriculum of said degree includes research training credits equivalent in educational value to the research credits obtained in master’s degree courses.
3. Being in possession of a university degree and, after obtaining a training place in the entrance test to specialized medical training, having obtained a positive evaluation in at least two years of training in a programme to obtain an official degree in one of the Health Science specialties.
4. Being in possession of a degree obtained under a foreign education system, without need for official recognition, after the University has verified that said degree accredits a level of education equivalent to the Spanish official master´s degree and allows admission to doctoral studies in the country issuing the qualification. In no case shall this admission imply the official recognition of the original qualification held by the individual or its recognition for purposes other than access to doctoral studies. Regardless of this, the doctoral degree obtained will be officially valid in Spain.
5. Being in possession of a Bachelor, Architect or Engineer degree and also having achieved the Diploma de Estudios Avanzados in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 778/1998, of April 30, or the research proficiency stipulated in the Royal Decree 185/1985, of January 23.
6. Being in possession of another Spanish doctoral degree obtained under earlier university regulations.

Specific access requirements for Doctoral Studies in Spatial Archaeology

Access to this doctoral programme is open to applicants in possession of a bachelor´s degree in Archaeology, History of Art, History, Geography and History, or Humanities.

Applicants must also be in possession of a master´s degree clearly related to the contents of the doctoral programme, such as the University of Jaen Master in Tourism, Archaeology and Naure, and related,.

Students from other, related disciplines can also access this doctoral programme. In this case, applicants must complete the complementary training by taking the courses recommended by the Academic Commission of the doctoral programme.

With exception, those applicants lacking previous training related to the aforementioned disciplines and meeting the general criteria for access to doctoral studies could also be admitted to this doctoral programme. In this case, the Academic Commission of the doctoral programme will determine the complementary training that the applicant must complete in order to be admitted by taking the recommended courses from Master studies offered by University of Jaen related to the topics in the doctoral programme.

The training activities, evaluation and training results of the complementary trainings will be those established in the corresponding study plans.

Admission criteria

The following criteria laid down in article 9.3.c of the Regulation of Doctoral Studies of the University of Jaen will apply for admission of applicants:

1. The adequacy of the applicant background giving access to doctoral studies to the topic of the thesis. 1.0 point.
2. The curriculum vitae of applicant. 2.5 points.
3. The interest of the research line of the thesis for the Department, Research Centre and personnel involved in direction of the PhD thesis, as informed by the corresponding legal representative/scientific personnel involved. 1.5 points.
4. Adequacy of the theme of the thesis to the research lines of the doctoral programme. 2.0 points.
5. Applicant´s complementary training requirements and time availability for carrying out the thesis. 0.5 points.
6. Availability of permanent research staff with accredited research experience at the corresponding research area solicited by applicant. 1.5 points.
7. Available resources to carry out the research tasks proposed by applicant. 1.0 point.

In order to be admitted, the applicant must obtain a mark higher than 7 points. The applicant must also have written consent from a scientific researcher qualified according to University of Jaen rules who will act as the thesis supervisor.

Students may enroll in doctoral studies at full dedication, or part-time if duly justified. The maximum period of permanence in PhD studies will be 4 years full-time or 7 years part-time. Students may ask for an ordinary extension for one year if enrolled full-time or two years if enrolled part-time. After this, all students may ask for an extraordinary extension period of one year. Applications for the extensions provided for in current legislation are to be duly reasoned and will be resolved by the Academic Committee for the PhD programme. Students may also apply for a temporary leave for a maximum period of one year, and extendible to one further year. Students may be excluded from the programme if they do not renew enrolments or if they obtain two negative overall assessments consecutively in the training and research activities in which they are enrolled for that year.

Students with special needs may visit the University Special Education Needs Service. You may get more information on general issues related to doctoral studies at the University Academic Service and the Doctoral School.

Application for doctoral studies for the school year 2024-25 can be done through the Distrito Único Andaluz. All the information and links

are available through the University of Jaén Acceso y Matrícula.

There are two periods for application and registration during the year. Places not covered in one period wil be added to next period´s offer.

School Year 2024/2025

• Ordinary application period (application open from days 2 to 30 of September 2024; admission and registration from October 1 to November 15, 2024)
• Extraordinary application period (application open from days 7 to 21 of January 2025; admission and registration from January 22 to February 24, 2025)

The number of places offered is available though Oferta de Plazas.

Yearly demand for places

If you are willing to apply for grants, please check the University International Relations website.

Convenios con Entidades Colaboradoras:

• Convenio Marco de Colaboración Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
• Convenio Politécnica Superior de Jaén y S. Carlos de Guatemala
• Acuerdo Colaboración con los programas de Doctorado en Historia y en Arqueología de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (Argentina)