Doctor of Philosophy Program in Learning Innovation
(International Program) (Internet-based Distance Education)

Program Title:

Doctor of Philosophy Program in Learning Innovation (International Program) (Internet-based Distance Education)

Program Code:

7102DG00

Degree Offered and Field of Study

Full Name : Doctor of Philosophy (Learning Innovation) 

Abbreviation : Ph.D. (Learning Innovation)

Educational Management System

System:  Two Semester Credit system. 1 Academic Year consists of 2 Regular Semesters, each with not less than 15 weeks of study.

Summer Sessions:  None

Credit Equivalence Ratio (In Reference to Semester System):  None

Academic System: Distance Learning Through the Internet 

Curriculum 

Number of Credits   

Plan 1.1 Dissertation only, not less than 48 credits. For students with Master’s Degree: 48 credits of Ph.D. dissertation and non-credit courses according to the recommendation of their academic advisor.

Plan 2.1 Coursework and Dissertation, not less than 48 credits. For students with Master’s Degree: The total number is no less than 48 credits (no less than 12 credits of coursework and 36 credits of Ph.D. dissertation)

Philosophy

The program is founded on learning-centered education, outcome-based education, and constructivism to ensure that learners achieve measurable learning outcomes. It aims to cultivate doctoral-level professionals in learning innovation with advanced expertise in learning theories and practices. Graduates will be able to design, develop, and evaluate learning media, technologies, and innovations through interdisciplinary integration, applying modern technologies and AI appropriately to solve authentic problems. The program also seeks to enhance learners’ experiences and outcomes and encourages them to construct knowledge by themselves and to extend ideas toward educational entrepreneurship. Students will develop advanced research competence to generate new knowledge and disseminate internationally recognized, citable scholarly work in learning innovation. Furthermore, graduates are expected to demonstrate teamwork, leadership, and effective communication using suitable languages, media, and technologies; creativity; innovative and critical thinking; and self-directed development of learning processes as part of lifelong learning. All of this is grounded firmly in research ethics and relevant professional codes of conduct.

Job option after graduation

• Knowledge-transfer personnel in public and private educational institutions in the field of learning innovation or related disciplines.
• Learning process designers (learning designers); instructional designers; developers of educational media, software, and games; educational technologists; and AI-enabled learning design specialists.
• Entrepreneurs in the educational technology sector (educational technology start-ups/entrepreneurs).
• Innovators in learning, education, and social innovation.
• Professional practitioners in the field of learning innovation.
• Academics and researchers in the field of learning innovation.
• Educators; educational support staff; human resource training management specialists; trainers/facilitators in public and private institutions and organizations.
• Communicators and science communicators.
• Learning innovation consultants and learning innovation experts (educational specialists).

Program Lecturer

The Faculty in Charge of the Program

1. Associate Professor Dr. KHAJORNSAK BUARAPHAN
2. Assistant Professor Dr. MONAMORN PRECHARATTANA
3. Assistant Professor Dr. PIROM CHENPRAKHON
4. Lecturer Dr. NANTAWACHARA JIRAKITTAYAKORN

Full Time Instructors of the Curriculum

1. Associate Professor Dr. KHAJORNSAK BUARAPHAN
2. Associate Professor Dr. SUCHAI NOPPARATJAMJOMRAS
3. Assistant Professor Dr. MONAMORN PRECHARATTANA
4. Assistant Professor Dr. NAMKANG SRIWATTANAROTHAI
5. Assistant Professor Dr. PIROM CHENPRAKHON
6. Assistant Professor Dr. WARARAT WONGKIA
7. Lecturer Dr. NANTAWACHARA JIRAKITTAYAKORN
8. Lecturer Dr. SUPAN YODYINGYONG
9. Lecturer Dr. TINNAPOB PHENGPOM

Full time instructors

1. Assistant Professor Dr. PIYACHAT JITTAM
2. Assistant Professor Dr. WATCHAREE KETPICHAINARONG
3. Lecturer Dr. PATCHARAPAN SIRIWAT
4. Lecturer Dr. PORAMATE TARASAK
5. Lecturer Dr. SOOPPAWAT THIPYARAT

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Plan 1.1 For students with Master’s Degree

Dissertation

ILLI 898: Dissertation

48 credits

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Plan 2.1 For students with Master’s DegreePrerequisite Course

Required Courses	9 credits
ILLI 501 Advanced Educational Technology	2 credits
ILLI 502 Advanced Research Methodologies in Learning Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 503 Designing Learning Experiences: Theories and Practices	2 credits
ILLI 504 Intelligence (AI) and Emerging Technologies in Learning Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 505 Seminars in Learning Innovation	1 credits

Elective Courses not less than 3 credits

ILLI 601 Entrepreneurship, Commercialization & Impact for Learning Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 602 Leadership, Communication, and Ethics in Educational Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 603 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Education	2 credits
ILLI 604 Assessment of Learning Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 605 Global Perspectives in Learning Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 606 Data Analytics in Education	2 credits
ILLI 607 *Developing Educational Applications and Learning Software	2 credits
ILLI 608 Gamification and Game-based Learning	2 credits
ILLI 609 Learning Innovation in Human Resource Development	2 credits
ILLI 610 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and New Technologies Development	2 credits
ILLI 611 Brain-based Learning and Innovation	2 credits
ILLI 612 Design-Based Research and Prototyping Lab	2 credits
ILLI 613 Academic Writing in the AI Era	1 credits
ILLI898: Dissertation	36 credits
Total not less than	48 credits

Program–Level Learning Outcomes: PLOs

At the end of the program study, students will be able to:

PLO1: Apply advanced learning theories, artificial intelligence, contemporary tools, and interdisciplinary integration to design, develop, and evaluate high-impact learning innovations.

