The Program Coordinating Committee (CCP) shall be composed of 3 (three) titular members drawn from the accredited full supervisors of the Graduate Program in Transportation Engineering (PPGET). Within this membership, one shall serve as the Coordinator and another as the Deputy Coordinator. Additionally, the committee shall include 1 (one) student representative, with each titular member having a designated alternate.

Admission to the PPGET shall be conducted through a selection process regulated by a specific Call for Applications (Public Notice), to be drafted by the CCP and published periodically in the Official Gazette of the State of São Paulo and on the PPGET website. These Calls for Applications shall specify the number of vacancies, application procedures, the list of documents required for applying and enrollment, the stages, timeline, examinations, and the weighting of each component, as well as the validity period. Upon successful completion of the selection process, the candidate is eligible to enroll as a regular student. (Amended on 26/10/2020)

II.1 Master’s Degree Admission Requirements To apply for the Master’s degree selection process, candidates must submit the documents listed in the Call for Applications, available on the PPGET website and published in the Official Gazette of the State of São Paulo.

II.1.1 Candidates must provide proof of English language requirements, as specified in Section V of these Regulations. II.1.2 Candidates shall be evaluated based on their Lattes Curriculum and an oral examination, undergraduate academic transcripts, and a mandatory written examination on an eliminatory basis. II.1.3 The written examination shall be graded from 0 to 10. The minimum passing grade will be defined in the specific Call for Applications. (Amended on 28/10/2020) II.1.4 The duration and procedures for the written examination (and, where applicable, the English language proficiency test) shall be disclosed in the Call for Applications. II.1.5 Candidates will undergo an oral examination regarding their Lattes Curriculum on a scheduled date, following the evaluation of documentation and the results of the English proficiency and written examinations. This stage shall be conducted by a panel comprising at least two members accredited as full supervisors by the PPGET. Candidates who meet the requirements in items II.1.1 to II.1.4 will be summoned by the PPGET administration for this oral examination.

II.2 Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements To apply for the Doctoral selection process (Post-Master’s), candidates must submit the documents listed in the Call for Applications, available on the PPGET website and published in the Official Gazette of the State of São Paulo.

II.2.1 Candidates must provide proof of English language requirements, as specified in Section V of these Regulations.

II.2.2 Candidates shall be evaluated on an eliminatory basis through their Lattes Curriculum and oral examination, Undergraduate and Master’s academic transcripts, a research proposal and its oral defense, and a written examination.

II.2.3 The written examination shall be graded from 0 to 10. The minimum passing grade will be defined in the Call for Applications. (Amended on 28/10/2020)

II.2.4 At the time of application, Doctoral candidates must submit an original research proposal. The evaluation of the research proposal will assess the alignment of the topic with PPGET research topics, as well as its literature review, clarity of objectives, methodology, feasibility, and the significance of the intended original contribution. The candidate will participate in an oral examination, which will include questions to evaluate their ability to synthesise information and respond to the examiners’ inquiries.

II.2.5 The duration and procedures for the written examination (and, where applicable, the English language proficiency test), as well as the weighting for each component, shall be disclosed in the Call for Applications in the Official Gazette of the State of São Paulo.

II.2.6 Candidates shall undergo an oral examination on a scheduled date, following the evaluation of documentation and the results of the English language and written examinations. This stage shall be conducted by a panel comprising at least two members accredited as full supervisors by the PPGET. Candidates who satisfy the requirements in items II.2.1 to II.2.4 will be summoned by the PPGET administration for this examination.

II.3 Direct Doctorate Admission Requirements (Post-Admission to PPGET) There shall be no separate application process for the Direct Doctorate program. The PPGET offers the possibility for students currently enrolled in a Master’s program to transfer to Postgraduate research at the doctoral level, referred to as a Direct Doctorate. This allows for the pursuit of a Doctoral degree without the prior attainment of a Master’s degree, in accordance with the transfer criteria specified in Section VIII of these Regulations

III.1 For the Master’s degree, the deadline for dissertation submission is 32 (thirty-two) months. III.2 For the Doctoral degree, for those holding a Master’s degree, the deadline for thesis submission is 56 (fifty-six) months. III.3 For the Doctoral degree, without a prior Master’s degree (Direct Doctorate), the deadline for thesis submission is 68 (sixty-eight) months. III.4 For any of the postgraduate research programs, students may request a deadline extension for a maximum of 120 (one hundred and twenty) days, in addition to the periods specified in items III.1, III.2, and III.3,. Requests must be duly justified and submitted with the supervisor’s approval.

