Ontology Schools and Programs in Spain

Ontology Studies in Spain

Ontology is the branch of philosophy that studies being: what exists, what kinds of entities there are and how they relate to each other. It is traditionally part of metaphysics, and at Spanish universities it is studied within the bachelor's degree in Philosophy. The term also has a second meaning in computing, where an ontology is a formal model of concepts and relations that lets software share and reason about knowledge. This page explains where and how the subject can be studied in Spain.

How ontology is studied in Spain

Spain has no dedicated bachelor's degree in Ontology. The usual route is the bachelor's degree in Philosophy (grado en Filosofía), an official qualification of 240 ECTS credits over four years, followed, for those who want to go further, by an official master's degree of 60, 90 or 120 credits and a doctorate. Ontology appears either as a subject of its own or within metaphysics and theory of knowledge.

The curriculum of the Universidad de Navarra is a good example: its Philosophy degree includes Introduction to Metaphysics, Metaphysics and Metaphysical Anthropology in the second year, and a compulsory Ontology subject in the third year, alongside Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Language and Philosophy of Science. The degree is taught on campus in Pamplona, in Spanish, with 60 places. The university also offers double degrees combining Philosophy with Law and with Theology.

Where to study

The Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT) lists the official bachelor's degree in Philosophy at many public and private universities. Schools in the SpainExchange directory linked to this subject include:

• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, on the Cantoblanco campus, which teaches the official degree in Philosophy
• Universidad de Navarra, in Pamplona, with a dedicated Ontology subject in its Philosophy degree
• Universitat Ramon Llull, in Barcelona, which teaches its Philosophy degree in Catalan and Spanish

In Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Galicia and the Basque Country, check the language of each subject in the course guide (guía docente), as some classes may be taught in the co-official language.

Ontology in computing

In technology, ontologies are used to represent knowledge in a form that machines can process. The best-known standard is OWL (Web Ontology Language) from the W3C, a Semantic Web language designed to represent rich and complex knowledge about things, groups of things and the relations between them; documents written in OWL are themselves called ontologies. This approach is taught in computer science and artificial intelligence programmes rather than in Philosophy, although some universities combine both perspectives: the Universidad de Navarra, for example, offers its students a Diploma in Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Ethics (IATE).

Official degrees and private courses

If you are interested in so-called ontological coaching or other personal-development courses that use the name, check whether the qualification is official before enrolling: official university degrees valid throughout Spain must be entered in the RUCT. A course that is not in the register may still be useful, but it is the provider's own certificate, not an official bachelor's or master's degree.

Admission and visa

Students who completed secondary school outside Spain usually apply for an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' records for access to bachelor's degrees, and then apply for a place at each university. For studies of more than 90 days, non-EU citizens need a student visa, which is requested at the Spanish consulate in their country and requires, among other things, financial means equivalent to 100% of the IPREM (Spain's public income reference index).

Careers

Philosophy graduates can work in research and university teaching, publishing and science communication, or applied ethics in companies and institutions. Teaching Philosophy at secondary schools in Spain also requires the official 60-credit teacher-training master's degree.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study a degree in Ontology in Spain?

There is no dedicated bachelor's degree in Ontology. It is studied within the bachelor's degree in Philosophy, as a subject of its own or as part of metaphysics, and can be explored further in a master's or a doctorate.

How long is the bachelor's degree in Philosophy?

Four years and 240 ECTS credits. At the Universidad de Navarra, the Ontology subject is taken in the third year.

Is ontological coaching an official qualification?

Only if it appears in the Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT). Courses that are not registered are not official bachelor's or master's degrees.