Doctoral Degree by Research

Aim 

The Doctoral Degree by Research enables graduates to undertake a program of research leading to the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The duration of candidature is normally three years for a full-time candidate or six years for a part-time candidate from the commencement of candidature, excluding periods of deferment and leave of absence granted by the Research Degrees Committee. 

A candidate undertakes a program of study and research under supervision, in order to complete a thesis for examination. 

During the program, a candidate may be required to study subjects and pass such examinations as the Research Degrees Committee prescribes on the recommendation of the School and Divisional Research Management Committees and the principal supervisor. 

The program of research and study is carried out either within the University of South Australia or within an industrial, commercial, government, educational, research or other organisation approved by the School and Divisional Research Management Committees. 

Normally before the expiration of six months full-time study, the candidate is expected to develop, and subsequently maintain a comprehensive research proposal which is to be presented to the relevant Divisional Research Management Committee for approval. Once approved the candidate's name is forwarded to Research Services for monitoring purposes.

A policy of co-supervision has been adopted by the University which requires that a principal and an associate supervisor be appointed for each research degree candidate. In addition a research degree panel may be established for each doctoral candidate. 

At least one research supervisor must be appointed from within the University of South Australia. One or more external research supervisors may also be appointed. The research supervisor from within the University of South Australia will be designated as the principal supervisor.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers Doctoral Degrees by Research in the following areas: 

Acute care; aged and extended care; child and family health; nursing health education; health care practice; medication management; mental health; midwifery; migrant health; nursing informatics; palliative care; social understandings of nursing health; and work related issues in the nursing/health arena. 

For further information contact the Research Degrees Coordinator, Dr Eimear Muir-Cochrane on (08) 8302 2136, 
Email: Eimear.muir-cochrane@unisa.edu.au

An applicant for admission to candidature for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must satisfy the Research Degrees Committee of competence to undertake a higher degree by research by: 

• holding or being eligible to hold from an approved higher education institution an award which is assessed by this University as being equivalent to:

1. an honours degree or a bachelors degree with honours of at least class 2A standard; or
2. an appropriate masters degree; or
3. holding such other qualifications as are acceptable to the Research Degrees Committee, in such cases the applicant must satisfy the Committee of fitness to undertake advanced work on the basis of the standard of achievement in, and the relevance of, previous higher education studies, and professional experience or published research work.

An application for admission to candidature shall be made on the prescribed application form and should include a proposed program of study and a brief research outline, prepared in collaboration with the proposed principal supervisor. The research outline should include: 

1. a provisional thesis title
2. a clear statement of the research problem
3. the aim and significance of the research project
4. a brief overview of previous relevant research, and
5. a broad plan of action or methodology.

Further information on admission, HECS Research Exemption and scholarships can be obtained from: 

Research Services 
University of South Australia 
The Levels Campus 
Telephone (08) 8302 3753 
Facsimile (08) 8302 3921 
Email: elfriede.zwick@unisa.edu.au