VIctoRIa DoctoR oF PHILosoPHY (PhD) unIVERsItY ... · Beyond its standing as Australia’s centre...

VIctoRIa unIVERsItY GRaDuatE REsEaRcH stuDIEs

Victoria University cricos Provider No. 00124K cricos Provider No. 02475D (sydney)

DoctoR oF PHILosoPHY (PhD)PRoFEssIonaL DoctoRatEsMastERs BY REsEaRcH

2 vu.edu.au/research

KnoWLEDGE MELBouRnE

Melbourne is increasingly known as a global ideas and innovation capital for the 21st century. Recognised with the Most Admired Knowledge City Award at the Knowledge Cities World Summit in 2010, Melbourne has produced several Nobel Prize laureates and is the location of the Australian Synchrotron, a facility that has opened a new era of scientific inquiry, especially in biotechnology and medical research.

Melbourne became UNESCO’s second city of literature in 2008, acknowledging its extraordinary diversity in literary activity and the vibrancy of its creative industries. Other areas identified as key knowledge industries in Melbourne are advanced manufacturing, design, and information and communication technology.

Melbourne was rated the world’s fifth best student city in 2014 based on the QS Best Student City Rankings, achieving strong scores for its quality of life, affordability, employer activity and student mix. It has also been repeatedly ranked as the world’s most liveable city, full of all the attractions that make the Australian lifestyle so appealing – beautiful beaches, cultural events, good food, and fine weather.

Melbourne is also a welcoming city that celebrates diversity, with residents from around the world living harmoniously side by side. Victoria University – with about one-quarter of its 50,000 students originating from 130 nations – reflects its diversity as one of the most culturally diverse universities in Australia.

Beyond its standing as Australia’s centre for culture, food, sport and fashion, Melbourne combines a growing international reputation as an ideas and innovation hub with outstanding research facilities.

vu.edu.au/research 3

Victoria University researchers are making a difference by harnessing the strength, breadth and depth of our research to solve real-world problems.

Welcome to Victoria University. We invite you to quench your thirst for knowledge in one of our many research areas – whether it is in sport science, strategic economics, sustainability and innovation, or one of our other major research fields. Collaborate with leading experts in their field; grow personally and professionally; make an original contribution to an area you are passionate about; and engage with industry, government and the community to solve real-world problems.

This is an exciting time for research at VU with more grant funding awarded to us in recent years than at any time in our nearly 25 years as a university. Our research partners extend well beyond our heartland of Melbourne’s west to include a global network of academic, government, industry, community and professional organisations. Whether our researchers are working alongside pre-school teachers in education, Olympic athletes in performance training, Timor Leste farmers on permaculture practices, or the Chinese Government on environmental sustainability, we consider our partnerships to be long-term, mutually beneficial collaborations.

In 2012, the Australian Research Council rated 15 of Victoria University’s research areas to be at world standard or above, reflecting our areas of targeted excellence. We have a strong investment program across all our research areas to strengthen our research capacity and steadily build our research standing among Australian universities.

Our nearly 1000 graduate researchers and postdoctoral fellows are important to Victoria University. We are committed to supporting and developing them and providing a research environment that challenges and inspires them. In 2013 we launched our new ‘VU PhD’ which offers an innovative and highly regarded coursework component in the first four months of PhD studies to better support graduate researchers in the initial stages of their candidature. VU graduate research studies also provide a broad program of other research-related professional development opportunities.

Our campuses are located in Melbourne’s CBD and across the city’s west – the fastest growing area of Australia. At our main campus in Footscray, less than 10 kilometres from the CBD, we are partnering with local government and community organisations to establish a University Town where scholars from around the world will create and advance new knowledge.

Join us in our goal to be among Australia’s leading research universities by 2020.

PROFESSOR WARREN PAYNE – Pro Vice-chancellor, research and research Training

WELcoME


tHE Vu DIFFEREncE Victoria University offers comprehensive professional development and research training to support you as you develop as a researcher through its Graduate Research Centre, colleges, and research institutes and centres.

At Victoria University, our focus on forming ‘communities of practice’ brings together new graduate researchers with experienced researchers to learn from shared expertise and experiences.

