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Research Programs MPhil /PhD
FAQ
1. What is a research degree?
A research degree is a highest qualification attained through an
in-depth study in a selected area, written up as a thesis,
greatly valued and globally recognized
2. I am a mature student. Am I likely to be considered for a research
degree?
Maturity, relevant experience, character, and motivation are all
rated highly and would certainly be taken into account. If you
have keen interest & involvement in research then you can apply
for the research degree.
3. Is
your PhD. Program right for me?
Ph.D. programs are not for everyone. Also, because our program is
research intensive, it will not fit the needs of all people
seeking a Ph.D. You will have a better fit with our program if
many or all of the following statements are true for you:
·
You are comfortable with abstract concepts and theories.
Most doctoral level classes revolve around learning and mastering
the theory underlying various business disciplines. Because
classes focus on mastering theories as opposed to real-world
applications, you must be comfortable dealing with abstract
concepts.
·
You are willing to make a significant commitment to the Ph.D.
Program.
Successfully completing the Ph.D. Program requires a tremendous
time commitment from students. It cannot be completed in a few
hours per week over a number of years. Students should be able to
complete the program in time.
·
You work well in unstructured situations.
Because a tremendous amount of what you learn in the Ph.D.
Program occurs outside the classroom as you work on your own
research, you need to be able to work well and learn without the
structure of weekly assignments, homework and tests.
·
You have some Maths training and aptitude.
As part of our PhD management Program, you will be expected to
learn the methodologies underlying business research. Without an
adequate grasp of Maths, accomplishing this task becomes more
difficult. Incoming students should have at least some
understanding of linear algebra and calculus. Admitted students
without this proficiency in Maths will be required to take
refresher Maths courses upon entry to the program.
·
You have research interests similar to the faculty in your
school.
To complete the program you will need to develop scholarly
expertise on a relevant research topic within your chosen
discipline. Your mastery of this topic will culminate in your
doctoral dissertation. In order to get the appropriate advice and
faculty support needed to complete a solid dissertation, you will
need to pick a research topic that matches or closely aligns to
the research interests of faculty in your area.
4. Will
doing a PhD significantly improve my employment prospects?
This is not
necessarily the case for everyone. It depends upon many things:
the area of study you have been involved in and its topicality at
the time of your graduation; the state of the economy; the state
of the relevant industrial sector; your ability and drive; what
kind of job you want; your willingness to travel; persistence;
luck.
Having a
PhD does not necessarily guarantee a good job in your chosen
field of study, so it is important that you enjoy research rather
than merely regard it as a vehicle for career development. It is
impossible to accurately predict the likely economic climate
three years in advance, so there is a limit to how much one can
plan ahead. It is our aim to equip research students with enough
general skills that they can also potentially pursue a wide range
of careers, although PhD graduates are sometimes regarded as
over-qualified for some jobs.
Occasionally some companies appear restrained to employ PhD
graduates because they are older (thus more expensive) and more
independently minded, preferring instead the more easily molded
BSc/BEng/MSc/MEng graduate; others favor PhDs because of their
maturity, expert knowledge, and practical experience. Statistical
surveys still suggest that having a postgraduate degree of some
kind significantly increases your chances of relevant employment
compared to those just having a BSc degree, although competition
can still be intense. Many people feel that the ultimate level to
which they can rise in industry is determined only by the factor
whether they have a PhD.
5. Would I be better advised to take a PhD?
Unless you have a devotion and continuous effort and motivation
towards research it is not advisable to join PhD program. Because
of the sustained effort and devotion demanded by a PhD, and the
fact that it certainly is no guaranteed stepping-stone to a
"dream job", we would not recommend a PhD to anyone who is not
genuinely interested in research.
6. What is the difference between an MPhil and a PhD?
An MPhil is at a lower academic level than a PhD and requires
only that you undertake a period of postgraduate study leading to
the production of a satisfactory thesis. MPhil research tends to
involve routine approaches designed to answer straightforward
questions. The MPhil also differs by nominally taking one year,
rather the three for a PhD, and thus also involve less work
overall.
The number of
students taking MPhil's is generally small compared to PhD's; it
is most popular with overseas students. More is expected of a PhD
student and of a PhD thesis; the work is expected to be original
and of publishable quality, and the student to demonstrate a
potential for independent research as well as showing a good
grasp of the context and significance of their overall field of
study.
