i.  Conditional admission to a PhD program is granted when the applicant, brings a Master’s degree in a related area or in a professional, rather than academic program, if this is permitted by the corresponding department. Such candidates must have not less than 4.00 CGPA (on 5-point scale) or 60% and must consequently complete remedial coursework from the MSc or MA (number of units and duration to be determined by corresponding department in agreement with BU SPGS), including a thesis, not appearing on his/her transcript, prior to being granted provisional or regular admission to the doctoral program. In any case of remedial coursework, this coursework must attain the required level of proficiency (60%) in order to qualify the applicant to be admitted to the doctoral program. No coursework may be taken which will be counted as part of the doctoral program while the student is under conditional admission. Once remedial coursework have been satisfactorily completed, the applicant will be granted either provisional or regular admission.

ii.  If the MSc (or MA) level of proficiency is between 55% and 59% (or 3.50-3.99 CGPA on 5-point grade average), the applicant may be granted conditional admission, pending completion of a minimum of 16 additional credits (i.e., one full semester) of specified graduate coursework, in which the minimum level of proficiency (60%) must be attained. Upon satisfactory completion, provisional or regular status may be given. No credits earned while under this conditional admission may be counted toward the doctoral program.

If the M.Sc (or MA) level of proficiency is between 50% and 54% (or 3.00-3.49 CGPA on 5-point grade average), the applicant may be granted admission to the corresponding M.Phil, in which the minimum level of proficiency (60%) must be attained. The first year of coursework from the MPhil (which corresponds to the first year of coursework in the doctoral program) will be counted as the first year of the PhD program, once the MPhil is completed satisfactorily. No portion of the second year of the M.Phil program (i.e., M.Phil project and/or elective courses) will be counted toward the PhD program. Upon satisfactory completion of the corresponding MPhil program, the applicant will be granted provisional or regular status in the PhD program and will commence with all requirements of the second year of the doctoral program.

Minimum of 24 Credits done over a minimum period of two semesters with an average score of not less than 50%.

If an applicant brings an MPhil in the same area of specialization as the PhD program for which application is made, this M.Phil must rest on an MSc (or MA) in the same area of specialization, with both the MPhil and the MSc (or MA) meeting the required levels of proficiency (60% and 50% respectively). If the applicant with an MPhil does not have an MSc (or MA) in the area of specialization, but another Master's degree that meets the required level of proficiency, then the transcript will be reviewed by the Department (if this is allowed by the Department) to ascertain which of the required courses in the M.Sc (or MA) have been completed, and any outstanding deficiencies must be completed prior to provisional or regular admission to the doctoral program, at the expected level of proficiency. Once any outstanding deficits have been removed and the applicant is admitted to the doctoral program, an MPhil in the same area of specialization (and only in that area) will count for the first year of the PhD program, with the student commencing with all activities of the second year of the program of studies. If the MPhil is in any area other than the PhD area of specialization, the student will commence with the first year of the doctoral program of studies.