Postgraduate - CourseDoctor of Philosophy (Journalism)

Candidature in a Doctor of Philosophy involves the independent investigation of a research problem that has been formulated by the student. It is expected that the research undertaken will make a significant contribution to the discipline in which the student is enrolled. Doctoral students are supported by a minimum of two supervisors throughout their candidature.

Students are required to complete a compulsory program of coursework study.

Successful completion of the program will signify that the holder has completed a course of postgraduate training in research under proper academic supervision and has submitted a thesis that the examiners have declared to be a significant contribution to knowledge and which demonstrates the student's capacity to carry out independent research.

Candidature rules

For all candidature rules and other important information for PhD students refer to the Handbook for Doctoral DegreesHandbook for Doctoral Degrees (http://www.monash.edu.au/migr/research-degrees/handbook/content/).

This course consists of:

• a research and thesis component
• a coursework study program.

Students 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 school or department of enrolment in the student's chosen discipline for a specified period, including attending and/or presenting at seminars and other related activities as indicated by the relevant department/school

(b.) submit for assessment a major piece of original journalistic research together with a written critical commentary of not more than 80,000 words on the program of research which meets the requirements of the examiners. The research component should be no less than 40,000 words or equivalent and the critical commentary no less than 20,000 words.

The materials submitted for assessment should embody evidence of the student's research methodologies and achievements at the required level. The project:

• may be produced in any publication medium appropriate to the content, including print, video, radio, digital multimedia and exhibition; there is considerable flexibility and scope for innovation in the design of the form and content of the journalism project and students should liaise closely with the proposed supervisory team to formulate a rigorous and original project
• must be of a scale/length/duration that would normally be produced and published within the approved medium as an outcome of two year's full-time work, e.g. a feature-length (70-90 minutes) film/video documentary where the student is researcher and writer and director; a non-fiction book of 50,000 - 80,000 words; a series of six thematically related 45-minute video documentaries where the student is researcher, journalist and interviewer/presenter as part of a larger television production team; or a series of ten 50-60 minute radio documentaries researched, produced and presented by the student.

The critical commentary should demonstrate how the professional/creative component contributes to scholarly knowledge in the field. It should address contextual, methodological and/or theoretical issues related to the themes or issues explored in the journalism project. It should demonstrate that the student has acquired the ability to research and contribute to journalism studies, and should be between 25,000-35,000 words.

(c.) satisfactorily complete a program of coursework study as outlined under 'Areas of study'.

• Film, media and communications PhD program

Doctor of Philosophy (Journalism)