The Programme comprises of two phases, i.e. Coursework and Thesis work. Both the phases have been summarised below in Table 1.
Table 1: Phases of the Programme
| Phase 1- Coursework | Phase 2- Thesis Work |
|---|---|
| This phase covers the first two years of the programme. | On completion of Phase 1, the students begin thesis work consisting of a thesis proposal and a final thesis-evaluation and defence |
| This phase includes coursework and independent study. | |
| Successful completion of the first phase requires passing the Comprehensive Examination (Written & Viva) at the end of the second academic year. |
The first two years of the Programme are devoted to coursework, and a student is required to take 18 three-credit courses over this period as shown in Table 2.
| Courses | Year 1 | Year 2 |
|---|---|---|
| PGP Courses - Max | 7 | 2 |
| PGP Courses* - Min | 5 | - |
| Compulsory Research Methodology Courses | 2 | - |
| PhD Courses - Max | 2 | 9 |
| PhD Courses** - Min | 1 | 7 |
* Out of the min PGP courses, four should be from four different areas to provide breadth.
**Out of the min PhD courses, six should be the core area courses and remaining can be from other areas.
The area concerned can decide on the combination of PGP and PhD courses to be offered each year, subject to the minimum requirements. Apart from these courses, there is a requirement of independent study (term paper) for six credits during the summer term, so that the student completes 60 credits before the comprehensive qualifying examination. Students will be subject to a minimum GPA requirement of 2.75 for each of the first two years.
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