IV.1 Master’s students must complete a minimum number of credit units as follows: 96 (ninety-six) credit units, comprising 48 (forty-eight) from taught modules and 48 (forty-eight) from the dissertation.

IV.2 Doctoral students who hold a Master’s degree from USP, or one recognised by the institution, must complete a minimum number of credit units as follows: 152 (one hundred and fifty-two) credit units, comprising 32 (thirty-two) from taught modules and 120 (one hundred and twenty) from the thesis.

IV.3 Doctoral students without a prior Master’s degree (Direct Doctorate) must complete a minimum number of credit units as follows: 192 (one hundred and ninety-two) credit units, comprising 72 (seventy-two) from taught modules and 120 (one hundred and twenty) from the thesis.

IV.4 There are no compulsory taught courses within the PPGET.

IV.5 The minimum number of credits completed within the PPGET must be one-quarter of the minimum required credits for taught modules. With the research supervisor’s approval and during the program’s duration, credits earned in recognised postgraduate programs outside USP may be accepted, up to a limit of one-third of the minimum required credits for taught modules, subject to CCP approval.

IV.6 Special credits may be granted as taught module credits, up to a maximum of 8 (eight) credits for the Master’s degree, 16 (sixteen) credits for the Doctorate, and 24 (twenty-four) for the Direct Doctorate. These credits are detailed in Table 1.

Table 1: Special Credits

IV.7 The granting of special credits shall be evaluated by the CCP-PPGET upon student request, subject to the supervisor’s approval. Supporting documentation verifying the completed activity must be submitted for assessment.

V.1 English Language Proficiency

V.1.1 Proof of English language requirements shall be mandatory during the selection process for both Master’s and Doctoral degrees, in accordance with the rules established in Section II of these Regulations and the respective Calls for Applications. Students transferring from a Master’s program to a Direct Doctorate must demonstrate English proficiency at the Doctoral level at the time of enrollment in the new course.

V.1.2 Proficiency examinations such as TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge, Michigan, and the FFLCH-USP Language Centre, or others specified in the Call for Applications, shall be accepted. These must be within their validity period or have been completed up to 3 (three) years prior to the selection process examination date, whichever comes first.

V.1.3 The minimum scores or grades required for the accepted proficiency examinations shall be disclosed in the Call for Applications, available on the PPGET website and published in the Official Gazette of the State of São Paulo.

V.1.4 The English language examination shall be conducted on an eliminatory basis during the selection process.

V.2 Portuguese Language Proficiency for International Students

V.2.1 Proof of Portuguese language proficiency shall not be required for international students.

VI.1 Module Accreditation The accreditation or re-accreditation of modules, whether delivered in-person or through remote learning, is subject to review and approval by the CCP based on documentation submitted by the responsible faculty. This submission must include details regarding the syllabus, the module’s significance and coherence, its alignment with PPGET research topics, and an updated bibliography,. Applications must also include the Lattes Curriculum of the teaching staff and the duly completed accreditation form.

VI.1.1 In cases involving the participation of faculty members who are not accredited as PPGET supervisors, a specific justification for their involvement must be provided.

VI.1.2 The participation of faculty members who do not hold a Doctoral degree shall be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the CCP, following any guidelines from the Unit’s CPG and the University of São Paulo’s Postgraduate Regulations.

VI.1.3 Accreditation or re-accreditation requests shall be evaluated by the CCP based on a report from an appointed reviewer. This assessment will consider the module content, its academic merit and importance to the PPGET, consistency with the Program’s research topics, the relevance and currency of the bibliography, and the faculty’s expertise in the subject.

