Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The Master of Philosophy is designed to extend the disciplinary competence of students as well as provide them with research training. While it is not necessary that an Master of Philosophy thesis would make a major contribution to the discipline by way of new knowledge (as a Doctor of Philosophy would require), an Master of Philosophy thesis would be expected to make a contribution to an existing body of knowledge by applying, clarifying, critiquing or interpreting that knowledge.

The learning goals associated with this course are to:

• extend knowledge, expertise and skill through the application of research to business problems and issues
• gain experience in the design and implementation of research
• develop the ability to carry out independent research
• make a contribution to an existing body of knowledge by applying, clarifying or interpreting that knowledge.

This course has a mandatory research component of 67 - 100 per cent of the total course, depending on the option selected.

Thesis topic and supervision

The thesis topic will be selected in consultation with the student's supervisor and must be related to the department in which the student is specialising. A member of that department will be appointed as supervisor. In some instances, students may have more than one supervisor, and the second supervisor may be from another department

100 per cent thesis option

Students are required to write a thesis of up to 50,000 words, which constitutes 100 per cent of the workload for the course.

Coursework and 67 per cent thesis option

Students are required to write a thesis of about 25,000 words, which constitutes 67 per cent of the workload for the course.

In addition, students are required to select four units from the department responsible for the supervision of their thesis as set out under 'Requirements' below. Students are required to include in the four units at least two 5000-level units from the department in which they are enrolled for the masters course. This unit should be related to the topic of their thesis.*

Coursework and 92 per cent thesis option

Students are required to write a thesis of up to 50,000 words, which constitutes 92 per cent of the workload for the course.

In addition, students are required to complete one 5000-level unit from the department responsible for the supervision of their thesis. This unit should be related to the topic of their thesis.*

* Normally, the coursework component is taken over the first two semesters before proceeding to the thesis component. Students are required to achieve an average grade of 70 per cent or above in all units undertaken.

Graduate seminar

All students are required to attend the graduate seminars organised by the department in which they are enrolled. They will also be expected to attend and participate regularly in the seminar series. Students are required to present one seminar. The graduate seminar is an unweighted unit, and does not count as one of the units required.

Department of Accounting and Finance

Students must undertake the 100 per cent thesis option (the 92 per cent and 67 per cent thesis options are not available).

Department of Business Law and Taxation

Students must undertake the 92 per cent thesis option (the 100 per cent and 67 per cent thesis options are not available).

92 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete one unit from the 5000-level units taught by the department. The unit to be taken should be related to the thesis topic.

(b.) students are required to participate in the departmental seminar program

(c.) students must complete the 92 per cent thesis component.

Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics

Students must undertake the 67 per cent thesis option or the 92 per cent thesis option (the 100 per cent thesis option is not available).

67 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete two units from the following list:

• ETC5400 Research topics in econometrics or ETF5400 Special topics in econometrics I
• ETC5410 Special topics in econometrics or ETF5410 Special topics in econometrics II

(b.) students must complete two units from special units or special reading units taught by the department, or from the graduate-level units taught by the Department of Accounting and Finance and the Department of Economics.

(c.) students must complete:

• ETC5470/ETF5470 Econometrics graduate seminar

(d.) students must complete the 67 per cent thesis component.

92 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete one unit from the 5000-level units taught by the department. The unit to be taken should be related to the thesis topic, and in special circumstances the head of department may approve as the 5000-level unit ETC5000/ETF5000 (Reading unit) taught by the department.

(b.) students must complete:

• ETC5470/ETF5470 Econometrics graduate seminar

(c.) students must complete the 92 per cent thesis component.

Department of Economics

All students entering the graduate program within the Department of Economics are required to have passed the undergraduate unit ETC2410 (Introductory economics) or ETC3440 (Practical economics) or equivalent units, or an examination set by the department at an equivalent level in quantitative economics analysis. Students are not permitted to take ETC3440 as a special unit. Students may select joint courses offered by the Department of Economics with the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics (Clayton) and The Department of Accounting and Finance, respectively.

67 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete the following three units:

• ECC5650 Microeconomic theory
• ECC5660 Macroeconomic theory
• ECC5850 Mathematical economic theory

(b.) students must complete one unit from the 5000-level units taught by the department. The unit to be taken should be related to the thesis topic.

(c.) students must complete:

• ECC5800 Economics graduate seminar

(d.) students must complete this thesis component

Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics and Department of Economics

67 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete two units from the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics, including at least one of:

• ETC5400 Research topics in econometrics or ETF5400 Special topics in econometrics 1
• ETC5410 Special topics in econometrics or ETF5410 Special topics in econometrics 2

(b.) students must complete two units from the Department of Economics, including at least one of:

• ECC5650 Microeconomics
• ECC5660 Macroeconomics

(c.) students must complete one of:

• ECC5800 Economics graduate seminar
• ETC5470/ETF5470 Econometrics graduate seminar

(d.) students must complete the 67 per cent thesis component.

Department of Management

Students must undertake the 92 per cent thesis option (the 67 per cent and 100 per cent thesis options are not available)

92 per cent thesis option

(a.) students must complete one unit from the 5000-level units taught by the department. The unit to be taken should be related to thesis topic.

(b.) students are required to participate in the departmental seminar program.

(c.) students must complete the 92 per cent thesis component.

Department of Marketing

Students must undertake the 100 per cent thesis option (the 92 per cent and 67 per cent thesis options are not available).

Minimum grade for course completion

A thesis which has been examined and passed by the examiners as making a contribution to knowledge.

Students may be able to upgrade to doctoral candidature - 0029 Doctor of Philosophy - after 12 months, provided that satisfactory progress has been made and certain conditions are met.

Master of Philosophy