Our research degrees

Research Higher Degree (RHD) programs at UQ include the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil).  RHD students produce new knowledge and expertise that is innovative, relevant, and progressive. 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD is one of the highest degrees that can be awarded. It is an advanced academic qualification seen as a requirement for the majority of academic and research positions in a wide range of fields and industries. 

The aim of the PhD is to foster the development of independent research skills. These skills include the capacity to formulate a significant problem, to develop mastery of appropriate conceptual and methodological skills, and to relate the research topic to a broader framework of knowledge in a relevant disciplinary area.

Duration:  3 years (full time)

Assessment: Students are required to produce a thesis of no more than 80,000 words, with the research representing a significant new contribution to the discipline.

Entry Requirements:  The standard basis of admission is a UQ bachelor's degree with honours class IIA or better. UQ accepts the following as the equivalent:

• a bachelor's degree with honours class IIA or better from approved universities.
• a research master's degree.
• a coursework master's degree with a research component of at least 25% and an overall GPA (grade point average) equivalent to 5 on the 7-point UQ scale.
• a bachelor's degree plus at least one year of full-time equivalent postgraduate study that includes a significant research component or at least two years of documented relevant research experience, including research publications.
  
  There are also English language requirements for international students.
  
  These ‘standard basis of admission’ requirements are subject to approval by the Dean, UQ Graduate School.  Particular Schools or Institutes may also have different standards.

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

An MPhil is an internationally recognised postgraduate research degree that involves undertaking a significant research project.   The MPhil program provides students with an opportunity to develop and enhance analytical and research skills through independent investigation in a specific field.  Many MPhil students choose to continue with their research in order to obtain a PhD. Likewise, some PhD students elect to finish early with an MPhil. 

Duration:  1.5 years (full time)

Assessment: Students are required to produce a thesis of no more than 40,000 words that demonstrates their capacity for critical analysis and application of specialist knowledge.

Entry Requirements:   The standard basis of admission is a UQ bachelor's degree with honours class IIB or better. UQ accepts the following as the equivalent:

• a bachelor's degree with honours class IIB or better from approved universities.
• a bachelor's degree plus at least one year of full-time equivalent postgraduate study that includes a significant research component, or at least two years of documented relevant experience. 
  
  There are also English language requirements for international students.
  
  These ‘standard basis of admission’ requirements are subject to approval by the Dean, UQ Graduate School.  Particular Schools or Institutes may also have different standards.

Some prior research experience is required for admission to a research degree. This experience can be obtained through educational qualifications such as an honours or masters degree, or professional experience and training.

Honours

Undertaking an honours project provides students with appropriate experience in research and is the ideal pathway into an RHD. Students planning to go on to higher research are usually required to complete a bachelor program with honours. To qualify for honours, students must achieve high results in their bachelor degree. Honours can be completed either ‘on course’ or as part of an ‘honours year’. In most cases, an ‘honours year’ is available for qualified students who completed a three-year bachelor degree program and ‘on course’ honours is usually incorporated in four or five year programs

Postgraduate Coursework

If you have not completed honours and are looking for postgraduate study options to allow you to undertake an RHD, you can:

• Enrol in a Masters degree which contains a research component of at least 25%. Choosing a Masters degree will differ depending on your field of interest. A Masters program generally contains 24 units.  Therefore, to satisfy the 25% research component, at least 6 units of this course would need to have a strong research focus, such as a research project or research methods course.
• Complete a Graduate Certificate in Research Methods in the Faculty of Business Economics & Law. This option is only available for the fields of Business and Social Science with the course list offering a variety of subjects accordingly.

Other Qualifications

There are a range of alternative pathways that may allow you to undertake an RHD such as illustrating relevant research experience (including any research publications). Professional work experience is also highly regarded in an application to undertake an RHD. Leading large projects, presenting at conferences,
publication of research outcomes and implementing organisational change, all assist in demonstrating your ability to fulfil the entry requirements.  You may also have a strong passion for research in a particular field where you can already demonstrate expertise. In cases such as these, we recommend searching for a research expert at UQ that could be a potential advisor, one that has significant experience in the field in which you are interested.

Transferring from a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Coursework degrees

If you are interested in undertaking a postgraduate degree instead of a research degree, please download our Postgraduate Prospectus.

• Postgraduate Prospectus for Australian students
• Postgraduate Prospectus for international students

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