Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees offered by the Institute are research degrees. The MPhil is a two-year full-time research degree and the PhD is a three year full-time research degree. Part-time students will engage in research work about 3 years for MPhil degree and about 4 ½ years for PhD degree.
Supervision
The relevant Board of Study appoints a supervisor/ a panel of supervisors to guide a research degree student. In consultation with experts of interest, a student may nominate names of such persons as prospective supervisors in the Application form or in a separate request letter before the appointment of supervisors formally by the Institute. The relevant Board of Study may consider such nominations when appointing supervisors.
It is the responsibility of the student and supervisor/s to record details of supervisory meetings and progress of research in Supervisory Record Book given to the student by the Institute. Students and supervisors are advised to have at least four meetings, each meeting with minimum one hour duration, in a given six-month period of time. Supervisees and supervisors are also encouraged to communicate through electronic media regularly and submit records of such meetings to the Director of the Institute.
Research Proposal Submission
A research degree student is expected to submit his/her research proposal to the Institute for approval within the first 12 months of his/her registration at the PGIHS. The length of the proposal may be 1500-3000 words for an MPhil degree and 3000-4000 words for a PhD degree. The proposal should be prepared according to the format prescribed by the Institute. The language of the research proposal should be English or in the medium of registration of the candidate. The supervisor/s of the candidate should recommend the submission of the proposal by endorsing the Research Proposal Submission Form.
Guidelines for the Preparation of Research Proposal
Research Proposal Submission Form (PGIHS/STU/Form 005).
.Oral Presentation
A student should deliver an oral presentation of his/her research proposal to a panel of evaluators appointed by the Board of Study. The Chairperson of the evaluation panel, usually the Chairperson of the relevant Board of Study or his/her nominee, should inform the Director of the Institute in the prescribed form the successful/unsuccessful completion of the research proposal by the candidate. A research student whose proposal was unsuccessful will be given a six months period from the date of oral presentation to revise and resubmit the proposal and avail for another oral presentation.
Progress of Reports
Research students are required to submit six monthly progress reports of his/her research and thesis writing in the prescribed form through supervisors to the Director of the Institute for the approval. Copies of pages of Supervisory Record Book containing details of supervisor-supervisee meetings should be provided with the progress reports. Progress reports which are unsatisfactory or not received on time may carry the penalty of cancellation of registration/ withdrawal of scholarship, if any. All students who received University Scholarships should submit their progress to the Director using the prescribed form. A student who intends to submit the thesis for examination, is required to submit the final progress report three (03) months before the intended date of submission of the thesis for examination.
Progress Report Submission Form (PGIHS/STU/Form 007)
University Scholarship Application: www.pdn.ac.lk/mainpg-contents/downloads.php
Pre-submission Seminar
A student who intends to submit the thesis is also required to lead a public seminar on his/her thesis. The student may submit the thesis once the pre-submission seminar is completed successfully.
Research students are also encouraged lead public seminars of their research work at any time making arrangements with the Institute. The institute may facilitate such presentations and consider such presentations as preliminaries for thesis submission.
Authenticity and Plagiarism Check
A student should not submit a thesis or part thereof on which a Degree has been conferred upon him/her by any other University. A student may incorporate into his/her thesis any published work which has not already been embodied in an earlier thesis of the candidate. He/Sheshould declare in the thesis that his/her work is authentic and is free from unauthorized parts of another work. The thesis submitted by students should not contain any part of work done by another person/s without due acknowledgement and authorization. Plagiarism is a serious examination offence of the Institute and the University and disciplinary actions will be taken for any violations underthe bylaws of the University. Students are required to submit reports of plagiarism check along with the thesis when it is submitted for examination.
Preparatory Work for Submission of Thesis
A student who expects to submit the thesis for examination should inform the same to the Office of the PGIHS at least three months before the expected date of submission. The Institute will not accept a thesis for examination if the student has failed to maintain his/her registration, settle due fees of the programme, provide satisfactory progress reports, conduct thesis pre-submission seminar, prepare the thesis according to the Format of Thesis of the Institute, obtain approval from supervisor/s for the submission of thesis. Students are strictly required to follow the Guidelines for the Preparation and Submission of Thesis.
