Thesis supervisor. The academic committee of the programme will assign a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when he or she is admitted or enrols for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision. The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in the planning and tailoring of any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated bodies (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When a thesis supervisor is a UPC staff member, he or she also acts as the doctoral candidate’s tutor. PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School’s Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as the candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School’s Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned. A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor. Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign him or her a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.
Thesis supervisor. The majority of theses are supervised by EECS faculty members. Faculty in other departments may also supervise theses. A number of research staff members have been given Departmental approval to supervise theses. Those who have recently supervised theses are listed at the end of the list published annually by the Department, Research Interests of Faculty Members Who Supervise Graduate Theses. If you wish to undertake thesis research under the supervision of a non-faculty member who is not listed, you must request specific approval from the Committee on Graduate Students. Such a request should be made through the Chairman of your Area. Appropriately qualified non-faculty may serve as doctoral thesis readers without specific approval; however, at least two members of the doctoral thesis committee (supervisor and readers) must be EECS faculty members.
