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Postgraduate Student Handbook SGS 20.1.21
Postgraduate Student Handbook SGS 20.1.21
CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION
This handbook provides important information for students (local and international) planning to pursue or
currently are pursuing postgraduate studies at the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) as well as visiting and
exchange graduate students to UPM. The content covers information on admission, international
collaborative programmes, student mobility, academic matters, financial assistance, thesis, student affairs,
learning support, visa and student pass and other useful information on a range of available services and
facilities on-campus. The handbook is designed to guide students on the academic requirements and
procedures that will ensure successful completion of postgraduate studies.
The postgraduate programmes (research and coursework) included in this handbook are of doctoral
degrees and master’s degrees offered by various faculties and institutes at UPM. This handbook should be
read together with the UPM Graduate Studies Rule 2003 (Revision 2015 – 2016), individual programme
regulations and other general academic regulations set by UPM. General enquiries about the programmes
and admission can be directed to the School of Graduate Studies and the relevant faculties or institutes.
The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is a service and administration centre that is established to assist
postgraduate students from admission to completion of their studies. SGS is the core support system which
helps ease and enhance the postgraduate experiences for UPM students and plays a crucial role in
fostering the relationship between UPM and its graduates.
SGS has been set up initially as a Graduate Study Unit in 1978, then progressed to become a fully
functioning Graduate School Office (GSO) in February 1993, to serve the growing population of
postgraduate students at UPM. In March 2002, it was officially renamed as the School of Graduate Studies
(SGS) which coordinates all postgraduate programmes at UPM and its related activities. SGS also plays
an active role in bolstering UPM’s status as a research university.
ii) To cultivate and nurture a research culture through efficient and effective management of
postgraduate activities.
iii) To ensure quality of postgraduate programmes are in line with the national education standard.
iv) To increase the international student population that would contribute towards UPM’s
internationalization initiative.
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SGS ADMINISTRATION
I. Academic Unit:
The unit provides academic services such as registration of courses, development and review of
programmes, appointment of Supervisory Committee, monitoring of student’s progress, and managing of
examination results, records, and convocation.
This unit manages the financial assistance available for postgraduate students such as GRA, GRF, IGSS,
and PASS. The roles include advertisement of scholarship (internal and external), scholarships selection
and award, and management of contract and monthly stipends.
The unit manages the process for thesis examination that includes appointment of Thesis Examination
Committee, submission of thesis to examiners, compilation of examination reports, and arrangement of
Viva Voce.
The unit provides learning support to enhance academic development and experience of students,
oversees students’ general welfare, and manages the Pertanika Journal of Scholarly Research Reviews
(PJSRR).
The unit manages processing of admission applications, registration of new students and promotion of
postgraduate programmes.
The unit coordinates the linkages with international community and industry, promotes international
academic programmes and mobility, and manages financial assistance for students’ research attachment
and participation in international conference abroad.
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Dean’s Office
dean.sgs@upm.edu.my
Prof. Dr. Zalilah Mohd Shariff Dean, SGS 03-9769 4201 1st Floor
zalilahms@upm.edu.my
Mrs. Norhasliza Hassan Chief Assistant Registrar 03-9769 8975 norhasliza_h@upm.edu.my 1st Floor
Academic & Financial Aid Unit:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nor Azowa Ibrahim Deputy Dean (Academic and Financial) 03-9769 4205 norazowa@upm.edu.my Ground Floor
Assistant Registrar
Mr. Muhammad Akees Abu Mansor 03-9769 4211 akees@upm.edu.my Ground Floor
Academic Unit
Thesis, Student Affairs & Media Unit:
Prof. Ts. Dr. Zuriati Ahmad Zukarnain Deputy Dean (Thesis, Student Affairs and Media) 03-9769 4208 zuriati@upm.edu.my 1st Floor
Assistant Registrar
Mr. Mohamad Hafiz Mohamad Student Affairs and Media Unit 03- 9769 4245 mhafizm@upm.edu.my 1st Floor
Assistant Registrar
Ms. Nur Nadjla Ahmad Razei 03- 9769 4216 nurnadjla@upm.edu.my 1st Floor
International Unit
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POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES
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UPM also offers more than 294 fields of study for programme by research.