A student who
initially intends to pursue an MPhil can potentially be promoted
to PhD registration after their first year, subject to -
(a) The agreement of the supervisor, and
(b) The nature of the MPhil work being a suitable foundation for
a PhD-standard investigation (which is not always the case). It
is possible for a student to do an MPhil, and then gain a PhD
with just an extra year's work; this is because a given body of
work can only be formally assessed once. Consequently, a transfer
to PhD can only happen at the end of the first year of study;
this is also required in order to allow sufficient time for the
restructuring of the project.
7. What
is the mission of the PhD program and how does it affect PhD
Students?
Our doctoral degree program prepares students for academic
careers in research-oriented schools and research careers in
industry. In short, we make you a scholar in a particular field
of study through proper training. As such, the program is a
research-oriented degree, which affects students in the following
ways:
Earning a
research-oriented Ph.D. degree is very different from any degree
you have earned in the past. The seminar, papers and exams are
only the formal portion of what can be described as a much larger
apprenticeship as a scholar. This apprenticeship will train you
to be a scholar, but it also requires a much higher level of
effort than just taking and passing classes. Much of what you
learn will occur out of the class as you attend research
presentations, present your own research, have informal
discussions with faculty, work with people on research projects
and interact with other Ph.D. students. Because you are
responsible for developing your own research skills and
expertise, there is also a tremendous amount of work you will
have to do "off the books". It is expected, for example, that you
should read and understand the leading-edge research relevant to
your chosen research areas.
Successfully
completing the Ph.D. under the apprenticeship model can be very
rewarding to your career as a scholar. It will provide the
independent research skills you need to keep yourself at the
leading edge of appreciation. This will prepare you well for
future positions in academia or other research-related jobs.
Also, you will develop relationships with your faculty and other
Ph.D. students that will last for years to come.
8. Can I apply initially for an MPhil only?
The MPhil is intended for students wishing to complete a PhD. You
can also directly apply for PhD. Students are initially
registered as MPhil students and are upgraded to PhD status upon
completion of an introduction and two chapters of acceptable PhD
quality. Students who do not wish to complete their PhDs or whose
work is not of PhD standard may elect to submit an MPhil thesis
instead.
Research
students are initially registered with MPhil status and are
upgraded to PhD upon satisfactory progress according to the
procedures of their schools. A Research Panel comprising three
members of academic staff, excluding your supervisor, would
review your progress annually and you would normally be upgraded
to PhD status by the end of your first year.
9. I have already enrolled in a PhD programme at another school. Can I
transfer those credits to PhD program?
Yes. we accept transfer of credits. All PhD applicants,
regardless of previous academic experience, are required to
complete a formal application. Previous research will be
considered for PhD admission.
10. Is it possible to study on a part-time basis?
It is possible to study on a part-time basis and many students
combine a part-time research degree with a full-time job.
Part-time applicants are encouraged to discuss the time
commitment with their prospective supervisor in the relevant
academic school.
11. What qualifications are required?
You
will normally be expected to have a master's qualification. You
should submit a research proposal along with your application.
Research Proposal should be between 1500 and 2000 words in
length. It should set the context for your research interests
within the academic and practitioner literature. It should
specify as clearly as possible at this stage the particular field
of research that you would like to pursue and should suggest the
methodology that you might expect to use.
Your research
proposal should demonstrate your potential for academic rigor and
must be accompanied by a full reference list. It is essential
that you demonstrate knowledge of current research in the field
you propose to enter. Your written submission will form the basis
for discussion, but will not necessarily constitute the research
proposal that you will finally pursue. We expect that, to evolve
and become clear from reading and discussion during your first
months with us. Early contact and discussion may help your
progress and we would be pleased to talk to you further.
12. I have only an undergraduate degree Can I apply for an MPhil/PhD?
MPhil/PhD applicants are normally required to have a Master's
degree.
In exceptional
circumstances, even if you have UG degree, we may consider your
application provided, are you found to be an excellent student
with exceptional skills & achievements. If your Master's degree
is not recognized for research training, or if you do not have a
Master's degree, we would expect you to follow a study programme,
which would be put together for you. Additional course work can
be added and compensate the qualification required for
exceptional students of talents.
13. My degrees are not in the subject area of research. Whether my work
experience can be counted?
Relevant work experience can be an asset in undertaking a
research degree. In almost all cases, however, previous academic
training in subjects relevant to the area of research will be
counted as a qualification for admission.
14. Whether my research topic overlaps with other disciplines?
Yes, if you select a topic, which encompasses other disciplines,
then it may be possible for your topic to be supervised in the
school with a joint supervisor from another school.
15. Where can I obtain the application form?
You are highly encouraged to use online application available on
our website.