VI.2 Cancellation of Module Classes

VI.2.1 The cancellation of module classes may occur upon a duly justified request from the lecturer, provided it is submitted before the start date and approved by the CCP.

VI.2.2 The CCP shall issue a decision on the request within a maximum of 7 (seven) days.

VI.2.3 The cancellation of a module class due to insufficient enrollment may occur if the number of registered students is fewer than 5 (five).

The Qualifying Examination is a mandatory requirement for Master’s, Doctorate, and Direct Doctorate programs. It is the student’s responsibility to complete their registration within the maximum deadlines established by the PPGET in these Regulations, in accordance with items VII.2.1, VII.3.1, and VII.4.

The examination must be conducted no later than 90 (ninety) days following registration. Any student within the postgraduate research community who fails to complete the Qualifying Examination within the prescribed period for their course will be withdrawn from the PPGET, as per the USP Postgraduate Regulations.

Students who fail the Qualifying Examination may register to retake it only once, with a new registration required within 60 (sixty) days of the initial examination. The second examination must take place within 60 (sixty) days of the second registration. Should the student fail again, they will be withdrawn from the PPGET and issued a certificate for the taught modules completed.

VII.1 Examining Committee The examining committee for the Qualifying Examination at the Master’s, Doctorate, and Direct Doctorate levels shall consist of three examiners holding at least a Doctoral degree, one of whom may be the research supervisor. For Doctorate and Direct Doctorate levels, the committee must include at least one examiner from outside the PPGET.

VII.2 Master’s Degree

VII.2.1 Master’s students must register for the qualifying examination within a maximum of 16 (sixteen) months from their initial enrollment.

VII.2.2 The objective of the Master’s Qualifying Examination is to assess the knowledge acquired regarding the student’s research topic, as well as their capacity to execute the research project.

VII.2.3 At the Master’s level, the examination shall consist of a monograph and an oral presentation on the research topic.

VII.2.4 The oral presentation shall last between twenty and thirty minutes, followed by an oral examination conducted by the examining committee.

VII.3 Doctoral Degree

VII.3.1 Doctoral students must register for the Qualifying Examination within a maximum of 28 (twenty-eight) months from their initial enrollment in the program,.

VII.3.2 The objective of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination is to assess the candidate’s ability to independently develop their thesis project within their specific research topic,.

VII.3.3 For the Doctoral degree, the examination shall consist of a monograph and an oral presentation regarding the research topic,.

VII.3.4 The oral presentation shall last a minimum of twenty and a maximum of thirty minutes, followed by an oral examination conducted by the examining committee.

VII.4 Direct Doctorate

Direct Doctorate students must register for the Qualifying Examination within a maximum of 34 (thirty-four) months from the start of their program duration,. A Qualifying Examination completed during a Master’s program, prior to transferring to a Direct Doctorate, shall not substitute for the examination required for the Direct Doctorate. The Direct Doctorate Qualifying Examination must comply with the requirements set out in items VII.3.2 to VII.3.4.

VIII.2 Transfer of Research Area (Area of Concentration) Not applicable.

IX.1 Students shall be assessed through their activity reports. These reports must be submitted semiannually in accordance with the schedule established by the CCP, which is disseminated by the administration and published on the PPGET official website. Submission by the specified deadline is mandatory.

IX.2 Each report must include, at a minimum, a summary of the student’s research topic, a description of the activities performed, and progress toward planned milestones. The report must also be accompanied by the research supervisor’s assessment of the student’s academic and scientific performance.

IX.3 Students whose reports are deemed unsatisfactory must resubmit a revised report within a maximum of 30 (thirty) days from the date the assessment result is disclosed by the PPGET administration.

IX.4 In addition to the rules established in the general Postgraduate Regulations, a student may be withdrawn from their respective postgraduate research program (Master’s, Doctorate, or Direct Doctorate) if one of the following occurs: a) The semiannual activity report is failed for two consecutive periods; b) The semiannual report is not submitted by the established deadline.

