Universidad del Magdalena

The Inter-institutional Doctorate in Marine Sciences trains high-level researchers for the marine-coastal sector. The graduates are able to work in interdisciplinary teams and from a scientific, ethical, social, political and economic dimension, are problem solvers and solution seekers. Who seek the sustainable social, business and scientific development of  Colombia and the world at large.

By the year 2025, the Inter-institutional Doctorate in Marine Sciences will continue to be the primary training program for high-quality researchers in marine sciences in the country. In addition, it will be recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in Latin America for the scientific and humane quality of its graduates and teaching staff, as well as for the impact in the field of science.

Oceans play an integral role in the regulation of the hydrological and climatological balance of the planet. They are a source of biological and mineral resources that besides being useful for human consumption; can also satisfy multiple industry and biotechnology needs. Approximately half of the Colombian territory is maritime, which is comprised of a great variety of ecosystems and resources, regulated by very complex and interrelated processes, whose understanding requires the mastery of various areas of knowledge such as chemistry, physics and biology, among others. Given the natural complexity of the marine-coastal ecosystems and the interrelation of the different and varied processes that take place in them, it is necessary to consider multi and interdisciplinary advanced training programs that allow these problems to be addressed through varied approach.

In Colombia, there are a significant number of institutions that carry out research, teaching and extension activities in matters related to marine and coastal areas. Even so, the knowledge that they have managed to develop is of a punctual nature, also presenting many limitations. Owing to this, several of these entities have shown great interest in changing this situation. Thus, since 2005, the universities Nacional de Colombia, de Antioquia, Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Magdalena, del Valle, del Norte, and institutions such as the Institute of Marine and Coastal Research (INVEMAR) have joined forces. The Colombian Ocean Commission, whose academic and research experience has allowed them to structure the Doctorate Network Program in Marine Sciences, came into being in 2010.

The proposed program is called PhD in Marine Sciences and arises from the need of the country to have professionals at the highest level who ideally develop research in the coastal and maritime territory of Colombia, from an inter and transdisciplinary perspective. In accordance with Article 7 of Law 30 of 1992, this Phd course corresponds to the field of Science, because it seeks to generate and apply comprehensive knowledge focused on preparing human resources for research, which are capable of carrying out scientific work of high academic quality in the areas related to the Sciences of the Sea.

Admission requirements

The following are the processes that must be followed to register for the selection and admission process of the Doctorate in Marine Sciences at the Universidad del Magdalena:

Registration payment

Send via mail intent of participating in the selection and admission process to the 2018 cohort of the PhD in Marine Sciences to the Office of Legal Affairs at the University of Magdalena, addressed to Dr. Aneth Rivas, Director Center for Postgraduate and Continuing Education, University of the Magdalena. Cra 16 No 15-117 Av del Libertador. C.C Villa Country. Santa Marta D.T.C.H - Colombia.

Attach both physical and CD (scanned electronic files and / or PDF) copies, of the following supporting documents:

• Curriculum vitae with supporting documents, according to the format (See table at the end; Rating of the curriculum vitae). The undergraduate and / or master's degree must have been attained in any of the following areas: natural, agricultural or social sciences, humanities, economics or engineering.
• Proof the research group to which the applicant belongs
• Copy of  letter from an official University of Magdalena email in which a research group that supports the PhD in Marine Sciences offers the post for which the applicant is applying.
• Research Proposal: Short document (No more than 15 pages, Times New Roman font, 12, with 1 spacing between lines, which includes the following elements:
• Title (candidate, Director, Affiliation), Summary, Introduction (background, theoretical framework, justification), Hypothesis, Objectives (general and specific), Methodology, Expected results, Schedules, References)
• Two (2) letters of academic or investigative recommendation.
• Exam or certificate of proficiency in English as a second language. If they do not have it, the Doctorate will mention them to an English test offered by the Faculty of General Studies of the University (PET level B2). Applicants should be aware of the citation for the exam (See number 4).

Additionally, applicants must be aware of the following citations:

Knowledge test: It consists of Interview and a written test.

• Interview: Presentation of the thesis proposal. The interview will be carried out by the Doctoral Council in Marine Sciences. In the interview the applicant will make a brief presentation (Maximum 15 minutes).
• Written test: The applicant will be notified to present a written test. The written test consists of choosing 2 out of 4 articles in English. Each article corresponds to one of the 4 main lines of the Doctorate in Marine Sciences: Resources (Fisheries and Aquaculture), Oceanography (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology), Environmental (Pollution), Society-Economy-Policy.

The applicant must select 1 article from the research area of his / her strength and another one from the 3 articles from the other three DCM areas available. The applicant will then solve some questions (about 10 per article) in a total time of 4 hours.

• Those who do not have a certificate of sufficiency in second language, will be notified to present an English test offered by the Department of General Studies of the University (PET level B2).

What must be attached to the CV (Section 2.1):

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Graduation Requirements

Students who pass all the requirements of the curriculum and meet the administrative, financial and academic requirements of the institution in which they enrolled, will receive the title of Doctor of Marine Sciences. To achieve this, they must meet the following requirements:

? Approve six (6) credits of basic subjects, three (3) credits of electives, as well as the credits corresponding to the research seminars (12), thesis project four (4) and the qualification examination five (5) . The basic subjects can be approved through a proficiency test.

Note: Students with a master's degree may request the approval of related elective courses. The total of credits of courses approved by sufficiency and / or homologated may not be greater than 50% of the total credits of the Program.

? Thesis, 80 credits, (written document and oral presentation) approved by the Monitoring Committee based on the concept of the Jury appointed for that purpose (two national and one international experts).

? A scientific article as the first author, approved in an indexed journal, on the subject of the thesis.

 RESOLUCIÓN No. 001 de 2024
"Por el cual se expide el calendario académico 2024 del programa de postgrado Doctorado en Ciencias del Mar de la Facultad de Ciencias Básicas"