Postgraduate - Course3194 - Master of Philosophy

Candidature in a Master of Philosophy involves the independent investigation of a research problem that has been formulated by the candidate. It is expected that the research undertaken will make a contribution to the discipline in which the candidate is enrolled by applying, clarifying, critiquing or interpreting that knowledge. Candidates are supported by a minimum of two supervisors throughout their candidature.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able 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

Candidature rules

For all candidature rules and other important information for candidates refer to the 'Handbook for Research Master's Degrees' available at http://www.monash.edu/migr/research-degrees/handbook/masters.

Upgrade to PhD

Those students who:

• undertake the coursework requirements for the PhD but are not successful in upgrading from the Master of Philosophy to the PhD, will have an 84 per cent thesis component in the Master of Philosophy
• upgrade to the PhD after successful completion of coursework will undertake the 92 per cent thesis option in the PhD program.

Graduate seminars

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.

This course consists of a research and thesis component, and a coursework component if one of the coursework options detailed under 'Requirements' is chosen.

Candidates must, in consultation with and under the direct supervision of a member/s of the academic staff:

(a.) carry out a program of research on an agreed topic approved by the faculty in the candidate's chosen discipline for a specified period, including attending and/or presenting at seminars and other related activities as indicated by the faculty

(b.) submit for assessment a thesis as outlined in the options below, on the program of research which meets the requirements of the examiners. Submission of the thesis based on or partially based on conjointly published or unpublished work may be permitted.

Students can only select from the percentage thesis component/s indicated for each department, other options are not available.

Options

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 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 master's 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.

Requirements by department, centre and school

Department of Accounting and Finance

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

or

Students intending to upgrade to the PhD must complete:

• BEX6300 Philosophy of research

plus one unit from the following:

• BEX6100 Advanced quantitative research methods
• BEX6200 Advanced qualitative research methods

Students who upgrade to the PhD after successful completion of the coursework will undertake the 92 per cent option in the PhD program.

Those students who undertake the coursework requirements for the PhD but are not successful in upgrading from the MPhil to the PhD, will have an 84 per cent thesis component in the MPhil.

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)

(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

or

Students intending to upgrade to the PhD must complete:

• BEX6300 Philosophy of research

plus one unit from the following:

• BEX6100 Advanced quantitative research methods
• BEX6200 Advanced qualitative research methods

Students who upgrade to the PhD after successful completion of the coursework will undertake the 92 per cent option in this PhD program.

Those students who undertake the coursework requirements for the PhD but are not successful in upgrading from the MPhil to the PhD will have an 84 per cent thesis component in the MPhil.

Department of Marketing

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

or

Students intending to upgrade to the PhD complete:

• BEX6300 Philosophy of research

plus one of the following:

• BEX6100 Advanced quantitative research methods
• BEX6200 Advanced qualitative research methods

Students who upgrade to the PhD after successful completion of the coursework will undertake the 92 per cent option in the PhD program.

Those students who undertake the coursework requirements for the PhD but are not successful in upgrading from the MPhil to the PhD will have an 84 per cent thesis component in the MPhil.

Department of Business Law and Taxation

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

(a.) Students must complete one unit from the 5000-level units taught by the department. The unit 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 option if not available)

67 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete two units from the 5000-level or 6000-level units taught by the department.

(b.) Students must complete two further 4000-level or 6000-level units taught by the department, or by the Department of Accounting and Finance, the Department of Economics or the School of Mathematical Sciences.

(c.) Students must complete the 67 per cent thesis component.

92 per cent thesis option

(a.) Students must complete one unit from the 5000-level or 6000-level units taught by the department. The unit to be taken should be related to the thesis topic.

(b.) Students must complete ETC5470/ETF5470 Econometrics graduate seminar

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

or

All students who intend to upgrade to the PhD, must complete two 6000-level units which will normally include ETX6500 Statistical inference and ETX6510 Foundations of econometrics.

Students who upgrade to the PhD after successful completion of the coursework will undertake the 92 per cent option in the PhD program.

Those students who undertake the coursework requirements for the PhD but are not successful in upgrading from the MPhil to the PhD will have an 84 per cent thesis component in the MPhil.

Department of Economics

Students must undertake the 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

(iv.) Students must complete the 67 per cent thesis component

Centre of Policy Studies

Students must undertake the 100 per cent thesis option.

Centre of Health Economics

Students must undertake the 100 per cent thesis option.

School of Business, Gippsland

Students will be required to undertake the requirements of the relevant disciplines.

School of Business, Malaysia

Students will be required to undertake the requirements of the relevant disciplines.

Students may apply to upgrade to PhD candidature after a defined period (usually 9-12 months candidature, full-time or equivalent), provided that satisfactory progress has been made and certain conditions are met.

Master of Philosophy