HDR Information for Prospective Students

Application Procedures and Closing Dates

Things to Include in Your Research Proposal

Postgraduate Research Supervisors

Selection Criteria

Scholarships

School support for Research Students

Application Procedures and Closing Dates

For Local Students

Information and application forms for Australian citizens and permanent residents can be found at Prospective Research Students. For local students, the closing date for first round applications is the end of October each year (coinciding with the closing date for Australian Postgraduate Award scholarships.) If places permit, later applications may be accepted in January of the following year. In addition, if places permit, there is a mid-year intake, with a closing date in early June.

For International Students

Information for international students can be found at RMIT International.
International students may apply at any time.

Things to Include in Your Research Proposal

In your application you are asked to include a five page research proposal, which should address:

What is the general area of research you are proposing to pursue?
In more specific terms, what research questions does this involve investigating?
What literature are you aware of which has already investigated this research area?
Does this literature provide you with a theoretical framework, or illustrate gaps that require research?
What research methods, and what specific research tasks, do you envisage your research will require?
Have you discussed this research proposal with a School staff member as a potential supervisor? If so, please specify. (It is not necessary to contact potential supervisors; this information simply alerts us as to whether you have already had discussions.)

Postgraduate Research Supervisors

Before applying, please contact the Postgraduate Research Coordinator, A/Prof Kim Humphery to discuss supervision possibilities, or alternatively directly contact a potential supervisor with interests in the area you would like to research.

List of available research supervisors in the School

What are the selection criteria?

Entry criteria can be found in each specific program’s information page.

The number of available places is limited and entry to the program is competitive. The School makes selection decisions based on:

Grades received in previous study:
The selection panel will be looking to be reassured that you have done previous academic work that equips you to take on postgraduate research work; this includes seeing transcripts of results of previous study. Your undergraduate degree need not be in the same field or discipline area as your proposed research.
The compatibility of your proposed research area with the School’s research strengths and interests:
The selection panel considers whether the School has the supervisory skills needed for your area, and more generally, whether your areas of interest fit with the general research directions and strengths of the School. Within this general framework, your individual research interests may match specialised research expertise of a particular staff member.

It is generally only possible to enter directly into the PhD if you have a relevant Masters degree, or an undergraduate degree with first-class or upper second-class Honours. After one year of full-time study (or part-time equivalent), Masters students are eligible to apply for transfer to a PhD. It is normally not possible to apply to upgrade to a PhD after enrolment of more than 1.5 years full-time (or part-time equivalent).

The decision on this ‘upgrade’ to a PhD is based on very substantial progress made in the Masters research, and involves drafting a substantial part of the Masters thesis, developing a new proposal for the expanded project as a PhD, and giving a presentation to a panel who will assess the upgrade proposal.

Scholarships

For information on a range of scholarships available to local and international students, visit RMIT’s Postgraduate Research Scholarships Page.

School Support for Research Students

The School has a commitment to giving first priority to its research students, where clear expertise is evident, when filling contracts for sessional tutoring and for research assistance work.

The School attempts to provide offices for all full-time students, and has a suite of rooms available on a shared basis for research students.

The University provides all postgraduate research students with email access.

Postgraduate research students are also encouraged to link up with research projects being conducted by individuals and teams of staff in the School and in the Research Centres associated with the School.

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