Our Graduate Research Centre’s central professional development and research training program features more than 100 seminars and workshops a year, with a strong focus on building key research capabilities, such as written and oral communication in research, research design and statistics, qualitative and quantitative research methodology and methods, and library and information literacy for research.

ouR PRoFEssIonaL DEVELoPMEnt WoRKsHoPs anD actIVItIEs• Graduate researcher

induction program

• Award-winning ‘Demystify Your Thesis’ program

• Preparing a literature review

• SPSS and exploratory data analysis

• Oral presentation skills

• Survey research design and analysis

• NVivo – introductory and advanced

• Structural Equation Modelling

• 3-Minute Thesis competition

• Introductory and advanced Endnote

• Career planning and development

• Getting published and where to publish

• Research writing circles

• ‘Performing the Word’ qualitative research writing retreat

• And many more …

REsEaRcH DEsIGn anD statIstIcaL suPPoRt sERVIcEThe Research Design and Statistical Support Service provides one-on-one consultation to support graduate researchers in the design of quantitative research studies, statistical analysis and interpretation of data, and the use of statistics packages, such as SPSS and R. In addition, the service develops and delivers workshops to the central research training program and supports researcher development in quantitative research design and statistics.

LanGuaGE anD REsEaRcH WRItInG suPPoRt Victoria University recognises the critical importance of learning to write well as a graduate researcher. In addition to workshops in English language and writing skills, and research writing circles and intensives, you can access, at no cost, individual assistance to help you improve your writing skills. Bring along your own research writing, such as proposals, literature reviews, research articles and thesis chapters, and receive helpful advice and resources.

REsEaRcH aMBassaDoRsOur graduate research students benefit from hands-on, supportive advice and assistance provided by VU’s Research Ambassadors. The ambassadors are experienced later-year graduate researchers employed through VU’s ‘Students as Staff’ program. They are keen to share their skills and provide a peer perspective as students navigate the world of a researcher and conduct research. They can assist with specialist computer packages, document-formatting, referencing and information management, quantitative and qualitative research design, data analysis and presentation, ethics applications, or simply act as a sounding board for ideas and questions. If they don’t know the answer, they’ll help you find someone who does.

tHE Vu PhDWe support our PhD researchers in the critical first six months of their enrolment as they prepare for candidature confirmation. We do this through two units of study that provide a strong foundation to their ongoing professional development and training program. These units – Conceptualising and Contextualising Research, and Research Integrity and Ethics – play a crucial role in developing students as researchers in an increasingly complex and multi-disciplinary global research environment.


ouR REsEaRcH

Victoria University conducts research at world-standard or above in many disciplines. The Australian Research Council recognised 15 of our research areas as being world-standard or above in the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) rankings.

Victoria University is proud of its areas of research excellence. We continue to strengthen our research capacity with a dedicated investment program across many research areas as we move toward our goal to become one of Australia’s leading research universities by 2020. Our external funding for research is steadily increasing – nationally and internationally through private and public sponsors – reflecting growing support for our strong research outcomes and research quality.

Vu aREas oF REcoGnIsED REsEaRcH EXcELLEncEThe Australian Research Council awarded Victoria University a ranking of world standard or above in its most recent Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) rankings in:

• artificial intelligenceand image processing

• applied mathematics• chemical engineering• civil engineering• cultural studies• distributed computing

• electrical and electronicengineering

• food sciences• human movement

and sports science• nursing• performing arts and

creative writing• pharmacology and

pharmaceutical sciences• applied mathematics• medical physiology• social work.vu.edu.au/research-excellence

As part of our 2014-2016 strategic plan, we aim to be recognised for our applied and translational research that has an impact on industry and community, especially across three interdisciplinary themes:

• sport, health andactive living

• education, lifelonglearning and workforcedevelopment

• sustainable industriesand liveable cities.

Our researchers should be extremely proud of their achievements as the ERA national evaluation confirms that researchers at Victoria University compete with the world’s best in a range of disciplines.”

PROFESSOR PEtER DAWkiNS – Vice-chancellor and PresidenT,VicToria UniVersiTy


Meet Catherine Xiaocui Lou, chosen from the State of Victoria’s thousands of international students as the 2013 international postgraduate student of the year.

“Being named top international postgraduate student by the Victorian Government inspires me to achieve more in my research, continue supporting other international students, and bridge co-operation between Victoria and China.

