The PhD in Development Studies is a 3rd cycle program of studies that aims to provide high quality training and produce original research in the area of Development Studies, a field of interdisciplinary research of the process of economic, social and political changes in modern societies.

This PhD programme was created in 2009 and accredited by the national agency A3ES in 2015. After 2017/18 this program became a joint PhD of ISEG (School of Economics and Management), ICS (Institute of Social Sciences), IGOT (Institute of Geographic and Spatial Planning) and ISA (School of Agriculture) of Universidade de Lisboa, with some changes in its content, recently approved by the national agency A3ES.

This programme is lectured in English, but it will offer tutorials both in English and in Portuguese. The PhD thesis may be written in Portuguese or in English.