X.1 The decision regarding the accreditation or re-accreditation of a supervisor shall be deliberated by the CPG following a recommendation from the CCP. This decision shall be based on the excellence of their academic publications and scientific output, as well as their leadership or participation in funded research projects, according to the minimum criteria specified in these Regulations. The faculty member shall be assessed on their ability to lead research and generate output in qualified journals, at international scientific events, through books, book chapters, and approved patents, as well as through postdoctoral research. A CNPq research productivity grant is considered an indicator of peer-recognised scientific production. Evaluation shall cover the elements described above for the 3 (three) years immediately preceding the accreditation or re-accreditation request, plus the current year.

X.2 The maximum number of students per supervisor is 10 (ten). Additionally, a supervisor may co-supervise up to 10 (ten) students, provided the combined total of supervision and co-supervision does not exceed 15 (fifteen).

X.3 Accreditation may be granted as either Specific or Full, for both Master’s and Doctoral levels.

X.4 Full accreditation for supervisors shall remain valid for 3 (three) years.

X.5 To apply for accreditation or re-accreditation, the applicant must submit a formal, detailed request to the CCP, objectively outlining their qualifications to serve or continue serving within the PPGET. The application must include an updated Lattes Curriculum or Curriculum Vitae (for international candidates) and the registered electronic addresses for ResearchID and ORCID.

X.6 Full Accreditation for Supervisors To achieve full accreditation, the faculty member must have supervised at least 1 (one) Master’s dissertation within the PPGET or a Doctoral thesis in a CAPES-recognised graduate program. They must possess at least 3 (three) items of scientific output, of which at least 1 (one) must be co-authored with their students, and at least 2 (two) articles published in qualified journals within the top four Qualis tiers or with a Journal Citation Reports (JCR) impact factor of 1.0 or higher. One of these items may consist of 1 (one) book, book chapter, or published patent, within the period of the last 3 (three) years plus the current year.

X.7 Full Re-accreditation of Supervisors For full re-accreditation, the faculty member shall have supervised at least one Master’s dissertation within the PPGET or a Doctoral thesis in a CAPES-recognised graduate program. They must possess at least 4 (four) items of academic publications, of which at least 2 (two) must be co-authored with their students. Furthermore, they must have at least 3 (three) articles published in qualified journals within the top three Qualis tiers or with a Journal Citation Reports (JCR) impact factor of 1.2 or higher. One of these items may consist of 1 (one) book, book chapter, or published patent, within the period of the last 3 (three) years plus the current year.

The following requirements shall also apply: a) The supervisor must have taught modules within the PPGET at least twice during the last accreditation period; b) Demonstrate satisfactory academic performance in the supervision of current and former students over the last 3 (three) years. This implies that no more than 50% of their students’ Qualifying Examinations may result in failure, and no more than one failure may occur in their students’ thesis or dissertation defenses.

If the requirements for full re-accreditation are not met, the supervisor may apply for specific supervision.

X.8 Specific Accreditation of Supervisors

X.8.1 The first supervision within the PPGET must be through specific accreditation of the supervisor.

X.8.2 Holders of a Doctoral degree who do not meet the minimum requirements for full accreditation specified in item X.6 may request specific accreditation for up to 3 (three) students.

X.8.3 The CCP shall assess the applicant’s recent output (last three years plus the current year) and issue a decision, which must be duly justified and in writing. In these cases, at least 3 (three) items of academic publications are required, including at least 1 (one) article published in a qualified journal within the top four Qualis tiers or with a JCR impact factor of 1.0 or higher.

X.8.4 A request for specific accreditation to supervise at the Doctoral level requires that the applicant has supervised at least one Master’s dissertation within the PPGET or a Doctoral thesis in a CAPES-recognised graduate program.

X.8.5 The applicant must be involved in postgraduate teaching, being at least co-responsible for a PPGET module

X.9 Accreditation of Co-supervisors

X.9.1 The deadline for the accreditation of a co-supervisor for a specific student must occur within a maximum of 80% of the program’s completion period,.

X.9.2 The accreditation of co-supervisors shall follow the same minimum academic publication criteria as specified for supervisors in item X.8.3. Additionally, a detailed justification highlighting the complementary nature of the co-supervisor’s role relative to the supervisor within the student’s research topic must be provided.

