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Doctor of Philosophy (DPHD) - PhD

CRICOS code (International applicants): 088073M

You are currently viewing the 2023 Handbook. For study in 2024, please refer to the .

 On-campusExternal
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Campus:Ipswich, Springfield, Toowoomba -
Fees:Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme
Standard duration:Can be studied full-time or part-time (full-time students normally complete in 3 to 4 years). 

Notes

International students pay full fees unless allocated an UniSQ fees scholarship.

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au  

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Program aims

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree is awarded for research which demonstrates that the student has the capacity to conduct research and make a significant contribution to new knowledge.

Cotutelle

The 精东传媒app of Southern Queensland offers a Cotutelle PhD program as an alternative pathway to achieving the PhD, which enables the student to conduct research across two universities.

The Cotutelle PhD program is subject to the terms specified in the Cotutelle agreement.

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Program objectives

Graduates of this program should be able to:

  1. Investigate a substantial, complex and relevant area of research with specialised research skills that enable them to advance their discipline.

  2. Critically evaluate relevant research literature, theoretical propositions, methodologies and findings to design and conduct original research.

  3. Cogently present, verbally and in writing research findings which include propositions, creative works, insights and conclusions to their peers and professional community.

  4. Independently and systematically apply specialised technical and research skills to plan and execute a research project, undertake research ethically according to the discipline standards and generate new knowledge and original insights that make a contribution to their discipline.

  5. Apply principles of integrity, research ethics, judgement, adaptability and responsibility in ways appropriate to an expert in their discipline.


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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, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Completion of a relevant Australian university bachelor honours degree with First Class Honours or Second Class Honours (Division A) or equivalent (with a thesis comprising at least two units),

    or

  • completion of an Australian university Masters degree (with a thesis comprising at least two units) or equivalent,

    or

  • other qualifications equivalent to First Class or 2A Honours.


English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.

The PhD is based on supervision by a Principal and one or more Associate Supervisors, therefore it is essential that applicants clarify their topic for research and seek an academic staff member able to provide supervision. Application forms, procedures for enrolment, and the can be found on the Research website. Applicants are advised to allow several months for discussion with potential supervisors and for consideration of the application prior to the commencement of the program.

Applicants for the Cotutelle PhD program are required to meet the admission requirements at both UniSQ and the partner university.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a 精东传媒app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students 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. Students 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, external or online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme

All Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens commencing a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program will have their tuition fees paid by the Australian Commonwealth Government under the Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset scheme. The RTP Fees Offset scheme covers program fees for an HDR student up to a maximum period of four years for full-time study or up to eight years part-time study for a Doctoral program, and up to a maximum period of two years for full-time or four years part-time for a Masters by Research program.
As part of the enrolment process, students are required to submit proof of citizenship or permanent residency status and transcripts of all previous academic study. This documentation enables the 精东传媒app of Southern Queensland to determine eligibility for an RTP Fees Offset place.

If a student's RTP Fees Offset entitlement expires before completion of the program, the student will be required to pay full tuition fees.

Students eligible for an RTP Fees Offset place are those who:

  • have not used RTP Fees Offset funding in the previous three years; or

  • have already used RTP Fees Offset funding and have successfully completed an HDR program. Once a student completes an HDR program, full entitlements of RTP Fees Offset are restored.


The Australian Commonwealth Government鈥檚 contribution to program fees must be acknowledged on all published material relating to a research project via a statement identifying the support received through the RTP Fees Offset scheme.

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Program structure

The Doctor of Philosophy is a 24-unit program. Candidates will be enrolled either part-time or full-time annually.

The award of the Doctor of Philosophy requires the successful examination of the student鈥檚 thesis or research outcomes, work based research project/s and professional learning.

The Doctor of Philosophy comprises a minimum of 16 units, although students would normally complete 24 units, with the option to extend to 32 units if needed.

