List of PhD Specializations: Course-wise Specializations, Eligibility, Entrance Exams

List of PhD Specializations: Course-wise Specializations, Eligibility, Entrance Exams

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Aayushi
Aayushi Madavi
Associate Senior Executive
Updated on Apr 7, 2025 15:34 IST
Master's degree holders who choose to pursue a PhD programme can do so in the same subject that they have studied during post-graduation. In this article, we will list all the specialisations that a postgraduate can pick for their PhD programme and also take a look at the eligibility requirements, entrance exam and more for PhD programmes.

Students can pursue a PhD degree in any subject as per their choice, given that they have a masterโ€™s degree in the same subject. Learn what these subjects and specialisations are on this page.

List of PhD Specialization

List of PhD Specializations

List of PhD Specialisations - PhD, which is also known as Doctor of Philosophy, is a higher-level qualification or an academic doctoral degree programme. A PhD programme is usually 3-4 years long and involves in-depth studies and research work in a particular field or discipline. Students enrolled on a PhD course are expected to complete the course within a maximum time duration of five to six years. In some colleges and research institutes, the duration of a PhD course may differ. In order to pursue a PhD course, candidates are required to have a masterโ€™s degree. At the end of the research, the PhD scholars are also required to submit a conclusion of their research or a thesis. However, PhD specialization choices depend on the subject pursued during the postgraduate course, there are many specializations in which PhD programmes are offered. In this article, we will take a look at the list of PhD specializations. Read further to learn more.ย 

Table of contents
  • PhD Course Highlights
  • Eligibility Criteria for PhD
  • List of PhD Specialisations
  • Popular Entrance Exams for PhD

PhD Course Highlights

Before getting into the list of PhD specializations, let us take a look at some course details in the table below.ย 

Particulars

Details

Course Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Course level

Doctorate

Eligibility

Through Fellowship - Aspirants must have a Master's degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks, and must have passed the National level fellowship examination.

Research Entrance Test - Aspirants should have a master's degree in a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks and must have passed the RET conducted by the university.

Duration

3 years and a maximum of 6 years

Course Fee

Up to INR 6 lakh

Top Colleges

Jamia Millia Islamia,ย Jawaharlal Nehru University,ย Delhi Universityย ,ย Banaras Hindu University

Average Starting Salary

INR 5 to 10 lakh

Top Recruiters

Government Departments, Research Institutes, Academic Institutions, Colleges and Universities

Entrance Exam

JEST,ย GATE,ย UGC NET,ย CSIR NET

Job Positions

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Research Advisor, Research Consultant

Also Read:ย Top 10 BA Subjects & Specialisations

Eligibility Criteria for PhD

Students interested in pursuing a PhD course must have completed their masterโ€™s degree in a similar course or stream in which they aspire to pursue PhD.ย 

Along with it, some colleges and research institutes state that candidates are considered eligible for a PhD course offered by them if they have passed UGC NET. Meanwhile, candidates interested to pursue a PhDย in Engineering should have a valid GATE score.

List of PhD Specialisations

The stream-wise list of PhD specialisations is provided in the table below.ย 

Popular PhD courses in Humanities

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Humanities

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Economics

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Geography

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Social Work

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in English

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Social Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Public and Economic Policy

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Humanities & Social Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Humanities and Life Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Psychology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Arts

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in International Relations and Politics

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Physiology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Public Policy

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Literature

Popular PhD Courses in Science

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Chemistry

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Clinical Research

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Science

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Bioscience

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Bioinformatics

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Biotechnology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Mathematical and Computational Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Applied Chemistry & Polymer Technology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Applied Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Zoology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Physics

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Basic and Applied Sciences

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Phd in Mathematics

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Zoology

Popular PhD Courses in Commerce

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Commerce Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Accounting and Financial Management

Popular PhD Courses in Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Genetic Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Civil Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Program in Quantitative Techniques

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Engineering and Technology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Electronics & Communication Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Computer Science Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Information Technology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Ceramic Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Production Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Marine Biotechnology

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Chemical Engineering

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Popular PhD Courses in Business & Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD Business Administration

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Aviation Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Accounting and Financial Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Marketing/ Brand Management

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Commerce

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Commerce and Management

Popular PhD Courses in Law

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Law

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Constitutional Law

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Law and Governance

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Legal Studies

Popular PhD Courses in Teaching & Education

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Education

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  PhD in Teaching

Also Read:ย Top 10 Music Colleges in India

Popular Entrance Exams for PhD

The popular entrance exams that allow admission to PhD programmes are linked in the table below. Aspiring PhD students can click on these links to learn more about these entrance exams.ย 

Name of the Exam

GATE

UGC NET

CSIR NET

JEST

Read More:

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About the Author
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Aayushi Madavi
Associate Senior Executive
Aayushi is a BAJMC graduate and an ardent consumer of content with a keen passion for film, TV and books. She specialises in Mass Communication and Humanities related exams, entrances and courses.
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