Choose Masters or PhD
So you think you want to undertake a Higher Degree by Research (HDR)?
Before you make a commitment:
- Make sure you have the appropriate background to undertake a research program. See Research pathways for a summary of the background you’ll need.
- Choose the program that best suits your interests and timeline from the Faculty of Information Technology Research degrees.
- Check that you meet the entry requirements.
- Make sure you are aware of the fees that apply.
- Note that PhDs, while supervised by the Faculty of Information Technology, are administered by the Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS). See the PhD Handbook (MRGS page) for details of the PhD program.
- See what past students have said about doing a research degree. Review Snapshots from the research journey for experiences from a range of student backgrounds.
Decide on your research interests
To apply for a research degree you will need to know what your research is to be about.
You will need to have:
- A suitable supervisor – explore the Research areas of the Faculty to identify people you could approach.
- A suitable topic – explore the Research strengths of the Faculty to identify areas you could work in, then talk with potential supervisors to fine tune the area you are interested in.
- Checked that appropriate resources are available, including:
Write a draft proposal
To get you started and show you are ready to begin, you will need to write a draft proposal to submit along with your application. This is not your final proposal, but an outline to show your interests and your knowledge of the area. Please look here for more information.
Want a scholarship?
You’ll need to have enough funds to support yourself while you do your research. A number of scholarships are available on a competitive basis.
Apply for admission
Once you have done your preparation, including finding a supervisor who is willing to support you with your topic, you should:
- Apply for admission to your choice of research degree. Note that you need to include your research proposal with your application as well as evidence of your suitable background.
Enrol
Once you receive your offer letter, you can enrol and start your research program in earnest.
Below is a range of policy issues and informal expectations to be discussed and agreed with your supervisor in the 1st meeting :
Doing
- Make sure you collect an induction kit from the admin staff.
- Faculty expectations about completion times (3.5 years).
- Discuss ethics clearance, if necessary.
- Regular meetings and regular writing tasks with Supervisors.
- Build a constructive relationship with your Supervisor, often discuss matters with them.
- Be aware of your roles and responsibilities as an HDR student
- Be familiar with the new University and Faculty policy for Higher Degrees by Research candidature Milestones .
- Expect to start writing early and often.
- Discuss time management, project management and timelines with your supervisor.
Thinking
- Decide on the research topic, the methods, and the rationale with your supervisor. What is the topic? How will it be researched? Why is it worth doing? Is it manageable?
- Copyright and co-authorship.
- See the Liaison Librarian for detailed advice on literature reviews.
- Search the Web often for courses on statistics and other topics. (The Uni of Melbourne courses are free to Monash students).
- Student should keep records of supervisor discussions/decisions in a systematic way.
- Regular attendance at seminars and participation.
Emotions
- Supervisor trust.
- Request a student a (senior HDR) mentor if you think this may help with your studies.
- Discuss how to manage crises, if they arise.
- Be familiar with the student grievance process.
- Take up opportunities to engage socially and professionally with other students.
Next steps
See Confirmation phase for the next steps you need to carry out prior to confirming your candidature.
Do you have suggestions for improvements to this page? Let us know by email to: Leeanne Evans
