The degree of Doctor of Philosophy signifies that the holder has undertaken a substantial piece of original research, which has been conducted and reported by the holder under proper academic supervision and in a research environment for a prescribed period.

PhD Thesis

The PhD thesis demonstrates authority in the candidate's field and shows evidence of command of knowledge in relevant fields. It shows that the candidate has a thorough grasp of the appropriate methodological techniques and an awareness of their limitations. The thesis also makes a distinct contribution to knowledge, which rests on its originality of approach and/or interpretation of the findings, and, in some cases, the discovery of new facts.

Additionally, the thesis demonstrates an ability to communicate research findings effectively in the professional arena and in an international context. It is a careful, rigorous, and sustained piece of work demonstrating that a research 'apprenticeship' is complete and that the holder is admitted to the community of scholars in the discipline.

In scope, the PhD thesis differs from a research masters thesis chiefly by its deeper and more comprehensive treatment of the chosen subject. It is written succinctly, in English, unless approval has been given for the thesis to be written in a language other than English. The normal length of a PhD thesis is 80,000 words, exclusive of words in tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices. Footnotes are included as part of the word limit.

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