Marwadi University Rajkot Ph.D Finance: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. Yes, the Part-Time PhD in Finance at MU is specifically designed for working finance professionals including bankers, investment analysts, insurance professionals, corporate finance managers, and financial consultants. You can continue your job while pursuing the PhD, and research can be conducted at your workplace and/or at MU. You must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your employer at the time of application. This is particularly beneficial for professionals who work with real financial data and markets and want to contribute their practical insights to academic research.

Ans. Yes, CA/CS/ICWA qualification is considered equivalent to a PG degree for PhD eligibility as per UGC public notice (D.O. No. 9-35/2016 dated 15th April 2021). This means practicing CAs and Cost Accountants can directly apply for the PhD in Finance at MU without needing a separate MBA or M.Com. degree, provided they have at least 55% marks or equivalent in their CA/CS/ICWA qualification. This makes the program highly accessible to finance professionals holding these prestigious qualifications.

Ans. The Faculty of Management Studies at MU supports research in a wide range of Finance areas including corporate finance and capital structure, investment management and portfolio theory, financial markets and stock market behavior, banking and financial intermediation, risk management and derivatives, behavioral finance and investor psychology, financial technology (FinTech) and digital payments, and microfinance and financial inclusion. The specific research topic is finalized in consultation with your assigned supervisor and approved by the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

Ans. As per MU PhD regulations, you must publish a minimum of two research papers in SCOPUS or Web of Science Core Collection indexed journals before submitting your thesis synopsis. You must be the first author of these publications, and the papers must be from the research work done to fulfil the objectives of your approved thesis. For finance research, journals like the Journal of Banking and Finance, Finance Research Letters, International Review of Financial Analysis, and other SCOPUS-indexed finance journals are commonly targeted.

Ans. For part-time candidates, the maximum duration is 7 years from the date of registration. An extension of up to 2 years beyond this maximum can be granted by the Provost on the recommendation of the Doctoral Advisory Committee. Women candidates and persons with disability (more than 40%) are allowed an additional relaxation of 2 years. The total period for completion in any case should not exceed 10 years. This extended timeline makes the part-time PhD feasible for working finance professionals who may have demanding market-driven schedules.

Ans. PhD scholars must appear before the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) once every six months for a Research Progress Review (RPR) presentation. A total of five RPR presentations are required before you can submit your thesis synopsis. RPR presentations are typically held in May/June and November/December each year. For RPR4 and RPR5, you must have published or received acceptance for your first and second research papers respectively. The DAC includes your supervisor, an external subject expert, and internal faculty members who guide and evaluate your research progress at each stage.