16. How to prepare a good application?
1) Focus on aspects that are related to your academic performance
at university level or above. It may not be wise to spend a lot
of time describing how good you were in the primary and secondary
school.
2) Avoid writing lengthy description about yourself. Highlight a
few important points that can impress people.
3) If you have many award certificates to show us, select only
the most important ones. Otherwise, they may be confusing.
17. What academic support is provided?
All research students will be supplied with a panel of
supervisors. The supervisor will be knowledgeable in the field
and will provide advice and guidance about the research in
particular as well as the processes involved in doing a research
degree.
18. Do I need to find a supervisor before I apply?
No.
However, some members of staff may be willing to have a brief
e-mail exchange with you about your plans. Nonetheless, final
decisions on supervisors are not taken until the School from the
Graduate Admissions Office has received formal applications. In a
large department like this, there may well be more than one
appropriate supervisor within the department for a proposed
topic.
Our guidelines
set a preferred maximum of ten current research students per
member of staff, to ensure active supervision; incoming students
are allocated to supervisors with reference to their current
load. Individual academic members of staff are not able to make
commitments to supervise prospective students outside the formal
application process.
19. How do I find a supervisor to suit my research interests?
The most up-to-date information on our research work is available
online. This information should help you to decide whether you
have the expertise appropriate to your research interests. You
are welcome to contact academic members of staff to discuss a
potential research project using the email links.
20. Do I need to provide confidential references and transcripts with
my application form?
Yes. We need you to provide confidential references in sealed
envelopes when you post in your application form: your referees
should be in a position to comment on your suitability as a PhD
student.
We also find
it helpful to receive your IELTS (and for Accounting and Finance,
GMAT) official test scores at the same time as your application
form. We also need to receive full transcripts for your degrees
and language qualifications. If you have not already graduated,
please send partial transcripts
21. Whether a writing sample is needed with my application?
It is not necessary to submit a writing sample with your
application. But you should attach a research proposal along with
your application.
22. Do I need to take the TOEFL?
If
you come from a university outside USA where the language of
teaching and/or examination is not English, then you need to take
the TOEFL.
The University only accepts TOEFL score that is less than 2 years
old. The minimum acceptable score is 550 for paper-based test and
213 for computer-based test.
23. Whether GRE or GMAT results are needed?
GRE or GMAT results are not required for our MPhil/PhD program.
But if you have that, attach copy of scores with your application
24. How do I know if my educational background is appropriate for an
MPhil/PhD?
MPhil/PhD applicants are normally required to have a Masters
degree and/or an undergraduate degree in any relevant subject
with exceptional skills & achievements.
25. What
are the main research areas?
The research areas are many. Some of them are:
26. What are the most important considerations for admission?
We emphasize on the capability and potential of the candidates in
doing high quality and independent research work. While this can
be seen from your previous academic records (i.e. transcripts),
your performance during the interview is also important. To
demonstrate your research capability, you may wish to provide us
with research papers or reports authored by you. Your skill in
technical presentation is another important factor
27. When is the deadline for application?
There is no deadline for MPhil/PhD application. You can do it any
time throughout the year on rolling admission basis.
28. Will you accept an e-mail CV and Research Proposal instead of an
application form?
We
can make an initial assessment of your suitability if you provide
a CV and a research proposal, but we need an official application
form and transcripts and research proposal to take decision on
your suitability and whether we can supervise in your research
area.
29. What
materials need to be included in my application?
Applicants of PhD and MPhil should attach the following:
1) Completed
application form (or online application)
2) Application
fee of US$100
3) Brief
Curriculum Vitae
4) Official
original transcripts
5) Two
confidential recommendations
6) Results of
English Tests (TOEFL/GRE/GMAT/)
7) Study plan
8) Research
Proposal
9) Copies or
abstracts of published papers or project reports
10)
Certificate of awards or prizes
30. What
should be included in the study plan?
A
study plan includes:
a) Your
intended research area
b) Why do you
choose this area?
c) What do you
know about this area?
d) Any related
research that you have previously done
e) Any
particular plan on how you will start your research
31. How
does the admission process work?
An on-line application is available on
www.rajarajanacademy.com.&
www.phdworld.com
You can
also have an application mailed to your home by contacting
rracademy@vsnl.in,
Or by calling over phone and leaving your name and mailing
address,
submit application to
Rajarajan Academy of Higher Learning Ltd,
F43A
Spencer Plaza Chennai-600 002.
Application
process needs a week.
First of all, we will check whether your application is complete
and valid. That is, it must contain all required materials.
An incomplete application will normally be rejected.
