Ph.D in Development Studies and Public Policy
(
For Working Professionals and Administrators
)
- The ICFAI School of Social Sciences (ISoSS) offers a PhD program in Development Studies and Public Policy for working professionals and administrators.
- It is a practical, value-laden, intellectually stimulating, customizable doctoral program for practitioners that has been specially conceptualized and designed.
- The Institute will admit deeply inspired practitioners and senior officers who seek to discover and share fresh knowledge concerning the broad interdisciplinary fields of Public Policy and Development Studies, including their intersections with Business, Industry, Civil Society, Science, Engineering, Technology, Justice and Law, Natural Resources, and Sustainability Studies.
- Consequently, the policy professionals and practitioners who are admitted into the program after a rigorous interview, will be guided to formulate evidence-based research and robust development policies and take informed decisions for the greater good.
- The program's primary objective is to develop the working professional’s capabilities in using basic and advanced empirical and analytical methods – both quantitative and qualitative – to critically analyze and resolve real-world policy and development issues in a holistic and satisfactory manner.
- The program will be rigorous and will adopt an exciting interdisciplinary approach that integrates relevant content, learning methods and inquiry systems, and research practices.
- The pedagogy will focus significantly on case studies from the field using real-world data on public policy, development studies, and allied areas.
Eligibility
- A valid, recognized postgraduate degree in any discipline from a UGC-approved university in India or abroad with 55% and above marks, and work experience of 5 to 7 years as a practicing professional.
Duration
- 4 Years
- The expected duration of the PhD program is 4 years. However, on a case-by-case basis, the research scholars of the program will be granted an extension subject to satisfactory progress in their thesis work, as recommended by the PhD Supervisor and approved by the Vice-Chancellor.
- Extensions will be governed by the decision of the competent authority and ratification by the Academic Council.
Selection Process
- Selection to this unique, customizable program will be based on the applicant’s (a) past academic performance and (b) performance in a personal interview.
Who Can Apply
-
This program will greatly benefit
- Officers of India's Civil Services (Centre and State)
- Public Sector officials
- Professionals in national and international NGOs
- Any other professional working predominantly in the areas of development and public policy domain.
| Admission Calendar | |
|---|---|
| Last date for submission of completed application form | July 15, 2024 |
| Interviews (The date will be communicated through e-mail) Registration | Aug 1, 2024 |
| Commencement of coursework | Aug 10, 2024 |
Program Structure
The fundamental characteristics of the program will be similar to the University’s full-time PhD program. The coursework will be spread over two phases, each lasting about a semester. To facilitate completion of the prescribed courses, classes will be conducted on Saturdays, Sundays, and selected holidays, with ample flexibility given to scholars to attend some classes through the online mode. The research scholar is expected to visit the campus for all the necessary interactions and learning experiences based on mutual convenience.
The program has six major milestones that will mark the completion of the respective phases, namely, (1) coursework completion (two phases), (2) Summer Research Project, (3) passing the qualifying examination, (4) submission and approval of a thesis proposal, (5) submission of the thesis for evaluation by anonymous reviewers, and finally (6) defending the thesis in an open viva voce. The processes leading to the six milestones are the same as the University’s full-time campus-based PhD program.
Year |
Particulars |
1 |
Coursework (Phase 1 & Phase 2 in two semesters) |
1 |
Summer Research Project (soon after Phase 2) |
1 |
PhD Qualifying Examinations/Comprehensive Viva Voce |
2 |
Formation of Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC), Progress Seminar Presentations |
3 |
Thesis Proposal Submission, Progress Seminar Presentations |
4 |
Thesis Data Seminar, PhD Thesis Submission, Thesis Evaluation |
The primary objective of the coursework is to lay the intellectual foundations for rigorous research by equipping the scholars with all the relevant knowledge on enquiry systems, research philosophy, approaches and methods, and the latest developments, including anticipated ones, in the broad interdisciplinary fields of Development Studies and Public Policy. During the first period of two phases, the research scholars are required to complete a prescribed set of 4 courses of 4 credits each, including Doctoral Seminar Papers. In the second phase of the coursework, they are required to complete another set of 4 Doctoral Seminar courses of 4 credits each. In this phase, they can choose courses of their specialization from the list of courses offered by the School of Social Sciences, Business School, Law School, ICFAITech, and School of Architecture. The scholars will also be able to design their own course syllabus with the guidance of faculty members nominated by the Vice-Chancellor in consultation with senior faculty members of the institute. Such research scholar-designed courses are a unique feature of this customizable doctoral research program.
