博士学位课程为四年制课程。学位的格式包括课程作业和论文。该课程的头两年内，学生必须通过笔试和口试。论文是该学位课程工作中最重要的组成部分，涉及原创性研究。任何准学生的第一步是选择一名潜在的主管，并与主管协商
The PhD program is a four year program. The format for the degree consists of coursework and a thesis. The student must pass a written and an oral comprehensive examination within the first two years of the program. The thesis is the most significant component of work towards the degree and involves original research. The first step for any prospective student is to select a potential supervisor and in consultation with the supervisor, organise a research plan including possible thesis topic, before admission to the program. Faculty research interests are a critical factor in this preliminary decision.<br><br>The department is attempting to expand and strengthen its research activities and graduate students will play an important role in this endeavour. Almost all faculty members in the department receive external or internal funding to support their research programs.<br><br>Graduate degrees traditionally have been awarded for the successful completion of a satisfactory thesis. The thesis route expresses the fundamental tradition of academic scholarship. It also relates to the University's undergraduate programs, because the creation of a thesis in any discipline calls for a range of skills which are central to the liberal education tradition, including analysis and synthesis of ideas, empirical investigations, the construction and articulation of arguments, and writing skills.