A Guide for Prospective Candidates - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Course Overview
The PhD program offered in the Faculty of Arts enables candidates to complete extensive, independent research under the supervision of an expert academic. When completed, this research must make a valuable contribution to the current body of knowledge on their chosen topic. The broad areas of study on offer are arts, humanities, social sciences, environmental science, and creative and performing arts. See the find a supervisor page for specific areas where research supervision is available.
Variations in Course Structure
The Doctor of Philosophy also offered specialist / performance-based research degrees in the following areas: critical theory, creative writing, music composition and theatre performance.
Critical Theory
The PhD in Critical Theory is by research and coursework and consists of two 12-point coursework units and a 60,000 to 75,000 word research thesis on an approved topic.
The two 12-point units will be selected from:
- CRT6000 Critical theory: a survey
- CRT6010 Critical theory: an approach
- CRT6020 Critical theory: a theorist
- CRT6030 French language
- CRT6040 German language
Candidates taking the PhD by research only may enrol in individual units. These units are also availble to other Faculty of Arts PhD candidates working in the general area of literary and cultural studies, subject to approval of the graduate coordinator of the discipline of enrolment.
Entry Requirements
The minimum qualifications for admission to PhD candidature are:
- a four year Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with an overall result of H2A or above (normally with a research component in the fourth year)or
- an Australian or New Zealand masters preliminary qualification with a significant research component and with an overall result of H2A or above or
- an Australian or New Zealand coursework masters degree with a significant research component graded at Distinction or above, and an overall result of Distinction or above or
- an Australian or New Zealand research masters degree with an overall result of H2A or above or
- a qualification considered equivalent to one of the above.
Applying
All applicants must submit an Expression of Interest form to the faculty PRIOR to submitting an application.
Applications are accepted at any time of the year.