Research Based PhD program at University of Tehran Alborz Campus

Eligibility

The requirements to study at Research Based PhD program:

-         A Master’s degree from an accredited institution  in related field with strong grades and proven research ability and potential to satisfy the UT Alborz Campus Graduate Studies Committee that will be capable of undertaking and succeeding in the program. 

-         Proof of Language ability in English or Persian

Course Requirements

PhD students in Research based program must successfully complete a minimum of 3-8 course credits in only one semester. The number of courses that PhD students must complete is determined by supervisor. 

Minimum grade for each course is 2.8 out of 4.0 but students should earn an average of 3.2 out of 4.0 in all courses to continue their research.  

Comprehensive Test

Student completing their courses enabling to enter research section of PhD program, they should pass comprehensive test.

PhD Dissertation

Students enrolled in the Research based PhD program must write a dissertation (doctoral thesis) up to 300 pages (75,000 words) in length, inclusive of footnotes or endnotes and exclusive of the Bibliography and other material. The dissertation must embody the results of original investigations and analyses and be of such quality as to merit publication, meeting the standards of reputable scholarly publications. Furthermore, it must constitute a substantial contribution to the knowledge of the student’s field of study.

PhD Dissertation Process

The dissertation process is composed of the following steps:

1.     The student must write a detailed dissertation description and outline on a dissertation topic selected in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee and with the approval of the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies.

2.     The student must pass an oral candidacy examination concerning the dissertation description and outline.

3.     The student must complete and submit a written dissertation.

4.     The student must pass an oral defense of the dissertation.

PhD Dissertation Proposal and Oral Candidacy Examination

The PhD dissertation description and outline (proposal) serve as an introduction to the student’s dissertation topic. The proposal should provide a road-map for the reader with respect to the intended contents of the dissertation, and it should address the major arguments that will be considered in the completed dissertation. The proposal provides information for the student’s candidacy committee to determine whether the student is ready to proceed with the writing of the PhD dissertation or whether the student needs to conduct more research and planning before proceeding further.

The PhD dissertation proposal must include a description of the central thesis of the dissertation, an explanation of the methodological approach to be used, an indication of the dissertation’s intended contribution to existing scholarship (thus demonstrating the originality of the intended research and analysis), an outline of the intended structure of the thesis and focus of each dissertation chapter, and a description of the intended contents of each chapter.

The PhD dissertation proposal should be 20 to 25 pages in length, measured using double-spaced typed text, inclusive of footnotes. A bibliography must be included. The bibliography will contain all primary and secondary research sources collected to date in support of the proposal (including sources consulted but not cited in the proposal’s footnotes).

Length of Program

The time required to complete the Research based PhD program will vary according to the student’s previous education and experience and to the nature of the research undertaken. However, a minimum of three calendar years of full-time study is normally required. Students must complete the PhD program requirements within a maximum of four years.