The number of course-work credits that a doctoral student undertakes is decided by the Doctoral Committee and depends upon the student’s background and intended Ph.D. research area.
Research Methodology and Foundation Course are compulsory courses for all streams.
In addition:
Students entering with an M.A., M.Com., M.F.A., and M.S.W. degree must complete a minimum of 12 credits.
All students have to complete a 3-credit Minor course, i.e., one that falls outside the student’s research area. This course could be from the same school as that of the student (but different department) or it could be from a different school. The credits for the Minor course are included in the above-mentioned course-work credits. When necessary, the Doctoral Committee may prescribe more course-work credits than the minimum number of credits stated above.
In addition to course-work, the doctoral student is expected to carry out creative and scholarly research leading up to the completion of a written Ph.D. Thesis. Doctoral research must result in original and substantial contributions to the chosen specialized field of study. This requires mastery of the literature in the specialized field, and critical thinking and judgment. The student should also relate the field of study to the broader discipline within which the research falls.
In recognition of the substantial nature of Ph.D. thesis work, it will carry 60 credits. Full-time doctoral students shall register for 10-15 credits per semester. Satisfactory progress in thesis work will result in an ‘O’ grade (for ongoing) and unsatisfactory progress will result in an ‘I’ grade (for incomplete), which is to be made up within one semester.
Satisfactory progress will be judged by the Doctoral Committee on the basis of semester wise progress reports submitted by the doctoral student and/or the completion of publishable papers.