DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD) IN ART AND DESIGN

Programme Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Art and Design supports advanced research that makes an original contribution to knowledge through written, practice-led or integrated modes of inquiry. The programme positions Southeast Asian cultural contexts in dialogue with contemporary design theory, digital media and global creative practice.

Candidates are expected to define a significant research problem, select and justify appropriate methods, generate and analyse evidence, and communicate the contribution through a thesis and, where applicable, a substantial body of creative practice.

Programme ID

MOHE programme code

(N/0210/8/0012)（09/33）(MQA/PA19218)

Duration

Full-time 3 years Part-time 4 years

Program Objectives

Original Contribution：Produce rigorous research that extends knowledge or practice in art, design, visual culture or creative technology.
Research Capability：Apply and critically evaluate appropriate theoretical, qualitative, quantitative, mixed or practice-led methods.
Ethical and Contextual Judgement： Address research ethics, cultural responsibility, accessibility, sustainability, data management, authorship and intellectual property in the conduct of research.
Scholarly Communication and Leadership：Defend research decisions, disseminate findings and contribute to academic, professional or community knowledge.

Assessmen and Evidence

The proposed assessment approach is designed to verify the originality, significance, methodological rigour and ethical integrity of the contribution. For practice-led work, examiners will receive high-quality documentation of the artefact, exhibition or performance together with the critical thesis and a clear explanation of how both components form the research contribution.

Proposed candidature milestones include proposal defence, ethics approval where required, scheduled progress reviews, confirmation of candidature and a pre-viva review.
A supervisory panel with complementary methodological, disciplinary and practice expertise, supported by clear meeting and progress records.
Clear equivalence criteria for the practice-led route, in which the creative work, process documentation and critical thesis collectively demonstrate method, evidence, reflection and an original contribution.
A research data and documentation plan covering consent, storage, copyright, intellectual property, community permissions and disclosure of AI-assisted work.
Doctoral development in academic writing, publication, exhibition practice, grant applications, research impact, teaching and career planning.
At least one appropriate dissemination outcome before examination, such as a peer-reviewed paper, curated exhibition, conference presentation or documented public research output.

PROPOSED LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND ENHANCEMENTS

Programme Subjects

Common Core Subjects

Programme Name	Code Subject	Name of Subject
PhD in Art and Design	PHA 1100	Research Methodology
	PHA 1220	Exegesis with Creative Output
	PhA 1210	Thesis
PhD in Innovation and Technology	PIN8101	Research Methodology
PhD in Innovation and Technology	PIN8102	Thesis

Programme Structure:

Track	Required Components
Track A Standard Thesis	Research Methodology, an 80,000-word written thesis and oral defence.
Track B Practice-Led	Research Methodology, a major studio exhibition or artefact portfolio, a 30,000-40,000-word critical thesis and oral defence.

Entry Requirements:

Students from Malaysia
International students

Academic Requirement：
Master’s degree (Level 7, MQF) in Business Administration, as accepted by the HEP Senate; OR
Master’s degree (Level 7, MQF) in non-related fields, accepted by the HEP Senate, subject to having relevant working experience and rigorous internal assessment; OR
Master’s degree (Level 7, MQF) in non-related fields, without relevant working experience, accepted by the HEP Senate, subject to passing prerequisite courses; OR
Other qualifications equivalent to a Master’s degree (Level 7, MQF) recognised by the Malaysian Government.

Working Experience：
Experience can be cumulative experience even before acquiring required qualification for a particular level of study. However, the experience must be relevant to the level of study as well as the content.
Rigorous Internal Assessment
Rigorous assessment to evaluate the suitability of an applicant for a programme through statement of purpose, interview and other methods may cover the following criteria:
Demonstration of strong business experience, and that you have held significant managerial responsibilities.
Evidence of any achievements in your professional life, for example, consistently performing at a high level, consistent career progression and any impact that you have had on your organisation.
Professional skills that you have developed, for example, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, negotiating and analytical skills.

Prerequisite Courses:
The prerequisite courses must equip the applicant with necessary business knowledge of one level lower than the programme level:
1.⁠ ⁠Principles of Management
2.⁠ ⁠Marketing
3.⁠ ⁠Accounting & Finance Basics
4.⁠ ⁠Research Methodology
5.⁠ ⁠Business Statistics / Quantitative Methods

English Language Requirements:
IELTS (Academic) minimum Band 6.0 or other equivalent English Competency Certificate.

The school has established a complete education system from undergraduate to doctoral level. The curriculum is fully aligned with international standards and all courses are taught in English.

Contact Info

Office Hours

Monday to Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.