Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy programme focuses on applied and multidisciplinary research, and is aimed at developing practice-oriented thought-leaders for the industry/society.

Applications Open: 01 September 2020

Applications Close: 31 October 2020

Next Available Intake: January 2021

Programme Type: Graduate

Fees: View More Details on Fees

Area of Interest: Others

School/Department: Office of Graduate Studies

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Meet the Head of Programme at our online dialogue sessions via Zoom and have your questions answered!

Session A1: Tuesday, 29 September 2020 (3.30pm – 4.30pm)
Session A2: Wednesday, 07 October 2020 (6.30pm – 7.30pm)

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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme aims to develop practice-oriented thought-leaders for the industry/society. It caters to those who wish to conduct applied research work that addresses issues and challenges pertinent to society, industry or professional practice. While students may choose to specialise in a specific discipline, researches that adopt an interdisciplinary approach are encouraged in view of the complexity of many contemporary issues and challenges.

Some research areas that can be of interest include:

Adult Learning and Lifelong Learning
Applied Analytics (e.g. Human Resource Analytics, Learning Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics)
Applied Ethics (e.g. Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Ethics of Gender/Racial Equality)
Applied Sociology (e.g. Community and Family Dynamics, Inclusive Society, Social Mobility)
Counselling
Digital Disruption/Transformation of Society/Workplaces
Digital Marketing
Early Childhood Education
Financial Technology
Social Work
Social/Psychological Wellbeing

Unique Features of the Programme

Focus on applied research topics that are of relevance to contemporary society, industry and professional practice.
Encourage a multidisciplinary approach.

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Refer to general admission criteria for graduate programmes.

In addition, applicants will need to meet these minimum requirements:

A Master's degree from a reputable university.

Applicants who do not meet the above criteria, may be considered on a case-by-case discretionary basis. Due to the applied nature of this PhD, alternative criteria such as portfolio, patents, industry and professional achievements may be referenced to support admission.

While it is not compulsory to do so, applicants are encouraged to connect with a potential supervisor prior to applying. You may browse through the Faculty Listing to identity suitable faculty members who may complement your proposed area of research.

As part of the application process, interested applicants are also required to submit a proposed topic or area of research stating the following:

Proposed topic or area of research;
Identified potential supervisor (if any);
Motivation for the proposed topic or area of research, and
Relevance of the proposed topic or area of research in addressing contemporary issues/challenges in the profession/industry/society.

Students are expected to complete 40 cu of research methodology courses and discipline-specific courses before passing the Qualifying Examination. Upon successfully completing the Qualifying Examination, the student will embark on the completion of the Dissertation. The final stage of the PhD study will be the examination of the dissertation and the Oral Defence.

For more information on the course requirement and programme structure, please refer to the diagram below:

Doctor of Philosophy

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Module Types
COMPULSORY	RSH799 Doctoral Dissertation	80 cu
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE ELECTIVES	RSH500 Graduate Level Courses	Minimum 10 cu & maximum 30 cu
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ELECTIVES	COU505 Research and Evaluation in Counselling GER510 Applied Research in Gerontology HDS501 Qualitative Research Methods and Analysis RES511 Research Methods in Science and Engineering RSS501 Advanced Social Research Methods and Design RSS503 Statistics and Data Analysis SWK509 Social Research and Programme Evaluation TSL573 Research Methods in Applied Linguistics	Minimum 10 cu & maximum 30 cu

Candidates who wish to conduct applied research work that addresses issues and challenges pertinent to society, industry or professional practice.

As the PhD programme focuses on the applied research addressing issues and challenges pertinent to society, industry or professional practice, apart from joining institutions of higher learning as faculty, graduates from this programme may also join applied research institutions, government agencies or private sectors organisations such as research firms and consultancy firms.

What is the minimum and maximum period of candidature?
Minimum is 3 years and maximum is 7 years.
What is the total number of CUs required for graduation?
120 cu (80 cu for dissertation; 40 cu for coursework)
What is the graduation requirement?
Students must attain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 for the 40 cu of courses and pass the Qualifying Examination and Oral Defense for the Dissertation Examination.
Will I be assigned a supervisor?
Yes. A supervisor will be assigned to guide the student. For those pursuing interdisciplinary research, more than one supervisor may be assigned where feasible.
What is a Qualifying Examination?
The Qualifying Examination consists of a written proposal and an oral presentation of the research proposal.
How much is the tuition fees?
Please refer to this table.
If I am an international student, do I need to apply for visa to come to Singapore?
The University will provide the necessary information to facilitate the application of student pass. For more information, please click here.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy

Overview

Unique Features of the Programme

Admission Requirements

Programme Structure

Curriculum