Research Postgraduate Program
PhD Program in Civil Engineering
ABOUT THE
Program
The PhD Program in Civil Engineering aims to train high-level researchers with a strong scientific foundation, capable of generating knowledge that responds to the needs of the region, the country, and the global context.
Qualified Registration: Resolution No. 16464 of July 31, 2025, issued by the Ministry of National Education (MEN). Valid for seven (7) years.
- SNIES 118093: In-person | Bucaramanga
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DEGREE:
PhD in Civil Engineering
DURATION:
Eight (8) academic semesters
MODALITY:
In-person
LOCATION:
Bucaramanga
APPLICANT
Profile
.
Applicants to the PhD Program in Civil Engineering at Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) must hold a professional degree in basic sciences, engineering, or in a field related to the program’s research areas. In addition, they should demonstrate knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and teamwork capacity to contribute to the development and execution of research applied to the field of civil engineering.
GRADUATE
Profile
.
The PhD graduate in Civil Engineering from Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) is a researcher who generates new knowledge through the identification, formulation, and solution of complex problems related to civil engineering and its related fields, based on a solid ethical, scientific, and technological foundation. Their work is framed within social, economic, and environmental contexts, contributing to addressing global challenges. They communicate their findings assertively to different audiences and work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
CLASS
Time
.
Classes will be held from Monday to Friday between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., according to the planning of each academic semester.
Tuition subsidies and
condonable loans
All about
our program
ACADEMIC
Curriculum
.
Code: 41738 Credits: 4 – Seminar I
Code: 41739 Credits: 4 – Doctoral Thesis Proposal I
Code: 00000 Credits: 4 – Elective I
.
Code: 41740 Credits: 4 – Seminar II
Code: 41741 Credits: 4 – Doctoral Thesis Proposal II
Code: 00000 Credits: 4 – Elective II
.
Code: 41742 Credits: 4 – Seminar III
Code: 41743 Credits: 4 – Doctoral Thesis Proposal III
Code: 00000 Credits: 4 – Elective III
.
Code: 41744 Credits: 4 – Doctoral Thesis Proposal IV
Code: 00000 Credits: 4 – Elective IV
Code: 00000 Credits: 4 – Transdisciplinary Elective
.
Code: 41745 Credits: 12 – Doctoral Thesis I
.
Code: 41746 Credits: 12 – Doctoral Thesis II
.
Code: 41747 Credits: 12 – Doctoral Thesis III
.
Code: 41748 Credits: 12 – Doctoral Thesis IV
.
Code: 41749 Credits: 4 – Spatial Statistics
Code: 41750 Credits: 4 – Geographic Information Systems
Code: 41751 Credits: 4 – Remote Sensing
Code: 41752 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Geomatics
Code: 41753 Credits: 4 – Design of Cementitious and Bituminous Mixtures
Code: 41754 Credits: 4 – Advanced Geomechanics
Code: 41755 Credits: 4 – Partially Saturated Soil Mechanics
Code: 41756 Credits: 4 – Advanced Geotechnical Modeling
Code: 41757 Credits: 4 – Sustainable Pavements
Code: 41758 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Geotechnics
Code: 41759 Credits: 4 – Fundamentals of Data Analysis for Research
Code: 41760 Credits: 4 – Project Management Methodologies
Code: 41761 Credits: 4 – Quantitative Methods for Project Planning and Control
Code: 41762 Credits: 4 – Sustainability in Construction Projects
Code: 41763 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Project Management
Code: 41764 Credits: 4 – Structural Analysis with Finite Elements
Code: 41765 Credits: 4 – Advanced Statistics
Code: 41766 Credits: 4 – Advanced Mathematics
Code: 41767 Credits: 4 – Continuum Mechanics
Code: 41768 Credits: 4 – Theory of Linear Elasticity
Code: 41769 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Structural Engineering and Construction Materials
Code: 41770 Credits: 4 – Flow and Transport in Porous Media
Code: 41771 Credits: 4 – Water Resources Management
Code: 41772 Credits: 4 – Advanced Hydrology
Code: 41773 Credits: 4 – Environmental Processes
Code: 41774 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Water Resources and Environmental Sanitation
Code: 41775 Credits: 4 – Transit-Oriented Development
Code: 41777 Credits: 4 – Road Safety
Code: 41778 Credits: 4 – Intermodal and Multimodal Transportation
Code: 41778 Credits: 4 – Advanced Topics in Transportation and Road Infrastructure
PROGRAM
Fees
Registration
0,5 SMMLV*
Tuition fee per semester
1 SMMLV*
Academic fee per semester
1 SMMLV*
* The SMMLV for 2025 is $1.423.500 Colombian pesos.
The university has a mechanism through which a student’s financial obligations can be partially or totally covered by a company or entity that wishes to support the student.
