DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

"A PhD thesis shall be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, for example through the discovery of knowledge, the formulation of theories or the innovative re-interpretation of known data and established ideas."

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is a supervised research degree. Candidature for an award of the degree is governed by the Academic Board through its Board of Postgraduate Research Studies, the duties of which include the monitoring of the progress of PhD, and Masters by Research students and the administration of the PhD, PhD (Preliminary) and MPsych/PhD programs.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Acceptance into the PhD program depends upon the applicant's qualifications and the ability of the designated school to provide the facilities and supervision required to support the proposed research. Although entrance requirements are subject to variation, applicants are usually expected to have a first class or upper second class Honours degree from an approved university.

On the recommendation of the appropriate Head of School, candidates within the following categories will normally be permitted to enrol in the PhD programme -

1. those who hold a Bachelor's degree with 2A Honours or higher (or an equivalent qualification) from an approved university;

2. those who hold a Masters degree by research from an approved university;

3. those who hold a Masters degree by coursework which has a substantial research component from an approved university;

4. those who have satisfactorily completed a PhD (preliminary) from this or another approved university, in the area of study to be undertaken for the PhD;

5. those who have been awarded a scholarship to study towards a PhD at this University by the Scholarships Committee.

Applicants who have a Bachelor's degree only but who have subsequent wide research experience may be considered for admission.

RESEARCH AND FIELD OF STUDY

The proposed field of study requires the approval of the appropriate Head of School and the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies and must be nominated when applying to the University to undertake PhD candidature. The Board must be satisfied:

• that the area of research is confined within reasonably specified limits and may be suitably completed within the specified period of enrolment;

• that the research topic can be adequately supervised in this University;

• that suitable technical and other facilities are available if required.

If a candidate wants to change the field of study after commencement, an application must be submitted through the Head of School to the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies for its recommendation and approval. Credit may not be granted for studies already done if the new field of study is not in any way related to the original area.

PhD research is carried out under the direction of a panel, nominated by the relevant Head of School and approved by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies at the commencement of candidature. Panel members assist in the planning and development of the thesis, but whilst students should co-operate closely with them at all stages, they should aim to develop independence of thought and mature critical thinking.

PhD students may be permitted (or required) to enrol concurrently in undergraduate units pertinent to the field of research, with the approval of the Head of School. Students are encouraged to participate in conferences and School seminars, and to publish research work.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPETENCY

Applicants should note that acceptance by the Head of the relevant School implies the candidate's English language proficiency is adequate. Applicants whose first language is not English must pass a recognised English language proficiency test (TOEFL = 550 minimum or IELTS = 6.5 with minimum of 6 in each band) prior to being admitted to PhD candidature. Scholarship applicants are required to have a TOEFL of 580 and a Test of Written English of 4.5.

PhD APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Students seeking admission to PhD candidature may apply at any time of the year as the program is not run on a term or semester basis.

Prospective candidates should obtain information related to the specific area of research interest from the intended School. Candidates should also contact possible supervisor(s) prior to submitting an application to ensure that there is the required expertise to supervise the chosen topic. Where possible, the appropriate Head of School or Postgraduate Co-ordinator should be consulted regarding the availability of supervision and facilities for the proposed field of study before lodging a formal application with the:

Overseas applicants should contact the International Centre for application forms and relevant information:

Information Required (Permanent Residents/Citizens of Australia)

Applicants who are permanent residents of Australia and have not been previously enrolled at this University, should forward two copies of their application to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office in Hackett Hall. Applications must include:

• full details of all the undergraduate (and postgraduate) courses completed or about to be completed;

• copies of academic records and conferred degrees, CERTIFIED (stamped or signed) by the conferring body (photocopies are NOT acceptable);

• evidence of English Language Competency;

• a list of any publications;

• a brief outline of the intended research;

• notification of the intended school;

• the names of two academic referees;

• certified evidence of permanent resident status or Australian citizenship (to be provided when permanent residency/citizenship is obtained within two years before date of PhD application); and

• any relevant personal details.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - FULL-FEE PAYING

All overseas applicants who are not permanent residents of Australia are classified as full-fee paying students who are required to pay fees between $11,000 and $27,000 (depending on the School) per annum for the duration of the PhD program (normally three to four years).

All international applicants must contact the International Centre, Postgraduate Studies for information regarding procedures for application and the availability of research scholarships for overseas students.

Previously Enrolled/Current UWA Applicants

Previously enrolled or current UWA applicants need to forward a completed Application Form detailing the following information to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office.

When an application has been received, it is submitted to the designated School which recommends supervisor(s), commencement date and field of study. The application is then considered in full by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies.

The application process normally takes between four and six weeks.

ENROLMENT

Successful applicants will receive a detailed letter from the Postgraduate and Research Scholarships Office that clearly states the terms of enrolment and requirements for PhD candidature. This letter is an authority to enrol and must be taken to Student Administration, Hackett Hall by the specified enrolment date. Any variation to the terms of enrolment must be approved by the Head of School and the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies.