Accounting Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources
Advanced Materials Bioinformatics and System Biology
Aerospace Engineering Biomedical Engineering
Agribusiness Biopolymer, Pulp and Paper Technology
Agricultural Economics Bioresource and Technology
Agricultural Extension Bioresource Management
Agricultural Genomics Biotherapeutics
Agricultural Mechanization and Automation Business Economics
Agricultural Policy Business Law
Agricultural Process Engineering Cancer Biology and Oncology
Agricultural Technology Catalysis
Agricultural Waste Engineering Cell Biotechnology
Agronomy Chemical Engineering
Anesthesiology and Analgesic Chemical Pathology
Analytical and Structural Mathematics Chinese Literature
Analytical Chemistry Clinical Nutrition
Anatomy and Histology Clinical Pathology
Animal Behavior and Welfare Clinical Psychology (PhD Only)
Animal Biotechnology Communication Technology
Animal Nutrition Community Development
Animal Physiology Community Education and Development
Animal Production Community Nutrition
Animal Science Computable Structures and Scientific Computing
Animal Waste Management Computational Electromagnetics
Animal Welfare Computational Mathematics
Applied and Computational Statistics Computational Methods in Engineering
Applied Comparative Linguistics Computational Operations Research
Applied Mathematics Computer and Embedded Systems Engineering
Applied Physics Computer Networks
Aquaculture Consumer Science
Aquainformatics Control System Engineering
Aquaculture Biotechnology Corporate Leadership
Aquaculture Engineering Curriculum and Instruction
Aquatic Animal Health Database Systems
Aquatic Biotechnology Development Communication
Arabic Language Developmental Psychology
Architecture Studies Discourse Studies
Automotive Engineering Ecology
Avian Medicine Economics
Bacteriology Education in Malay Language
Biochemical Engineering Educational Administration
Biochemistry Educational Psychology
Biocomposite Technology and Design Educational Technology
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Electrical Engineering
Electrical Power Engineering Green Engineering
Energy Guidance and Counselling
English Language Halal Products Development
English Literature Halal Products Management
Entomology Halal Products Science
Environmental Biotechnology Health Education and Communication
Environmental Economics, Planning and Management Health Promotion
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PhD by Industry offers an alternative route for industry practitioners who wish to pursue a doctorate
degree without leaving their workplace. There is a wide range of fields of study available that
students can choose from particularly in engineering, business and economics, agriculture, food
technology, computer science, biotechnology, etc.
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(a) Admission
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3. What is the minimum academic admission requirement for Master’s or PhD programme in
UPM?
Generally, UPM requires a CGPA of 3.00/4.00. However, admission into the programme is also
subject to requirements specified by the faculty / institute (refer to the faculty’s / institute’s website)
4. I have a Higher National Diploma (HND). Can I use this to apply for a Master’s programme at
UPM?
No. UPM only accepts a Bachelor’s degree for Master’s programme.
7. I have received an offer letter to study at UPM next semester. Can I defer for one semester?
Yes. You can defer to the following semester by replying to the offer via online.
You can use the same username and password for application at
http://sgsportal.upm.edu.my:8080/sgsportal/.
9. I am an international student and I took an IELTS 6 years ago. Is the test score still valid to
be used for my application for admission?
No. The validity period for IELTS or any other English Language Proficiency Test score which is
equivalent to CEFR should not be more than 5 years.
10. I am an international student with a degree from a Malaysian university. Can I be exempted
from English requirement for admission into postgraduate programme at UPM?
Yes. An applicant with a degree from any public / private university in Malaysia shall not be subject
to the English language proficiency requirement.
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11. I do not have any IELTS / TOEFL. Can I still apply to UPM?
Yes. If you meet the academic admission requirements, you will be granted a provisional offer
letter. However, you still need to fulfill the English language requirement before you can register in
the programme.
12. Can I take English programme at UPM if my IELTS / TOEFL does not meet the language
requirement?
Yes. You can join the Postgraduate Intensive English programme at the Centre for the
Advancement of Language Competence (CALC) or Certified Intensive English Programme (CIEP)
at ELS Centre. For more information, please refer to this link:
http://www.sgs.upm.edu.my/content/english_language_requirement-40581
13. What documents should I bring to UPM for registration of new postgraduate students?
You must bring the original and photocopy of certificate and transcript of Bachelor and/or Master’s
degree, identification document, English language proficiency test score and other related
documents and forms as listed in the registration checklist:
http://reg.upm.edu.my/eISO/docs/2017061616364220170620PU-S-BR02-GS-04d%20(1).pdf
14. I have arrived at UPM to register as a new postgraduate student, but I have not applied for
VAL. Can I still register?
