The Programme in Physiology of the Universitat de València comes from the previous acquired experience of the teaching staff of the Department of Physiology in the former Doctoral Programme with Quality Award, also known as “Physiology”, from which it comes from and that started to be taught in the academic year 1986-87, adapting to the guidelines of the Universitat de València, due to the regulations associated to the implementation of the new curriculums.

From its beginning, the Doctoral Programme in Physiology has provided wonderful results in the number of defended Doctoral Theses, Extraordinary Doctoral Awards and Thesis with European Mention, as well as scientific publications derived from the Theses in prestigious international journals, pre-doctoral and post-doctoral stays in national and international centres and current situation of the graduates, among other indicators. In fact, the received training allowed some of the graduates to enter Research Centres and Universities. The Department of Physiology had the opportunity to request in the academic year 1995-96 the Quality Award for the programme called Programme in Physiology 190-A, obtaining such award and the corresponding aid by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.Likewise, in the academic year 2004-05 it also received the Quality Award by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ref. MCD2004-00413) according to the Resolution of 22 June 2004 of the General Directorate of Universities. It has also obtained the consecutive renewals. In the academic year 2011-12 it was distinguished with the Award for Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Education (Ref. MEE2011-0349), according to the resolution of 6 October 2011, of the General Secretary of Universities.

The Programme answers to the increasing demand of students who are interested in carrying out a doctoral thesis on a field with great scientific relevance like Physiology. The interested students can write their doctoral thesis using one of the research lines that have been successfully developed in the Department of Physiology of the UV. These lines are offered by the research groups of the Department, whose prestige is nationally and internationally recognised thanks to the development of several projects with public and private funding. These lines cover an important part of the issues of greater impact of the current scientist bibliography, such as cardiovascular physiology, oxidative stress physiology and physiopathology in biomedicine, physiological effect of physical activity, the development of new therapies against cancer and the use of structured light and the analysis of image in biomedicine, among others. With this wide range of options, we can respond to doctoral students’ initiative to carry out their research in a field of their interest.
The students come from the degrees in Medicine, Veterinary, Odontology, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Podiatry, Speech Therapy, Physics, Pharmacy, Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Physical Activity Sciences, as well as other related degrees, which show the strategic importance of the Programme.
With regard to employability, the training the graduates are provided with, in addition to achieving a doctoral degree, allows them to work in consolidated research groups and direct them, setting out issues that may be required for competitive projects in public and private calls. Students acquire researching skills that enable them to accede to work placements in Universities, and it must be highlighted the fact that Physiology is present in several current degrees. Likewise, they can apply for work positions in Research Centres and Institutions, as well as in private companies or other official Bodies in where a research activity related to the field of health is developed. In fact, there are  a high number of graduates of this Programme who are developing their work, both in the UV and national or international universities and researching Centres.