Objectives

The general objectives of the Information and Knowledge Society Doctoral Programme are:

• Provide the knowledge and skills required for research into information and communication technologies, their uses and the changes which they cause in various humanities-related and social areas.
• Facilitate, through the preparation and presentation of a doctoral thesis, the performance of an original and innovative research initiative which will contribute to the accumulated knowledge on the impact which information and communication technologies have on any of the areas indicated or on the global changes which accompany the current emergence of an information and knowledge society.

More specifically, the programme qualifies students to:

• Be able to reach a systematic understanding of the uses and changes which come with information technologies in a specific field of social or humanities studies (in economics and business, in society and politics, in the media, in law, in information management, in culture and humanities).
• Be able to reach a general, interdisciplinary comprehension of the global changes which come with the current emergence of an information and knowledge society.
• Be able to obtain general knowledge and master varied research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) which will enable them to undertake a successful analysis of the information and knowledge society.
• Be able to perform critical analyses and assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
• Know how to prepare a field or themed research project with the originality, rigour, feasibility and scale required in academic spheres.
• Know how to make a contribution through original and substantial research which will make a significant addition to academic knowledge in the field or theme.
• Be able to develop a substantial body of work, part of which will merit national or international referenced publication.
• Know how to communicate the results of the scientific work to colleagues, the academic community as a whole and society in general.
• Be able to keep in touch with international scientific networks and recognised experts and take part in scientific exchange communities.
• Be able to foment technological, social or cultural progress in an information and knowledge-based society within academic and professional contexts.
• Be experts in detecting, comprehending and assimilating the new technological and social phenomena relating to the knowledge society.

• Be able to stand out due to their skills in social innovation and the use of technology in their respective fields of study or specialisation.