Degree Requirements

The degree requirements for the PhD Programme are as follows:

• Pass two core PhD courses and two elective MSc courses (obtaining a minimum GPA of 2.5 in each course and a minimum TGPA of 3.5 overall)
• Pass the confirmation exercise no later than 24 months from enrolment in the programme
  • The timeline applies to both full-time and part-time PhD students
  • Full-time students on a scholarship are required to pass their confirmation exercise within 18 months
• Submit a final research thesis deemed satisfactory for examination by the Thesis Advisory Committee (no later than five years from the start of candidature for full-time students and seven years for part-time students)
• Pass an oral examination (Viva) on the subject matter of the thesis

The research thesis (written in English) must contain original work or critical interpretation worthy of publication. The length of the thesis should not exceed 80,000 words (including footnotes but excluding appendices, bibliography, maps, charts, statistical tables, graphs, illustrations, etc.).