• Institute for Advanced Studies
  • ias.um@um.edu.my
  • 03 7967 4600 / 4601
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Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), formely known as Institute of Graduate Studies (IGS), is Malaysian first postgraduate and advanced research institution within a university providing facilities for multidisciplinary studies. Since its inception in 1979, the IAS has been offering an extensive range of graduate research opportunities and the number of postgraduate candidates has increased significantly over the years. 

IAS is highly recognized  for conducting leading edge research in key areas of sciences, social sciences and humanities. In addition to the research centres base across the faculties, the IAS has four Higher Institution Centres of Excellence (HiCoE) and two University of Malaya Centres of Excellence (UMCoE), namely, the University of Malaya (UM) Power Energy Dedicated Advanced Centre (UMPEDAC), Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), Photonic Research Centre (PRC), Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR) and Tropical Infectious Research and Education Centre (TIDREC).

Career Opportunity

The Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) is conducted purely based on individual supervised research and the candidates will carry out  research in their areas of specialization. In most fields, the Masters is considered the pinnacle of academic achievement and the Master of Philosophy is testament to the candidate’s academic excellence and ability. At the end of the doctoral study, a thesis must be submitted and upon a successful defence of the thesis, the candidate will be awarded a Master degree.

Programme 
HMA – Master of Philosophy by research

Duration of study
Minimum period is two (2) semesters
Maximum period is eight (8) semesters

1.  An international applicant who will be writing his / her dissertation in English should have obtained:

  1. A band of 5.5 for the International English Language Testing System (Academic); or
  2. A score of 550 for paper-based total, a score of 213 for computer-based total or a score of 80 for internet-based total for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

2. International students are required to attend and pass (at least B) a basic course of  Bahasa Melayu before the degree can be conferred.

Entry Requirement

Entry requirements for this program are as follows:

  1. Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in the related field with minimum CGPA of 3.00 or its equivalent or;
  2. Bachelor's Degree with CGPA between 2.70 to 2.99 and fulfil at least one (1) criterion as follows or;
    • Universiti Malaya graduate;
    • Has at least one (1) year of working experience in a related fields;
    • Has produced publications in the related fields;
    • Scholarship agency staff;
    • Pass the interview conducted by the Faculty; or
    • Pass the special assessment by the Faculty
  3. Bachelor's Degree with CGPA between 2.50 to 2.69 and fulfil the criteria as follows or;
    • One (1) criterion for UM graduate
    • Two (2) criteria for non-UM graduate
      • Has at least one (1) year of working experience in a related field;
      • Has produced publications in the related fields;
      • Scholarship recipient;
      • Government agency staff;
      • Pass the interview conducted by the Faculty; or
      • Pass the special asssessment by the Faculty.
  4. Bachelor's Degree with CGPA between 2.00 to 2.49 and fulfil the criteria as follows or;
    • One (1) criterion for UM graduate
    • Two (2) criteria for non-UM graduate
      • Has related working experience in the related field not less than five (5) years;
      • Published at least one (1) publication in a refereed journal in the related field;
      • Passed the interview conducted by the Faculty (compulsory for non UM graduate applicants); or
      • Pass the special assessment by the Faculty.
  5. Possessed Professional qualification from a recognized professional body or;
  6. Possessed Professional qualification approved by Senate from time to time or;
  7. APEL (A) qualification (only for the programme by Mixed Mode and by Coursework)
Applications for research programmes are open throughout the year. Candidate could apply anytime

Last Update: 12/10/2023