Ph.D. Degree Courses/Credits Requirements
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1. The period of study for IPCS doctoral students is two to seven years. For students admitted through the “Direct Pursuit of Doctoral Degree” (DP) pathway—transferring into the IPCS Ph.D. program without completing a master’s degree—the period of study is calculated from the date of transfer in accordance with the same regulations.
2. Doctoral students in this program must complete at least 18 credits of doctoral-level coursework. Students admitted through the “Direct Pursuit of Doctoral Degree” (DP) pathway must complete a minimum of two years of study from the date of transfer into the doctoral program, and at least 30 credits in total including credits earned during the master’s program. The required courses are:
(1) Climate Change: Issues and Solutions (if not previously taken)
(2) Workshop on Climate Change and Human Settlements (if not previously taken)
(3) An Independent Research course at the doctoral level, supervised by a faculty member other than the advisor, designed in consultation with the advisor
(4) Seminar (I)–(VI) (six credits in total)
(5) Students admitted in or after Fall 2018 must complete 6 hours of Academic Ethics training during their first academic year (see NTU Academic Ethics Course Guidelines)
3. Ph.D. students must present their research proposal or study plan during the Seminar course. Presentations will be evaluated by all faculty members, with written feedback provided. In exceptional cases (e.g., combining the seminar with the preliminary or final dissertation defense), students may apply to the IPCS Academic Committee for approval to postpone by one semester. This exemption may be granted only once during the entire study period.
4. Enrollment in Doctoral Dissertation is required in the same semester in which the student applies for the doctoral degree examination. For writing guidance, refer to the NTU Academic Writing Education Center.
5. Advisor Selection
(1) Graduate students may select their thesis advisor from among the program’s faculty members (tenure, joint, project, or affiliated professors) based on their research interests and academic direction. A co-advisor may be selected from affiliated faculty members. The thesis advisor also serves as the student’s mentor. Upon mutual agreement between the student and the advisor, the appointment shall be formally approved by the Program Director.
(2) After confirming the thesis advisor, students must submit a signed Advisor Consent Form by the end of their first year in the doctoral program. Students who fail to submit the form will have an advisor assigned by the Program Director in consultation with the Academic Committee.
- Doctoral Degree Examination
- The Doctoral Degree Examination consists of three parts:
(1) Annual Assessment
(2) Qualification Examination
(3) Dissertation Oral Defense
- Annual Assessment and Qualification Examination
(1) By the end of the first year in the Ph.D. program, doctoral students must establish a Doctoral Supervisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as the “DSC”), which is responsible for providing course selection advice, conducting the annual assessment, and administering the qualification examination.
(2) The DSC shall consist of five to seven members, convened by the thesis advisor, and include at least three faculty members of the program (including the advisor) and at least one interdisciplinary faculty member. The list of members must be approved by the Academic Committee before appointment.
(3) Annual assessment content:
i. Course progress
ii. Research progress
Starting from the second year of the Ph.D. program, students must undergo an annual assessment at the end of each academic year. Students admitted in the first semester must complete the assessment by July 31, and those admitted in the second semester must complete it by January 31.
(4) The results of the annual assessment are recorded as either “Pass” or “Fail.” Failure to participate is considered a “Fail.” Students who receive two “Fail” results within the period of study may be dismissed from the program.
(5) Following the assessment, the Doctoral Supervisory Committee (DSC) must provide recommendations to the student for improvements in research or coursework.
(6) Ph.D. students must pass the qualification examination within three academic years after admission, and must be enrolled in Seminar (IV) in the semester in which the qualification examination is held. The qualification examination may take one of the following forms:
i. Oral or Written Examination – Prepared and graded by the DSC, which determines the pass/fail result. The qualification examination may be held in conjunction with the annual assessment of the same academic year.
ii. Literature Review – A comprehensive review of studies relevant to the intended dissertation topic. The review must be evaluated by at least three DSC members.
iii. Publication – Publication as first or second author in an international peer-reviewed journal article, or in a peer-reviewed academic book or book chapter.
(7) Applications for the qualification examination must be submitted to the program office, accompanied by the Qualification Examination Application Form and the applicant’s complete academic transcript:
| |
Name of Examination |
Minimum Graduation Requirement |
| CEFR B2 |
GEPT |
High-intermediate (中高級) |
| IELTS |
5.5 |
| TOEFL iBT |
72 |
| TOEFL ITP |
543 |
| TOEIC |
785 |
| FLPT |
195 |
| FCE |
160 |
*English proficiency test scores are valid for five years.
*CEFR equivalency is based on the official comparison tables published by each testing organization.
CEFR–GEPT and FLPT equivalency table: LTTC
CEFR–Cambridge English Qualifications equivalency table: LTTC
CEFR–TOEIC and TOEFL equivalency table: ETS
IELTS and the CEFR: IELTS
(8) With the approval of the IPCS Academic Committee, the annual assessment and the qualification examination may be deferred for up to one year.
(9) The qualification examination may be conducted in conjunction with the student’s annual assessment.
(10) Students who fail the qualification examination may retake it six months later. Students who fail the qualification examination twice during the period of study will be dismissed from the program.
(11) Students who, due to special circumstances, are unable to complete the annual assessment or pass the qualification examination within the prescribed period must obtain their advisor’s consent and submit an application to the IPCS Academic Committee. Upon approval, the annual assessment and/or qualification examination may be deferred for up to one year.
- Oral Defense Regulations
(1) After passing the qualification examination and annual assessment, students must have, in addition, a first-author publication in a related field—approved by both the Doctoral Supervisory Committee (DSC) and the IPCS Academic Committee—in one of the following: an SCI, SSCI, or TSSCI journal; an A&HCI journal; or an academic book or book chapter. Alternatively, proof of submission of such a work will also be accepted before applying for the doctoral degree examination.
(2) It is recommended that each student submit a draft of the dissertation to the Oral Defense Committee at least two weeks before the scheduled doctoral oral defense for review.
(3) The Doctoral Dissertation Oral Defense Committee shall consist of five to nine members, including the chairperson (the thesis advisor may not serve as chairperson). At least four members must be other than the thesis advisor and co-advisor. The committee must include at least two members from outside the program and at least three IPCS faculty members. The list of proposed committee members shall be submitted by the thesis advisor and approved by the Program Director prior to appointment.
(4) For students admitted through the Direct Pursuit of Doctoral Degree pathway, at least three semesters of doctoral study—counting from the date of transfer into the doctoral program—must be completed, and a minimum total of 30 credits (including those earned in the master’s program) must be accumulated before applying for the doctoral degree examination.
- Graduation Requirements
(1) Pass the Doctoral Degree Examination
(2) Publication as first author in an SCI, SSCI, or TSSCI journal, or in an A&HCI journal, or in an academic book or book chapter.
(3) Proof of English language proficiency equivalent to CEFR B2 level, demonstrated by one of the following:
TOEFL ITP: minimum score of 543
TOEFL iBT: minimum score of 72
TOEIC: minimum score of 785
IELTS: minimum overall band score of 5.5
FLPT: minimum score of 195
FCE: minimum score of 160
- Other Provisions
All matters not specified herein are governed by the National Taiwan University Academic Regulations.