The PhD program (according to the Italian Dottorato di Ricerca) is a postgraduate academic qualification. It represents the implementation of the 3rd cycle of education and training to research (according to the Bologna accord) in the Italian academic system and provides the abilities and competencies required for carrying out highly-qualified research in universities, public institutions and private companies.

The Ph.D. program in Sustainable Management of Agricultural Forestry and Food Resources builds upon the long term experience in research and teaching of the Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) of the University of Florence.

The Doctoral School in Atomic and Molecular Photonics was born under the inspiration of the advanced multidisciplinary research carried on, since 1991, at the European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy (LENS) of the University of Florence.

The International Doctorate in Structural Biology is an international doctorate in collaboration with the Universities of Frankfurt and Utrecht. It was established with an agreement signed by the three Rectors in 2001. On the basis of this agreement, the PhD title that students obtain at the end of the program is considered equivalent to that obtained at the Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and to the PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Frankfurt.

The PhD Program in Development Economics and Local Systems (DELoS) is a new doctoral program launched in academic year 2020-21 by the University of Florence focusing on development economics and local development. For contents and organization, please visit the Program webpages.