Doctor of Philosophy

Enrolment 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 enrolment.

Students are also required to complete compulsory coursework as part of the Monash doctoral programMonash doctoral program (http://www.monash.edu/migr/future-students/phd). This discipline-specific coursework is designed to impart skills and knowledge that will assist students to conduct their research.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 3 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 10, the Bologna Cycle 3 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

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 original research.

It is expected that graduates will be able to demonstrate the following abilities:

• carry out independent research
• critically review the current research in the literature
• formulate a research problem of high impact and significance
• apply the appropriate research methodology
• analyse the research data
• articulate the research outcome to a variety of audiences.

Conditions of enrolment

Students are to refer to the Handbook for Doctoral DegreesHandbook for Doctoral Degrees (http://www.monash.edu/migr/faqs-and-resources/content) for all policies and procedures relating to their enrolment.

This course consists of:

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

Areas of research

Chemical engineering

Research in the Department of Chemical Engineering falls into four major areas:

• energy, fuels, biorefining and sustainable processing
• biotechnology, food and pharmaceutical engineering
• functional nanomaterials
• surface and colloidal science and molecular rheology

The department has internationally recognised research strengths in the areas of biofuels, bioprocessing and biomaterials, colloid and interface science, combustion and gasification, corrosion, food and pharmaceutical engineering, green chemicals, nanotechnology; mesoporous materials and membranes; powder technology, reaction engineering, rheology and sustainable processing. The Chemical Engineering department was ranked 40th in the world in the 2012 QS discipline rankings (Chemical Engineering)

Civil engineering

Mining engineering, geomechanics, structural engineering, transport and traffic engineering, water resources and environmental engineering.

Electrical and computer systems engineering

Computer systems and software engineering, control engineering,electronics, telecommunications engineering, electrical power systems,bio-optics, biomedical engineering, plasmonics, nanophotonics, optical physics and robotics.

Materials engineering

Engineering light alloys, advanced polymer science and engineering, biomaterials and tissue engineering, electronic and magnetic materials, thermo-mechanical processing, corrosion, nanomaterials, materials characterisation, modelling and simulation of processes and properties, structural and functional ceramics.

Mechanical engineering

Aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, turbulence, structural mechanics, aerospace engineering, composites, heat transfer, micro/nano fluid and solid mechanics, biological engineering, robotics, mechatronics, railway engineering and maintenance engineering.

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

(1.) carry out a program of research on an agreed topic approved by the faculty 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 faculty

(2.) submit for assessment a thesis of not more than 80,000 words 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 workconjointly published or unpublished work (http://www.monash.edu.au/migr/examiners/publication/) may be permitted.

(3.) satisfactorily complete the program of coursework study as outlined under 'PhD programs' below.

Students must pass any required coursework units, the assessment of which is conducted in accordance with the University's Assessment in Coursework Units PolicyAssessment in Coursework Units Policy (http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/assessment-in-coursework-units-policy.html) and supporting procedures. If a student fails a coursework component of their degree, they can repeat the relevant unit once in a later semester. Students who fail to pass the repeat attempt of the unit may be subject to a termination process under the Graduate Research Termination ProceduresGraduate Research Termination Procedures (http://policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/research/mrgs/grad-research-termination-procedures.html).

Students are required to undertake regular progress milestones to support them in conducting research of an appropriate quality, originality and depth as required by their course of study, in accordance with the Graduate Research Progress Management policyGraduate Research Progress Management policy (http://policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/research/mrgs/grad-research-progress-mgmt-policy.html) and supporting procedures.

PhD programs

• Engineering PhD program