Victoria University has provided a great education and research environment to support my study and life here. The research culture at the Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies and support from across the University has helped my success.”


VIctoRIa unIVERsItY REsEaRcH Focus aREas

When you embark on a VU graduate research degree, you can choose to specialise in one of our research focus areas, supported by expertise from our institutes, research centres, colleges and their staff.

Our researchers work with some of our key partners in industry, business and academia in Australia or abroad, including those listed below.

vu.edu.au/research-focus-areas

CreAtiVe ArtS And writing

SBS Television, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Baryshnikov Arts Centre (NY), Malthouse Theatre

edUCAtion And LifeLong LeArning

University of Texas (El Paso), Hong Kong Institute of Education, National Centre for Vocational Education Research

AppLied inforMAtiCS

CSIRO, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics (China), Fudan University (China)

diVerSity, CoMMUnitieS And weLLBeing

Footscray Community Arts Centre, Western Health, Victoria Police, Australia–New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee


HeALtH And BioMediCine

Western Health, Australian Sports Commission, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, University of Texas (El Paso), University of Malaya (Malaysia)

SUStAinABiLity And innoVAtion

CSIRO, Water Research Australia, Australian Water Recycling Centre of Excellence, National Centre of Excellence for Desalination, Fire Protection Research Foundation (USA)

StrAtegiC eConoMiCS And finAnCe

World Health Organisation, China Energy Research Institute, Department of State Development, Business and Innovation, Bushfire CRC, Central University of Finance and Economics (China)

food SCienCeS And nUtrition

Dairy Innovation Australia, Regional Victoria Food Clusters, Fonterra Co-operative, Department of Primary Industries

SUppLy CHAin And LogiStiCS

Victorian Transport Association, Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics Australia, Universidad de la Sabana (Colombia), Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Chain (CIPS)

Sport, eXerCiSe SCienCe And ACtiVe LiVing

Australian Institute of Sport, Western Bulldogs Football Club, Brazilian Olympic Committee, Australian Sports Commission, Loughborough University (UK)

vu.edu.au/research10

connEctInG DIVERsE PERsPEctIVEs

A key Victoria University research goal is to make change through practical outcomes that can be used by business, industry and the community. We are committed to applied research that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries and delivers results that make a difference in improving the lives of individuals and communities, the environment, and the economy of our region and beyond.

Award-winning ecologist Dr Patrick-Jean Guay of VU’s College of Engineering and Science, and our Institute of Sustainability and Innovation works with graduate students from around the world studying Australia’s wildlife.

His current projects include investigations into the impacts of changes in waste-water treatment on the behaviour of waterfowl, the impacts of human disturbance on waterbirds, and the consequences of hybridisation between mallards and Pacific Black Ducks in Australasia.

Dr Guay has also looked into ways to safeguard the wild temperament of the endangered Tasmanian devil, which has been found to be crucial to the animals’ survival.

Our graduate researchers are based in our academic colleges – Arts, Business, Education, Engineering and Science, Health and Biomedicine, Law and Justice, or Sport and Exercise Science. These colleges are strongly linked to our research institutes and centres, providing students with an engaging, practical, and supportive research environment.

Cross-disciplinary research


Professor Mikel Duke is principal research fellow at VU’s Institute for Sustainability and Innovation and a world-renowned expert in the development and implementation of innovative membrane technologies for water, food and energy applications.

His research is sponsored by a range of funding agencies including the Australian Research Council and the Victorian Government’s Smartwater Fund, as well as several private-sector clients.

One of his recent projects was demonstrating the viability of a new desalination technology at Melbourne’s Newport power station that uses almost no electricity, and has the potential to save huge amounts of water.

Psychology Professor Dorothy Bruck’s research in sleep behaviour, mental health and human behaviour in emergencies has been recognised internationally with numerous awards and prizes. Dr Bruck’s research is regularly featured in the media, including Time magazine and New Scientist.

Working with our Centre for Environmental Safety and Risk Engineering, Professor Bruck’s work, and that of her graduate research students, has led to new standards for smoke alarm signals being adopted by the US National Fire Protection Association for people who are hard of hearing and in all US commercial bedrooms including hotels and motels. Similar new standards are currently under consideration for Australia.


