If you are starting your PhD, you will soon hear about the RPE course. It is part of coursework in many universities, and scholars often ask the same questions: what is it, how many credits, and what is in the syllabus? This guide explains the UGC’s Research and Publication Ethics course in plain language, using the UGC documents as the source.
What is the RPE course?
RPE stands for Research and Publication Ethics. The UGC approved two credit courses on this subject at its meeting on 9 August 2019, and in a December 2019 letter asked universities to make them compulsory for PhD scholars’ pre-registration coursework. The UGC’s PhD Regulations 2022 also list a Research and Publication Ethics course as part of PhD coursework (clause 9(1)).
How your own university applies the rule, and when you take the course, is decided by the university. Check your PhD handbook or ask your research cell.
Credits, hours and who it is for
According to the UGC syllabus, the RPE course is:
- 2 credits
- 30 teaching hours, made up of 15 hours of theory and 15 hours of practice
- six modules
- meant for M.Phil. and PhD scholars and interested faculty members
The six modules at a glance
RPE 01: Philosophy and Ethics. An introduction to philosophy, its nature, scope and branches, and to ethics and moral judgement.
RPE 02: Scientific Conduct. Ethics in science and research, intellectual honesty and research integrity, and scientific misconduct such as falsification, fabrication and plagiarism. It also covers redundant publication, “salami slicing”, and selective reporting or misrepresentation of data.
RPE 03: Publication Ethics. Why publication ethics matters, best practices from bodies such as COPE and WAME, conflicts of interest, authorship and contributorship, how misconduct is identified, complaints and appeals, and predatory publishers and journals.
RPE 04: Open Access Publishing. Open access publications and initiatives, checking publishers’ copyright and self-archiving policies with tools such as SHERPA/RoMEO, tools to identify predatory publications, and journal finder or suggestion tools.
RPE 05: Publication Misconduct. Practice-based work, including group discussions on subject-specific ethical issues, examples of complaints, appeals and fraud from India and abroad, and plagiarism-checking software and open-source tools.
RPE 06: Databases and Research Metrics. Indexing and citation databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, journal metrics such as Impact Factor, SNIP, SJR, IPP and CiteScore, and author metrics such as h-index, g-index, i10-index and altmetrics.
The UGC document lists hours for each module, but the numbers in its summary table and in its detailed syllabus do not fully match for the first two modules. For that reason we only quote the 30-hour total here. Always check the official document for your own records.
Why it matters in real life
RPE is not just a course requirement. Plagiarism, wrongly attributed authorship and publishing in questionable journals can damage a scholar’s work and reputation. The course teaches practical habits: how to cite properly, how to check a journal before submitting, how to understand copyright, and how to read research metrics sensibly. If you are choosing where to publish, our guide on how to spot a predatory journal is a good companion read.
How to prepare for the RPE course
- Collect your university’s RPE notice or syllabus and note the exam or assessment pattern.
- Practise a plagiarism check on your own writing and learn how to read the similarity report.
- Learn how to verify a journal in an indexing database before you submit.
- Read the COPE guidance on authorship so that you know how to discuss authorship early with your supervisor and co-authors.
- Keep your notes and references organised from the start of your research.
Taking an RPE course online
Our Research & Publication Ethics (RPE) course is an online course for research scholars, based on the UGC RPE syllabus and organised in the same six modules and 30 hours. It is not a UGC-approved course, so please confirm with your university whether and how it counts toward your coursework. Individual scholars can look at the for research scholars page.
Universities and colleges that want to offer RPE to their scholars can request a proposal, or read our page for colleges. Institutions that already work with our sister company Mantech Publications on academic journals can also ask us about RPE for their scholars.
Conclusion
The RPE course is a two-credit, 30-hour course in six modules that the UGC asked universities to include in PhD coursework. It covers research integrity, publication misconduct, open access, plagiarism tools and research metrics. Check your university’s rules, read the UGC documents yourself, and use the course to build habits that protect your research for the rest of your career.
Have questions about our course? Contact us or read our FAQs and about us.
Related reading: How to spot a predatory journal · What is a Skill Enhancement Course (SEC)?
Frequently asked questions
What is the RPE course?
RPE stands for Research and Publication Ethics. It is a two-credit course that the UGC asked universities to make compulsory for PhD scholars' coursework, covering research integrity, publication misconduct, open access and research metrics.
How many credits and hours is the RPE course?
The UGC syllabus describes a two-credit course of 30 teaching hours, made up of 15 hours of theory and 15 hours of practice.
How many modules does the RPE syllabus have?
Six: Philosophy and Ethics, Scientific Conduct, Publication Ethics, Open Access Publishing, Publication Misconduct, and Databases and Research Metrics.
Who can take the RPE course?
The syllabus is meant for M.Phil. and PhD scholars and interested faculty members.
Is your RPE course approved by the UGC?
No. Our course is based on the UGC RPE syllabus and follows its six modules, but it is not itself a UGC-approved course. Always confirm with your university how it recognises RPE coursework.
Further reading and official resources
- UGC — Two credit courses for awareness about publication ethics and publication misconduct (notice) — the UGC notice page on the RPE courses
- UGC — Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree Regulations, 2022 (PDF) — the official text of the PhD regulations, including coursework
- COPE — Committee on Publication Ethics — guidance and best practice for publication ethics
- SHERPA/RoMEO — publisher copyright and self-archiving policies — check what you may share and where
