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The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Humanities and Social Sciences is the first degree of its kind in Qatar, and one of the few in the world. The program provides students with the philosophical and methodological grounding to design and tailor their interdisciplinary research project while specializing through a dissertation.
The program is flexible, accommodating students who wish to apply their interdisciplinary research to various subjects in the humanities and social sciences while allowing for specializations through a pathway to a PhD in an established field at the time of graduation. In addition, it exposes students to identity-making, policymaking, development strategies, institution building, leadership guidance, and sustainable development.
Students will draw from a standard curriculum and gain skills in interdisciplinary research, yet graduate with a PhD in a field that will offer them substantial employment opportunities. Aligned with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, the program equips its students with the personal and professional skills to ensure all graduates are prepared to work globally, with strong sustainability values and connections to the community.
- The 60-credit hour degree program, taught full-time over a minimum of four years, includes 18 credits of courses and 42 credits of supervised research. For students who might need to, the program can be extended for up to seven years. Drawing on pedagogical and research collectives, students will partake in a common curriculum, gain competence in interdisciplinary research, and graduate with a PhD that will support their employment opportunities.
- All courses are taught in English.
The curriculum requires students to take six courses (three core and three elective courses), complete two exams (qualifying exam and candidacy exam), and complete and defend a dissertation.
Total of 60 credit hours:
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| HSS 700 | Explorations in Global Humanities |
| HSS 706 | Doctoral Independent Study |
| HSS 720 | Explorations in Interdisciplinarity |
- In consultation with their supervisors
- Can be from any college at HBKU
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| HSS 890 | Dissertation Hours |
| Code | Course Name |
|---|---|
| 899 | Dissertation Defense |
| 790 | Doctoral Qualifying Exam (in semester 3) |
| 799 | Candidacy Exam (in semester 4) |
Graduates of the program are equipped to:
- engage with themes and ideas that span across different disciplines.
- demonstrate expertise in interdisciplinary research.
- demonstrate expertise in relevant theories.
- use knowledge for advancing research towards societal and scholarly impact.
- produce original interdisciplinary research.
Potential future jobs:
- Social development specialist
- Social communication specialist
- Postdoc researcher
- Academic (higher education lecturer & researcher)
- Independent researcher in your field
- Sustainable development specialist
- Translation specialist
- Applied linguist
Applicants seeking admission to the PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences program should have a master’s degree in a relevant field with a strong academic record (minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4) from a recognized university.
Applicants are required to submit an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 79 in order to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Applicants can be exempt from this requirement if they meet one of the conditions listed below:
- The applicant completed their studies at an institution in a country where English is the official language.
- The applicant provides an official letter from the university where they completed their studies confirming that they obtained their degree from an institution where the medium of instruction is English (if not otherwise exempt).
- The applicant’s first language is English.
Tuition Fees
| Program | PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences |
|---|---|
| Total Program Tuition Fees | QAR 112,500 |
| Tuition Fees per Credit Hour | QAR 1,875 |
| Total Program | 60 |
| Program Duration | 4 years |