PhD in History & Civilization

The programme is designed to produce History scholars and professionals who are committed to spiritual, moral, intellectual and creative excellence. It involves an appreciation of the Western and Islamic heritage in the study of history and civilization, exposing students to the contributions of Western and Muslim scholars in developing concepts, theories, principles and practises in the discipline. Modern techniques and methods of historical 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 required to produce original research in the form of a thesis. The expected length of the thesis is around 80,000 - 100,000 words. Areas in which the candidates can specialise include Islamic History and Civilization, History of the Indian Subcontinent, South East Asian History, History of the Far East and European History.

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.