General Information
Students will enroll in three semesters (18 months) of intense study of concepts in social theory, philosophy, and world religions as a foundation for fieldwork or research exploring conflicts, world trouble spots, and methodologies for working to transform conflict into peace. The academic year is two semesters and runs from September through May. The language of instruction is English. The dissertation may be written in either English or Thai.
Minimun Qualifications for application
- Master’s Degree
- 3 years of work experience
- 550 TOEFL score (or equivalent) and English certificate. This is normally waived for students who have written their Master’s Thesis in English.
Method of selection
Selection will be based on:
- completed application form
- all official post-secondary transcripts
- statement of purpose (750-1,000 words)
- list of writings/publications (if any)
- letters of recommendation (two from former college/university instructors, and one from work colleague/supervisor)
- personal/telephone interview
Tuition
The total tuition package for the 4-year Ph.D. Program (8 regular semesters) is 768,100 baht (approximately 25,000 USD). Thai students are discounted 160,000 baht.
Curriculum
YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1 PB 804 Foundation of Peace Studies PB 821 Religion and Peacebuilding PB 839 Human Rights and Peacebuilding SEMESTER 2 PB 811 Cultural Dimensions of Peacebuilding PB 812 Peacebuilding as a Philosophical Enterprise PB 837 Seminar on Contemporary Issues in Peacebuilding | YEAR 2 SEMESTER 1 PB 834 Research Methodology in Peacebuilding PB 838 Selected Readings in Peace Studies SEMESTER 2 PB 852 Individual Research (Students will have a qualifying examination at the end of this semester) |
YEAR 3 SEMESTER 1 Develop dissertation topic Present detailed dissertation proposal for approval Begin writing dissertation SEMESTER 2 PB 992 Dissertation (Begin writing dissertation) | YEAR 4 PB 992 Dissertation (Write, Submit, and Defend) |
Grading & Examination
To be qualified for the qualifying exam, the student must earn at least a 3.25 GPA.
The Qualifying Examination include three components: (i) a general written comprehensive examination which cover major theoretical areas of peace studies; (ii) a preliminary paper on the student’s tentative research topic, and (iii) an oral examination.