Research scholars with adequate prior knowledge and preparation in any of the listed courses (8 courses) can provide compelling evidence of the same via a specifically conducted written and/or oral examination and claim a waiver of the relevant course(s).
Sl. No. |
Course Title |
Credits |
1. |
Research Methodology-I (Quantitative Research Methods) |
4 |
2. |
Research Methodology-II (Qualitative Research Methods) |
4 |
3. |
Doctoral Seminar 1: India’s Development Debate |
4 |
4. |
Doctoral Seminar 2: Public Policy |
4 |
|
Total Credits |
16 |
Sl. No |
Course Title |
Credits |
1. |
Doctoral Seminar 3: Paradigms of Development |
4 |
2. |
Doctoral Seminar 4: Centre-State Relations |
4 |
3. |
Doctoral Seminar 5: International Trade and India’s Development |
4 |
4. |
Doctoral Seminar 6: Environment and Development |
4 |
|
Total Credits |
16 |
Morning Session |
Lunch Break |
Afternoon Session |
10.00 hrs. - 11.15 hrs. |
12.45 hrs. - 14:00 hrs. |
14:00 hrs. - 15:15 hrs. |
11.30 hrs. - 12.45 hrs. |
15:30 hrs. - 16:45 hrs. |
Note: Each course consists of 33 classroom sessions of 75 minutes duration. Sessions will be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays.
Each research scholar is required to take up a Summer Research Project individually at the end of the two phases of coursework. The research project will be in the scholar’s area of interest and will be undertaken under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Research scholars who successfully complete the coursework and get a ‘satisfactory grade’ in the Summer Research Project are eligible to take the PhD qualifying examination/comprehensive viva voce.
Upon successful completion of the PhD qualifying exam, a Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) with four faculty members will be constituted to guide the research scholar through the entire process of commencing, working on, and completing the doctoral thesis.
The research scholar is expected to give at least one progress seminar every semester until he/she submits the thesis.
The thesis proposal, if approved by the DAC, will be forwarded to the PhD Proposal Screening Committee for review before the scholar presents and successfully defends it. Thereafter, the scholar is supported to work on, complete, and submit the doctoral thesis for critical evaluation by anonymous and accomplished external evaluators.
After successfully defending the thesis proposal and before submitting the thesis, the scholars are required to give a ‘Thesis Data Seminar’, which will focus exclusively on sampling design and data collection and relevant data analysis methods, including computational and experimental procedures as may be applicable.
The scholar is expected to complete the PhD thesis and submit it for evaluation at the end of the fourth year after first registration into the program. He/She should defend the thesis in an open viva voce that will include the PhD thesis supervisor, DAC members, external thesis evaluators, senior professors, faculty members, and research scholars from the respective School and from other Schools/departments, or even other institutions.
The coursework sessions will involve a judicious mix of teaching-learning-evaluation methods, including lectures by the class teachers and invited experts, critical discussions of articles and Cases, presentation of papers by the scholars, and other selected methods. Evaluation will be continuous and will include written assignments, term papers, case study presentations, and end-term examinations. Participants (individually or jointly) will develop Cases with guidance from the globally top-ranked IBS Case Research Centre.
In each course, senior academicians, senior civil servants, and senior public policy experts will be invited to deliver lectures and share their knowledge with the research scholars.
Contact
Prof T Koti Reddy
Dean, ICFAI School of Social Sciences
Donthanapalli, Shankarapalli Road,
Hyderabad-501 203.
Telangana State
Email: tkreddy@ibsindia.org
Contact No: 7997532244