TRANSFER OF CANDIDATURE

Masters by Research

Students who have completed outstanding work during the first year of their Masters and have not yet been awarded the degree, may be considered for transfer to PhD candidature with appropriate credit for work done as part of their Master's degree. (Credit will not normally exceed ONE YEAR FULL-TIME or TWO YEARS PART-TIME). In order to have a transfer considered by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies, the following information must be submitted through your Head of School:

1. a PhD Research Proposal (following the Board's Guidelines).

2. a statement from the relevant Head of School (of the Master's degree) which sets out:

   • the nature, duration and quality of the work already done

   • the supervisor

   • status (full or part-time)

   • the relevance of the work to the proposed PhD thesis

   • the recommended amount of time credit.

Please note that the period of time credit awarded will be determined by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies on the basis of the report from the Head of School.

On acceptance by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies, applicants will be advised in writing to complete a Change of Enrolment Form at Student Administration, Hackett Hall.

The PhD Research Proposal needs to be presented to a School Higher Degree and Ethics Committee meeting for approval prior to an application being submitted. Once the new proposal has been approved and submitted the transfer procedure normally takes two to three weeks.

PhD STUDIES DONE AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY

Applicants who wish to transfer their PhD candidature from another university must apply, in writing and with an official certification of work completed from the relevant university, to the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies. Applicants are also required to provide a complete research proposal (a coversheet and guidelines must be obtained from the Postgraduate Research Studies Office). The Board of Postgraduate Research Studies may, at its discretion and on the recommendation of the Head of School, treat the work already done as part of the program required for the degree of PhD at this University.

In such cases, the Board will determine the period, being not less than one year for a full-time student or two years for a part-time student, during which the student will be required to pursue supervised research and study for the PhD Degree of this University.

Applications to transfer from another university should be forwarded to the Postgraduate Research Studies Office, however applicants are advised to arrange a preliminary consultation with the relevant Head of School regarding the availability of supervision.

Approved applicants will be required to provide proof of withdrawal from their other studies prior to enrolment in the PhD program at UWA.

RE-ENROLMENT

All enrolled PhD students are automatically re-enrolled by the submission of their Annual Progress Report at the anniversary of enrolment to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office. Requests for Annual Progress Reports are forwarded to each student one month prior to the anniversary of their enrolment.

PhD students must remain enrolled throughout candidature until the thesis is submitted for examination (when they are automatically withdrawn). Students will not be permitted to submit a thesis unless the enrolment is current.

A student can be enrolled as any one of the following:

1. Full-time: the minimum period of full-time enrolment for a PhD is normally three years from the date of commencement.

2. Part-time: applicants may be accepted as part-time provided they are substantially free to pursue a program of advanced study and supervised research. The minimum period of part-time enrolment for a PhD is normally three years from the date of commencement to a maximum of six years. All requests for part-time enrolment must have the signed approval of the Head of School. A written statement must be provided by the candidate, indicating whether employment commitments allow for the proposed research.

3. Part-time or Full-time External: All requests for external enrolment must include a letter of support from the Head of School. The minimum period of part-external enrolment for PhD is normally three years from the date of commencement to a maximum of six years and will be permitted providing the following conditions are met by students:

   • must normally be enrolled on a part-time basis.

   • must be based outside the Perth metropolitan area.

   • must spend a period of not less than 13 weeks within the School at this University preferably during semester time, during the course of enrolment The Head of School will inform the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies when this residency requirement has been fulfilled.

   • must have a principal supervisor who is based at this University and a second supervisor who is based at the place of work or residency.

Please note that students must advise the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office of any changes of employment commitments or residence.

PhD students may apply to change enrolment status at any time during candidature (e.g. from part-time to full-time) and, on approval by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies, complete a Change of Enrolment form at the Student Administration counter, Hackett Hall. A fee may apply.

MAXIMUM LENGTH OF ENROLMENT

The maximum period of full-time candidature is four years from the date of first enrolment, and 8 years for part-time and external students. Extensions to completion dates will only be granted under exceptional circumstances. Requests should be submitted, with the support of the Head of School and supervisor(s), to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office.

PHD RESEARCH PROPOSAL

One of the requirements of PhD candidature is the submission of a satisfactory research proposal written with the close assistance of the supervisor(s) along specific guidelines set by the Board of Postgraduate Research Studies.

Research proposals are due within six months of the date of commencement for full-time students and nine months from the date of commencement for part-time students. Students transferring from Masters or PhD candidature must submit Research Proposals when they apply to transfer and are not required to submit another after commencement of the PhD candidature.

Research Proposals must be written in accordance with the guidelines and must be accompanied by a Research Proposal Cover Sheet. Research Proposal Forms and Guidelines are sent to students upon confirmation of enrolment. Additional copies are available from the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

For full details refer to the following website: http://www.hmes.uwa.edu.au/for/current_students/postgraduates/

This web page describes the requirements for developing a Research Proposal for candidates in Research higher Degrees in HMES. This encompasses Masters thesis and dissertation and PhD thesis.

Any questions or queries regarding the Higher Degree and Ethics Committee should be directed to:   Dr David Lloyd 6488 3919   dlloyd@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

CONTACT INFORMATION