PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is an academic doctoral degree. A PhD programme typically lasts three years, with candidates expected to complete the programme in five to six years. The course duration, however, may differ from one institute to the next. To be eligible for a PhD programme, applicants must have a master’s degree. Candidates may pursue a PhD programme in any discipline. In a PhD programme, students must choose a topic or subject, conduct extensive research on it, and respond to any questions that arise.

Prior to 2017, candidates could pursue PhD courses through distance education; however, a circular from the UGC in 2017 stated that such programmes would no longer be recognised. Fellowships are frequently offered to candidates who have passed entrance exams like the UGC NET, GATE, JEST, and others while pursuing a PhD programme. In addition, schools like IGNOU and Delhi University (DU) provide fellowships to students enrolled in full-time PhD programmes there. The focus of the PhD syllabus is to inspire the students to make research work. Apart from the research work, the students get involved in seminars, presentations, etc.

What is Ph.D.?

Ph.D. stands for Doctor of Philosophy. It is a high-level degree where students can achieve after completing their qualification in a master’s degree. Students can complete a Ph.D. course in any of their interested streams. But, aspirants who cleared entrance exams like UGC NET, GATE, JEST, and others are generally offered fellowships to pursue a Ph.D. course. Moreover, some universities like IGNOU and Delhi University (DU) also provide fellowships to students pursuing full-time Ph.D. Courses in India with them.

Usually, the minimum course duration is 3 years though some colleges also consider 2 years. The average duration for pursuing this Doctor of Philosophy course is 5 years. Ph.D. programs are available in a wide range of streams in Engineering, Science & Humanities and Social Sciences. One can also attempt to complete a Ph.D. course through distance learning programs. However, Distance Learning Doctoral Degrees have less value as compared to Full-time Ph.D. degrees. So, check out more details about both distance and full-time Ph.D. programs from the mentioned below modules.

Ph.D. Course Details

Ph.D. Course Details

Doctor of Philosophy Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who are interested to take admission to a doctoral program should meet with the required eligibility criteria. One should need to hold a master’s degree for sure to start the PH.D. program. Some of the institutes implement entrance exams for the students to get admission via the Counselling process for particular specialized ph.d. course. For some subject courses, completing a Master in Philosophy (M.Phil.) is necessary to start Ph.D. Course. Some universities conduct their own entrance test and ask for minimum qualifying marks to give admission.

Ph.D. Admission Process

Aspirants need to satisfy the minimum eligibility conditions given by some universities. Also, one should secure a minimum aggregate in their master’s degree or equivalent. However, Candidates will be given admission based on their performance in the college-specific entrance test and personal interview. Well, Some colleges offer seats for students based on the Aggregate percentage of their Post Graduate Degree.

Fee Structure for Doctor of Philosophy

Often, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Course Fees differ from one college to the other. Some of the universities charge more from the students and some charge less as per the govt norms. However, candidates need to follow the college’s fee rules while counselling. On average Ph.D. Course Fees range from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 14,00,000 based on the selected college and specialization. Moreover, the universities provide direct seats for the candidates by keeping a separate fee structure that ranges from Rs 20,000 to 30,000 per year.

Ph.D. Course Duration

The Duration of the Ph.D. course is a minimum of 2 Years from the registration date, for external candidates the course duration is 3 years. Candidates need to finish the course within a maximum period of five to six years. But, the course duration may differ from one institute to the other. Candidates are required to hold a master’s degree to be eligible to seek a Ph.D. Programme. However, the doctor of philosophy course complies with the semester system including both theory and practical versions on the respective specialization course.

Doctor of Philosophy Course Structure

The program of doctorate includes both course and research work; the amount of coursework one should undergo depends on the candidates’ experience and the research one is involved in.

The ph.d. program comprises:

• Coursework
• Pedagogy
• Qualifying Examination
• Preparation of Research Proposal
• Thesis Work

Colleges list offering Ph.D. Course

Below is the list of some of the top colleges that provide a Doctor of Philosophy Course. You can select any of them from the list and join the Ph.D. Course. They are as under

• Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
• Indian Institute of Science
• Andhra University
• University of Calcutta
• Jadavpur University
• Amity University
• Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
• Amrita University
• Center for Distance Education, Aligarh Muslim University

Specializations Courses in Doctor of Philosophy

Candidates who are excited to take up the next higher education challenge by studying Doctorate courses can go with the following specialization Ph.D Courses List. In the Ph.D. course, there are various popular fields to choose from Law, Arts, Biological & Medical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Social Science & Health, Business & Finance, Physical Sciences, Earth Sciences, Maths & Computing, Humanities, and Engineering. If you need clear information about each field of Ph.D. Specialized Courses then check out the below sections thoroughly.

Popular Ph.D. courses in Humanities

• Ph.D. in Humanities
• Ph.D. in Humanities & Social Sciences
• Ph.D. in Humanities & Life Sciences
• Ph.D. in Public Policy
• Ph.D. in Literature
• Ph.D. in Economics
• Ph.D. in Geography
• Ph.D. in International Relations and Politics
• Ph.D. in Physiology
• Ph.D. in Psychology
• Ph.D. in Arts
• Ph.D. in Social Sciences
• Ph.D. in Public and Economic Policy
• Ph.D. in Social Work
• Ph.D. in English

Popular Ph.D. Courses in Science

• Ph.D. in Chemistry
• Ph.D. in Clinical Research
• Ph.D. in Science
• Ph.D. in Bioscience
• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics
• Ph.D. Biotechnology
• Ph.D. in Mathematical and Computational Sciences
• Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering
• Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry & Polymer Technology
• Ph.D. in Applied Sciences
• Ph.D. Zoology
• Ph.D. in Physics
• Ph.D. in Basic and Applied Sciences
• Ph.D. in Mathematics
• Ph.D. in Zoology

Popular Ph.D. Courses in Commerce

• Ph.D. in Commerce Management
• Ph.D. in Accounting and Financial Management

Popular Ph.D. Courses in Engineering

• Ph.D. in Engineering
• Ph.D. in Genetic Engineering
• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering
• Ph.D. Program in Quantitative Techniques
• Ph.D. in Engineering and Technology
• Ph.D. Electronics & Communication Engineering
• Ph.D. Computer Science Engineering
• Ph.D. in Electronics and Communication Engineering
• Ph.D. in Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering
• Ph.D. in Information Technology
• Ph.D. in Ceramic Engineering
• Ph.D. in Production Engineering
• Ph.D. in Marine Biotechnology
• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering

Famous Ph.D. Courses in Business & Management

• Ph.D. Business Administration
• Ph.D. in Management
• Ph.D. in Aviation Management
• Ph.D. in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• Ph.D. in Accounting and Financial Management
• Ph.D. in Marketing/ Brand Management
• Ph.D. in Commerce
• Ph.D. in Commerce and Management

Mainstream Ph.D. Courses in Law

• Ph.D. in Law
• Ph.D. in Constitutional Law
• Ph.D. in Law and Governance
• Ph.D. in Legal Studies

Popular Doctor of Philosophy Courses in Teaching & Education

• Ph.D. in Education
• Ph.D. in Teaching