PLO2: Implement learning innovations to solve problems and enhance learners’ learning experiences and outcomes, with potential for further development toward entrepreneurship.

PLO3: Employ advanced research methodologies to generate new knowledge by appropriately applying contemporary technologies and artificial intelligence, and disseminate internationally recognised and citable research outputs in the field of learning innovation.

PLO4: Work effectively in teams, demonstrate leadership, and communicate essential concepts in learning innovation clearly to audiences by using appropriate language, media, and technologies.PLO5: Uphold the university standards of research ethics and professional codes of conduct while demonstrating the self-regulation and critical reflexivity necessary for lifelong learning.

Admission Requirements

Plan 1.1 Dissertation only

1. Holding a Master’s degree or Higher Graduate Diploma degree or equivalent in any field.
2. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.50 on a 4-point scale.
3. Have at least one research work published in an international academic journal.
4. Have and English Proficiency Examination score as the requirement of Faculty of Graduate Studies 
5. Other requirements shall follow those that specified by the Faculty of Graduate Studies
6. Qualifications different from 2) – 5) may be considered by the Program Administrative Committee and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Plan 2.1 Coursework and Dissertation

1. Hold a Master’s degree or Higher Graduate Diploma degree in science, social science, education, arts, engineering, technology, business, management, medicine, nursing, health science, or other related fields.
2. Have and English Proficiency Examination score as the requirement of Faculty of Graduate. 
3. Other requirements shall follow those that specified by the Faculty of Graduate Studies
4. Qualifications different from 2) – 3) may be considered by the Program Administrative Committee and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Requirements

1. Recent Photo
2. Copy of Degree Certificate / Letter of Student Status (Official English Version)
3. Copy of Transcript / Grade Report (Official English Version)
4. Copy of Passport
5. Statement of Purpose 
6. Publication (If any)

English Proficiency Test

Minimum Requirements Thai Language (EN)

English Proficiency Test	Minimum Entry Criteria			Graduation Criteria
	Total	Speaking	Writing	Total	Speaking	Writing
IELTS	4	–	–	6	6	6
TOEFL-iBT	42	–	–	79	19	23
MU GRAD PLUS (MU GRAD TEST + SPEAKING)	48	–	–	90	12	12

Condition of English Proficiency Requirements for this Program

• For International Applicants, please refer to the Operative Guidelines “Operative Guidelines toward the Minimum Requirements of Thai Language Proficiency for Foreign Students in Thai-delivered Graduate Programs of Mahidol University (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025)”
• English score is compulsory (applicant without valid English score may initially submit application, by the way, the program will make consideration for eligibility based on a case-by-case basis).

Consideration Process

• Considered based on the application documents
• Interview

Plan 1.1 For students with Master’s Degree

Plan 2.1 For students with Master’s Degree

Plan 1.1 Dissertation only

1.  Complete all courses as specified in the curriculum (if applicable)
2.  Students must pass the Qualifying Examination
3.  Pass English Proficiency test following the Faculty of Graduate Studies’s criteria
4.  Propose Dissertation to the committee appointed by the Faculty Graduate Studies and to the public and pass oral thesis examination as the final stage
5.  The complete or part of the Dissertation has to be published or accepted in at least two qualified international journals as announced by the committee, published or accepted to be published in at least one qualified international journal as announced by the committee, granted at least one patent, accepted as one innovation, or acknowledged as one creative product that can be applied commercially, socially, and economically. In the case of innovative or creative product, the thesis shall be evaluated by at least 3 external Dissertation committees from the same field or related field who are knowledgeable, experienced, and highly recognized and approved by the University Council.
6.  Other requirements shall follow those that specified by the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Plan 2.1 Coursework and Dissertation

1.  Complete all courses as specified in the curriculum with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 from a 4.00 grading system or its equivalent
2.  Students must pass the Qualifying Examination
3.  Pass English Proficiency test following the Faculty of Graduate Studies’s criteria
4.  Propose Dissertation to the committee appointed by the Faculty Graduate Studies and to the public and pass oral thesis examination as the final stage
5.  The complete or part of the Dissertation has to be published, or at least accepted to be published, in a qualified international journal as announced by the committee, granted a patent, accepted as an innovation, or acknowledged as a creative product to be applied commercially, socially, and economically. In the case of innovative or creative product, the Dissertation shall be evaluated by at least 3 external Dissertation committees from the same field or related field who are knowledgeable, experienced, and highly recognized and approved by the University Council.
6.  Other requirements shall follow those that specified by the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Tuition Fee

Announcement of Fixed-Rate Tuition Fees for Postgraduate Studies for Students Enrolling Academic Year B.E. 2569

Remarks: 

[1] “Other Fees” which refer to “Research Fees and/or Equipment Fees” and “Work-Site Study Fees”, The program may consider reduction or waives for students on case-by-case basis

[2] In the case of students required by the program to register for course or attend the defense examination of thesis thematic paper or independent study in summer semester the tuition fees shall be charged a rate of fifty-percent of the fixed rate tuition fees of each program.

[3] For foreign students, “Health Insurance Fee” is additionally required until graduation (3,500 THB per academic year).

Program Director

Associate Professor Dr. Khajornsak Buaraphan

E-mail: khajornsak.bua@mahidol.ac.th

Institute for Innovative Learning, Mahidol University, Thailand

Tel: 082-923-5156

Program Secretary

Assistant Professor Dr. Monamorn Precharattana

E-mail: ilinnovation.mahidol@gmail.com

Institute for Innovative Learning, Mahidol University, Thailand

Tel: 086-526-4623