Students will be enrolled in either part-time or full-time courses from date of admission through to the date that they submit their thesis for examination, or alternatively be on approved leave. Failure to enrol or not be on approved leave may result in the student鈥檚 enrolment being cancelled. The proposed enrolment pattern for individual students will be checked by the Associate Dean (Graduate Research School).

路 The Cotutelle agreement will specify the enrolment pattern for students who elect to complete their PhD through Cotutelle pathway.

Assessment

A student is admitted to this program as a provisional candidate until successful completion of the Confirmation of Candidature process.

The Confirmation of Candidature consists of two components:

  • a written document; and

  • an oral presentation to a review panel leading to a recommendation on Confirmation of Candidature.


The Graduate Research School will notify students by email when the Confirmation of Candidature is due.

Student progress will be monitored by compulsory Progress Reports. Students who are deemed to be making adequate progress will be awarded an ongoing grade. Those students who fail to submit a report, or who have been deemed to be making little or no progress may be awarded a Fail grade. When the progress is not satisfactory, the student would normally be placed on conditional academic standing and performance management processes will be implemented as per the Academic Standing, Progression and Exclusion Procedure. The Graduate Research School will notify students by email when Progress Reports are due.

The final assessment in the PhD program is the submission of PhD thesis that will be examined as per the Higher Degree Research (HDR) examination schedule outlined below.

The Cotutelle agreement will specify the assessment requirements for students who elect to complete their PhD through Cotutelle pathway.

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Program completion requirements

All PhD students must successfully complete appropriate courses, and complete the Confirmation of Candidature process. Finally, a PhD thesis must be submitted for examination.

All PhD students are required to submit a thesis for examination which will be examined by suitably qualified examiners as per the Higher Degree Research (HDR) examination schedule. A PhD degree will only be awarded on the basis of the student successfully completing the thesis examination process.

There is no prescribed minimum length for a doctoral thesis as this will vary with the research topic and the form of presentation, however, there is normally a maximum prescribed length of 100 000 words for doctoral theses. A PhD thesis may be presented in the form of a:

  • Standard Thesis

  • Thesis by Publication, or

  • Thesis with Creative Works.


Examination Criteria for the Standard PhD Thesis and PhD Thesis by Publication

The thesis will be examined according to the following criteria:

  1. The extent to which the student has demonstrated:

    1. Originality;

    2. Critical insight; and

    3. Capacity to carry out independent research; and


  2. The extent of the contribution to knowledge made by the thesis and, in particular, its contribution to the understanding of the subject with which it deals; and

  3. The suitability of the thesis for publication.


Examination Criteria for a PhD with Creative Works

The PhD with Creative Work Component examination criteria includes the student鈥檚 demonstrated capacity to produce original creative work. The student鈥檚 production of original creative work should be evidenced in the creative work itself together with an exegesis.

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 4 years (Full-time) or 8 years (Part-time) to complete this program.

The Cotutelle agreement will specify the times limits for students who elect to complete their PhD through Cotutelle pathway.

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IT requirements

Students should visit the UniSQ minimum computing standards to check that their computers are capable of running the appropriate software and versions of Internet web browsers and to check the minimum and recommended standards for software.

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Credit

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the .

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Recommended enrolment pattern - Full-time students

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

Full-time candidates undertaking Low cost research will be enrolled in RES9300 Doctoral Research Project (L) Full-time (1 unit) 8 times per year.

Full-time candidates undertaking High cost research will be enrolled in RES9400 Doctoral Research Project (H) Full-time (1 unit) 8 times per year.

or

The Cotutelle agreement will specify the enrolment pattern for students who elect to complete their PhD through Cotutelle pathway.



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Recommended enrolment pattern - Part-time students

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

Part-time candidates undertaking Low cost based research will enrolled in RES9100 Doctoral Research Project (L) Part-time (0.5 unit) 8 times per year.

Part-time candidates undertaking High cost research will be enrolled in RES9200 Doctoral Research Project (H)(0.5 units) 8 times per year.

or

The Cotutelle agreement will specify the enrolment pattern for students who elect to complete their PhD through Cotutelle pathway.