X.10 External Supervisors

External supervisors may apply for either full or specific accreditation. Requests involving supervisors external to USP, including Early Career Researchers, Visiting Professors, Research Interns, and others, must satisfy the following requirements:

a) Meet the academic publication standards specified in items X.6, X.7, or X.8, depending on the type of accreditation;

b) Provide a detailed justification regarding their innovation and impact and contribution to the PPGET;

c) Identify the applicant’s professional link (e.g., Early Career Researcher), including the duration of the project and the research topic;

d) Demonstrate the availability of necessary research facilities (physical space, materials, and/or equipment);

e) Provide evidence of funding resources for the proposed project for the postgraduate research student’s supervision,;

f) Submit a statement from a faculty member or supervisor, with the approval of the Head of Department or equivalent, agreeing to the use of facilities for supervision and the maintenance of conditions for the student’s project execution;

g) Submit a Curriculum Vitae (or preferably a Lattes Curriculum), including past and current supervision both within and outside USP;

h) Demonstrate the applicant’s professional status and institutional link. If a stable institutional link is not proven, the period of stay at USP must cover at least 75% of the maximum deadline for dissertation or thesis submission

XI.1 Master’s Dissertation Format The final requirement for the Master’s degree shall be in the form of a dissertation. The structure of the Master’s dissertation is defined by the document “USP Guidelines for the Presentation of Dissertations and Theses: Part I (ABNT),” published by the USP Agency for Academic Information Management (AGUIA) and made available on the PPGET website.

XI.2 Doctoral Thesis Format The final requirement for the Doctoral degree shall be a thesis, which may follow either a traditional format or be presented as a collection of articles. The structure is governed by the “USP Guidelines for the Presentation of Dissertations and Theses: Part I (ABNT)”. A thesis presented as a collection of articles must include at least two articles published in high-impact international journals (within the top two Qualis tiers or with a JCR impact factor of 1.2 or higher), indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, or SciELO. These articles must have been published during the student’s postgraduate research period. In such cases, the author must provide consent from the publishers or utilize open-access journals. Following the introductory chapter, a section must be included describing the relationship between the articles. Traditional and article-based chapters may be combined to ensure a coherent structure.

XI.3 Submission of Dissertations or Theses

XI.3.1 The submission shall be made by the candidate to the EPUSP Graduate Office by the end of the business day on their final deadline. The submission requires the supervisor’s approval regarding the student’s readiness for the oral examination; otherwise, the general USP Postgraduate Regulations shall apply.

XI.3.2 Detailed procedures and required documentation for submission are established by the EPUSP CPG and published on the PPGET website.

XI.3.3 Master’s students must submit evidence to the CCP of at least 1 (one) full paper published in conference proceedings or the submission of 1 (one) article to a scientific journal co-authored with the supervisor, based on the research topic developed during their enrollment.

XI.3.4 Doctoral students must provide evidence of at least 1 (one) full paper in conference proceedings AND the submission of 1 (one) article to a scientific journal co-authored with the supervisor, submitted during their time in the program.

XI.3.5 Papers in conference proceedings must be full papers; abstracts, expanded abstracts, or posters are not accepted. The conference must be a peer-reviewed scientific event with recognised impact. Scientific journals must be qualified within the top four Qualis tiers or indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, or SciELO. Once all regulatory requirements are met, including proof of academic publications, the CCP shall recommend the examining committee for the candidate’s dissertation or thesis defense

XIV.1 Students who fulfill all the requirements of the Master’s program will be awarded the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.) in the Graduate Program in Transportation Engineering, with the corresponding area of concentration specified on the degree.

XIV.2 Students who fulfill all the requirements of the Doctoral or Direct Doctoral Program will be awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in the Graduate Program in Transportation Engineering, with the corresponding area of concentration specified on the degree.

XV.1 Internship

Regular students may undertake an internship, provided that it is approved by their academic advisor. The request must be submitted by the Program Coordinating Committee (CCP) to the Graduate Studies Committee (CPG), in accordance with the internship guidelines established by the University of São Paulo.