Melbourne School of Graduate Research

Candidature

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

Student contact details

Change of address
It is the student'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 current address could place an international student at risk of automatic visa cancellation. With a valid e-mail account candidates can use the service provided by the Student Portal to change their address on-line. Simply log into the Student Portal at http://portal.unimelb.edu.au.

Enrolment

Initial enrolment
Information and instructions about accepting an offer and enrolling is included with the candidate's offer letter. Before undertaking online enrolment, candidates should discuss with their supervisor(s) the specific ‘commencing’ date indicated in the offer letter and contact MSGR to amend it. The 'commencing' 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 MSGR 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.

Backdating of initial enrolment
The Committee may normally backdate the commencement date by a maximum of two months from the date of receipt of the completed application form in the Melbourne School of Graduate Research. This will apply ONLY in cases where the department can show that the applicant has in fact been working in the department on the topic proposed. Please note that applications cannot be backdated prior to the preceding DEST census date (31 March or 31 August of each year) or over a calendar year.

Re-enrolment
Continuing MPhil students must re-enrol every year for the following academic year and this process must be completed by the end of the University's re-enrolment period. Information regarding re-enrolment is posted to all students who need to reenrol towards the end of each year.

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, RHD Committee.

It is not uncommon for candidates, in consultation with their supervisor, to seek enrolment in additional coursework subjects to assist with their research program. Application can be made on the Application for Adding and Deleting Additional Subjects form. 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 HECS 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 the MSGR and other sectors of the University. Short skills courses are offered to enrolled graduate students through the MSGR. Information on short skills programs is available on the MSGR website.

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

Students who have completed 6 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 6 to 12 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 postgraduate co-ordinator. The application form is obtained from the School of Graduate Research.

The PhD candidature will normally be regarded as a continuation of the same program of study, and the PhD commencement date will be backdated to the commencement date of the Masters 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 student 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 SGR.

There may be individual Faculty or departmental requirements that must be complied with. For example, the Arts Faculty 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 your 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

Six Month Review

The Six Month Review is a key point in MPhil 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:

The Six Month Review normally takes place after six months full-time (twelve months part-time) enrolment, but may take place as early as three months full-time (or six months part-time).  Two months prior to the Review date the Melbourne School of Graduate Research sends a Six Month Review form to prompt the candidate to prepare for the review process.

The 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:

  1. prepare a written proposal of between 2,000 and 5,000 words, depending on Departmental requirements
  2. make an oral presentation on the project of 15 minutes duration (allowing time for questions) in a Departmental graduate seminar or similar forum,
  3. 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,
  4. have met any special requirements noted at enrolment and necessary for review at six months, and
  5. return the report form to MSGR 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 equal 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 Six Month Review 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 Co-ordinator or Head of Department to: confirmation-info@unimelb.edu.au. 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 the Melbourne School of Graduate Research to send to the candidate a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress notification under Statute 11.5 Unsatisfactory Progress www.unimelb.edu.au/ExecServ/Statutes/s115.html. 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 a statement of the reasons for the recommendation - which must include an assessment of what would need to be achieved by the student within the next three months to meet progress requirements. This statement will be provided to the candidate together with the letter notifying them of unsatisfactory progress. The student may notify the Chair, Research Higher Degrees Committee, within six weeks of the date of the letter, 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 terminated or such changes made as specified in the warning.

Progress reports at six month intervals

MPhil candidates are required to submit six monthly progress reports. Completion of progress reports is required for the continuation of enrolment and any scholarship held. The first six month progress report is a major hurdle for the MPhil in which candidates will also be required to give a 15 minute presentation of their work. International AusAID-sponsored students will be required to submit end-of-semester reports to AusAID.

Completion seminar

All MPhil candidates will be required to make a public presentation of their research findings at the University three months prior to of submitting their thesis for examination. The Seminar should present the objectives, methods, findings and significance of the candidate's MPhil thesis research.

Recreation leave

Candidates may take up to four weeks of recreation leave in each year by arrangement with their supervisors and their Department. A recreation leave form is not required by the Melbourne School of Graduate Research, however Department procedures may require the completion of a recreation form. Leave taken will not alter the submission date.

 

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