Double Degree MCTS - MISMeC

Since the 2017-2018 academic year, the UPC has offered a double degree programme that combines the master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology and the master's degree in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC)  over two academic years (135 credits). 

Students interested in this programme must indicate this option during the application procedure. For more information click here.

• 2018 master's degree thesis examination committees

1.  Justification for the proposal according to academic standards

The proposed double degree, which combines the MCTS and the MISMeC, was designed to meet the increasing demand for graduates with the general skills acquired during the MCTS and specific interests in architecture and sustainable construction, which are the focus of the MISMeC. The programme is based on the following learning objectives:

• The master's degree in Sustainability Science and Technology aims to provide interdisciplinary, advanced training that simplifies the understanding of interactions between society, the economy and the natural environment. It outlines scientific and technical possibilities and trends that address the main challenges in sustainable development of current socio-environmental systems. The master's degree trains entrepreneurs and agents of change to achieve sustainable development. Graduates can draw up, implement and evaluate sustainable solutions in different fields of engineering and technology. Students will work in an interdisciplinary manner and with scientific and technical rigour in cultural and professional contexts, depending on their specialisation in the fields of biodiversity and environment, construction and services or production systems and information management.

• The university Master's degree in Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment (MISMeC) has the objective to train professionals, by means of intervention projects in urban spaces, buildings and infrastructures. Graduates will be capable to improve the sustainability of social metabolism, thereby, reducing the use of resources and waste production, increasing local productive capacity and looking for a more sustainable urban model basing on the transformation of the existing city. The master offers a comprehensive and transversal approach that cannot be limited exclusively to the solution of technological problems, but also permits the consideration of cities regarding the logic of reuse of buildings and space, the revitalisation of its basic structures and social impacts.

• In this context, the similarities of the objectives within different fields lead to a logical path that implicates the consolidation of the double degree framework, including the mutual sharing of learning fields, the enhancement of research collaboration and joint projects between members of both academic programmes.

2.  Justification of the proposal regarding other criteria

• Scientific criteria: Both academic projects give access to PhD studies at the UPC, with research projects that can be directed by responsible professors of the same master or be integrated in a PhD programme of the Institute for Sustainability of UPC.
  

• Professional criteria. The possibility of obtaining a double degree multiplies the opportunities for students that want to specialise in this particular field.
• Integration of the proposal: The MISMeC revisits the educational vocation of a specialisation on sustainable construction that was originally part of the MCTS programme, its structure was developed in order to permit the coupling with the structure of the MCTS. With this double degree, unnecessary training duplicates are avoided by the recognition of the specific obligatory training provided by the MISMeC as elective subjects of the MCTS.
  

3.  Definition of the academic curricular itinerary

The degrees to achieve are: The University Master’s degree of Sustainability Science and Technology and the University Master`s degree of Sustainable Intervention in the Built Environment. In order to achieve the double degree the students have to complete 135 ECTS, as indicated below:

FIRST TERM (Q1)

SECOND TERM (Q2)

THIRD TERM (Q3)

FOURTH TERM (Q4)

In case of the TFM, the student has to write and defend a TFM of 45 ECTS that encompasses competencies related to both degrees, MCTS and MISMeC (see chapter 1.5). Regardless of the fact that there will be written only one TFM, the student has to be enrolled and evaluated in both degrees, otherwise the TFM cannot be recognized. Consequently, it is an indispensable requirement to obtain the double degree.

REMEMBER: The procedure to publish, follow and finally defend a Master Thesis proposal is similar to that of MCTS (see corresponding subsection in Master Thesis (TFM) section). Given the teaching load of this double diploma, the particular structure of the syllabus and the need to have the summer months for the realization of the TFM, it is specially important the administrative process to request the extraordinary defense call in octoberr (via instance during the month of June) if it can not be presented in the ordinary call of July.

4.  Table of recognition of the academic itinerary for each study plan

The MCTS will recognise the credits of the compulsory subjects of the MISMeC as credits for optional subjects. The following table indicates the recognition of credits:

5. Specific regulations valid for these students

The specific regulations that are valid for these students, in terms of minimum performance, disconnection of the itinerary of the double degree, etc., will be those corresponding to the master programmes of the MCTS and the MISMeC, as well as those corresponding to the Acadamic Regulations of University Masters at UPC, (see Academic Regulations of University Masters at UPC (information only available in Catalan).

Regulation for the Master Final Thesis can be found here.

6. Double title expedition

IMPORTANT: Since this double degree is not a joint degree but a double master's degree (with two titles), the student must pay the corresponding fees for the two titles separately, once they request their corresponding expedition in each of the corresponding double degree academic management units, that is the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyers de Camins, Canals i Ports de Barcelona on the one hand, and the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura del Vallès on the other.

REMEMBER: The administrative management throughout the double degree (except in the degree expedition) is carried out from the Unitat de Gestió de Graus i Màsters of the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyers de Camins, Canals i Ports de Barcelona (masters.camins@upc.edu).