Candidature

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MPhil candidates have a responsibility to be aware of and to abide by the Degree of Master Regulations, the advice contained in this information book, including the Code of Conduct for Research, and departmental policies and requirements.

CONTACT DETAILS

Change of address

It is the candidate's responsibility to notify the University within seven days of any change in their contact details, (that is, their Australian residential address and telephone number). Failure to notify the institution of their current address would place an international student on a student visa in breach of their visa conditions. Candidates should use the Student Portal to change their address online.

ENROLMENT

Initial enrolment

Information and instructions about accepting an offer and enrolling is included with the candidate's offer letter. Before undertaking enrolment, candidates should discuss with their supervisor(s) the specific commencement date indicated in the offer letter and contact their faculty or graduate school to amend it. The commencement date cannot be changed after enrolment. Candidates with a conditional offer will not be permitted to accept the offer or enrol until all offer conditions are met. Documentation can be submitted to the faculty or graduate school by post or in person. Where certified documentation is requested, it must display the signature and stamp of an authorised official indicating that they have sighted the original documents.

Re-enrolment

Continuing MPhil candidates must indicate their intention to re-enrol every year for the following academic year on their progress review forms. This process must be completed once each year by the end of the University's re-enrolment period.

Enrolment in additional subjects and courses

MPhil candidates may not concurrently undertake any other course of study at the University or elsewhere without prior approval by their head of department and the Chair of the Research Higher Degrees (RHD) Committee.

It is not uncommon for candidates, in consultation with their supervisor, to seek enrolment in additional coursework subjects to assist with their MPhil research program. Application can be made on the Application for Adding/Removing Additional form via the Student Portal. The supervisor and head of department should confirm that the coursework subject should be regarded as part of the MPhil enrolment. In this case, additional fees will normally not apply. Candidates are permitted to enrol in no more than 50 points of additional coursework subjects across their entire MPhil candidature.

Candidates should discuss with their supervisor any additional skills required to assist with the completion of their degree. Programs involving personal, academic and professional development are offered through MSGR and other sectors of the University.

TRANSFER TO PHD

For many reasons candidates may enrol in the first instance as research masters candidates and later apply for conversion to PhD candidature.

Candidates who have completed six months or more of research for a masters by research degree at this University and who are qualified for admission to the PhD program may be admitted to confirmed PhD candidature. An unfinished masters degree or other doctorate normally cannot contribute to meeting the eligibility requirements for admission into the PhD. Candidates are encouraged to apply within six to twelve months of Masters candidature and must lodge an Application for Conversion from the Degree of Masters (by research) to Doctor of Philosophy through the department graduate research coordinator. The application form is obtained from the Melbourne School of Graduate Research.

The PhD candidature will normally be regarded as a continuation of the same program of study, and the PhD course of study start date will be backdated to the commencement date of the MPhil degree.

The application must be supported by the supervisor and the head of department (or, deputy head, if the head is also the supervisor) and forwarded to the relevant faculty committee for research for approval. In supporting an application for conversion to PhD candidature, the supervisor and head of department must assure themselves that the candidate has undoubted research ability and is likely to complete the PhD degree.

Departments are asked to assess whether the candidate has the ability and skills necessary to do research at doctoral level, and whether the topic is demonstrably of doctoral dimensions. The questions departments are asked to consider are set out on the application form available from MSGR.

There may be individual faculty or departmental requirements that must be complied with. For example, the Faculty of Arts requires applications to convert from a masters course to confirmed PhD candidature to include a sample of writing of 8 000 – 10 000 words, the content of which should be discussed with the department at an early stage of candidature.

International masters candidates should check that their visa and sponsored funding arrangements do not impose any restrictions on undertaking a PhD.

SUPERVISION

The research of each MPhil candidate is supervised by members of the academic staff or approved honorary appointments who have relevant research and supervisory experience and a continuing active participation in research. All supervisors will be appropriately qualified with the normal expectation supervisors have a PhD. In the event of a nominated supervisor's position not being renewed before the completion of the candidature, commitment and sign off by head of department to provide suitable arrangements is required at the time of nomination. Where multiple supervisors are appointed, one supervisor, normally a member of the academic staff of the department in which the candidate is enrolled, will be designated the principal supervisor. The principal supervisor has primary responsibility for supervision of the research project. Supervisors who have a more specific or secondary role in the supervision of the candidate's research will be designated co-supervisors. External supervisors may also be appointed. They are appropriately experienced persons, not members of the University, who are nominated by heads of departments.

To be approved as the principal supervisor, associate or honorary members of staff must be willing to sign a 'supervisory agreement' with the University and be willing to accept direction in respect of research higher degree policy and procedures from the head of department through which the candidate is enrolled.

Candidates and supervisors have a mutual obligation to ensure that they confer on a regular basis throughout the candidature. Before any prolonged absence (greater than one month) of the Principal Supervisor, arrangements satisfactory to the head of department must be made for the appointment of a suitable replacement principal supervisor. A research higher degree candidate may not be a supervisor of any other research higher degree candidate. This includes candidates currently under examination, who may only supervise once they have passed their degree.