REsEaRcH acHIEVEMEntsOutstanding academics are at the heart of Victoria University’s research. We are proud of our many researchers who work across disciplines and borders to solve globally significant issues.

PREDIctInG VItaL sIGnsHospital surgery will be safer than ever thanks to a computer program developed at Victoria University that is able to predict patients’ vital signs and provide early warning of complications.

Using algorithms to read and compress patient’s body-function data in real-time, the PhysAnalyser program, developed by VU’s Centre for Applied Informatics, can give about a 20-second advance prediction of a patient’s blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs.

Centre Director Professor Yanchun Zhang said the program collects data from various sensors every 3 milliseconds, then displays the patient’s predicted vital signs. It can also trigger real-time warnings, query surgical decisions and store information from an operation.

Professor Zhang, an internationally renowned researcher and ARC funding recipient in data mining and health informatics, is leading the Australian Research Council Linkage Project with partners at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and Nanjing University of Finance and Economics in China.

GoInG FoR GoLDA tiny bike computer invented at Victoria University offers an edge to Australia’s elite cyclists.

Invented by an international team of VU engineers and biomechanics researchers, the unique technology of the 72-gram Torxtar™ helps shave time from the performance of elite track cyclists by recording and analysing the biomechanics of their pedalling during competition.

Principal investigator Dr David Rouffet said an improvement of even one or two per cent for an elite track cyclist is an advantage, given one-tenth of a second can be the difference between winning a medal or not.

The project was developed in collaboration with VU’s Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living, the Australian Sport Commission, the Australian and Victorian Institutes of Sport, Cycling Australia, and Cycling Victoria.


GREat EXPEctatIonsVictoria University is at the forefront of localising an innovative university-readiness program which has successfully helped more than half a million disadvantaged American students over the past 30 years.

VU’s Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning received $1.4 million in Australian Government funding

to research and implement ‘AVID’ – Advancement Via Individual Determination – a program that equips low socio-economic and under-performing students with the academic, social and emotional skills to be successful at university.

AVID also supports educators through ongoing professional learning that builds explicit teaching skills and ensures

teachers are well equipped to help students aspire to university success.

The program is now being piloted at several schools in Victoria with plans for nearly 20 other schools and universities across Australia and New Zealand. Its success was highlighted as a case study in a recent OECD report: Excellence and Quality in Education.

PuBLIc HEaLtH FocusDirector of VU’s Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (CCDPM) Professor Maximilian de Courten, is a world-renowned public health researcher.

With more than 20 years’ experience at some of the world’s foremost medical research bodies including the US National Institute of Health, the World Health Organisation, and the universities of Monash, Deakin, Bern and Copenhagen, Professor de Courten is a highly active researcher with considerable experience supervising PhD and Masters students.

CCDPM research is conducted at the Western Centre for Health Research and Education at Sunshine Hospital, and focuses on multi-disciplinary and creative approaches to chronic disease prevention, particularly in Melbourne’s west.


WHERE WE conDuct REsEaRcHVU researchers work with academic institutions, government, industry and business – locally, nationally and globally. Our research institutes and centres work closely with our academic colleges to provide unique opportunities for cross-disciplinary research and knowledge exchange.

REsEaRcH InstItutEsInstItutE oF sPoRt, EXERcIsE anD actIVE LIVInG ISEAL’s research is led by a team of internationally recognised professors and more than 200 other researchers, supported by the most comprehensive range of sport and exercise science facilities in the southern hemisphere. Working across borders and disciplines, ISEAL collaborates with a range of partners.

vu.edu.au/iseal

InstItutE FoR suPPLY cHaIn anD LoGIstIcs ISCL provides research, consulting and knowledge-sharing to organisations, business and individuals in the growing global supply chain industry. Our position as a research and education institute allows us to provide a depth of expertise and academic rigour from a commercially independent perspective that few other institutes can match.

vu.edu.au/iscl

InstItutE FoR sustaInaBILItY anD InnoVatIon ISI provides innovative and sustainable technologies for industry and the community, especially in water treatment and resource management. It collaborates widely with higher educational partners such as University of New South Wales, Nanjing University of Technology (China), and Sunchon National University (Korea) as well as industry partners including Melbourne Water and Central Highlands Water.

