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The PhD Program in Political Science from the Department of Public Science and Public Policies at Iscte provides theoretical and methodological training that allows doctoral candidates to develop research on current issues with appropriate results in professional and research fields.
The coordination of the PhD programme is managed by:
More information available here.
PhD Studentships in All Scientific Fields 2026, under the Regular Line of Application and the Specific Line Application in a Non-academic Environment.
Applications are open between 2 March and 17.00 p.m. (Lisbon time) of 31 March, 2026.
For candidates whose applications are approved with CIES-Iscte as the Host Institution, a Zoom session will be organized to support the preparation of applications and to clarify any questions.
All interested candidates, including members of the CIES-Iscte team and PhD students from CIES-Iscte doctoral programmes, must submit an expression of interest by sending the following information via email to concursos.cies@iscte-iul.pt until 10 March 2026.
Find out more here.
ESPP International PhD Conferences Cycle
General Regulatory Standards for Iscte Doctorate Degrees (2026) | PT (starting in the 2026/27 academic year)
General Regulatory Standards for Iscte Doctorate Degrees (2026) | EN
Specific Norms of the PhD in Political Science (2016) | PT
Doctoral Project in Political Science [PT/EN] & Advisors Declarations [PT/EN]
Doctoral Research Annual Progress Report in Political Science [PT/EN] & Advisors Evaluation Report [PT/EN]
The comparative study of the interrelationships between societies and political systems, as well as the interrelationships between different states, is fundamental not only to understand, but also to transform the contemporary world.
2026/2027
The PhD Programme in Political Science has a four-year duration, corresponding to the completion of 240 ECTS credits, which are divided among 60 credits in lecture units in the first year and 180 credits for the doctoral thesis in the second, third and fourth years of the course.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Cycle Internship Parte Escolar > Optional Courses | 1 | 6.0 |
| Contemporary Debates and Controversies in Political Science | 1 | 12.0 |
| Political Science and International Relations Seminar | 1 | 12.0 |
| Political Systems, Europeanization and International Relations | 1 | 12.0 |
| Research Project Seminar in Political Science and International Relations | 1 | 18.0 |
Recommended optative
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| Phd Thesis in Political Science Specialization > Political Science | 1 | 180.0 |
Recommended optative
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|
Recommended optative
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|
Recommended optative
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
Students are intended to acquire the following set of abilities:
a) A systematic command of the discipline of Political Science;
b) Political Science-related competencies, skills and research methods;
c) The ability to conceive, design and implement original research of scientific value;
d) The capacity to critically assess, analyse and summarise new and complex ideas;
e) The capacity to communicate with scientist peers as well as the community on the topic of his/her scientific area, and to publish his/her scientific work;
f) The ability to contribute, in academic and professional contexts, towards social progress and the wellbeing of all populations.
These skills are acquired through the specific features of the study plan, which include: the renewal of knowledge on the issues of PS and IR, the apprehension and debate of cutting-edge research, theoretical and technical-methodological advancement, and a combination of research theory and practice for the purpose of carrying out socially and politically relevant research projects.
2025/2026
| Round | Start Date | End Date | Vacancies | Application fee | Reservation fee | candidacy.reservation_fee_international |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2025-12-15 09:30 | 2026-01-14 17:00 | 25 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € |
| 2nd round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-01-15 09:30 | 2026-02-25 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 3rd round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-02-26 09:30 | 2026-04-06 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 4th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-04-07 09:30 | 2026-05-13 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 5th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-05-14 09:30 | 2026-06-24 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 6th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-06-25 09:30 | 2026-08-26 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € |
a) Master’s degree or the legal equivalent;
b) Bachelor’s degree, together with relevant academic or scientific curriculum which is recognized as attesting the ability to complete this level of study;
c) Relevant academic, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting the ability to complete this level of study.
Specific selection and seriation criteria
Please, visit the page https://www.iscte-iul.pt/conteudos/study/1100/applications#.
Required documents:
- Updated curriculum vitae;
- Identification document;
- Letter of motivation and research interests (1 page);
- Certificates of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees (and, where applicable, of other courses or diplomas obtained in higher education). Documents certifying the final classification obtained for the completion of the degrees must be submitted, together with the corresponding positive grading scale, for certificates issued by foreign institutions.
- Transcript of records: document proving the course units taken to obtain each degree, respective grades and duration of the course;
- Formal photo (passport-type).
This information does not dispense consulting the application's specific selection and seriation criteria and does not replace any additional information available on the Iscte website and the Fénix+ system.