Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD)
The main purpose of graduate study at DWU is to encourage independence and creativity of thought in the quest for knowledge.
The Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) will be awarded in recognition of a student’s erudition in a broad field of learning and for notable accomplishment in that field through innovative and substantial contribution to knowledge.
The candidate’s research must reveal high critical ability and powers of imagination and synthesis, and may be in the form of new knowledge, or significant and creative/unique adaptation, application and interpretation of existing knowledge
Program
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program is completed by a research thesis on an approved topic under the guidance of a principal supervisor. For some students, relevant units taught at the University may be prescribed after consideration of a candidate's background studies and research experience.
Doctorate programs signify that the holder has completed a program of postgraduate studies by research under proper academic supervision, has submitted a thesis that the examiners have declared to be a significant contribution to knowledge, the candidate demonstrates the capacity to carry out independent research, and has presented the thesis in a scholarly fashion.
A candidate for the doctoral degree must be an enrolled student at the university and is required to carry out a prescribed program of research for a specified period under the direct supervision of a team of academic staff and/or an approved external supervisor/mentor. The candidate, together with the team, is responsible for developing the research program to be followed. Reports are submitted twice a year, midyear and end of the year, on the project.
The PhD requires a candidate to submit a thesis, the length of which may vary across disciplines but which would not normallyexceed 100,000 words.
