The Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) welcomed the new students of the International Ph.D. in Applied Psychology, developed by the FEP-UCP in partnership with two foreign universities - Nottingham Trent University (UK) and Universitat Ramon Llull (Spain). The session was marked by an atmosphere of enthusiasm and expectation, both on the part of the new students and the teaching team.
Luísa Antunes Ribeiro, the course coordinator, highlighted the unique opportunities offered by this programme, such as the possibility of studying at three different universities, attending specialised seminars and courses, and having access to excellent research resources.
"This offer is very rich, not only in the partner universities of the FEP-UCP, but also in the Faculty itself, through the initiatives of the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH). It's important for students to feel part of the community of researchers in our faculty and our centre," she says.
The new Ph.D. students also shared their expectations and motivations for this new cycle. Mariana Moreira, who has worked with people with psychosis, sees the Ph.D. as an opportunity to fill gaps and develop best practices in the field. "I hope that this journey will be one of learning and a challenge to develop new skills and knowledge. I'm looking forward to learning again from the FEP-UCP teaching staff and to having access to the know-how of the international universities I'll be working with," she says.
For his part, Miguel Ferreira is motivated by the opportunity to delve deeper into the study of addictive behaviour and explore how neuroscience can transform interventions in this field. "This programme offers a unique opportunity to combine academic rigour with practical application, which sets it apart from other doctoral programmes and makes it crucial to my development as a psychologist and researcher. I'm looking forward to applying theoretical knowledge to innovative practice and developing projects that can have a direct impact on improving treatment practices for addictive behaviours and addictions," he said.
An innovative and international programme
The FEP-UCP Ph.D. in Applied Psychology is characterised by its international dimension and its emphasis on the applicability of research from the very beginning. The individual project begins immediately in the first semester of the course, together with training seminars designed to support each phase of the study. “In the second year, there is great flexibility in the choice of training modules, with a constant focus on student autonomy and the applicability of the content taught, a factor that has proven to be very motivating," emphasises the coordinator.
Doctoral students have the opportunity to spend a period of mobility at Nottingham Trent University, which provides an enriching experience both academically and culturally. At the end of their training, the students will receive a triple degree awarded jointly by the three universities.
The welcome ceremony for the new doctoral students took place on 18 October at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto, marking the start of the 2024-2025 academic year for this cycle of study.