Supervisor training

There is a two stage process for inducting new academic staff and new supervisors. All academic staff new to the University of Melbourne attend a one day orientation program which includes an hour long session on the policy and procedures of graduate research supervision. In addition, academic staff who are new to graduate research supervision or new to the University of Melbourne are required to attend a half day workshop on graduate researcher supervision. Attendance at these sessions is verified and recorded on staff HR records. Except in rare circumstances, staff new to graduate research supervision may not be principal supervisors. MSGR conducts regular workshops for experienced supervisors, aimed at supporting supervisors of graduate researchers.

For Staff

Other workshop and seminar options may also be offered by faculties and graduate schools.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Roles of the advisory committee

An advisory committee must be established from commencement to completion of MPhil candidature for the benefit of the candidate, the supervisors, the department and the University. For the candidate, the advisory committee provides a source of support and communication beyond that provided by the supervisor(s). The candidate must submit a report to the advisory committee before the meeting date detailing progress and future plans. The advisory committee acts to broaden the connection of candidates to departments (reducing isolation), provides increased breadth of feedback on general or specific issues pertaining to the thesis research, and acts as first port of call for discussion of issues that the candidate may wish to raise with persons other than the supervisor(s). For supervisors, the committee structure provides an official record of progress based on regular review by the advisory committee, and support and reinforcement for decisions about the research and candidature. For the department and the university, oversight of candidature by advisory committees is important to achieve better compliance with policies, procedures and agreed time-lines. These roles will enhance the timeliness and quality of graduate research completions and improve the monitoring process of graduate researchers.

Composition of the advisory committee

The advisory committee must be comprised of at least three people including the supervisor(s). The committee chair will be a person other than a supervisor, will be an experienced supervisor themselves, and will be a member of the administrative department.

It is strongly recommended that at least one additional independent person (ie non-supervisor) be included, who may be a member of the administrative department or external to the department. These additional members could be expert in aspects of the candidate's research and can complement the expertise of the supervisor(s).

The committee must be established early into candidature, and at the latest by three months from start of candidature.

Duties of the advisory committee

It is the responsibility of the advisory committee to ensure that the thesis project is developed and supported within the specified timelines, including development of a project research budget that identifies the financial support a candidate can expect for the project.

The advisory committee must meet with the candidate at least once a year for both full-time and part-time candidates in order to complete and sign-off on the formal review and progress review forms and monitor progress. It is strongly recommended that the committee meet at three months after the beginning of candidature to ensure that the candidate is making a good start to their candidature. The committee may recommend that meetings be more frequent, for example for at-risk candidates.

At the progress meetings, the candidate will make a formal presentation on their research work. The advisory committee will discuss with the candidate and reach agreement on candidature matters as outlined in the progress review form. These will include matters related to the research project but also other matters related to general mentorship of the candidate. At these meetings the MPhil candidate and supervisors should be provided the opportunity to meet separately with the advisory committee to discuss issues of relevance confidentially.

Topics to discuss should include the following. The weighting of importance will vary depending upon the stage of candidature:

  • are the topic and aims well defined and achievable?
  • are the appropriate methods established or will they need to be developed (further)?
  • is the candidate familiar with relevant literature?
  • how is the student following the relevant literature?
  • are there any intellectual property or commercial in confidence issues?
  • are there any ethical implications of the work?
  • are there any environmental, health and safety (EHS) issues?
  • how does progress compare with that outlined in the proposal document?
  • are any issues hampering progress?
  • is additional support required?
  • particular achievements, such as the presentation of talks / posters / seminars at meetings, the student retreat etc?
  • has the candidate authored or planning to author any publications?
  • has the candidate attended any conferences?
  • discussion and/or approval of any plans for overseas (conference) trips
  • application for travel funds
  • has the candidate begun considering career options after completion?

The committee attends, and reports on, the completion seminar, ensuring that the completion seminar guidelines are followed (including invitation of external experts to join the committee for that purpose). The committee will be responsible for recommending extensions past the 18 month of candidature or part-time equivalent.

DEFINITIONS

Principal supervisor

An appropriately qualified researcher with a suitable level of research activity and supervisory experience, who takes the primary responsibility for academic supervision of the candidate's thesis.

Co-supervisor

A supervisor who works with the principal supervisor and has a secondary role in supervision of the candidate's thesis.

External supervisor

A suitably qualified person, not a member of the university, who is appointed to provide supervision for a particular candidate. In some cases the appointment relates only to a period when the candidate is absent from the university on approved field work.

Advisory committee chair

An experienced academic supervisor and staff member of the candidate's home department, who is not a supervisor of the candidate and is appointed by the head ofdepartment. The advisory committee chair is responsible for oversight of progress of candidature (providing advice and support both to the candidate and to the supervisor(s)) including the formal review process, progress reviews and the completion seminar.

