The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree programs at St. George’s University require a total of at least 60 credits. All PhD programs require the production and defense of a research proposal and the doctoral thesis. Transfer credits are accepted from approved institutions and the candidate’s supervisory committee determines the number of credits that may be incorporated, following specified guidelines. Research and coursework are directed by the candidate’s supervisory committee.
Students have the option of completing their doctoral studies by meeting different requirements. Students can opt to do a PhD by thesis or a PhD by publication format. To complete the PhD, irrespective of the format chosen by the student in collaboration with the Supervisory Committee, all students are required to provide proof of at least one manuscript accepted for publication or the publication of at least one paper in an approved journal, based solely on the research undertaken in the pursuit of the PhD. In the case of PhD by publication format, in addition to an accepted manuscript or published paper, the student is also required to submit two additional manuscripts for publication in an approved journal. The manuscripts or publications can be compiled to produce the thesis for students using the PhD by publication format.
Irrespective of the PhD format, all completed theses, upon the recommendation of the Chair of the Supervisory Committee, are submitted to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for submission to the external examiner. In addition, a final oral presentation and defense of the thesis must be successfully completed before the degree is awarded.
PhD programs are offered in the following disciplines in the SOM:
| Graduate Degree | School | Department | Discipline |
| PhD | SOM | Anatomy | Anatomy |
| Department of Public Health & Preventive Medicine | Biomedical Research | ||
| Pathology | Pathology | ||
| Microbiology, Immunology & Pharmacology | Microbiology | ||
| Physiology, Neuroscience & Behavioral Science | Physiology | ||
| Neuroscience |
ANATOMY/ANATOMICAL SCIENCES
The PhD in anatomy/anatomical sciences provides students with training in clinical anatomy topics such as ultrasound, endoscopy, immunohistochemistry and their application in clinical practice.
ANATOMY/ANATOMICAL EDUCATION
The PhD in anatomy/anatomical education provides students with training in clinical anatomy topics, such as ultrasound, endoscopy, and immunohistochemistry, with special emphasis on their applications in medical education.
MICROBIOLOGY
The PhD in microbiology offers specific areas of concentration in clinical microbiology, marine microbiology, parasitology, mycology, and virology. Graduate courses will complement the specific areas of concentration and are set by the candidate’s supervisory committee.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
The dual MD/PhD Biomedical Research degree is open to any qualified SGU medical student or graduate but primarily intended for students from a country that does not accept an SGU MD degree as a terminal degree and who thus need a PhD degree in addition to their MD degree in order to practice medicine in their home country. Students can participate in the program if they have completed most, if not all, of the requirements for the MD degree, and wish to continue their studies by conducting research leading to the award of the PhD degree. Students conduct research in their home country at an appropriate medical or research institution. The areas of research concentration include the widest spectrum of investigations in the field of medicine.