How many subjects are there in a PhD?

There are many PhD subjects available, Some of them are mentioned below - Animal Studies Arts and Humanities Biology and Medicine Business and Economics Chemistry Computer Science and Mathematics Education Engineering and Technology Geography History and Philosophy Law Literature, Languages, and Communication

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Home ❯ Doctorate ❯ PhD Syllabus 2024: Subjects, Year/Semester-wise Syllabus

PhD Syllabus 2024: Subjects, Year/Semester-wise Syllabus

Kopal Srivastava Aug 6, 2024 1.6K Reads

People interested in conducting research can pursue a PhD program as it involves much research. The full form of a PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy. It is a doctorate program. The duration to complete the program is a minimum of 5-7 years.

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You get recognized by the “Dr” title after completing the program. You get introduced to concepts of Research Methodology, Research Ethics, and many more.

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However, the subjects and syllabus of the program depend upon the specialization you will choose. In this blog, we will learn all the subjects and syllabus of a PhD.

Let’s start by knowing the entrance syllabus of the PhD program.

Entrance Exam Syllabus of PH.D

PhD entrance exams are held at both national and institute levels. Students who score at least 50% marks can take entrance exams. Universities and institutes use these exams to assess a student's understanding of the subject they want to study for their PhD. This course is popular among students who wish to pursue research in their postgraduate subject.

In recent years, the number of people pursuing a PhD has increased rapidly. India offers excellent research opportunities for postgraduate students. Universities aim to admit only talented students into their PhD programs, which is why PhD entrance tests are important.

Related Programmes
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Doctorate for Working Professionals	PhD for Working Professionals
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PhD Online	MBA DBA Dual Programs
PhD Abroad	Global DBA
Pre Doctoral Program Online

Some popular entrance exams include CSIR UGC NET and UGC NET. The syllabus for PhD entrance exams includes topics from high school, graduation, and postgraduation levels, such as technology, life sciences, mathematics, science, and general aptitude.

The specific subjects and topics vary based on the chosen PhD specialization. The PhD syllabus focuses more on research and practical aspects of the subject, with less emphasis on theoretical knowledge.

PhD Subjects	Entrance Exam Syllabus
Life Sciences	Life Sciences (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Immunology at postgraduate level) Physics/Chemistry (undergraduate level) Mathematics, Computer & Information Sciences (10+2 level)
Mathematics	Real series analysis Statistics and probability Modern Algebra and Matrix Theory Theory of Equation Numerical analysis Differential equations Calculus and analytic geometry Trigonometry
Basic Engineering and Technology	Basic Engineering & Technology (of undergraduate level) Fundamental Life Sciences and Informatics (10+2 level) Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics at undergraduate level)
Computer Information Science	Representation of characters Binary and hexadecimal representations etc. The organization of a computer Floating-point representation of numbers Data structures Fundamentals of Computer
Political Science	Research Methodology Political Theory & Thought India: State and Society Globalization and International Relations Democracy in India
Economics	Microeconomics Macroeconomics Development and Planning Mathematical and Statistical Methods Public Economics International Economics
Psychology	Introduction to research in psychology, Industrial and Organizational Psychology Counselling Psychology Clinical Psychology

PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus of Delhi University

The entrance exam of Delhi University for PhD is divided into 2 parts. Each part holds weightage off 50 percent marks.

Research Methodology	The literature review Collection and analysis of data Information sources References Scientific writing
Mathematical Tools for Research in Computer Science (part of Research Methodology)	Algebra Linear Algebra Calculus Geometry Vector Calculus Real Analysis Probability and Statistics
English Comprehension	Correct usage of English language and reading Comprehension.
Computer Science (Subject Specific)	Discrete Structures Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms Computer System Architecture Operating Systems DBMS and File Structures Computer Networks

Semester Wise Syllabus of PhD

The subjects in a PhD course depend on the specialization you choose. Each specialization has its own core subjects. However, despite these differences, there are certain modules that are common across all PhD courses.

