PhD Program

• Develop in graduates the ability to critically assess the body of knowledge in information science and decision science and, consequently, to generate original research ideas and fields of inquiry, with an emphasis on complex organizational problems and on issues with potential impact on science and society, as well as to carry out R&D projects that expand frontier knowledge in this area.

• Provide graduates with a solid education grounded in a systems perspective and based on theories, models, and engineering techniques in the fields of information science and decision science.

• Raise societal awareness of issues related to information science and decision science, as well as their engineering applications.

• Information Science. The research area Information Science focuses on the properties and behavior of information, as well as on the means used to process it. Researchers in Information Science address effective communication and information objects in the context of social, organizational, and individual information needs and uses..

• Decision Science. The research area Decision Science focuses on developing analytical methods, mathematical models, and algorithms that support better decision-making. Researchers in Decision Science create, disseminate, and apply knowledge to improve decision-making involving systems and people. This area of knowledge addresses three fundamental and related questions: (1) How does a “rational” person make decisions? (2) How do people actually make decisions? and (3) How can we help people improve decision-making?

Graduates of the PhD Program in Engineering Systems at the Universidad Católica del Norte are capable of leading research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of engineering, particularly in information science and decision-making.

Graduates of this program are distinguished by their skills and knowledge in the use of statistical, analytical, information science, and decision science methods and tools. From an engineering perspective, they model and propose original solutions to complex organizational problems. In addition, they are characterized by their ability to disseminate research findings among peers and within society.

Graduates also have the competencies to work in multidisciplinary teams in both academic settings and in companies and public institutions, at the national and international levels, proposing scientifically grounded solutions in the fields of engineering and organization, in accordance with ethical principles.