A valid application will go through a preliminary assessment by
our academic staff, based on which we will decide whether the
applicant may be admitted.
32. How
is a decision made?
Decisions are based upon your academic track record, what
referees say about your ability and motivation towards research.
33. What are the PhD. Program's admission standards?
Admission standards are generally high, and we deny admission to
the applicants who are not sincere in working to pursue a Ph.D.
An applicant may not be admitted if we consider they cannot
successfully complete the program.
Faculty will
generally appraise one's chances of success in the Ph.D. Program
based on their level of success in previous academic work, their
standardized test scores and research proposal.
As noted previously, our Ph.D. Program emphasizes training people
as scholars and is research-oriented. If the applicants goals
does not match that mission, their chances of admission may
decrease.
34. What are the career prospects for students completing a PhD?
Successful PhD students are teaching in universities in Britain,
the USA, Norway, Australia, China, and many other countries.
Others are working in think tanks. Many have gone into government
service, including international organizations; several are
working for international media, and a small number are working
in the private business and financial sectors.
35. Can
I suggest my own idea for a research topic?
Yes. When suggesting your own research project, you need to tell
us far more than just the general area of study that interests
you; remember, you need to convince and persuade a potential
supervisor of your ability, motivation, enthusiasm and level of
interest, plus the viability of the project.
All our PhD
and MPhil students play a joint role in shaping the direction of
their research projects (regardless of whether they originally
thought of the idea or not); indeed, we see this as a vital part
of your scientific development. In particular, good PhD students
are expected not just to follow directions, but also to
contribute their own ideas, suggestions and insights as their
experience, perspective and confidence grow and mature. By the
end of the research the PhD student should always know more about
their specific topic than their supervisor.
A PhD is never
rigidly defined at the outset. Student's personal interests
inevitably lead them in different directions, and preliminary
results can often lead to totally unanticipated lines of
investigation; this is a large part of the excitement of research
- you can never be quite sure where it will take you.
36. Do I have to write a thesis?
Yes. Each candidate for the PhD/MPhil must complete a thesis,
which constitutes an original contribution to scientific
knowledge.
37. Can I earn the PhD Degree on a part-time basis?
Yes. Currently, we do encourage admitting students for full time
. But in
exceptional cases we do admit through distance education / Part
time on special grounds. Part-time students are expected to
achieve the same outcome by devoting the same efforts to their
research study on a pro-rata basis. We will look for assurance
that any applicant is prepared for the sacrifices in time and
commitment in funds that are necessary.
38. I work full-time. Can I transfer to study part-time?
Yes. During the first year of the MPhil/PhD, all students are
required to attend research-training workshops, which may be held
on the same day or on two different days. After the first year,
consideration can be given to transferring from full-time to
part-time status for those students whose circumstances require
it.
39. Can I discuss my research proposal with academic staff through
e-mail?
We cannot offer formal arrangements for helping students with
applications, but it may be possible for individual members of
staff to offer some feedback to you. You can choose a faculty
from the list of panel guides or from academic staff of the
university.
40. What
if I am interested in more than one project or subject area?
It is often easier for us to evaluate the suitability of an
applicant for a specific project or projects, so we would advise
you to focus on one or perhaps two projects that interest you
most; however, you should also tell us the general subject area
that interests you, especially as the School embraces such a wide
range of activities.
If you do
not specify any project or area, this suggests a lack of clear
direction and focus. You can be sure that if we feel that you
merit a place but your first choice of project is not available
(because of lack of funds, or competition), we will ask if you
are also interested in any other available funded projects in a
compatible area. If you are only interested definitely in one
project, then you should say so, but you should appreciate that
this is something of a high risk "all or nothing" approach, so
some flexibility is sensible.
41. Will the academic staff support for writing up the research
proposal?
Yes, you can get the support from the academic staff on writing
up research proposal. Discuss with them and find a suitable topic
for research and write the research proposal.
42. Can
I get guidelines for MPhil / PhD proposal?
Some reasons for proposing your own project might include:
There is no project on the current PhD list which interests you,
or which is likely to win support from your industrial or other
sponsor;
There are PhD topics of interest, but you would like to propose a
study that would be more relevant to your own country or region;
You would like to propose a study that uses the School's
expertise and facilities, but for some novel application, or in a
new combination.
When a member of our staff proposes a research project they will
have first given considerable thought to what would make an
original, relevant, and interesting project that could be
completed within the appropriate timescale and within the budget
available. They will have considered the scientific objectives
and methods plus the nature of the samples, techniques and
resources required. Typically their personal expertise, knowledge
of the research area, and previous experience of supervising
student projects will inform this process.
