Doctor of Philosophy in Global Chinese and Cultural Studies
Southern University College · Skudai, Malaysia
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
This programme provides an interdisciplinary and cross-regional approach to Global Chinese and Cultural Studies. It equips students with advanced research knowledge, critical thinking skills, and professional ethics while enhancing soft skills.
In response to the impact of globalization, the curriculum integrates perspectives from history, sociology, literature, philosophy, media studies, and diaspora studies. The completion of two core courses (Research Methodology, Special Topic on Global Chinese and Cultural Research) and a research-based Thesis is required for graduation.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Research Methodology as a core course to build advanced research capability in Global Chinese and Cultural Studies
- Special Topic on Global Chinese and Cultural Research as a core course to develop an area-focused research direction
- Develop critical thinking skills and professional ethics for doctoral-level research
- Carry out doctoral dissertation work grounded in Global Chinese and Cultural Studies
- Apply interdisciplinary perspectives across history, sociology, literature, philosophy, media studies, and diaspora studies
- Strengthen soft skills through research training within the programme
- Complete and finalise the research-based Thesis required for graduation
- Undertake doctoral-level refinement of argumentation, analysis, and presentation of research findings
- Finish graduation requirements based on the programme's two core courses and thesis structure
Curriculum
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | credit hours | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Two core courses | Research Methodology | ||
| Special Topic on Global Chinese and Cultural Research | ||||
| Semester 2 | Research-based Thesis | Thesis (research-based) |
Career outcomes
- You graduate with advanced research knowledge and doctoral-level critical thinking that supports careers in education and research roles.
- You gain structured skills to work as a researcher in Global Chinese and Cultural Studies, including cross-regional and interdisciplinary research settings.
- You are prepared for culture and media industry opportunities by studying Global Chinese and cultural experiences through history, literature, philosophy, and media studies perspectives.
- You can pursue roles in the public and non-profit sector where cultural understanding and research-informed decision-making are valuable.
- You can move into corporate and business sector paths that benefit from expertise in Chinese cultural identities, cultural transformations, and diaspora-related insights.
- You build a dissertation-based profile that supports long-term career advancement in related fields and supervision roles over time.
Employability rate
Graduates of doctoral-level Global Chinese and Cultural Studies are typically employable at about 78% with an unemployment rate of about 22%, reflecting variable demand across education, research, culture, and media pathways.
Together, these figures suggest a solid career outlook for applicants who plan research-to-career transitions into education, research, and culture-focused industries in Malaysia.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Master's degree or equivalent (foreign qualifications) | International applicants should hold a relevant master’s qualification or an equivalent postgraduate qualification from outside Malaysia, as assessed by the university during admissions review for foreign qualifications. |
| Research proposal (postgraduate) | For postgraduate applicants, international applicants are required to submit a proposal as part of the application package for the university’s internal evaluation. |
Language requirements
International applicants must provide proof of English proficiency for admission consideration. If you have a qualification taught fully in English, you may be able to request a medium-of-instruction consideration, subject to the university’s approval for international applicants.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
MOI waiver details are not published for this programme. See the English test requirements above.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | MYR 21000 / total program | From Southern University College 2022 Programme Fees for International Students: Doctor of Philosophy (Chinese Studies) shows Tuition 21,000 with Total (RM) 28,500 for 36 months. Tuition fee is subject to change in every semester based on credit hours selected. |
| Other charges (admin-related total shown on fee sheet) | MYR 7500 / total program | From Southern University College 2022 Programme Fees for International Students fee sheet: Other charges are shown as 7,500 (includes visa processing fee, medical screening fee, insurance and student pass, and other listed items). |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants should prepare financial documents to support tuition payment and study living costs for Malaysia in line with Malaysian student-pass and visa requirements. The university International Student Office (ISO) will guide you on what to provide as part of your application and visa documentation process.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare your application documents
Contact the university’s International Student Office (ISO) to confirm the required documents for international applicants. If you are applying for postgraduate study, include your proposal with your application package. Ensure your documents are ready to be submitted by email to the ISO as instructed by the university.
Submit application and the application fee
Submit your application form and supporting documents to the ISO. Pay the application fee of RM 500 as published in the university’s international student application procedures. The university will then conduct an internal evaluation by the relevant department or faculty.
Receive the offer letter and complete the offer payments
If your application is approved, the university will issue an offer letter. You will be required to submit RM 3,500 after approval (as described under programme fees other charges Part A in the procedures). After this, ISO will proceed with visa documentation processing steps through the relevant Malaysia student-pass workflow.
Visa processing support and student pass endorsement
Once the offer-related steps are completed, ISO will submit the documents to Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) for a Visa Approval Letter (VAL). After the VAL is approved, you must complete payment of RM 3,500 (Part B) and the first year’s tuition fee to the university. ISO will then support you to proceed with the next steps for the single entry visa and student pass endorsement, including post-arrival medical check-up requirements.