Syllabus of Year 1
Semester 1	Semester 2
Research Methodology Philosophical and Sociological Basis of Educational Research Communication Skills Independent Research with Seminars	Development in The Field Supervisor Directed Course (Need-based) and ResearchRecent Seminar Research Methodology-I Independent Research with Seminars
Syllabus of Year 2
Semester 3	Semester 4
Philosophical and Sociological Basis of Educational Research Supervisor Directed Course (Need-based) and Research	Final Research Proposal Supervisor Directed Course (Need-based) and Resear
Syllabus of Year 3
Semester 5	Semester 6
Independent Research with Seminars	Independent Research with Seminars

Area of Research

Research Methodology
Review of Literature
Advancement in the chosen area of Research

The below written areas of research are of Delhi University and they may vary from university to university :

Specializations
Major areas of Research in the Department of Arabic	Classical Arabic Literature, Modern Arabic Literature, Classical Arabic Prose & Poetry, History of Arabic Language and Literature, Historiography, Lexicography, Linguistics, Rhetoric, Arabic literature in India, Tafseer, Hadith, Arabic Prosody, Logic and Philosophy, Arabic Grammar Syntax and Morphology and Translation from Arabic to other Languages.
Major areas of Research in the Department of English	British Literature, Indian Writing in English, Indian Literature, World Literature, American Literature, European Literature, Gender Studies, Visual Studies, Women Studies, Queer Studies, Dalit Studies, Disability Studies, Diaspora Studies, Autobiographical Studies, Post-Colonial Studies, Translation Studies, Print Culture, South Asian Literature, Cultural Studies, Medical Humanities, Marginality Studies, Partition Literature, Refugees Narratives and Dystopian Literature, Conflict and Memory Studies, Indian Classical Literature, Indian Knowledge Systems, Media Studies, Orature/Oral Culture, Language and Linguistics, Religion and Literature, FilmStudies, Performance Studies, Postmodern Literature, Narrative Studies, Digital Humanities, and Theory of Emotions.
Major areas of Research in the Department of Hindi	Samagra Hindi Sahitya, Kavyashastra, Bhasha Vigyan, Patrakarita.
Major areas of Research in the Department of Psychology	Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Organizational Behaviour and Clinical Psychology, Positive Psychology, Health Psychology.
Major areas of Research in the Department of Financial Studies	Finance, Management, Marketing
Major areas of Research in the Department of Commerce	Accounting, Finance, International Business, Marketing, Organizational Behaviour and Development and other related areas.
Major areas of Research in Electronic Science	Modeling and Simulation Studies of Advanced Microelectronic Devices, machine learning applications in semiconductor devices, Application of AI and ML in low power VLSI design, Thin films, Nanomaterials & nanostructures (Electronic/semiconductor materials & Devices) for various applications; Nano science/ Nano composites/ Nano technology; Microwave passive components, Plasmonic waveguides and devices; Embedded Systems, Photonics, Photovoltaics, Optoelectronic devices, Cyber Physical Systems, Machine learning; Bioelectronics, Spintronics, Signal Processing, Sensors, Antennas, Antenna Design, Compact RF & Microwave component design, RFID communications, Flexible Electronic Devices, RF Microwave Communication, Internet of Things, Radar, Software Defined Radio.
Major areas of Research in the Microbiology	Microbial pathogenesis, Industrial microbiology, Molecular biology, DNA replication, Virology.