Also, various forms of payment have been arranged so that students can combine the available forms of payment according to their particular conditions. On the page “Start the registration process”, you will find the available options.
Additionally, to facilitate access to postgraduate programs, the UIS has signed various agreements with entities specialized in educational credit. These agreements seek facilities and better credit conditions for UIS students.
Students with a voting certificate from Colombia’s last popular election process may request a 10% discount on tuition fees.
IMPORTANT
Dates
Bucaramanga
Registration begins
Payment of registration
fees begins
Registration payment deadline
Registration deadline
April 8th, 2026
April 8th, 2026
May 4th, 2026
May 6th, 2026
Psycho-technical tests
Entrance test
Interview
Admission result
May 8th, 2026
May 11th–15th, 2026
May 11th–19th, 2026
May 22th, 2026
Bucaramanga
Registration begins
Payment of registration
fees begins
Registration payment deadline
Registration deadline
April 8th, 2026
April 8th, 2026
May 4th, 2026
May 6th, 2026
Psycho-technical tests
Entrance test
Interview
Admission result
May 8th, 2026
May 11th–15th, 2026
May 11th–19th, 2026
May 22th, 2026
REGISTRATION
Requirements
The documentation must be submitted digitally via email to doctoradocivil@uis.edu.co in PDF format.
Note: By clicking on the “Inscripción” (Registration) button, you will find the forms required to complete the requested documentation listed below.
UIS Registration Form, duly completed and signed.
Curriculum Vitae, using the UIS institutional format, including attached certificates and copies of documents supporting the information provided.
Copy of a valid identification document accepted in Colombia, or a valid passport for foreign applicants.
Recent ID-type photo, preferably in digital format, 3×4 cm, with a white background.
Copy of the diploma or graduation certificate of the undergraduate degree required by the program, issued by a higher education institution recognized in Colombia.
Note 1: If the applicant holds a degree from a foreign university, it must be duly apostilled and translated into Spanish if issued in another language. The degree must also be validated by the Ministry of National Education of Colombia.
6.Official transcript showing the grades obtained during the undergraduate program required by the PhD program, including the weighted average.
Note 2: For UIS undergraduate graduates, this document is not required.
7.Proof of payment issued by the UIS Treasury Office for the current registration fee, or a payment receipt from the authorized UIS bank account.
Proof of payment issued by the UIS Treasury Office for the current fee of the psychotechnical test, or a payment receipt from the authorized UIS bank account, when this evaluation is required by the Advisory Committee or has been established as a requirement in the call for applications.
If determined by the Advisory Committee, applicants must present a Reading Comprehension and Written Production Test in Spanish, along with the certificate of approval issued by the UIS School of Languages
Note 3: The cost of this certification or test is not included in the registration fee for the postgraduate program.
Certification of foreign language proficiency at a level equivalent to or higher than B1.
Note 4: Applicants whose native language is not Spanish must demonstrate Spanish language proficiency at the B2 level.
Three (3) confidential academic reference letters, sealed in envelopes and sent directly to the postgraduate coordination office, using the official UIS form.
Endorsement letter from a research group or center at UIS or from an institution with an active agreement. This letter, signed by the group’s director, commits the issuing party to support the applicant’s research work and contribute to strengthening the conditions for the development of the doctoral dissertation.
Important note: As part of the knowledge examination, applicants are required to prepare an essay on the topic they wish to address in their doctoral process. The document must include the following elements: context, problem to be addressed, preliminary objectives, methodology, possible expected outcomes, and bibliography. The maximum length is three (3) pages, in Times New Roman, size 11, single spacing. The essay must be presented before the Graduate Advisory Committee. The deadline for submitting the document is April 12, 2026, to the email address: doctoradocivil@uis.edu.co. Likewise, applicants are informed that the essay presentation and the interview will take place on May 15, 2026, in a 30-minute session per candidate, distributed as follows:
- 10 minutes for the essay presentation
- 10 minutes for questions from the committee
- 10 minutes for the individual interview
The order of participation will be the reverse of the registration date and time.
OUR
FACULTY
Edgar Ricardo
OVIEDO OCAÑA
PhD in Engineering (Emphasis in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering)
Isabel Cristina
DOMÍNGUEZ RIVERA
PhD in Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Water Management)
RESEARCH
Groups
WOULD YOU LIKE MORE INFORMATION?
Contact Us
School of Civil Engineering
Telephone: +57 (607) 634 4000
Extension: 2759
Email: doctoradocivil@uis.edu.co
Campus Central UIS
Bucaramanga, Santander
Carrera 27 calle 9
Edificio de la Facultad de Ingenierías Fisicomecánicas, primer piso, oficina LP 117
Office Hours
Mondays to Fridays
7:00 a.m. – noon
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.