If you
choose to propose your own field of study, then you also need to
think about many of the same issues so that you can persuade one
of our staff that your project is worthy of their support, and
that you have the necessary motivation to carry it out, and that
the resources to do so will be available.
This
requires you to submit a research proposal showing that you are
sufficiently interested to have already consulted our programs,
read some appropriate literature, and then spent time thinking
about your ideas. It will take some effort to prepare, but you
will find it a very useful exercise, and if you do it well it
will make a much more powerful and positive impression than just
an application form, academic transcript, or reference letter.
We do not,
of course, expect your proposal to be as good as one made by an
experienced professional scientist (unless you already are one!),
but within the limits of your experience, we believe you should
be able to demonstrate your potential for independent research.
There are many different types of research project, and there are
important differences between MPhil and PhD projects. Some
projects are about developing new methodologies and showing their
possible significance; some are about applying well-developed
methods (perhaps in new combinations) to solve specific
scientific or applied problems.
Other
projects are about understanding and explaining observed
phenomena and processes, and perhaps quantifying their
magnitudes, rates, and significance. The purpose of a project
might be to test a published theory or assumption, or to resolve
some kind of scientific controversy that you have identified in
your reading. For PhD projects in particular, we are looking for
projects which are clearly original and which attempt to evaluate
important scientific questions by addressing specific hypotheses
through a well thought out application of quantitative methods.
Projects,
which have a regional flavor, are possible, but you should
endeavor to focus on issues, which are more than of just local
significance. We do not recommend that a proposal just be a
declaration of intent to study samples from a specific area, with
a specific combination of techniques, gather data and then just
see whether anything interesting materializes! The emphasis
should be why that area, why those techniques, what questions
would it answers, and what wider significance and relevance would
it has? The approach and choice of study material should be
deliberately designed to fit the questions being asked, rather
than the other way around.
Your
research proposal should be word processed (preferably using
Word, or if not saved in PDF format), in English and
spell-checked. Use A4 page size and single line spacing. The care
taken and the quality of the English will form part of our
assessment, as well as the scientific content. Do not cut and
paste or copy any text from books, papers, or electronic
resources including the Internet. We recommend that the proposal
be 2 to 4 printed pages (excluding any figures and references).
We suggest that your proposal might cover the following (these
are guidelines not headings):
A working title for the project (single sentence).
The scientific background (with reference to key literature).
The specific (itemized) objectives.
The local/regional and wider (international) relevance of the
proposed work.
A statement as to why you think the work is both original and
interesting.
The geographic context (e.g. location of the study area, if
applicable).
The combination of techniques you intend to use, and what you
expect each to tell you (remember, use of expensive laboratory
techniques may be restricted if you do not have sponsorship).
Comments upon the correlations you expect or hope to see in the
data and an explanation of how will you evaluate them; what
hypotheses do you hope to test?
The sample material or datasets that you intend to use (the
nature of the samples, their likely number, their source - both
geographic and in terms of their provider, and when these
samples/data will be available). Note: In order to complete a PhD
within three years (or MPhil within two) it is vital that
students have the material to hand to allow a quick start and to
keep their momentum going; choice of the sample material/data
cannot be left until after you have arrived.
A statement of whether there are likely to be any confidentiality
issues or other restrictions involved in obtaining the samples,
using them, or publishing the results.
The training you hope to receive, and why you desire it; identify
areas where you think you may require training or help.
An indication of your intended career following your research
degree.
The proposed source of funding, and whether it will cover
laboratory and/or field costs as well as your academic fees and
personal subsistence. Have you already approached a sponsor? Are
there any key deadlines involved that we should be aware of?
A reference
list (not a bibliography - cite only what you have read and used
in your text), presented in a complete and consistent format such
as one of those used in major scientific journals (but NOT Nature
or Science); no more than a page should suffice if carefully
selected.
Your proposal
should be sent by email attachment to the relevant selector, and
perhaps also to whomever appears to be the most relevant member
of the academic staff. The proposal will then be considered, and
if we feel the subject area is relevant and have interest, and a
member of staff is potentially free and available to act as first
supervisor, we will suggest you complete an application form.
Simultaneously, we will enter into a dialogue with you in order
to improve and clarify the proposal and produce something, which
is mutually agreeable. A refined proposal may be very useful if
you are still looking for funding.
43. Will every candidate should attend interview?
Only some of the candidates will be called for interview. Others
will be selected based on their merits, and materials ascertained
from their applications with available documents.
