A Doctor of Philosophy or PhD is the highest academic degree one can earn from a University for an original research in any faculty. While the reasons for earning a PhD degree may vary from person to person, it is one of the basic pre-requisites for a career in teaching or Research. PhD programs in Malaysia are offered by some of the finest universities and one can choose from a range of subjects on offer. There are PhD in Accounting, PhD in Business Administration, PhD in Management, PhD in Education, PhD in Finance and much more.
There are two requirements for a Doctorate Degree.
Firstly, you must have a keen interest and master one particular subject to be able to do a research on it.
Secondly, you must be able to extend the body of knowledge for that subject.
In order to pursue PhD programs in Malaysia, you must present the outcome of a research in that subject in the form of a thesis or dissertation. In some universities coursework is followed by examinations to gauge your level of understanding in the matter.
So, who can do PhD programs?
A Doctorate Degree may be suitable for you if you:
- Want a research career?
- Want an academic position?
- Have a deep understanding of a subject and you want to take it forward.
PhD Programs in Malaysia
Malaysia has emerged as one of the most potent economies of South-East Asia and is also considered a “newly industrialized nation”. The nation is also one of the emerging hubs for higher education in the region with State-funded universities, private institutions and branches of international universities.
The Government of Malaysia has constantly supported research and has invested huge sums of money in research installations across the country, most noted ones being in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Engineering. A number of research centers in the country as emerged as pioneers in niche areas. Universities are also well-equipped with the most modern research facilities, encouraging students to take up research projects.
The Govt. of Malaysia aims to train 60,000 PhD students in Malaysia between 2010-2023 as part of its “Malaysian National Higher Education Strategic Plan Beyond 2020”.
Some of the best Universities in Malaysia for PhD for International Students
| University | PhD Programs in Malaysia | Eligibility | Tuition Fees
|
| Perdana University | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Bioinformatics – 3 years Full time | Refer to the University | USD11,900 per course |
| Universiti Putra Malaysia | PhD in Business Management & Administration – 5 years Full time | 3.30CGPA | RM78,256 (5 years) |
| Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) | PhD in Computing – 2 to 7 years Full time and Part time | Entry by Full Research Masters or Masters with minimum 30% research component with a formal taught research module. | USD 10,720 |
| PhD in Engineering – 2 to 7 years Full time and Part time | Entry by Full Research Masters or Masters with minimum 30% research component with a formal taught research module. | USD 10,720 | |
| PhD in Finance – 2 to 7 years and Part time | Entry by Full Research Masters or Masters with minimum 30% research component with a formal taught research module. | USD 10,720 | |
| PhD in Management – 2 to 7 years and Part time | Entry by Full Research Masters or Masters with minimum 30% research component with a formal taught research module. | USD 11, 250 | |
| Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) | Doctor Of Philosophy (PhD) In Chemical Engineering – 2 years Full time | Refer to University | – |
| Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical Science – 2 or 6 Yrs (4 or 8 Sem) | Recognised Masters degree in a relevant field/Equiv.
INTAKE – Jan |
USD 8545.45 |
| Universiti Selangor (UNISEL) Shah Alam Campus | PhD in Management – 2 years Full time | Refer to University | – |
| Monash University | PhD in
· applied sciences · biological sciences · chemistry · food science and technology · medical bioscience · biotechnology · environmental science. 4 years Full time or 8 years Part time |
A completed a degree with honours 1 (first-class) or 2A (upper second class) in a relevant research area.
English – English at Year 12 or equivalent
|
RM45,200 |
| University of Malaya | PhD Engineering – Max 12 semesters | A master’s degree by way of research; or
A master’s degree by coursework or by mixed mode with CGPA of not less than 3.7; or A master’s degree by coursework or by mixed mode with CGPA between 2.0 and 3.69 and an undergraduate degree with CGPA not less than 3.0; or and one (1) of the following criteria: · relevant work experience; · publication in the relevant field; · applicant is a scholarship holder; · applicant is a University of Malaya graduate. TOEFL – score 550; or IELTS (Academic) – band 6.00 |
RM 42,425 |
| Doctor of Management – Min of 4 semesters and max of 12 semesters | Bachelor’s degree with honours or equivalent in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent;
A Master’s degree in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent. English – At least a band 6.0 for IELTS or a minimum score of 550 for the paper based TOEFL or 80 (IBT). INTAKE – Jan and June |
RM 77, 840 | |
| PhD in Business and Accountancy – Min of 4 semesters and max of 12 semesters | Bachelor’s degree with honours or equivalent in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent;
A Master’s degree in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent. English – At least a band 6.0 for IELTS or a minimum score of 550 for the paper based TOEFL or 80 (IBT) INTAKE – Jan and June |
RM 44,216 | |
| PhD in Economics and Administration – | Bachelor’s degree with honours or equivalent in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent;
A Master’s degree in a related field from a recognised university, with a CGPA of at least 3.0 or equivalent. English – At least a band 6.0 for IELTS or a minimum score of 550 for the paper based TOEFL or 80 (IBT) INTAKE – Jan and June |
RM52,970 |
Career Prospects
Career Prospects once you complete your PhD programs in Malaysia could be any of the following:
- Industrial Research in private or public sector
- Academician
- Research Scholar
- Consulting
- Clinical psychologists (for Medicine)
- Biochemists (as per scpecialization)
- Scientists
Final Words on PhD programs in Malaysia
Through a PhD, you will have an opportunity to give back to the society in your own little way. And when you do a PhD programs in Malaysia, you can do much more considering the high quality of education and the opportunities that the country offers.
Study2malaysia.com also known as Malaysian Universities information center (MUIC) was set up with the sole intention of providing valuable information to those students and aspirants who want to pursue their higher education in Malaysia. We are one of the leading and specialized teams who have been associated with assisting students from across the world to move to Malaysia for higher education for more than a decade now. We have, till now, successfully sent around 5000 students (including medical students) to Malaysia, most of who are now successfully placed in different professional careers.