What is the meaning of PhD? Complete Guidance for Beginners
If you want to discover something incredible in your field and you wish to include a title of doctor with the name or you want to study in Philosophy. Then, PhD is the right course for you. It is a pure research postgraduate degree in your field.
Generally, a degree in Doctor of Philosophy involves: -
Taking literature review in your area.
Organizing original research and gathering your results.
Building a research that presents your conclusions.
Writing up your ideas and submitting it as an Essay.
Defending your ideas in an oral viva voce exam.
When you have a PhD Degree, you can make your career as a university professor, scientist, and researcher.
In this article, we have mentioned all the complete details of PhD degree with eligibility, course duration, fees, career opportunities etc. If you have a master’s degree and want to get the highest degree i.e. PhD, then you can check these details regarding the PhD program here.
What is PhD Degree - Checkout Definition
Fellow Program in Management (FPM)
Doctorate in Pharmacy (Pharm D)
Master’s in philosophy (MPhil)
PhD Degree Duration and Fee Structure
Career Opportunities for PhD Degree Candidates
Definition of PhD
PhD in India extended form is “Doctor of Philosophy” which is a postgraduate doctoral degree awarded to the students who give an original contribution of their knowledge, technologies, methodologies to engage into research field. It is the advanced level of academic degree in India a person can earn. In some countries, it is also called Ph.D, D.Phil or DPhil. A person who achieves PhD degree can use the title of Doctor with the name.
But, which type of doctorate is right for you – Integrated PhD or Regular PhD? Many candidates do not know the difference between Integrated PhD or Regular PhD. The major difference is that you can opt for Regular PhD only after completing a master’s degree. But, if you are interested in the research field and have a graduate degree yet, then you can apply for the Integrated PhD Course.
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Key Details of PhD in India
According to the AISHE Report, every year, more than 1.7 lakh candidates apply for a PhD course in India in for different subjects. There are many PhD Universities in India in which the oldest universities are University of Calcutta (1818), University of Madras and Mumbai (1857).
In short, some interesting facts about PhD Degree course have mentioned in the table below:
| PhD Degree in India – Important Details |
|
| Number of Total Universities in India | 993 |
| Number of Total Colleges | 39931 |
| Number of Total Stand-Alone Institutions | 10725 |
| Total Students Enrolled in PhD | 173050 (2018-19) |
| Oldest Universities for PhD course | Serampore College (University of Calcutta) |
| Oldest Person in India who got a PhD Degree | Krishnananda Hegde |
| Course Length | 3-5 years |
Types of PhD Degree
There are 993 universities available in India which offer PhD Degree. Most of the students appear for the PhD course in science stream closely followed by management stream at the second spot. All the PhD courses are divided into three major parts: -
Fellow Program in Management (FPM)
As per the name, it offers higher study in different fields of management and other functional areas. The purpose of this full-time course is to provide high skilled scholars, innovative researcher, and teachers in the management fields. An FPM is Doctor of Philosophy level qualification involved in Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) generally provided by Indian Institute of Management (IIM).
Doctorate in Pharmacy (Pharm D)
It is a professional doctorate degree in pharmacy. A Pharma D holder has the knowledge of drugs and medicines of every field. Normally, the duration of this course is six years.
Master’s in philosophy (MPhil)
It is an advanced research postgraduate degree before the Doctor of Philosophy. Most of the universities in India offer MPhil degree in the stream of arts, science and humanities. Some others provide integrated MPhil PhD degree in which degree holder are usually exempted from doctoral coursework requirement.
Some other important PhD Degree courses are: -
Doctor of Education
Doctor of Science
Doctor Program in Legal Profession
Doctor in Health Profession
Integrated Doctor of Philosophy
How to Get PhD Degree
What is the PhD Eligibility criteria? This is the most frequent question generally asked by master’s degree holder. Well! The requirement for PhD admission is measured with one major constraint Education Qualification. If you find yourself eligible for Doctor of Philosophy with the below criteria, apply for it.
Educational Qualification
The minimum qualification to apply for PhD in India is: -
You must have a master’s degree in a relevant subject. (bachelor’s degree requires for Integrated PhD Course).
You should have at least 55% qualifying marks in your post-graduation (or equivalent).
Some universities require PhD Entrance Exams such as NET/ GATE/ IIT JAM qualification to get admission in Doctor of Philosophy.
Other Important Criteria
Candidates who live in India or foreign countries can apply for PhD Course in India if they satisfy the qualification criteria.
As you all know, the age limit does not matter in your higher study education. If you have decided to get more knowledge in your field, then no one can stop you. You can apply for it at any stage of age.
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PhD Degree Duration and Fee Structure
The course duration for PhD depends on part-time or full-time length. Typically, PhD degree course in India takes 2-3 years. But, some universities have the 4-5 years minimum duration in which dissertation phase is complete into 2-3 years.
The course fees may vary for different universities in India. The average fee for the PhD course is 50,000 per year.
Career Opportunities for PhD Degree Candidates
There is a myth that ‘Doctor of Philosophy is a training to become University Professor’. There are many career opportunities after doing this course that can pay you well and nourish your skills too. Below you can check the Career Opportunities for PhD
Consultant
Technology Expert
Become a writer
Researcher
Professor
You can get a job in some government departments
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
We hope the above information and guidelines are helpful to know about the Doctor of Philosophy. However, if you have any query regarding this course, you can ask us in the comment section below.
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