44. How will the interview be arranged for applicants outside?
In principle interview is a necessary process for each admitted
applicant. In respect of overseas applicants we will try to
arrange interviews at certain major cities .You need to make your
own travel arrangement to attend the interview. We don't provide
any subsidy on your travel expenses. For overseas applicants,
sometimes there is special arrangement, e.g. telephone interview
/video conferencing. But whenever possible, we require the
applicant to attend face-to-face interview.
45. Will I be expected to attend an interview?
Decisions are normally made on the basis of the application form,
research proposal, transcripts and references, but an interview
may sometimes be held or sometimes it may not require.
46. Whether interview expenses can be reimbursed?
As a rule we do not help with interview expenses for students,
and we are certainly not able to help applicants residing outside
the University. For the latter we usually have to make decisions
based on the available documents and references. We may in future
explore the possibilities of using web cams and Internet
conferencing to conduct interviews for overseas students
47.
Whether any financial support is offered?
we can offer partial scholarship for commendable students. We
have no full scholarships to support overseas students, so if you
are in this category you are urged to seek support from agencies
within your own country. This process can be slow, and it is
therefore essential that you begin your enquiries at the earliest
possible time. There are lots of agencies that actually fund for
the research projects. If you require any more info please
contact our faculty.
Overseas
applicants, who require a confirmed offer of a place before their
grant or scholarship applications can be processed, should
provide a full application form, academic documentation and
references and a curriculum vitae so that we can make decision
early.
48. Can
I really complete a PhD in 3 years? How much time does it usually
take?
Currently most PhD grants (certainly research council grants)
only last for three years, after that
there is no further financial support, unless there are
extenuating circumstances like serious illness (which requires
formal documentation). We certainly try to do all we can to help
students finish their PhD within this timescale in special cases
in advance also; all practical should certainly be completed
within the first 12 months. Many students take another three to
six months of writing up to complete, sometimes longer if they
enter full-time employment first.
Remember also,
that even once the thesis has been completed, arranging for the
viva will take at least a month, and following the viva it may be
necessary for you to make corrections or additions to the thesis
as required by the examiners (during which time you will need to
be in close contact with your supervisor). It is vital to us, and
future students, that everyone completes their PhD within two or
three years, as research councils penalize departments who allow
their students to over-run further. Prompt completion also
demonstrates to potential employers that you are able to plan and
manage your time effectively, and indicates you are well
motivated.
49. Can
I study my PhD part-time and away from university?
In principle, if the topic proposed coincides with the research
strengths in the School Concerned and the supervisor is willing,
you can undertake a PhD away from on campus and register
part-time. If you live outside the university area you would
however be required to spend 6 - 8 weeks in the School to receive
face-to-face supervision and complete core courses examination
and oral examination.
50. Can I study from abroad?
Yes. You can do MPhil/PhD program through distance learning.
Particularly in the first year, students are expected to attend
research workshops and meet regularly with their supervisors. But
all the students should attend oral examination by visiting the
university at any one of the centers at London/Kuala
Lumpur/Bangkok.
51. Do you have a part-time or distance learning PhD option?
Mostly we encourage the students for full-time only. The nature
of a doctoral program, with its focus on research and academic
placement, requires the student to work closely with faculty.
Part-time or distance learning programs do not provide these
close connections. But in exceptional cases, we will allow part
time & distance education students.
52. Do you offer any distance learning programmes?
PhD study can be undertaken part-time away from our campus. But
oral examination needs student's presence at the university
centers in UK / Thailand / Malaysia
53. How long does it take to finish the PhD program?
There is no set amount of time that it takes to complete the
program. The amount of time you would take would depend on how
fast you get through required course work and to pass qualifying
exams and how you’re developing personal research program .
Generally, we expect students to finish in 1-to3 years.
54. How many years does it take to complete a PhD?
The School requires full-time students to be registered for a
minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years. Part-time students
must be registered for a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 8
years. Completion time often depends on the complexity of the
topic, the amount of fieldwork required and the productivity of
the individual student. Normally, students are expected to finish
within 3 years. In the last 2 years, some 30 students have
successfully completed PhDs in 1 year.
55. How much time will I spend on my research work?
There is no specification for how much time a research student
must spend in attendance at the School as this is agreed between
the student and the supervisor(s), and may change during the
course of the research project.
56. How many research students does the school accept each year?
We aim to admit 50-70 new research students per year. For the
2005/6 academic years, 214 applications were received before the
programme closed; the schools made 44 offers and 32 students have
begun their degree. This is a large research degree programme,
with the advantage that there are up to 110 research students
attached to the department at any one time, participating in
research workshops and seminars as well as working towards their
own thesis.
