Over the last few months, the Faculties of Law and Geography and History have been working on the development of new degrees to add to the wide range on offer at each of these university centres.

The Governing Council of the Universitat de València, meeting in ordinary session on Tuesday, 19 December 2023, approved the expressions of interest of these two faculties of the UV. The following steps for the implementation of these studies are

Archaeology: a new degree in the Valencian Community

The Faculty of Geography and History will teach the degree in Archaeology, a degree in the branch of knowledge in Arts and Humanities that will consist of 240 ECTS, with a duration of four academic years, and 50 places available for students.

The tradition of archaeological research at the Universitat de València dates back to 1921 with the creation of the Archaeology Laboratory, and the Faculty of Geography and History has departments covering all areas of history, including archaeology.

The Faculty of Geography and History proposes a degree with a cross-disciplinary approach and an interdisciplinary perspective that aims to train archaeologists with sufficient levels of knowledge of history, from prehistory to the present day, which will have lines of specialisation oriented towards specific campuses of history and archaeology by periods.

The training is not only technical, but also provides the necessary skills to interpret the archaeological records on which they are working in a historical perspective and in an appropriate manner.

Archaeology work is in increasing demand, bearing in mind that, after Italy, Spain has the greatest archaeological heritage in the European Union, and that it is not currently offered in the Valencian Community.

International Relations, a degree without public offer in València

The Faculty of Law will offer the degree in International Relations, a degree in the Social and Legal Sciences branch of knowledge that will have 240 credits (four academic years) and 50 places available for students.

The degree proposed by the Faculty of Law will offer both theoretical and practical training in the field of International Relations that will seek to understand the different dynamics of a globalised world from a transnational analysis perspective that will allow us to approach its multiple realities, ideas, movements, policies, conjunctures, and tensions.

With an interdisciplinary approach in several areas such as Economics, Law, Sociology, History, and Political and Administration Sciences, this degree will offer, in parallel, a solid training in different languages to facilitate academic mobility and international internships.

International Relations is one of the most requested degrees in the field of Social Sciences, and has a wide and diverse field of work in a global context characterised by the interconnection between countries.

In Anglo-Saxon countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, degrees in International Relations have a solid academic tradition, but in the province of València there is, until now, no official degree in a public university.

New degrees that will allow new double degrees

The degrees approved by the Governing Council will allow the design of new double degree programmes, according to their characteristics and the wide offer of the Universitat de València in the respective branches of knowledge.

Thus, the Faculty of Geography and History offers all degrees related to history, art history, and technology, both at undergraduate and official master's degree, and doctorate level.

As for the Faculty of Law, which is ranked first in Spain in this field of knowledge, it offers degree courses in Law, Criminology, Political Sciences and Public Administration, as well as numerous double degree courses in this area with economics, business and sociology, and international double degree courses
 

A first step towards the implementation of the degrees

The approval by the Governing Council is the first step, after the work carried out in the faculties and departments, and the proposals of the Centre Boards of each faculty submitted to the Office of the Principal, to be able to implement these degrees.

In addition to the agreement of the Governing Council, a favourable report from the Board of Trustees, the positive verification of the Council of Universities, the favourable report from the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation of Spain (ANECA), the evaluation report from the Agència Valenciana d'Avaluació i Prospectiva (AVAP), which is mandatory but not binding, and the report from the Valencian Council of Universities and Higher Education are required.

The Valencian Council, by Decree of the Govern Valencià, is responsible for agreeing on the implementation of the teachings leading to the award of studies at the Universitat de València.

Finally, the degree will be registered in the Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of the Spanish Government.

The degrees are expected to be implemented in the academic year 2025/2026.