Stream Wise Syllabus of PhD

PhD or Doctor of Philosophy, courses are offered in many fields. Some major streams include Science, Arts and Humanities, and Management. There are many PhD courses available in India. The table below shows the syllabus for some PhD courses by stream:

Science Stream - Check the table below to know the topics you will get to learn in the science stream

Advanced Computer Algorithms	Distributed COM
Advanced Database Management Systems	Distributed File System
Advanced Software Engineering	Distributed Systems
Component Object Model (COM) & interfaces in COM	Dynamic Programming
Computer Architecture	Frequencies for Radio Transmission
Computer System Design	Medium Access Control
CORBA, JAVA, and object web	Multiprocessor Architecture

Management Stream - Check the table below to know the topics you will get to learn in the Management stream

Computer Applications	Logistics
Dissertation	Marketing
Elective I	Operations Management
Financial Management	Project Work
General Management	Quantitative Analysis
Human Resource Management	Research Methodology
Information Technology Management	Retail Merchandising

Art and Humanities Stream - Check the table below to know the topics you will get to learn in the Art and Humanities stream

Advanced Course in Logic	Communication Theory
Advanced Course in Philosophy of Science	Data Collection and Organization
Advanced Course in Formal Methods	Decision Theory
Advanced Econometric Methods	Environment and Development
Advanced Economic Theory	Environment Philosophy
Advanced Macroeconomics Theory	Fieldwork
Advanced Microeconomics Theory	Governance and the Political Economy of Development

The Alternative of a Ph.D. Program

If you want to pursue a PhD program without quitting your job, then you can opt for an Online DBA program. DBA stands for Doctor of Business Administration. After completion of the program, you will be recognized by the “Dr” title. Moreover, DBA or PhD both are doctorate programs and add a “Dr” title before your name. It is also an equivalent to a PhD program.

Some of the universities offering an Online doctorate course are mentioned below :

Golden Gate University
Rushford Business School
ESGCI International School of Management Paris

Check the table below to know the fees of the university :

Universities	Fees
Golden Gate University	INR 8,14,000
Rushford Business School	INR 8,12,500
ESGCI International School of Management Paris	INR 8,14,000

Course Structure of PhD

When you enroll in a PhD course you need to prepare and submit your research topic and proposal. The institute then assigns a guide to each student. The guide provides information about the syllabus, coursework, teaching schedule, and assessment methods.

Moreover, students must submit progress reports every six months. An important part of the PhD course is giving seminar presentations, each student must give at least two seminars and submit a certificate to the Research Unit.

Before submitting their final thesis students must publish one research paper in a peer-reviewed journal and submit the certificate to the Research Unit. The guide organizes a pre-seminar submission before the final thesis submission.

Based on the pre-seminar a report with suggestions is prepared, and students incorporate these into their final thesis. They also prepare a summary of their thesis, which must be submitted 45 days before the thesis submission.

Once the thesis is submitted faculties review it and students must participate in a viva voce to discuss their work with the experts. Successful completion of all these steps earns the student a PhD degree.

PhD Course Structure Summary :

Submission of Research Proposal
Research Report
Seminar
Certificate Submission
Publication of one research paper
Pre-seminar submission
Thesis Submission
Viva Voce

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Conclusion

PhD is a doctoral degree that adds up the “Dr” title before your name. Moreover, if you wish to do it while doing your job then you can opt for an Online DBA ( Doctor of Business Administration). It is also an equivalent to a PhD program.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

There are many PhD subjects available, Some of them are mentioned below -

Animal Studies
Arts and Humanities
Biology and Medicine
Business and Economics
Chemistry
Computer Science and Mathematics
Education
Engineering and Technology
Geography
History and Philosophy
Law
Literature, Languages, and Communication

PhD admission processes in India vary by university. Generally, you need to pass entrance exams like the NET exam to get admission to a PhD.

No, you cannot do a PhD right after 12th grade. You must first complete a master’s degree in the same or a related field. Some colleges also require an MPhil before you can pursue a PhD. A PhD course typically lasts three years, but it can take up to five or six years, depending on the institute.

The minimum duration to complete the program is 3 years.

You must have completed your master’s from a government-recognized university with a minimum mark of 50 to 55 percent after which you have to pass the entrance exam (CSIR UGC NET and UGC NET).

Yes, a PhD is difficult. It involves a long process of completing and writing an advanced research project. Your work must pass a review by academic experts. By the end, you need to show that you are an expert in your topic.