No. An international student must have a valid VAL to proceed with programme registration. You
are advised to contact Putra International Centre for more information or refer to
http://www.sgs.upm.edu.my/content/visa_and_pass-40593
15. I have just finished my Master’s programme in a Malaysian university and I have been
offered a PhD programme at UPM. Do I need to go back to my home country to apply for
VAL?
Generally, if you finish your Master’s programme less than 2 months before registration of PhD
programme, you can proceed with the registration without leaving Malaysia. For more information,
please refer to Putra International Centre at http://www.intl.upm.edu.my/.
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4) Will the deferred number of semesters be counted into the period of study?
No, the number of semesters deferred will not be considered in the calculation of study
duration.
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7) I am a Master by research student. I would like to convert my Master to a PhD level. How
do I do that?
• You may apply for conversion if you fulfil conversion requirement:
(a) have completed at least two (2) semesters or one (1) year but not more than
four (4) semesters or two (2) years of the Master’s degree programme;
(b) have completed the coursework requirements of the Faculty/Institute and
obtained a minimum CGPA of 3.670 (if applicable).
(c) have published or show proof of acceptance of an article in a refereed journal
or its equivalent (e.g. book chapter) based on research done during candidacy;
(d) submit an extended research proposal that meets the scope of a PhD degree;
(e) have passed the conversion examination.
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9) This is my last semester, but I need more time to complete my thesis. How to apply for
extension?
• You may apply for extension beyond the maximum study period by:
- Login to Student Portal
- Click Form –> Extension of Study Period
- State the reason why you have to extend especially the progress of your
study/thesis.
- Submit the application.
• The application must be:
- Recommended the main supervisor/ member of the supervisory committee and
supported by the faculty
- Endorsed by SGS
• The application must be made within four (4) weeks of the maximum semester.
• Maximum period of extension is 3 semesters for Master’s and PhD students but each
application will be approved only for one semester.
• Refer to Section 10 UPM Rules 2003 (Graduate Studies) revision 2015-2016) for more
info.
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(a) Assessment
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4) How long should I wait to submit my thesis for examination after submission of GS-14a?
You must submit within 6 months after submission of GS-14a. After submission of GS-14a, your
faculty/institute will recommend the Thesis Examination Committee to the University for
approval. The examination committee must fulfill the criteria set forth by the University.
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Chapter Item
1 Introduction (including objectives). The relationship between the research
chapters should also be explained in this chapter.
2 Literature Review
#3-5 Research chapters. Each chapter represents a separate study that has its
own Introduction (including objectives), Materials and Methods/Methodology,
Results/Findings,* Discussion,* and Conclusion
6 Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations for Future Research
Chapter Item
1 General Introduction
2 Literature Review
3 Materials and Methods/Methodology
4-7 *Article 1 – 4
Copyright Permission/Acceptance Letter
8 Conclusion
Summary and Link to Articles
Significant Findings/Contribution
Recommendations
* A minimum of two (2) articles are required for a Master’s thesis, and four (4) for a PhD
thesis. Data published in the articles must not overlap.
* Articles accepted/published must be original and should normally be in citation-
indexed journals. Review articles are not considered as articles that count towards
thesis submission.
11) I received a letter from a publisher who wants to publish my thesis as a book. What should
I do?
The intellectual property from the thesis and copyright of thesis are fully-owned by Universiti
Putra Malaysia in accordance to the Universiti Putra Malaysia (Research) Rules 2012. The
publisher must obtain written permission from supervisor and the Office of Deputy Vice-
Chancellor (Research and Innovation) before the thesis can be published in any form.
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3. How do I apply?
Application instruction is provided in the scholarships advertisement which can be found at
(https://sgs.upm.edu.my/financial_assistance_scholarships-1893) or in printed materials
distributed to the faculty/institute. Please read and follow the instructions carefully. If you need
any assistance, please email to zainaf@upm.edu.my.
4. What types of financial assistance are available for the graduate students?
No. Local Students: No. International Students:
1 Graduate Research Fellowships 1 International Graduate Research
(GRF) Fellowships (IGRF)
2 Graduate Research Assistantships 2 Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)
(GRA)
3 Special Graduate Research 3 Special Graduate Research Allowance
Allowance (SGRA) (SGRA)
4 International Graduate Student Scholarship
(IGSS)
5 Putra Alumni Scholarship Scheme (PASS)
5. What are the general criteria for application of financial assistance / scholarships?
a) Registered as a UPM student;
b) Current status of study must be in ‘Good Standing’; status of ‘Probation’ or ‘Defer’
are not eligible to apply;
c) Successful applicant is not allowed to receive any other financial support or
scholarship/fellowship and should not be engaged in any type of employment.
