Programme Requirements

The CAS PhD programme welcomes students who have a deep commitment to transnational research and who are curious about places, peoples, and processes in the region that do not fit easily within the conventional approaches to the study of Asia.

Overview

Candidates admitted must pursue in the University a course of advanced study comprising the following:

  1. Curricular Requirements
    A coursework component of no fewer than 8 courses;
  2. Language Requirements
    Demonstration (by coursework or testing) of competency in 2 Asian languages (1 to “advanced” level, 1 to “intermediate” level);
  3. Qualifying Examination
    A Qualifying Examination (QE);
  4. Thesis
    A thesis on a comparative and multi-site research topic on Asia; and
  5. Oral Examination
    An oral defense of the thesis. 

In addition, a candidate may be required by the Programme Convenor to undertake such other work as may be deemed relevant to his/her candidature for the doctoral degree.

A. Curricular Requirements

At least 50% of the total curricular requirements must be at level 6000. Up to 25% of the total curricular requirements may be at level 4000. The remaining courses must be at level 5000 or 6000. This excludes the language courses. Students are expected to take typically 4 courses each academic year.

8 courses must be completed, split as follows:

  1. 3 core courses (see list here)
  2. 5 elective courses (see list here)
    1. 3 comparative specialisation electives
    2. 2 free electives

B. Language Requirements

In addition to the 8 courses, students will be required to study or test for proficiency in 2 Asian languages. Students do not need to possess equal competence in both languages. 1 language should be of “advanced” level, typically involving at least 3 years of language study. The other language should be of at least “intermediate” competency, typically involving at least 2 years of language study. Students can be exempted from taking language courses on a case-by-case basis, depending on their proficiency. Students will study or test for proficiency for their 2 languages from Centre for Language Studies (CLS) for languages offered by CLS. Students who are native speakers of any Asian languages do not have to test for proficiency or provide documentary evidence of their proficiency, unless it is a special case, for example, where the student grew up abroad and attended international schools.

C. Qualifying Examination

Students are required to take and pass a Qualifying Examination (QE) which comprises the following:

  1. Comprehensive examinations as determined by the programme;
  2. An oral defence of the PhD thesis proposal before a Thesis Committee (for which a 30- to 50-page thesis proposal is expected).

A student must satisfy the following conditions before being allowed to sit for the QE:

  1. Complete a minimum of five courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50;
  2. Obtain a satisfactory grade (at least grade C) in a required Asian language course from Centre for Language Studies or equivalent to advanced level and to show progression in undertaking the second Asian language to intermediate level; and
  3. Where applicable, obtain a satisfactory grade (at least grade C) in the graduate English course conducted by Centre for English Language Communication at intermediate level;
  4. Other requirements as determined by the programme.

All students should pass the QE within 24 months from the date of commencement of candidature. A second attempt may be allowed, within the first 2 years of the candidature, should students fail at their first attempt. This applies to both full-time and part-time students.

A student who fails any of the CEs or oral defence of the PhD thesis proposal is deemed to have failed the QE. The student is required to re-do only the failed component of the QE in order to pass the QE.

Students who fail the QE will be referred to the Board of Graduate Studies for consideration of termination of candidature. With faculty's approval, they will then be given the option of taking up a 1-year Masters candidature in Comparative Asian Studies or in another FASS department to write their thesis and complete other requirements to be awarded a Masters degree.

D. Thesis

Other than completing the required coursework requirements and Qualifying Examination, a student is also required to complete and submit a thesis for examination within the maximum period of his/her candidature after completing the course of advanced study and research.

A thesis should not exceed 80,000 words (including footnotes but excluding appendices, bibliography, maps, charts, statistical tables, graphs, illustrations, etc.). All theses must be written in English.

E. Oral Examination

The PhD candidate must defend the submitted thesis before a panel of examiners at an oral examination.

Candidature / Duration

The maximum period of candidature is 72 months from the date of registration. The period is inclusive of periods of approved leave. It is exclusive of any period of preparatory study that may be required by the Programme Convenor.

Continuation Requirements

The minimum GPA required for graduation is 3.50. For any semester in which a candidate’s GPA falls below that required for graduation, he/she will be issued a warning or probation depending on the GPA.

A candidate’s GPA should not fall below 3.00 for 2 consecutive semesters or 3.50 for three consecutive semesters. Termination of candidature will result if a student fails to maintain the minimum GPA as stipulated.

A candidate may also be issued a warning or placed on probation for poor performance on the Qualifying Examination, research thesis or other programme requirements.

Graduation Requirements

A candidate may be recommended for award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Asian Studies if he/she has paid all fees prescribed and met the following requirements:

  1. Obtained a minimum GPA of 3.50 for the required courses;
  2. Must not have failed more than 2 courses;
  3. Obtained a satisfactory grade (at least grade C) for all required Asian language courses or equivalent;
  4. Passed NG5001 Academic Communication for Postgraduate Researchers (at least grade C);
  5. Where applicable, obtained a satisfactory grade (at least grade C) in the graduate English course conducted by Centre for English Language Communication at advanced level;
  6. Passed Qualifying Examination;
  7. Passed Thesis; and
  8. Passed Oral Examination.

The Board of Examiners may pass or fail a candidate, or refer him/her for further work; or recommend with the candidate’s agreement, that he/she be awarded a Masters degree after the thesis examination.

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