PhD in Political Science

The programme is designed to produce Political Science scholars and professionals who are committed to spiritual, moral, intellectual and creative excellence based on the concept of unity of knowledge as rooted in the cardinal principle of Islam, i.e., Tawhid. In handling the programme, the department approaches the discipline from an Islamic perspective and thus emphasizes infusion of Islamic values in conventional approaches to Political Science. Modern techniques and methods of political research receive special attention in the programme in order to prepare graduates who are able to face contemporary challenges.

Programme Description

This is a full time and a part-time programme that requires a minimum of 3 years (6 semesters) and  5 years (10 semesters) respectively to complete. The maximum period allowed for the programme is 6 years (12 semesters) for the former and 8 years (16 semesters) for the latter.

Candidates are systematically trained to have an in-depth comprehension of complex theories, ideas and other scholarly contributions in the field of Political Science and produce original research that extends the boundary of knowledge in the discipline. They are required to produce original research in the form of a dissertation/thesis with an expected length of around 80,000 - 100,000 words. Areas in which they can specialise include:

1. Comparative Politics
2. International Relations
3. Political Theory and Philosophy
4. Public Administration

Curriculum Structure

Entry Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in the relevant discipline with good grades from institutions recognized by the Senate of the University.
2. Master’s degree in relevant discipline or its equivalent with good grades.
3. Arabic and English proficiency levels at the following minimum score:

TOEFL (Paper Based) : 550
IELTS : Band 6

Notes:

1. A good grade is normally interpreted as a minimum cumulative grade points average (CGPA) of 3.0 on the scale of 4 or its equivalent.
2. Candidates are required to provide evidence of English proficiency by submitting their proficiency certificates before the beginning of the programme. If they fail to do so, they will be required to sit for the IIUM-administered English Placement Test (EPT).
3. Candidates who fail to obtain the required proficiency but are still interested to join the programme must take pre-sessional English courses at the university's Centre for Languages (CELPAD) or other recognized institutions.