57. Can I submit the thesis in one year?
Yes, if you have excellent experience in teaching or research or
management or Accounting or legal practice or in any field of
study for more than 2 years. Then on request the University may
allow you to submit the thesis in 1 year. Decision on the period
of research is solely on the discretion of the university on
case-by-case basis subject to the proof of records produced by
the students.
58. How can I pay the application/tuition fee?
The application fee is 100 US dollars. The tuition fee for MPhil
US $2000 and for PhD US $3000. You can pay the fee either through
credit card or bank draft/cheque. The bank draft or cheque should
be payable to Rajarajan Academy of Higher Learning Ltd, Chennai-2
59. What are the current fees for research degrees?
The University sets the fees for all its courses each year, and
these tend to raise annually in line with inflation. You can pay
your fees in three installments. The fee is US$ 2000 for MPhil,
US$3000 for PhD.
60. Can I pay my fees by installments?
Yes, it is currently possible for you to pay your fees in 3
installments, in October, January and April, and at present there
is no penalty charge for so doing.
61. What scholarships does university have?
There is limited funding available for research students and
always there are more applications than funds available. You are
encouraged to look for outside sources of funding.
62. Is there any oral examination?
Yes. Upon completion of the thesis, each candidate must pass a
final public oral examination. Although the examination will be
concerned primarily with the candidate's thesis, the questioning
may also cover other areas.
The examining committee will consist of at least three members:
the thesis director, one member from the faculty of the School
and one member from another department. The members of the
committee will be announced early enough so that the candidate
may discuss with them the nature of the thesis research and the
contents of the thesis. The thesis must be made available to the
members of the examining committee at least one week before the
examination date.
Yes. Upon completion of the thesis, each candidate must pass a
final public oral examination. Although the examination will be
concerned primarily with the candidate's thesis, the questioning
may also cover other areas.
63. What are the residency requirements for the course?
We expect new research students to participate in the
research-training programme, oral & written examination at the
university centers at Kuala Lumpur / London / Bangkok.
64. What are the Core Courses for MPhil/PhD Programs?
The student of MPhil has to attend 5 core courses and PhD 10
courses as listed in the curriculum.
65. Can I get a visa to attend oral examination at London / Kuala
Lumpur / Bangkok?
Yes. University will issue student admission letter. Based on
that, student has to process the Visa application at the UK
Embassy from their place of living. There is no guarantee for
Visas. It is the sole discretion of the Embassy's of UK /
Malaysia to issue visas. The authorities at Bangkok issue arrival
Visas. Students who are unsuccessful on Visas can participate
oral Examination through video conferencing from major cities.
66. Can the University provide supervisors?
The university provides supervisors who meet the requirements for
higher degree supervision as set down by the University's
regulations for research degrees. The supervisor-research student
relationship is an important one, and although arrangements vary
to suit individual needs, it is expected that the supervisor and
the student will meet regularly and that, in the early stages of
the research, meetings will be at least once a fortnight for a
full-time student. In addition to meeting their supervisors
regularly, students are expected to submit written work for
discussion. Performance is monitored and students are expected to
present and to defend their work in research workshops.
Progression from year to year is dependent upon satisfactory
progress.
67. What should I do if I want to take a year off before starting a
research degree?
Although we can decide in advance whether your academic record
justifies the offer of a place, we cannot guarantee that funds
will be available for the following year. Funds cannot be held
back for a year, nor can anyone be guaranteed first refusal on
any new funds that become available. Each applicant is in
competition with all those intending to start at the beginning of
the same academic year and who are hoping for funding from the
same source(s).
68. What 'transferable skills' will be acquired?
While studying for a research degree students develop a range of
skills such as presentation skills, organizational skills,
planning skills, etc. These skills are acquired during the
process of research itself and are also addressed in the Research
Training Programme
69. What
type of training we get, during a degree program?
In addition to the course work that your supervisor selects as
being useful at the start of your studies, and some generic
skills training provided by the School, you will get group and/or
personal training in the practical laboratory techniques to be
used during your project, including laboratory safety issues.
You will be
expected to give at least one presentation to the School during
our annual Conference, and you can expect to give a talk or
poster at a least one major national or international conference
by the end of your studies. Learning to communicate effectively
your results is an essential part of your training, and few
people are "naturals" and everyone improves with practice.