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3. Graduate Masters (research) or Duration of RM1,125 (3 Partial waiver: Research grants balance of at least
Research PhD research teaching Masters: RM1,200 RM10k.
Assistantships Masters not > 4 project. hrs/week) (medicine), RM900 Applicant nominated/ approved by
(GRA) semesters RM1,300 (4 (science), RM700 Head of Research Project & Dean of
PhD not > 6 semesters teaching (humanities). Faculty/Inst.
hrs/week) PhD: RM1,600 Students receiving this scheme are
RM1,500 (6 (medicine), RM1,400 required to assist in teaching/
teaching (science), RM1,200 tutoring and or demonstrating as
hrs/week) (humanities) agreed accordingly.
4. Special Masters (research) or Duration of Masters: No waiver Students receiving this scheme are
Graduate PhD research RM1,800.00 not required to assist in teaching/
Research project. tutoring and or demonstrating BUT
Allowance Master: Max 6 semester PhD: shall assist in research works as
(SGRA) PhD: Max 10 semester RM2,300.00 instructed by the supervisor.
Research grants balance of at least
RM10k
Applicant nominated/ approved by
Head of Research Project & Dean
of Faculty.
5. International PhD only Up to 6 CGPA Masters 30% of tuition fees Has published at least 1 article in an
Graduate semesters 3.50 and > waived. academic journal and or has received
Student of study strong recommendation from
Scholarship subject to institutions.
(IGSS) annual Priority to applicants from academic
review of staff members of institutions which
academic have MoUs with UPM
progress. Supporting Documents: Letter from
Embassy verifying that applicant is not
a recipient of any financial assistance
from any agencies or gov’t.
6. Putra Alumni Program by research only Up to 2 Bachelor or UPM Alumni’s children: Recipient must graduate on time
Scholarship years for Master’s degree up to 50% tuition fee (GOT).
Scheme (PASS) Master & 3 with minimum waive.
years for CGPA of 3.500 UPM Alumni: 10%
PhD tuition fee waive.
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For a Joint degree, upon graduation student will get only one certificate with both universities’
logo on the certificate.
Programme Duration
Master 1-3 years (2 – 6 semesters)
PhD 2-5 years (4 - 10 semesters)
5) Do I need to register as a student with the partner university where UPM signed the
ICP agreement?
Yes, you need to register in person at the partner University.
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For Double Degree, the student will be required to produce two theses. One thesis will be
submitted to UPM and partner university. Each university will form a separate Joint
Examination Committee to examine the thesis.
Option 2: Download and complete the ICP Application form from SGS’ website at
http://www.sgs.upm.edu.my/programme_of_study/upm_international_collaborative_program
me_upm_icp/dual_joint_degree_programme-30853 and submit to Admission and Institutional
Relations Unit at: sgs_intl.programme@upm.edu.my
Note:
i) The admission approval process for ICP programme may take 1- 3 months as the process
requires approval from the two universities.
ii)
iii) The faster route is to apply for a normal programme and later convert to ICP programme.
iv) The application is open throughout the year. However, there are only two intakes per year
which is in September (First Semester) and February (Second semester).
v) For ICP programme with universities in Canada, UK and Australia, any interested applicant
must identify potential supervisor in UPM and in the partner university. Both supervisors
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must have agreed to collaborate as supervisors to supervise the project proposed by the
applicants.
10) What are the documents required to apply for the programme?
The documents required to apply for the UPM ICP programme are:
A certified copy of Bachelor / Master degree certificate;
A certified copy of Bachelor / Master degree transcript;
A certified copy of Identification Card/Passport;
A certified copy of TOEFL/IELTS result(s)
Research proposal;
Letter of scholarship/sponsorship award (if any);
Passport-sized photograph.
Proof of processing fee payment of RM60.00 (for local applicants) or USD60.00
(international applicants). For method of payment, please visit:
http://www.sgs.upm.edu.my/content/methods_of_payment-30092.
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15) What happen if the company that I am working for ceased its operation?
