Postgraduate studies are offered by the faculty at the Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula and Gippsland campuses. Graduate studies may be undertaken by coursework, by research, or by a combination of coursework and research.
For details of the faculty's postgraduate programs, refer to the `Graduate studies' section later in this handbook.
All graduate course applications should be made directly to the faculty office at the relevant campus. International students must apply through the Monash international office at the relevant campus.
Applications for graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and coursework masters degrees normally close in November for entry to programs commencing in February the following year. Applications for courses with a mid-year intake close in early June.
Applications for all distance education courses are made directly to the distance education office at Gippsland by mid-October (telephone 1800 671 845).
Applications for masters degrees by research and for Doctor of Philosophy may be made to the relevant faculty office at any time. Research scholarship applications should be submitted by the end of October to the research, training and support branch, Clayton campus.
Graduate students enrolled in a masters degree by coursework and research are required to complete a minor thesis or research project. The research component of a coursework degree is normally less than fifty per cent of the coursework requirements. A minor thesis should show wide reading and an understanding in an area related to the course of studies being taken for the degree.
Students enrolled in a masters degree by research or PhD undertake research into a topic of interest within a department of the faculty, under the supervision of an academic staff member. A research degree is defined as having a thesis or research component greater than 66 per cent of the course.
Masters by research students submit a major thesis which shows independence of thought and demonstrates the student's ability to carry out research in the field concerned.
There are a wide range of research interests pursued within the departments and schools in the faculty. For information about research interests in a specific department, refer to the `Department information' section in this handbook.
Students undertaking a thesis pursue a course of research in a department of the faculty under the supervision of a member of academic staff from that department. In certain circumstances the department may appoint both a main supervisor and an associate supervisor. An associate supervisor need not be a full-time member of staff, but should be recognised in the field of research.
While specific requirements may vary among the different courses, graduate research students are expected to meet with their supervisor and attend the university on a regular basis, and to participate in any seminar programs that are conducted within the department.
The rules applying to attendance are laid out in the PhD regulations and in the faculty's information on research courses. However, full-time PhD candidates should note that as well as meeting the attendance requirements laid down in section 7.3.2 of the PhD regulations, the faculty requires PhD candidates to pursue their research on campus unless they negotiate other arrangements with their supervisor. In the case of overseas study, permission must also be obtained from the PhD and Scholarships committee.
Part-time PhD candidates are also required to meet the on-campus residency requirements of the university.
It is the responsibility of the department to ensure that:
(i) the candidate is appropriately qualified for admission to candidature;
(ii) the candidate appears to have the capacity required to undertake the course successfully;
(iii) the research project proposed is appropriate for the degree;
(iv) the department is the most appropriate one in which the research is to be undertaken;
(v) the project is feasible in terms of time, facilities, equipment, technical and resource staff, source material and funding for the expected duration of the research required for the masters degree;
It should be noted that the expected duration of candidature should usually be less than the period of candidature allowed under the regulations. It is generally suggested that a masters project should be designed to take approximately twelve to eighteen months of full-time equivalent candidature.
(vi) in determining the project, due recognition is given to the research interests and ability of the student;
(vii) the proposed supervisor is sufficiently expert and interested in the area of research to offer the candidate proper supervision;
(viii) a supervisor is not put in charge of more than five full-time equivalent students; where it is proposed that a supervisor undertakes supervision in excess of this number, the department must satisfy the Faculty Research Committee that the additional supervisory load will still allow the supervisor to discharge the supervisor's responsibilities satisfactorily;
(ix) the work load of the supervisor is such as to allow sufficient time to give proper supervision to the candidate;
(x) proper supervision is provided and maintained throughout the research period;
(xi) if the supervisor is to be absent in excess of six (6) weeks an alternative supervisor is appointed;
(xii) joint supervisors or associate supervisors are appointed as required for interdisciplinary or highly specialised research projects, and supervisory responsibility is clearly designated and understood by both supervisor and candidates;
(xiii) an academic staff member within a department is appointed to act as a coordinator of graduate studies, to monitor the general progress and welfare of postgraduate candidates and act as ombudsman where necessary;
(xiv) written information is produced and distributed to all postgraduates by the department with details on requirements and procedures relating to all postgraduate matters administered at the departmental level including:
(xvii) the candidate's research program is not unreasonably influenced or redirected by political, commercial or industrial factors.
Graduate students undertaking graduate diplomas or masters degrees by coursework are required to complete a number of compulsory or core units.
In addition, students can normally select for a number of elective subjects taught within the department or faculty or, in some cases, taught by other faculties within the university.
Subjects are normally conducted as a series of lectures and tutorials. However, masters-level subjects may take the form of seminars presented by visiting lecturers, focussing on the lecturer's current area of interest.
Part-time evening classes are available for all postgraduate courses on the Caulfield campus. Classes at the Clayton campus are normally available during the day; however, classes for postgraduate courses in digital communications and robotics are held in the early evening.
At the Peninsula campus classes are available only during the day. However, the tutorial arrangements for the Graduate Diploma in Computing may be negotiated between the tutor and the students.
Students undertaking postgraduate diplomas or masters degrees by coursework are required to pay course fees set by the faculty. The payment of postgraduate fees replaces the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) for these courses. Fees are payable each semester in advance according to the number of subjects in which the student is enrolled.
Students who are undertaking masters degrees by research or the PhD and who hold permanent residency in Australia are formally liable for the HECS charge. However, full-time candidates in receipt of a Monash Graduate Scholarship or Australian Postgraduate Award are exempt from the HECS charge. Other full-time PhD candidates may be exempted from paying HECS if they enrol or re-enrol by a date set by the research training and support branch.
The faculty proposes to review the course regulations governing the masters by coursework programs that it offers to allow for the accumulation of single subjects towards a degree.
While full details of the proposed changes are not yet available, it is envisaged that students with single-subject graduate enrolment will be able to take subjects with an option to undertake or decline assessment in that subject.
The faculty proposes to introduce a range of new subjects throughout 1997 and 1998 in the masters area of study. As well, the faculty is considering the development of a new masters program tentatively titled Master of Information Technology. It is anticipated that this course will be offered by all departments and schools of the faculty and will require students to complete at least four core subjects, plus four elective subjects.
Students would be able to take this program by completing a collection of individual subjects on a fee-for-service basis. The faculty is discussing the possibility of having two different fee levels. The first fee level (eg $1000 per subject), would be set for students enrolling in and attending a subject, including undertaking assessment. A second fee level (eg $750 per subject), would apply to students attending a subject but not undertaking any assessment.
Under this proposal it would be possible to accumulate subjects towards the Master of Information Technology and the Master of Computing without actually being formally enrolled in the course, ie by being enrolled as a non-award student. On completing the required number of subjects a candidate would be able to apply to have the degree awarded.
Admission requirements are likely to be amended under this proposal, to allow for a category of students who would have `open entry'. It is possible that this concept will be extended to cover all masters by coursework programs in the faculty.
At this stage, the proposed new subjects are:
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