ACADEMICS
Doctoral Program
As a pioneering liberal education institution of the country, the spirit of inter and multi-disciplinarity permeates every aspect of academics at FLAME. The educational programs build upon the traditional and blends with the practical. It is grounded in deep scholarship with the freedom to exercise choice and learn from experience. True to its liberal ethos, the doctoral program at FLAME seeks to develop the next generation of academics who are able to approach issues from multiple perspectives, glean unique insights, and provide effective solutions to pressing problems of academic and practical interest.
In particular, the FLAME doctoral program aims to train the researchers who
- extend the boundaries of current knowledge and also are able to create new knowledge.
- are adept in the use of traditional methodologies and latest tools and build on these to develop new techniques to answer questions that transcend disciplinary boundaries.
- can communicate clearly and effectively to the expert and the public at large the insights gleaned from the research.
- can apply the skills and knowledge in practical contexts.
FLAME’s APPROACH
FLAME aspires to be recognised for the quality and impact of its research output on the current state of knowledge. Towards this goal, it will strive to provide an environment where cutting-edge research is done by a community of scholars where the focus is placed on conceptual clarity and the utilisation and development of new methodologies that is employed not only to illuminate the issue under study but also in a wide range of contexts. PhD scholars will work, through collaborations and joint projects, on real-world issues in close association with outside organisations/industries and apply appropriate and innovative methodologies to address their problems. This serves to create a virtuous cycle where academic research catalyses practical applications and in turn provides fodder for challenging research problems.
The structure of the PhD program will entail coursework and internships while working on the research problem. Candidates will be encouraged to take a wide variety of courses in order to cultivate a cross-disciplinary outlook. The topic of the dissertation is expected to be inter-disciplinary with emphasis on practical impact that is inspired by real world problems or sponsored by industry and the output should address a gap or add something new to the existing literature.
A PhD scholar is not only preparing to be a researcher but also a teacher and teaching is integral to effective learning. The disposition of “Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn” shall be instilled in the doctoral candidates to gain valuable instructional skills and in turn enhance their knowledge by providing opportunities for tutoring and/or independently teaching courses at the undergraduate or Master’s levels in the University.
With the spirit of liberal inquiry governing every aspect of academic life, accomplished faculty, emphasis on work-life balance, a close and supportive environment, and access to world-class facilities, being a research scholar at FLAME will be an enjoyable, enriching, and productive experience.
AREAS
RESEARCH SUPERVISION
A Research Advisory committee (RAC) consisting of experts in the field will be constituted for each PhD candidate and will be the main body guiding the candidate in their research work. The RAC will have a Research Supervisor (a senior member of the faculty who will be the convener of the committee), a co-research Supervisor, one or more eminent scholars (internal or external), and the operational head of the area in which the doctoral work is conducted.
Click here to see our PhD Guides and Research Interests.
STIPEND, CONTINGENCY GRANT, AND CONFERENCE SUPPORT
The PhD candidate who is admitted under the FLAME University fellowship scheme will be provided with a monthly stipend ranging between Rs.40,000/- to Rs. 50,000/- with biennial increments as per university policy for 4 years from the date of admission. Candidates on fellowship will also be given financial support to attend select national and international conferences and a contingency grant of Rs.25,000/- per annum during the course of the doctoral program.
Candidates on fellowship will be provided accommodation on campus based on availability or compensated with House Rent Allowance as per University policy.
Candidates not on fellowship would be governed by same regulations as applicable to fellowship candidates for program completion requirements. Further, conference support and contingency grants are not applicable to non-fellowship candidates.
DURATION
The minimum and maximum period of study and research shall be three (3) years and Six (6) years respectively from the date of registration of the candidate.
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
The scholar should have published at least two (2) research papers in refereed/Scopus/Web of Science indexed journals and should have made at least two paper presentations in conferences / seminars on their PhD research work to be eligible for the submission of the thesis.
COURSEWORK STRUCTURE AND CURRICULUM
PhD candidates will undertake a minimum of 1 semester of courses amounting to a minimum of 19 credits.
The typical structure of the course work is as follows:
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Semester 1 |
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Year 1 |
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Based on the preparation of the candidate, the RAC may recommend additional courses that may be prescribed in lieu of or in addition to the above-mentioned courses.
A candidate would have deemed to have successfully completed the course work if they obtain a grade of B+ or better in each of the courses prescribed to the candidate.
TEACHING REQUIREMENTS
An essential component of a PhD scholar’s training is in pedagogy. Candidates on stipendiary support from FLAME will be expected to assist in tutoring/teaching at least one course in each semester from the second year of the PhD program.
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY
The minimum eligibility to apply to FLAME University’s Doctoral programs is the following:
| Faculty | Discipline | Minimum Eligibility |
| Faculty of Liberal Education | Economics | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Economics or allied disciplines with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Liberal Education | Environmental Studies | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, Biology, Biodiversity, Botany, Microbiology, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Geography, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Sciences with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Liberal Education | Humanities | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in either the arts (Literature, Film, Media, Philosophy, or Culture), or any allied discipline with demonstrated expertise in writing and analytical skills with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Liberal Education | Psychology | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Psychology or allied disciplines with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Liberal Education | Sociology | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Sociology, Political Science, Culture Studies, Social Work and Policy, Human Development, Public Health or any allied discipline with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Computing and Data Science | Computing and Data Science | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in the sciences (Physics, Mathematics), engineering, or any quantitative discipline with demonstrated expertise in computational skills with at least an overall “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. |
| Faculty of Business | Management | Applicants should have a Master’s degree in the sciences, engineering, economics, management or allied disciplines with at least a “B” grade or 55% at the Master’s level. OR Postgraduate diploma in Management/Business Administration (2-year) recognized by AICTE and granted MBA equivalence. OR Professional qualifications of CA, ICWA and CS with Bachelor’s Degree (with at least 60% marks or equivalent in Bachelor’s Degree). |
| For candidates with a Master’s or an equivalent degree from a foreign educational Institution, the degree must be recognized by the Association of Indian Universities. | ||
For candidates currently pursuing a PhD elsewhere or those with an M.Phil degree who wish to apply to the doctoral program at FLAME, credit transfer for doctoral level courses will be at the sole discretion of FLAME University.
APPLY NOW
FLAME University has an online application process. Please register on our application portal to create your user account. You will get an auto generated e-mail with your log in information. Use this log in information to apply to FLAME.
Kindly keep the following documents ready as you will be asked to upload and submit the same along with your application –
- A statement of purpose indicating why you are interested in pursuing a PhD. Please include details of any previous research or practical experience, publications, outreach activities, and other achievements that indicate your suitability to carry out a PhD (No more than 750 words).
- A brief outline of your proposed research project, including a short review of the literature and proposed methodology (No more than 1000 words).
- A CV/resume including details of your educational qualifications, employment history, and any other relevant experience. Please specify if you are currently enrolled in a doctoral program elsewhere or completed your M.Phil.
Please register on our application portal to create your user account. You will get an auto generated e-mail with your log in information. Use this log in information to apply to FLAME.
» Go to Application Portal
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