You need to switch to a normal PhD programme. If you choose to continue with PhD Industry
programme, item 14 above is applied.
Research topic can be anything related to the area Focus of the research is based on industrial issues or
of study problems
Everyone is eligible to apply Civil servant, private college/university staff are not
eligible to apply
UPM standard rate will be charged (according to RM5,550 (local) / RM8,100 (international)
the cluster of fields of study)
No agreement required MoA / MoU / LoI is required between UPM, student and
employer.
Minimum residential requirement is four (4) Minimum residential requirement for at least one month
semesters or two (2) years throughout study period
Intellectual property (IP) – 100% belongs to UPM Intellectual property (IP) – some percentage belongs to
company
Support from UPM only (financially or Support from the company / industry (financially or
academically) academically)
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5) What is the difference between workshops and seminars? Between core/thrust courses
and certificate programme
Seminars are more lecture driven with less participant interaction other than answering
questions. Workshops get participants fully involved in the learning process: small and large
group discussions, activities & exercises, opportunities to practice applying the concepts that
are presented.
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OTHER INFORMATION
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(a) Mobility
All postgraduate students in UPM particularly local students are encouraged to participate in any
mobility (outbound) programmes abroad. It provides a great opportunity for students to become
global citizens, interact with different cultures and at the same time acquire knowledge and learn
distinctive skills that are useful for future development. There are two types of mobility (outbound)
programme namely short-term mobility programme and long-term mobility programme. Short-term
mobility programme activities include training, seminar, workshop, summer school, benchmarking
visit, cultural visit and competition while for the long-term mobility programme, the activities include
research attachment, credit transfer programme and internship.
Financial Aid to Attend Open to LOCAL and INTERNATIONAL South East Asia (except
International Seminar students. Singapore and Brunei): Max
/ Conference RM1,000.00.
Registered as a PhD student.
Current status is “Good Standing”.
Asia (including Singapore
Never received assistantship under this and Brunei): RM1,500.00
scheme.
Priority is given to applicant who has not
exceeded 6 semesters of study. Other countries: RM2,000.00.
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Financial Aid to Attend LOCAL students only. South East Asia (except
Research Attachment Singapore and Brunei): Max
Registered in Masters (by research) or PhD RM3,000.00.
programme.
Current study status is “Good Standing”.
Asia (including Singapore
Length of attachment is between 1-3 months and Brunei): RM4,000.00
(justification is needed if the duration
exceeded three months).
The research to be carried out during the Other countries: RM5,000.00.
attachment must be related to applicant’s
Master / PhD research.
The offer letter from the host institution must
be provided when application is submitted to
SGS.
The completed application form must be
submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
at least 30 days before the attachment date.
Application form (GS-42) can be downloaded
from SGS website.
In addition, you can also apply mobility scholarships provided by international agency known as University
Consortium (UC) SEARCA. For more information, please refer https://uc.searca.org/grants/student/travel.
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5) Does PJSRR provide templates and Guidelines for preparing a journal article?
For your convenience PJSRR has developed templates to help you prepare your manuscript.
Kindly access www.pjsrr.upm.edu.my for further details.
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(e) Accommodation
* UPM does not arrange for OFF CAMPUS accommodation, students are required to make their own
enquiries and book with the homeowner. The above information is not meant to promote or endorse
any 3rd party accommodations.
(g) Library
Phone : +603 9769 8642
Email : lib@upm.edu.my
Operating Hours : Monday – Friday (8.30 am – 10.30 pm)
: Saturday & Sunday (8.30 am – 3.30 pm)
Closed : Saturday (1st & 3rd week)
: Public Holiday
Website : https://lib.upm.edu.my/
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(h) Transportation
1) UPM Bus Service:
Students who wish to use the bus service are required to purchase a monthly pass at only
RM15, available at the Bursar Payment Counter, Ground Floor, Main Administration Building,
UPM. With a valid pass, students are entitled for an unlimited ride per month. The pass shall be
presented to the bus driver at all time.
2) GRAB:
The fare depends on distance of journey.
4) Shuttle bus from KLIA / KLIA 2 to TBS, then take a taxi to UPM
Operation hours: 4.15am – 12.00pm – 1.00am
Note: The Universiti Putra Malayisa reserves the right to amend the information in this handbook without
any prior notice. Such amendments will be reflected in the online version of this handbook available at the
School of Graduate Studies homepage (www.sgs.upm.edu.my).
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