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PhD candidates undertake an independent research study supervised by a team of advisors. The maximum enrollment duration allowed prior to thesis submission is 4 years for full-time students or 7 years for part-time/distance learners. Typically, active research (encompassing experiments, lab work, field studies, and data gathering) spans 3 to 3.5 years full-time or 6 to 6.5 years part-time/distance learning. Following active research, students may apply for a writing-up phase lasting up to 12 months. The combined duration of active research and writing-up cannot surpass the maximum enrollment period. Theses generally should not exceed 80,000 words and must present original scholarly contributions with publishable-quality research. Finally, candidates must successfully defend their thesis in an oral examination (viva voce) to receive their degree.