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Program aims

The aim of the Doctor of Professional Engineering program is to enhance the skills of already high performing professional engineers in the areas of detailed technical investigation, applied research and development, innovative design and analysis. The program allows candidates to develop and demonstrate these essential skills by communicating their significant original professional technical achievements as a substantial body of work in a formal academic format. In addition, candidates are likely to acquire some additional key management knowledge and/or broad technological knowledge. The specific set of knowledge will depend on the candidate’s choice of courses.

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Program objectives

Students who successfully complete the Doctor of Professional Engineering will be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• critically evaluate knowledge from the professional journals and other information sources relevant to the professional engineering field;

• analyse trends in technology;

• use research skills in the field of professional engineering;

• apply skills in detailed technical investigation of complex and unique engineering problems;

• develop innovative solutions, designs and analyses; and

• present a clear and accurate written account of an extensive and complicated body of work

Depending on the choice of Elective courses, students will also be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• apply selected fundamental management theories and practices;

• apply skills in engineering and technology business;

• evaluate the importance of technological innovation and risk in engineering business; and

• apply knowledge and skills associated with technology management in areas such as sustainable development, technical risk assessment and engineering asset management.

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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 10. Graduates at this level will have systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and/or for professional practice.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission to the program, candidates must:

• possess an appropriate four-year Bachelor degree in Engineering awarded by an Australian university, or an equivalent qualification awarded by an overseas institution, with a high level of academic achievement, normally having achieved a GPA of at least 5.0;

• be able to demonstrate, or be in a position to produce their own substantial, original professional contributions in an appropriate Engineering field.

The standing of degrees awarded by an overseas institution will be determined by reference to the (NOOSR) or other appropriate information services. Prospective candidates should discuss their previous professional level with the Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences prior to applying for admission into the program.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If you do not meet the English language requirements you may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, you may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.
Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Research training scheme (RTS)

Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens commencing a higher degree research program may have their tuition fees paid for by the Australian Federal Government under the Research Training Scheme (RTS). A RTS place entitles a student an exemption on tuition fees for a maximum period of 4 years full-time or 8 years part-time for a Doctorate program and 2 years full-time or 4 years part-time for a Masters by Research program. As part of the enrolment process students are required to submit proof of citizenship and transcripts of all previous academic study. It is with this documentation that USQ can determine a student's eligibility for a RTS place. Students who are eligible for RTS are:

• those who have not consumed a RTS allocation previously;

• those who have already utilised the RTS to successfully completed a research program. Once a student completes a higher degree research program full entitlements of the RTS are restored.

If a student's RTS entitlement expires before they have completed their program they will be required to pay full tuition fees for the remainder of the program. As there may be limited RTS places available, some students may be required to pay fees for all or part of their program. The Office of Research Graduate Studies will advise students of their eligibility for an RTS place.

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Program structure

This program is a 24-unit program made up of eight single-unit academic courses and 16 units of independent research.

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Program completion requirements

Award of a Doctor of Professional Engineering requires the successful external examination of the student’s dissertation of research outcomes, work based research project/s and professional learning.

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Required time limits

Candidates will normally complete the program within six years of part-time study. Students have a maximum of eight years (part-time) to complete this program. A pro-rata reduction in the maximum time period will apply to students who are admitted to a program with advanced standing.

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IT requirements

Access to an up-to-date computer is necessary. On-campus students can access appropriately equipped laboratories, but should consider acquisition of their own computer. External students should be able to access a computer with the following as advised by the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app. All students should have access to email and the Internet via a computer running the latest versions of Internet web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. The ¾«¶«´«Ã½app has a wireless network for on-campus students' computers. In order to take advantage of this facility and further enhance their on-campus learning environment, students should consider purchasing a notebook/laptop computer with wireless connectivity. A notebook/laptop may be required for some courses.

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Exit points

Candidates who complete four of the listed courses from Schedule A may satisfy the requirements for the Graduate Certificate of Advanced Engineering program in which case they could exit the program with a Graduate Certificate of Advanced Engineering .

Candidates who complete seven of the listed courses from Schedule A plus from Schedule B may satisfy the requirements for the Master of Advanced Engineering in which case they could exit the program with a Master of Advanced Engineering .

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Credit

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the .

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Enrolment

Candidates for admission to the program should note that some of the courses specify enrolment requirements. This will mean that successful applicants may be enrolling in courses for which they do not have sufficient pre-requisite knowledge. Applicants should refer to the to determine the enrolment requirements for the courses they intend enrolling in. Candidates will be expected to rectify any deficiencies in their pre-requisite knowledge by private study, guided if necessary by the examiners of the relevant courses.

Recommended enrolment pattern

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Recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Candidates must complete:

• seven units of electives from Schedule A

• plus 16 Independent Research in Engineering and Surveying courses in Schedule B.

Within Schedule A, up to seven postgraduate courses may be approved by the Program Coordinator as part of the Doctor of Professional Engineering program. Approval for the inclusion of prior studies must be sought at the time of application for this program.

Notes

Before enrolling in any courses, candidates should read the sections entitled Enrolment and Program Structure.
At least five courses from Schedule A must normally be completed prior to enrolling in the independent research courses.