ISI selects up to six overseas interns a year to work on research projects as part of its Occupational Trainee program.

vu.edu.au/isi

tHE VIctoRIa InstItutE FoR EDucatIon, DIVERsItY anD LIFELonG LEaRnInGThe Victoria Institute works with teachers, communities and policy makers to improve educational experiences, particularly for students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. Our researchers are passionate about inclusive education and work on projects across the globe to produce reliable data to drive change.

vu.edu.au/victoria-institute

VIctoRIa InstItutE oF stRatEGIc EconoMIc stuDIEsEstablished in 2014, the Institute uses sophisticated economic modelling to analyse key policy decisions of private and public sector clients. It includes the Centre of Policy Studies (CoPS), a world leader in general equilibrium modelling.

Its vision is to focus on the study of the fundamental economic, social and technological changes that are recasting the global economy, and to develop effective policy responses to them.

vu.edu.au/vises

MItcHELL InstItutE FoR HEaLtH anD EDucatIon PoLIcYThe Mitchell Institute was established at Victoria University in 2013 to make a positive contribution to the quality of health and education policy, and ultimately, the social and economic prosperity of Australia.

The Mitchell Institute collaborates with our research institutes and centres to support research that will impact on public policy.

vu.edu.au/mitchell-institute


REsEaRcH cEntREscEntRE FoR aPPLIED InFoRMatIcsEmphasises application-driven and multidisciplinary research involving ICT experts focusing on applications in health care, community, business and environmental studies.

vu.edu.au/cai

cEntRE FoR cHRonIc DIsEasE PREVEntIon anD ManaGEMEnt Focuses on the physiological, psychosocial, cultural and economic aspects of chronic diseases, and therapeutic results to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

vu.edu.au/ccdpm

cEntRE FoR cuLtuRaL DIVERsItY anD WELLBEInGConducts theoretical and applied research relating to diversity, creativity and health in local and global contexts.

vu.edu.au/ccdw

cEntRE FoR EnVIRonMEntaL saFEtY anD RIsK EnGInEERInGCarries out research using a range of sophisticated fire test facilities on smoke and fire in buildings, fire extinguishment and the response of structures to fire as well as researching human behaviour in fire.

vu.edu.au/cesare

cEntRE oF PoLIcY stuDIEsA world leader in general equilibrium modelling which has been used to forecast and analyse economic issues for a range of private and public sector clients including the US Federal Government regarding the Obama stimulus package and the Australian Government regarding labour force forecasting.

vu.edu.au/cops

Vu coLLEGEs• College of Arts

• College of Business

• College of Education

• College of Engineering and Science

• College of Health and Biomedicine

• College of Law and Justice

• College of Sport and Exercise Science

ISEAL sport research leader Professor David Bishop (fourth from left) supervises graduate students from around the world including (left to right) Rodrigo Oliveira (Brazil), Anne Klaus (Germany), Weiliang Chung (Singapore) and James Broatch (Australia). Dr Bishop is internationally renowned for his research aimed at helping elite athletes optimise their performance.

16

GRaDuatE REsEaRcHERs

vu.edu.au/research

coMPaRInG HosPItaLItY PRactIcEs PhD candidate Heath Grow was awarded a prestigious fellowship by the Australian Government to conduct cross-cultural research investigating management style differences between Australia and China’s hospitality industries.

Heath, from the College of Law and Justice, received an Endeavour Research Fellowship along with a VU College bursary to determine relationships between socio-demographic variables, promotion and leadership styles in the two countries.

The severe lack of leadership within the hospitality industry in both countries remains an issue that impedes economic growth, and is perceived to require government intervention. Heath’s research resulted in practical suggestions on how industry practitioners and education providers could tackle these issues.

The research drew the attention of Australia’s CEO forum, and peak tourism, transport and aviation industry body, TTF Australia.

“I had two excellent supervisors who provided unequivocal support. My research enabled me to ‘open doors’, consolidate my career, and build networks in Australia and abroad”.

aDVancInG LItERaRY FRontIERsAward-winning researcher and author Marion May Campbell chose Victoria University for her PhD in literary studies and creative writing because of VU’s community orientation and cultural diversity, quality supervisors, and researcher support.

Marion wrote two books on literary subversion during her PhD and received three VU academic merit awards, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Excellence.

