1999 Arts Handbook - Upgrading from one program to another

Upgrading from one program to another

General information
Upgrading from research masters to PhD

General information

The following categories of enrolled Monash students who have fulfilled the requirements for their existing program may be eligible to upgrade:

Existing program	Transfer to	Minimum requirements
Faculty Certificate	Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma	credit average
Graduate Certificate	Graduate Diploma	credit average
Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma	Masters by coursework	credit average
Masters Qualifying by coursework	Masters by coursework	credit average
Masters Qualifying with a research component	Masters by research or PhD	distinction average

It should be noted that some programs may require higher grades overall or in specific subjects - please refer to the requirements under each program.
Students should ask at the graduate studies office for the appropriate form to fill in.

Upgrading from research masters to PhD

Students contemplating an upgrade from research masters must take the responsibility for allowing roughly two months for the upgrading process, a point to be noted especially by students approaching the time limit for masters candidature. Except in circumstances deemed exceptional, a transfer should occur after twelve but before thirty-six months full-time equivalent candidature has elapsed. Students should discuss a potential upgrade with their supervisor in the first instance. Then the graduate coordinator or the head of the academic unit of centre should be consulted to make the necessary arrangements.
The decision to recommend an upgrade or not (or to postpone a decision) is made by a panel which includes the head of the academic unit, the supervisor as well as other relevant academic unit members such as the graduate coordinator.
The panel will base its decision on an oral presentation and a written submission by the candidate, plus any other information deemed relevant by the panel.
The candidate's written case for upgrading will provide details on the proposed research, report progress to date and provide a timetable for completion of each phase of the research program. Copies are to be submitted to each panel member. Accordingly, this submission should be a substantial document, worthy of the time already devoted to the work. The candidate is expected to define the focus, methods and limits of the research precisely and to place it in the context of related scholarly literature. The candidate should also explain how the masters work will be altered to reflect its new status as doctoral research. The submission may be supported by any written works, such as working papers or chapter drafts, which would reinforce the case. A bibliography of works consulted should be supplied. Due attention should be paid to matters of clarity, readability and presentation. The document need not be lengthy (5000-10,000 words would be sufficient in most cases), and, indeed, conciseness is a requirement.
The oral presentation will usually be in the form of a departmental seminar, open to the public, but the panel may accept an alternative format such as an in-depth interview if circumstances warrant.
After the candidate has made an oral presentation and submitted the written statement the panel will meet to consider its decision. In normal cases, the panel's decision should be made known to the candidate within one month. If the panel is in favour of the upgrading, a PhD candidature application together with the candidate's written submission is forwarded to the faculty and, if approved, to the university's PhD and Scholarships Committee for final approval.