The University offers 3-year and 4-year PhD programmes. Applicants who have a good Bachelor’s degree with honours and/or a taught Master’s degree will be considered for admission to a 4-year PhD programme, whereas those who already hold a research Master’s degree (e.g. MPhil) will only be considered for admission to a 3-year PhD programme.
PhD programmes are offered in full-time and part-time modes and the periods of study are as follows:
| Year | Mode | Normative Study Period | Probationary Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-year | Full-time | 36 months | 12 months |
| Part-time | 54 months | 18 months | |
4-year | Full-time | 48 months | 18 months |
| Part-time | 72 months | 24 months |
Candidates for 4-year PhD programme will be required to follow an approved course of study and research, including coursework on discipline-specific knowledge, language and research skills. The coursework component is well designed to equip students for their research work and thesis writing. Candidates for 3-year PhD programme may also be required to take courses and satisfy coursework requirements. Please click here for details of the coursework requirements.
A successful PhD thesis should represent the result of the candidate's research which should be an original contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication.