Ph.D. in Humanities and Social Sciences
A doctoral research programme that prepares scholars to pursue original inquiry across diverse humanistic and social science disciplines.
Ph.D programme overview
Mahindra University’s Ph.D. in humanities and social sciences is designed for students who wish to undertake deep research at the intersection of culture, society, history, language and human behaviour. The programme supports rigorous academic training and independent research under faculty mentorship, enabling scholars to contribute new knowledge to fields such as literature, sociology, political science, economics, anthropology, history, philosophy, linguistics and education.
Interdisciplinary research opportunities
Engage with wide-ranging subjects across humanities and social sciences, from political thought to cultural studies.
Mentorship by subject experts
Work closely with faculty who bring deep academic and research experience across diverse specialisations.
Original thesis development
Conceptualise and execute an independent research project that contributes to scholarly literature.
Research ecosystem that supports scholarly growth
Participate in seminars, workshops, discourse and collaborative inquiry across schools and disciplines.
Programme details
Eligibility
Minimum qualification required for admission:
- Master’s degree in humanities and social sciences with a minimum CGPA of 6.00 on a 10-point scale or 60% marks in aggregate.
Note: Interested candidates are expected to submit a 500-1000 word proposal with a clear and coherent explanation of the proposed area of research.
Why Ph.D. from MU
- Opportunity to work in a research-oriented environment
- Mentorship by subject experts
- Experiential learning related to research and teachingesearch.
- Full tuition fellowship & stipend for Ph.D. students
Ph.D. Specialisations
Literature and Cultural Studies
- Indian Writing in English
- Cultural Studies
- Women’s Writing
- Postcolonial Literature
- Digital Humanities
- Medical Humanities
- Energy Humanities
- Posthumanism
- South Asian Fiction
- Literatures from the Global South
- Graphic Narratives
- Feminist Literary Studies
- Crime Fiction and Detective Narratives
- Law and Literature
- Affect Theory
- Literature and Cognition
- African Literatures
- Literature and the Body
- Literature and Technology
- Comparative Literature and Indian Knowledge Traditions
- Oral Traditions and Folklore studies
- Hermeneutics and Indian Knowledge Systems
English Language Education
- Skills Teaching and Assessment
- Technology in ESL Education (Digital and Multimodal Pedagogy)
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Studies
- Teacher Training and Professional Development
- Classroom-Based Research
- Intercultural Communication
- Materials Development in ELT
- Teacher Identity and Cognition
- Teaching Approaches
- Methods and Strategies
- Learner-Centered Pedagogy
Philosophy
- Philosophy- Philosophy of Mind
- Philosophical Logic
- Consciousness
- Ethics
- Professional Ethics
- Indian Philosophy
- Analytical Philosophy
- Philosophical Logic
- Consciousness
- Ethics
- Professional Ethics
- Indian Philosophy
- Analytical Philosophy
Cognitive Sciences
- Attention
- Perception and Memory
- Speech Perception
- Vision and Cognition
- Colour Perception
- Role of Vision in Driving Behaviours
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Aging
- Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Linguistics
Management Studies
- Organizational Behavior
- Strategic Management
- Coaching
- Team Coaching
French
- Féminisme
- Études de genre
- Approches comparatives du féminisme et la représentation des femmes dans la littérature française
- Évaluation des compétences interculturelles
- Littérature française et francophone
- Littérature suisse romande;
- Enseignment et évaluation de l’écrit; Approches et stratégies d’enseignemen
- Translinguisme
Economics
- Development Economics
- Behavioral Economics
- Sustainability
- Agricultural Economics
- Environmental Economics
- Energy Economics
- Economics of Climate Change
Accounting and Finance
- Accounting
- Corporate Finance
- Sustainable Finance
- Behavioural Finance
Linguistics
- Syntax
- Semantics
- morphosyntax
- Typological studies
- Sociolinguistics
- cultural linguistics
- ethno-linguistics
- cognitive linguisti
Education
- Education leadership
- Educational governance
- Education Policy and Planning
- Women leadership
- school education sector
Important dates
| Last Date for submission of applications | 10th June 2026 |
| Shortlisting of candidates for interview | 10th June 2026 |
| Ph.D. Entrance Test / Interview | 13th June 2026 |
| Announcement of Results | 30th June 2026 |
| Commencement of the Fall 2026 Semester Teaching | 6th August 2026 |
Ph.D. Assistantship
Selected full-time Ph.D. scholars will receive an assistantship worth Rs. 56,000 per month, comprising:
- Monthly Stipend: A stipend of Rs. 35,000 per month will be credited directly to the student’s registered bank account.
- On-campus accommodation and meals provided, valued at approximately Rs. 21,000
The assistantship includes mandatory Teaching Assistantship (TA) duties of 8 hours per week.
HSS Syllabus
Humanities and Social Sciences Syllabus: Click Here
FAQs
The typical full-time duration aligns with University regulations for doctoral programmes, generally spanning three years or more depending on research progression.
Yes. Scholars with postgraduate qualifications in allied fields such as education, media, cultural studies or interdisciplinary social science areas are eligible, subject to meeting admission criteria.
Doctoral study often includes research methodology preparation and specialised seminars integrated into the research training framework.
Proposals are evaluated on academic merit, clarity of research intent and feasibility prior to interviews with faculty panels.