She is currently an associate professor of professional and creative writing at Deakin University, and previously co-ordinated the creative writing program at the University of Melbourne.

“I never stop learning. A PhD trains you to keep generating research projects and give the commitment required to bring them to fruition.”


scEnts oF aRaBIaThe craft of perfumery is essential in Muslim culture. For more than 5000 years, exotic scents based on the aromatic resin Frankincense have been alluring the world.

Ghada al Drees, a Victoria University PhD candidate from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is exploring how Saudi fragrances can hold their place in the local market given the overwhelming exposure many Saudis now have to Western fragrances.

A scholarship recipient from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Ghada is nearing the completion of a study that could have practical applications for the country’s A$270 million perfume industry.

Through VU support, Ghada travelled to Perth and Adelaide to attend the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy annual conferences, as well as participating in VU’s comprehensive postgraduate research training programs.

“Victoria University takes care of its students as people first, then as postgraduate students second.”

EDucatIon FoR aLLMuhammad Basri Jafar is helping the young country of Timor-Leste in its national goal to eradicate illiteracy by 2020.

While literacy rates are quickly improving among Timor-Leste’s rapidly growing youth, an estimated 50 per cent of the country’s adult population can neither read nor write due to a lack of primary education during decades of foreign occupation.

Since completing his doctoral thesis at VU on the acquisition of bilingualism and biliteracy by Indonesian children in Australia, Basri, who is now a professor at the University of Makassar in Indonesia, was appointed a consultant to UNESCO, the United Nations’ Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Timor-Leste. There he organised literacy workshops for the government’s Education for All program.

Basri came to study at VU after he emailed VU’s Dean of Graduate Research, Professor Helen Borland, from Indonesia, to discuss the possibility of conducting literacy research in Australia.

“The research I did at VU supports my UNESCO responsibilities. My goal is to make a global contribution to the field of literacy.”


suPPoRt anD DEVELoPMEnt

GRaDuatE REsEaRcH cEntREVictoria University’s Graduate Research Centre, led by the Dean of Graduate Research, Professor Helen Borland, is a one-stop shop for comprehensive support through all stages of graduate research candidature – from choosing a supervisor,to scholarship applications, to planning a career and participating in research professional development.

03 9919 4522 [email protected]

vu.edu.au/graduate-research-centre

IntERnatIonaL stuDEnt REsEaRcH suPPoRt Our dedicated International Student Support team at Victoria University will support you from your arrival through to when you become an alumnus of the University. It offers an orientation program and assistance and support on transition to life in Melbourne.

03 9919 4953 [email protected] [email protected]

scHoLaRsHIPs anD sPonsoRsHIPsVictoria University offers a generous range of scholarships totalling around A$5 million a year for both domestic and international students undertaking graduate research degrees. In 2013, some 350 VU graduate research scholars were supported with living allowances and/or tuition-fee scholarships.

In addition to the Australian Government’s Postgraduate Awards and International Postgraduate Research Awards, VU offers a range of scholarship programs for both domestic and international applicants who excel in their fields including:

• Vice-Chancellor’s PostgraduateResearch Scholarship(domestic students only)

• Victoria University PostgraduateResearch Scholarship(domestic students only)

• Victoria University PostgraduateResearch Diversity Scholarship(domestic students only)

• Victoria University InternationalPostgraduate ResearchScholarship (internationalstudents only).

These scholarships are normally provided for two years for a Master of Research degree, and three years for a Doctoral program. Our colleges, research centres and institutes also offer scholarships.

External government and industry scholarships are also available.

vu.edu.au/research-scholarships

DoMEstIc stuDEnts The Australian Government fully funds most postgraduate research tuition fees via its Research Training Scheme.

Recipients are exempt from paying tuition fees for their research degree training.

education.gov.au/research-training-scheme

IntERnatIonaL stuDEntsVictoria University has longstanding partnerships with international sponsorship programs that help us collaborate in knowledge-sharing and capacity-building. Many countries including China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Thailand, Brazil, Colombia and Chile offer scholarships to their nationals, while the Australian Government provides Australia Awards Scholarships to students from developing countries.