70. Where do I find the guidelines for writing my thesis?
detailed Instructions for the preparation of your thesis are
available on our web site
71. Can I know the reason for rejection of my application?
If your academic background or examination grades/predicted
grades do not reach the required standard, we would discourage
you from seeking feedback and this will undoubtedly form part if
not all of the explanation for your rejection. We may also have
to turn away good candidates if there is no suitable research
supervisor available. Competition is also intense and many good
students are not accepted. Unfortunately detailed feedback is not
possible.
72. How is my performance judged?
Earning an advanced degree implies a high level of scholastic
performance. In order to evaluate progress, the records of each
graduate student will be reviewed at the end of each academic
semester. If the results of this review are not satisfactory, the
department will either specify additional course or study
requirements, or require withdrawal from the University.
73. If I am offered a place, can I hold it over to the next year?
If your circumstances change and you cannot take up a place, we
are happy to consider deferring your offer to the next academic
year. Before we can definitely agree to this, we would need to
check that this is acceptable to your potential supervisor.
74. Do you have Representatives abroad countries?
We have Representative throughout globe. Check our website and
contact the nearest Representative.
75. Can a sponsor define the nature of the project or the sample sets
that will be worked on?
Yes, but this needs to be done by agreement between all the
parties involved, and there are some conditions. Where only
sample materials or data are being provided, the sponsor must
expect to have less influence than if they are funding the
student and/or subsidizing the laboratory or field costs.
In addition to the ordinary proposal described above, we suggest
that the following issues need to be considered and documented:
The name of the person in the sponsor's organization who will act
as liaison, plus their postal address, telephone and fax number
and e-mail address. Only academic staff can formally act as
supervisors, but sponsor's representatives are very welcome to be
part of the supervisory team (and to attend annual or other
meetings, if this is practical).
A statement of the sponsor's requirements and expectations
concerning the training to be received, the data to be generated,
and the feedback required (e.g. style, length and frequency of
progress reports). Sponsors should appreciate and accept that the
primary objective of a degree should be to train a scientist and
not to create data.
Sponsors are welcome to help guide progress, but must not be
disruptive (e.g. by proposing frequent or significant changes of
emphasis or direction, or setting tasks that may distract the
student from the agreed primary objectives).Where student support
is to be provided, a commitment that, subject to satisfactory
progress, there will be adequate funding for at least three years
(PhD) or one year (MPhil) of full-time study, paid at regular
agreed intervals.
Where the proposed student is an employee or ex-employee, a
reference for the applicant indicating the latter's ability and
expertise, including their proficiency with English, their level
of numeric, and their standard of computing skills. References
from those that have real practical day-to-day experience of the
applicant's work are valued the most highly.
A statement that any restrictions concerning the supply or use of
the samples, or of any project-related data, have been resolved
(e.g. permissions of industrial partners, government agencies,
etc.), or will be resolved, well before the start date.
A statement that the proposed set of samples is actually
available (not just in principle, but in reality - i.e. their
physical location is known and recently confirmed). A specific
itemized list of samples/data is strongly recommended.
If at all possible, confirmation of the suitability of the
samples for the proposed study (based upon previous published or
unpublished work) if this is not possible we may propose a pilot
study. It is particularly very helpful if there has been a check
that the amount and quality of the samples/data are sufficient to
permit the proposed combination of techniques in parallel. If
guidance is required, please contact us.
Confirmation that the majority of samples/data will be available
no later than 3 months after the date of registration of the
student, and where the student is being funded, an agreement that
the student's financial support will be extended appropriately if
the promised samples are delivered late, or an alternate set of
samples has to be used instead.
A description of what data can and will be provided to help
establish the context of the sample suite and aid in its
interpretation (and when).
A statement lying out any remaining confidentiality restrictions
concerning the use of the data generated by the student. Sponsors
should accept that an important part of student's research is
writing it up for presentation at conferences and for
publication.
Approval will be sought before any public release of information,
but such a release must be expected and permissible in some
reasonable form. For publication of geographically sensitive
data, true or precise locations may potentially be withheld for a
reasonable and specific agreed period. Subject to a reasonable
case being made, the resulting thesis can be restricted for up to
three years (i.e. not available for inter-library loan or
consultation). Staff and students can be party to confidentiality
agreements, subject to approval of the wording by the University.
Co-authorship of papers published by sponsored students should be
based upon merit and genuine contribution, rather than courtesy,
i.e. all authors should have made a clearly identifiable and
significant individual contribution to the content of the
publication. All sponsors will be credited equally in the
acknowledgments of all papers and presentations, and listed
alphabetically, unless the level of support they have provided is
acknowledged to be very substantially different.
Sponsors can consider the option of specifying only the
techniques to be used during the student's work, and leave the
choice of project entirely up to us.
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