Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)

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The Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated) is a research degree commencing with a cohort-based foundation year of research preparation followed by an independent, supervised research project.

The subjects covered in the first year support the development of the research project and include generic research training and discipline-specific units. These provide you with strategies for a successful research journey, appropriate research design and methodology, timely completion, and effective writing and communication skills. You must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of research preparation in order to continue into the thesis component of the course.

A PhD(I) may be undertaken in a variety of areas within ECU, provided there are supervisors available in your proposed research area, and the resources and facilities required to complete your proposed project are accessible. ECU encourages interdisciplinary research that may span multiple research fields and Schools. We encourage you to view the Research Activity pages of the School websites for ECU’s areas of research focus.

Course Entry

Academic Admission requirements (Band 10)

The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

All applicants are required to hold a Master by Coursework in a related field. Alternatively, applicants can hold an Honours degree, or the equivalent in a relevant field from a recognised University, Applicants seeking online study will be required to provide additional information to support their application, as not all projects nor disciplines are suited to online study.

Academic admission requirements (Band 10) may be satisfied through the completion of one of the following:

• Masters Degree (Research);
• Masters Degree (Coursework) in a related discipline area;
• Masters Degree (Coursework) with 2/3 research component; or
• Bachelor Honours Degree.

English Language requirements (Band 4)

English competency requirements may be satisfied through the completion of one of the following:

• IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
• Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience; or
• Other tests, courses or programmes defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

English Language Requirements for Nursing and Midwifery:

International students (other than those students schooled in a recognised country as defined by APHRA) are required to provide any English language test approved by AHPRA with a score equivalent to an IELTS Academic overall minimum score of 7.0 (no individual band less than 7.0). Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement or we may require additional information to confirm that requirements have been satisfied.

Course Details

Semester availability

• Semester 1: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley or Online
• Semester 1: Study part-time Online
• Semester 2: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley or Online
• Semester 2: Study part-time Online

Course Structure

Year 1 - Semester 1

Students must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of coursework in order to continue the thesis component of the course.

Year 2 - Year 4

^ Core Option

PhD Unit Sets you can study in this course

• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Communication, Media Studies and Journalism
• Computer Science
• Counselling
• Criminology
• Cyber Security
• Design
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• Exercise and Sports Science
• Law
• Mathematics
• Medical Science
• Nursing and Midwifery
• Nutrition and Dietetics
• Occupational Therapy
• Paramedical Science
• Performing Arts
• Physics
• Politics and Government
• Psychology
• Public Health
• Security Science
• Social Science
• Speech Pathology
• Visual Arts and Design
• Writing

Course Learning Outcomes

• Apply communication skills to explain and critique theoretical propositions, methodologies and conclusions, and cogently present findings of a complex and original investigation to peers and the broader community.
• Integrate substantial and systemic understanding of complex discipline knowledge with research principles and methods to demonstrate expertise in the field.
• Take responsibility and show initiative for designing and executing original research, demonstrating the capacity to generate new knowledge with intellectual independence.
• Use expert skills and authoritative judgement to adapt and implement research methodologies and conduct a systematic and independent investigation of theory and/or practice at the frontier of a discipline.

Career Opportunities

Throughout your PhD, you will be supported to develop high-level research and professional skills such as project design and execution, problem identification, definition and solving, critical thinking and analysis, data management, utilising research methods and methodologies, teamwork, negotiation and networking, high-level technical skills in your field, and communicating to different audiences. With the majority of PhD graduates now pursuing careers outside academia, the skills and research training embedded in the PhD prime you to move into a variety of sectors and roles, including management, consulting, commercial R&D, research management, entrepreneurship, public policy, government, finance, technical services, biotech, education, and project coordination/management.