In addition, VU awards fee scholarships to some international applicants through the VU scholarship program.

vu.edu.au/international-scholarships

[email protected]

We support our graduate research students and their work by providing the services, facilities and training they need to emerge as independent and respected professional researchers.

DEMYstIFYInG YouR tHEsIsAn award-winning program developed by a Victoria University researcher that takes the dread out of writing a thesis is so successful that it has spread to other universities in Australia and overseas.

‘Demystifying the Thesis’ is a series of intensive workshops that empowers research students with the understanding, tools and confidence to become independent researchers.

Professorial Research Fellow in VU’s Graduate Research Centre, Professor Ron Adams, has been delivering the program for more than a decade. It includes the opportunity for a live-in writing retreat with time for relaxation and reflection.

The program won the national Australian Learning and Teaching Council Award for Postgraduate Education in 2010.

PROFESSOR RON ADAmS – Professorial research fellow


Victoria University is one of just seven Australian universities to receive a top five-star rating from the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations for its policies regarding access to facilities and infrastructure to support its researchers. Graduate research students have dedicated study spaces, computer workstations and postgraduate study lounges, as well as many specialist facilities, laboratories, and support services such as an electronic research data storage repository. VU’s specialist research facilities include:

• Sport and learning precinct –contains the mostcomprehensive range of sportand exercise science facilitiesin the southern hemisphereincluding labs for exercisephysiology, biomechanics,motor learning, biochemistry,motor control and biofeedback,and exercise rehabilitation,as well as an altitude hotel.

• Water research laboratory –offers a fully-equipped fluidmechanics and hydraulicslaboratory incorporatingpluviometers, flowmetersand water quality monitoringequipment. Researchers alsohave access to a range ofhydrological and water resourcescomputer software packages,including GIS and REALM.

• Sleep laboratory – is a two-bedroom laboratory equippedwith three systems for sleeprecordings, and softwarefor staging and scoringsleep studies. Researchershave access to sophisticateddevices to measure sleepand performance.

• Health research facilities – thenew Western Centre for HealthResearch and Education, built atSunshine Hospital in partnershipwith Western Health andthe University of Melbourne,provides state-of-the-art facilitiesincluding a physical containmentPC2 lab certified for geneticmodification work. Researchersalso have access to modernbiomedical research facilitiesat VU campuses at St Albans,Footscray Park and Werribee.

• Fire-testing facilities – include fire-test furnaces, a four-storey building scale model, cone calorimeter and 3MW calorimeter, and an ISO room for applications in fire safety engineering.

• Advanced food systemresearch labs – offerfacilities and resources forfood research includingfood processing, shelf-lifeenhancement, microbialand enzyme technology andengineering, and functionalfoods and nutraceuticals.They include an analyticalinstrumentation lab equippedwith high performancespectrophotometer, andan imaging research labwith sophisticated scanningelectron microscopes.

• E-research facilities – VU’seResearch Services provide arange of digital technologies insupport of research projects,including access to high-performance computing forlarge-scale data analysis,computation, simulation andmodeling; support in usingresearch-dedicated cloudresources to suit a widerange of hosting needs (e.g.project servers); dedicateddigital storage for all researchprojects; a professionalonline survey system fordata collection and analysis;and access to a networkof experts in areas such asonline collaboration, cloudtechnologies, computation,visualisation, system designand software development.

Western Centre for Health Research and Training.

FacILItIEs anD tEcHnoLoGY


aPPLYInG

stEP 1sELEct a DEGREE

MastERs BY REsEaRcHBuild on skills and knowledge from an undergraduate degree.

Eligibility

Applicants require:

• a bachelor degree with distinction average in final year orprofessional experience.

• international students also require an IELTS (AcademicModule) overall score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 orequivalent.

Requirements for completion

Candidates must submit a 30,000–60,000-word thesis. If you are conducting research in the creative arts, your thesis may include creative work with an accompanying critical explanation (exegesis).

Duration

A Masters by Research involves two years full-time study or part-time equivalent. (International students must be enrolled fulltime).

DoctoR oF PHILosoPHY (PhD)Conduct research that leads to new knowledge or re-interprets existing ideas, theories and approaches.

