Handbook 2008

Graduate and Postgraduate Studies: A General Guide

Courses | Application Process | Enrolment | Research Candidature Academic Progress and Re-Enrolment | Assessment

The following information should be read in conjunction with Study at Murdoch: a General Guide in this Handbook. In addition, students should read the degree regulations relevant to their studies.

Courses

Graduate-Entry Bachelor Degrees and Honours Degrees

Course descriptions and requirements are set out in the Courses section of this Handbook. Further information can be obtained from the Faculty Student Administration or the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Certificates and Diplomas

Postgraduate Coursework Degrees

Most Coursework Masters degrees also include a dissertation or project. Course descriptions and requirements are set out in the Courses section of this Handbook. Further information can be obtained from the Faculty Student Administration or the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Intermediate Awards

Students undertaking a postgraduate course that is part of a suite of courses, for example Master’s, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate, may elect also to be awarded the lower-level qualifications on completion of the highest-level qualification. Interested students should consult with the Faculty Student Administration.

Postgraduate Research Degrees

Candidature is offered in all Schools. The University encourages research in inter-disciplinary areas as well as in the basic disciplines. Course descriptions and requirements are set out in the Courses section of this Handbook.

For a full-time student, the normal minimum period of candidature is 18 months for the MPhil, one year for the LLM (Research), three years for the PhD and 18 months for the Research Masters (with training). The maximum periods are two years for the MPhil, one year for the LLM (Research), four years for the PhD and 18 months for the Research Masters (with training). These periods are doubled for part-time students.

Information on the areas in which postgraduate research degrees may be undertaken is available in the Research Degrees Prospectus from the Graduate Centre.

Professional Doctorates

Course descriptions and requirements are set out in the Courses section of this Handbook.

The University offers Professional Doctorates by advanced coursework and thesis. Course descriptions and requirements are set out later in this Handbook. Students are advised to read this information in conjunction with the Professional Doctorate Regulations.

The major differences between professional doctorates and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) are that the former include substantial coursework (a PhD includes no coursework), and that the thesis must make a distinctive contribution to the profession (a PhD thesis must make a distinctive contribution to the knowledge of the subject with which it deals).

Further information can be obtained from the Graduate Centre.

Application Process

Domestic Applicants

Domestic applicants are applicants who are Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, or New Zealand citizens. All other applicants should refer to the International Applicants information below.

Graduate-Entry Bachelor Degrees, Honours Degrees, Certificates and Diplomas

Application forms for the Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary) and (Secondary) will be available at the end of August prior to the year of admission, and must be lodged with TISC by early November. All applicants seeking admission to Graduate Law at Murdoch University should also apply through TISC on the TISC undergraduate application form.

All other applications should be submitted to the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre. Closing dates vary.

Postgraduate Coursework Degrees

Applicants for admission must normally hold a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in an area relevant to the proposed course and must have had satisfactory preparation for the course through previous studies and/or work experience. See individual course descriptions for more specific entry requirements.

Applications are accepted at any time. Note that some of these courses (for example, the MBA and the Master of Pharmacy) are taught on the trimester calendar.

Further information can be obtained from the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Postgraduate Research Degrees

Applicants for admission to candidature for MPhil, LLM (Research) or PhD degrees must normally hold at least an upper second class Honours Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, but evidence of other scholarly or professional attainments involving research preparation may also be considered. Applicants for admission to the Research Masters (with training) must normally hold a Bachelor’s degree and a graduate course requiring at least one year of full-time study, or a four-year degree. In addition, applicants must have the equivalent of at least two years of full-time relevant professional experience or demonstrated relevant research capacity.

Applicants for part-time study must submit a statement that they will be able to devote a minimum of 15 hours per week to their research in each year of their candidature.

The closing date for Postgraduate Research Degree and Research Scholarships is the end of October prior to the year of admission. Mid-year admission is possible for research degrees containing coursework, with applications closing at the end of May. There is no closing date for research degrees without coursework.

Further information and application forms can be obtained from the Graduate Centre.

Professional Doctorates

Applicants must have completed a four-year qualification at an appropriate level (four-year Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or Bachelor’s degree and postgraduate diploma), and have satisfactory preparation including training in research methods.

The closing date for Professional Doctorates and Coursework Scholarships is the end of October prior to the year of admission. Mid-year admission is possible, with applications closing at the end of May.

Further information and application forms can be obtained from the Graduate Centre.

International Applicants

International students may apply to enrol at the University as full-fee-paying students, paying the full cost of tuition for their chosen course. Most undergraduate and postgraduate courses are available for full-fee enrolment. Qualified students may apply to commence study in either Semester 1 (commencing mid February) or Semester 2 (commencing early August). Closing dates are 1 December and 1 June in the year prior to and the year of admission, respectively.

Further inquiries on tuition fees, eligibility and application procedures should be directed to Murdoch International.

Information on financial assistance can be obtained through Australian Government diplomatic posts overseas.

Enrolment

Postgraduate Coursework Degrees

For information on enrolment (including re-enrolment, changes of unit enrolment, and enrolment options) refer to Study at Murdoch: A General Guide. However, students are not permitted more than two attempts at any unit, cannot repeat a dissertation, and are not permitted to enrol in more than one course without the approval of the Program Chairs of the courses and the Manager, Enrolments and Fees.

Students may enrol in units from other Master’s courses subject to meeting unit prerequisites and approval of the Program Chair.

Students need to ensure that their unit enrolment complies with the requirements of the Postgraduate Coursework Degree Regulations.

Dissertations

In addition to completing coursework, candidates for most Master’s degrees will be expected to complete a dissertation of up to 12 credit points.

In exceptional circumstances an extension to a dissertation may be approved by the Dean of the School, on the recommendation of the Program Chair. Where an extension has been granted and the work is not submitted by the start of the following semester, the student must enrol for a minimum of three points for that semester. This does not gain additional credit towards the degree, but incurs PELS/tuition liability for that semester.

Professional Doctorates

For information on enrolment matters students must contact the Graduate Centre.

Independent Study Contracts

Students may apply to undertake an independent study contract; this requires the approval of the Dean of the School. Details of the procedure to be followed are in Study at Murdoch: A General Guide.

Research Candidature Academic Progress and Re-Enrolment

In August each year, students are required to submit progress reports through their supervisors and Student Administration office to the Graduate Centre. Provided that progress has been satisfactory, students will be re-enrolled for the following year. Continued enrolment also depends upon the satisfactory completion of individual milestones.

Assessment

Unit Coordinators must provide to students, no later than the beginning of the designated teaching period, a statement of the assessment requirements including assessment methods and weightings. The assessment and grading system used at Master’s level is the same as that outlined above in Study at Murdoch: A General Guide.