The Melbourne School Of Graduate Research

CANDIDATURE

PhD candidates have a responsibility to be aware of and to abide by the PhD 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.

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

Enrolment in additional subjects and courses

PhD 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 PhD research program. Application can be made on the Apply to Add or Drop Subjects form via the Student Portal. The supervisor and head of department should confirm that the coursework subject should be regarded as part of the PhD enrolment. In this case, additional fees will normally not apply. Candidates are permitted to enrol in no more than 100 points of additional coursework subjects across their entire PhD 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.

SUPERVISION

The research of each 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 candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy (or any research higher degree) may not be a supervisor of any other candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy. This includes PhD 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. Staff site

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 PhD 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 (i.e. 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 six 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 confirmation and progress review forms and monitor progress. It is strongly recommended that the committee meet at six 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 annual 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 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 candidate 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?
have there been particular achievements, such as the presentation of talks / posters / seminars at meetings, the student retreat, etc.?
has the candidate authored or is 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 third year 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 of department. 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 confirmation of candidature process, annual cycle of progress reviews and the completion seminar.

PROBATIONARY STATUS AND CONFIRMATION OF CANDIDATURE

Purpose of confirmation

Confirmation is a key point in candidature. Its purpose is to determine whether or not work to date on the PhD research proposal indicates a strong likelihood that it will result in a high quality thesis, completed in the required time.

PhD candidates are first admitted as probationary candidates, except those who have converted from a masters by research, or in some cases, have transferred from research higher degree enrolment at another institution. Probationary candidature is normally for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months (or 12 and 24 months for part-time candidates) ending once confirmation is confirmed. After six months (full-time) enrolment the faculty or graduate school sends a Confirmation of PhD Candidature form to prompt the candidate to commence preparation for the candidature process.

The purposes of confirmation 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 confirmation of candidature have been met;
provide an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate written and oral presentation skills appropriate to PhD level study; and
publicly acknowledge a major milestone in the project and inform others about the research project.

The confirmation committee

For the purposes of confirmation, the confirmation committee will comprise the advisory committee, together with any additional membership co-opted for purposes of assessment of the written and oral presentation associated with the confirmation process. The head of department will advise probationary candidates of the composition of their confirmation committee.

Confirmation process

For confirmation, each candidate is required to:

prepare a written report of at least 3 000 and possibly up to 10 000 words, depending on departmental or faculty requirements (guidelines for the format of the proposal are outlined below);
make an oral presentation on the project of 20 – 30 minutes duration (allowing time for questions) in a departmental graduate research seminar or similar forum;
verbally defend the proposed research project with the confirmation committee. During the defence, the confirmation committee will assess the feasibility and resource requirements of the proposed project and offer suggestions towards its successful completion; vhave met any special requirements noted at enrolment and necessary for confirmation; and
return the Confirmation of PhD Candidature 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 confirmation 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 confirmation committee will make a recommendation to the head of department to either:

confirm candidature;
extend probationary candidature to a specified date; or
request a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress notification under the Doctor of Philosophy: Rules of the Academic Board and Statute 11.4 Unsatisfactory Progress.

Preparing for confirmation of candidature

To prepare for confirmation of candidature candidates should:

check the specific guidelines for confirmation in the department;
prepare early; write the outline of the written research proposal as early as possible, then rewrite it as the project takes shape;
practise oral presentation skills—enlist the critical feedback of others;
check that any specific requirements for confirmation will have been met by the confirmation due date;
carefully check over the proposed timeline for the next two years.

Guidelines for the format of the proposal

Guidelines for written proposal (3 000 – 10 000 words)

The content and structure will vary across disciplines but should include:

a concise statement of the research question(s);
a critical summary and analysis of relevant literature;
as appropriate to the discipline of study, an explanation of the conceptual framework to be used and/or a summary of experimental methods and equipment requirements;
a summary of progress to date including preliminary data, resources developed etc.;
an argument for the relevance and importance of the study;
proposed schedule and timeline for the phases of the study, based on date of submission;
a brief bibliography; and
a list of publications produced or presentations made during probationary candidature.

Extension of probationary candidature

The confirmation committee recommends an extension of probationary candidature on the PhD confirmation form under Section 4.2 'Confirmation Recommendation'. On the rare occasions that the confirmation committee may be unable to meet by the confirmation due date, a request to extend the probationary candidature from the chair of the confirmation committee or nominee can be submitted to the relevant faculty graduate research administrator via email. Approval by the faculty associate dean (research) must be sought if the extension is beyond a three month full-time equivalent period. Requests for extensions of more than six months full-time equivalent need to be submitted by the faculty graduate research administrator to the Melbourne School of Graduate Research at cct-info@unimelb.edu.au.

Formal warning of unsatisfactory progress

The confirmation committee may request a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress notification under the Doctor of Philosophy: Rules of the Academic Board and 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 (e.g. convert to masters).

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 confirmation 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 confirmation 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 confirmed. However, at the end of the three month period if the confirmation 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, e.g. converted to masters.

PROGRESS REVIEW

PhD candidates are required to submit a progress review form at least on an annual basis. Completion of progress review forms is required for the continuation of enrolment and any scholarship held. Progress review forms are sent directly to the candidate approximately two months prior to the due date. The due date will be adjusted for any approved periods of leave or variations between full and part-time study. Progress review forms provide an opportunity for both the candidate and advisory committee to review and evaluate progress on the project, and to alert the head of department and the Chair of the RHD Committee of any difficulties in candidature.

International AusAID-sponsored students will be required to submit end-of-semester reports to AusAID.

PERIOD OF CANDIDATURE

The normal period of candidature (probationary and confirmed) is three years (for full-time candidates). If necessary, candidates may apply for a maximum of two extensions of six months on the Completion Report attachment of the progress review form. Part-time candidates will have a term of candidature of six years, and may apply for a maximum of two 12 month (part-time) extensions. Further extensions beyond four years full-time equivalent will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

All candidates are required to spend a minimum of 12 months (full-time) or 24 months (part-time) at the University. Candidature will not be reduced to less than these periods. Candidates must have had their candidature confirmed prior to thesis submission. Where the Academic Board has approved a course in which the first year of candidature is to comprise coursework and the preparation of a thesis proposal, the total period of candidature cannot be reduced to less than 24 months (full-time) or 48 months (part-time).

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. Recreation leave taken will not alter the submission date.

MILESTONE DATES

All PhD candidates are required to undertake a formal review of their progress annually. 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 PhD candidate

Milestone	When it normally occurs (counted from commencement)
Commencement
Confirmation	12 months / 1 year
Progress review	24 months / 2 years
Progress review	36 months / 3 years

Standard milestones that apply to a part-time PhD candidate:

Milestone	When it normally occurs (counted from commencement)
Commencement
Progress review	12 months / 1 year
Confirmation	24 months / 2 years
Progress review	36 months / 3 years
Progress review	48 months / 4 years
Progress review	60 months / 5 years
Progress review	72 months / 6 years

The Melbourne School of Graduate Research