FORMAL REVIEW

The formal review is a key point in MPhil candidature undertaken at six months (or equivalent part-time) candidature. Its purpose is to determine whether or not work to date on the research proposal indicates a strong likelihood that it will result in a high quality thesis, completed in the required time. The purposes of the review are to:

  • assess progress to date and the academic preparedness of the candidate to complete;
  • determine whether the candidate has developed a clearly defined, coherent and feasible research project and contribute suggestions for its successful completion;
  • determine that any specific requirements for review have been met;
  • provide an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate written and oral presentation skills appropriate to masters level study; and
  • publicly acknowledge a major milestone in the project and inform others about the research project.

Review committee

A review committee of three or more persons is nominated for each candidate by the head of department, who will also nominate the chairperson. The committee will comprise the advisory committee, other academic members of staff and external persons (as appropriate). The chairperson will not be a supervisor. The head of department will advise candidates of the composition of their review committee.

Review process

Each candidate is required to:

  • prepare a written report of between 2 000 to 5 000 words, depending on departmental requirements
  • make an oral presentation on the project of 15 minutes duration (allowing time for questions) in a departmental graduate seminar or similar forum,
  • discuss the proposed research project with the review committee. During the review, the committee will assess the feasibility and resource requirements of the proposed project and offer suggestions towards its successful completion,
  • have met any special requirements noted at enrolment and necessary for formal review, and
  • return the Formal Review for MPhil & Masters by Research Candidates form to the faculty or graduate school by the due date.

In the case of creative arts disciplines, the supervisor and candidate should present to the review committee for endorsement, a proposal on an integrated format appropriate for a thesis of this nature. In the examination process appropriate weighting will be given to the written dissertation and the creative work.

The review committee will make an assessment to the head of department that either:

Extension of formal review date

The review committee recommends an extension of the formal review on the Formal Review for MPhil & Masters by Research Candidates form under Section 4.2 'Advisory committee recommendation'. On the rare occasions that the review committee may be unable to meet by the formal review due date, an email request for extension (of up to a maximum of three months full-time or six months part-time) should be sent on behalf of the review committee by the supervisor, graduate research coordinator or head of department to the graduate research administrator in the faculty or graduate school. The request must set a new review due date and be accompanied by a statement from the department giving detailed reasons as to why the extension is required. Requests for extensions of more than three months full-time or six months part-time would need to be documented carefully and presented as a special case.

Formal warning of unsatisfactory progress

The review committee may request a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress notification under Statute 11.4 Unsatisfactory Progress. On receipt of the formal warning, MSGR on behalf of the Chair, Research Higher Degrees Committee will issue a written warning to the candidate stating that at the expiration of three months from the date of issue of the warning they intend to – (a) terminate the student's candidature; or (b) make such changes to the student's candidature as are specified in the warning.

Requests for a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress notification must include the reasons for the recommendation and include an assessment of what would need to be achieved by the candidate within the next three months to meet the review requirements. This statement will be provided to the candidate together with the letter notifying them of unsatisfactory progress. The candidate may notify the Melbourne School of Graduate Research of their wish to be heard in relation to the warning. If they wish to be heard, then they must submit their case, including any documentation they feel relevant to the matter, within the requested time frame. Supervision must be provided until a final determination is made. The review committee can notify MSGR at any time during this three month period that the candidate has demonstrated satisfactory progress and the candidate would then be considered as progressing satisfactorily and continues enrolment in the degree. However, at the end of the three month period if the review committee determines that sufficient progress has not been made, MSGR is notified and the candidature is terminated or such changes made as specified in the warning.

PROGRESS REVIEW

MPhil candidates are required to submit six-monthly progress review forms. Completion of first six-month progress review, the Formal Review is required for the continuation of enrolment and any scholarship held. The Formal Review, the is a major hurdle for the MPhil in which candidates will also be required to give a 15 minute presentation of their work. The Completion Report attachment is submitted at 18 months full-time and whenever an extension to candidature or lapse in good standing is sought. Candidates can check the Student Portal at any time to see the date of their next progress review. International AusAID-sponsored students will be required to submit end-of-semester reports to AusAID.

RECREATION LEAVE

Candidates may take up to four weeks of recreation leave in each year by arrangement with their supervisors and their department. Candidates are not required to submit an application for recreation leave via the Student Portal, however department procedures may require the completion of a recreation form. Leave taken will not alter the submission date.

MILESTONE DATES

All MPhil candidates are required to undertake a review of their progress once every six months. The due dates for these milestone review forms will be adjusted accordingly if candidates have approved periods of leave of absence or change their study rate between full-time and part-time candidature. Candidates can check the Student Portal at any time to see the date of their next Progress Review.

Standard milestones that apply to a full-time MPhil candidate:

Milestone When it normally occurs (counted from commencement)
Commencement
Formal review6 months
Progress review12 months / 1 year
Progress review18 months / 1.5 years

 

Standard milestones that apply to a part-time MPhil candidate

Milestone When it normally occurs (counted from commencement)
Commencement
Progress review6 months
Formal review12 months / 1 year
Progress review24 months / 2 years
Progress review36 months / 3 years