Eligibility

Applicants require:

• a bachelor degree with honours, or H1 or H2A honoursdegree; OR

• a masters by coursework degree including minor thesis withminimum H2A/Distinction (70%) OR

• a masters by research degree, or demonstrated ability inpartial completion of a masters research project

• International students also require an IELTS (AcademicModule) overall score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 orequivalent.


Candidates must submit their thesis in one of three formats: a standard thesis (60,000-100,000 words); thesis by creative project; or thesis by publication with a length equivalent to a standard thesis.

Duration

A PhD involves three to four years full-time study or part-time equivalent. (International students must be enrolled full-time).

PRoFEssIonaL DoctoRatE (DBa oR EdD)Focus on issues in a particular profession and develop your ability to conduct independent research that makes an original contribution to improving practice.

Eligibility

Applicants require:

• a masters by coursework degree including minor thesis withminimum H2A/Distinction (70%) OR

• a masters by research degree, or demonstrated ability inpartial completion of a masters research project

• relevant professional experience of at least two years in afield relevant to the degree

• International students also require an IELTS (AcademicModule) overall score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 orequivalent


Requirements are similar to a PhD but the focus is on research in a particular profession. The first year of the program is doctoral coursework.

We offer:

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

• Doctorate of Education (EdD)

Duration

A Professional Doctorate involves three to four years full-time study or part-time equivalent. (International students must be enrolled fulltime).

stEP 2aLIGn YouR REsEaRcH IntEREstWItH ouRs Align your research with one of our research focus areas vu.edu.au/research-focus-areas

our college-based research vu.edu.au/college-research

or our institutes and research centres vu.edu.au/institutes-centres


stEP 3PREPaRE a BRIEF REsEaRcH PRoPosaLAn initial research proposal of one to two pages that includes the aims and significance of your proposal, along with the methodology and equipment required, must accompany your application.

stEP 4FInD a suPERVIsoRVU research supervisors are well recognised scholars in their fields who are dedicated to providing a high-quality experience for research students. The Graduate Research Centre can help you identify a supervisor with research strengths and interests similar to yours.

A principal supervisor will oversee your progress and an associate supervisor will assist. (Professional Doctorate applicants are not required to find a supervisor prior to applying).

[email protected]

stEP 5suBMIt YouR aPPLIcatIonApplications are accepted throughout the year but the main commencement times are February–March and July–August each year.

For more information about eligibility and application procedures:

vu.edu.au/apply-research

vu.edu.au/apply-international (for international students)

sERIous stuDIEs FoR sERIous BusInEssVictoria University’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a milestone in business education and one of the first degrees in Australia to combine coursework with research doctoral studies in business.

It is taught in a seminar style that takes advantage of student input. Every student has practical business experience, and many come from overseas, bringing a global perspective to the course.

DBA graduate Asheley Jones, who researched international postgraduate work-readiness programs for her dissertation, said she found the degree less abstract than a PhD, with its emphasis on corporate governance, international business strategy and applied research training.

“If someone is looking for a way to enhance their qualifications and solve problems of business and government in an innovative and resourceful manner, the breadth of the VU DBA is the perfect vehicle.”

IMPoRtant InFoRMatIon FoR IntERnatIonaL stuDEnts• International students should determine if their existing

academic qualifications meet Victoria University eligibility requirements before applying for graduate research studies. Visit vu.edu.au/apply-international and look under research programs for entry requirements.

• International students should submit an application as early as possible to allow time for it to be assessed and time to apply for a student visa upon acceptance.

www.immi.gov.au

• Students who accept their offer as a sponsored student must provide evidence of sponsorship.

23

we look forward to welcoming you to the Victoria University research community and helping you excel as a leader in your research field.

contact usGraduate Research Centre Phone +61 3 9919 4522 [email protected]

International students Phone +61 3 9919 1164 [email protected]

Victoria University PO Box 14428 Melbourne, Victoria 8001 Australia

connEct WItH us

facebook.com/victoria.university

twitter.com/victoriauninews

youtube.com/victoriauniversity

Victoria University cricos Provider No. 00124K cricos Provider No. 02475D (sydney)

VIctoRIa DoctoR oF PHILosoPHY (PhD) unIVERsItY ... · Beyond its standing as Australia’s centre...

Documents

Transcript of VIctoRIa DoctoR oF PHILosoPHY (PhD) unIVERsItY ... · Beyond its standing as Australia’s centre...