Program Overview

Program Overview

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program that encompasses various fields of study, supported by six research centers. Candidates can choose to pursue advanced studies to enhance their expertise and career quality in their chosen field of study.

Program Details

• Mode of Study: Research-based
• Registration Type: Full-time
• Fields of Study:
  • Anthropology and Sociology
  • Geography
  • Development Science
  • Environmental Management
  • Malay Language Studies
  • Malay Literature
  • Arts Performance Management
  • Social Work
  • Human Development
  • Psychology
  • Linguistics
  • English Language Studies
  • Strategic and Security Studies
  • Political Science
  • History
  • Communication

Admission Requirements

Local Students

To apply for the doctoral program, candidates must have:

1. A Master's degree from a university or institution of higher learning recognized by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and/or accredited by a foreign accreditation body, or an institution with accreditation as specified by the program.
2. Other qualifications equivalent to a Master's degree or with experience recognized by the Senate.
3. Candidates currently pursuing a Master's program under sub-regulation 6(a) on a full-time basis at the university and approved by the Faculty/Institute's Postgraduate Studies Committee to change their status to a doctoral program with the Dean/Director's approval.
4. A Bachelor's degree with excellent results from a university or institution of higher learning, subject to the faculty/institute's stipulation and recognized by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and/or accredited by a foreign accreditation body.
5. Other qualifications recognized by the Senate obtained through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APPT).
6. Meet other requirements set by the program (if applicable).
7. Meet the requirements of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

International Students

To apply for the doctoral program, candidates must have:

1. A Master's degree from a university or institution of higher learning recognized by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and/or accredited by a foreign accreditation body, or an institution with accreditation as specified by the program.
2. Other qualifications equivalent to a Master's degree or with experience recognized by the Senate.
3. Candidates currently pursuing a Master's program under sub-regulation 6(a) on a full-time basis at the university and approved by the Faculty/Institute's Postgraduate Studies Committee to change their status to a doctoral program with the Dean/Director's approval.
4. A Bachelor's degree with excellent results from a university or institution of higher learning, subject to the faculty/institute's stipulation and recognized by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and/or accredited by a foreign accreditation body.
5. Other qualifications recognized by the Senate obtained through Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APPT).
6. Meet other requirements set by the program (if applicable).
7. Meet the requirements of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

English Proficiency Requirements

1. International candidates must meet the English proficiency requirements as follows:
   • Obtain a TOEFL score of 550, IELTS score of 6, or MUET score of 4, which meets the minimum score or band requirements set by the program.
   • For certain programs, candidates are required to sit for the English Proficiency Test (EPT) and, if they fail to achieve the level determined by the program, are required to attend and pass the English Proficiency Module (EPM) within a maximum of two semesters before being allowed to register for the study program.
2. The faculty/institute may exempt candidates from the requirements stated in sub-regulation (1) if they:
   • Will write their thesis/dissertation in Malay/Arabic.
   • Have academic qualifications obtained from any local university recognized by the Senate.
   • Are from countries where English is an official language or have academic qualifications obtained from any institution of higher learning that uses English as the medium of instruction.

Tuition Fees

• Local Students: Please contact the Academic Management Center of UKM for more information.
• International Students: Please contact the Center for Continuing Education and Professional Development (UKMShape) for more information.

Why Choose This Program?

• Collaborate closely with faculty members who supervise research.
• One of the largest research-intensive universities in Malaysia.
• UKM is involved in world-class research across various disciplines.
• We are one of the top 100 universities in the world/QS World University Rankings 2020.

Application Procedure

1. Candidates must apply online through the provided link.
2. Intake for course work and mixed modes is open twice a year, in October (admission in March the following year) and April (admission in October).
3. Applications for research mode programs can be made at any time throughout the year.
4. The duration for the Master's program requires 2 to 4 semesters for full-time study and 4 to 8 semesters for part-time study, and for the PhD program, it is 6 to 12 semesters for full-time study and 8 to 14 semesters for part-time study.

Faculty Information

• Campus: Bangi, Selangor
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Duration:
  1. Research & Mixed Mode Full-time (Min 6 Semesters) / Part-time (Min 8 Semesters)