Information About Candidature

A Description of Candidature is provided to each candidate at the time of admission. Contained therein is a description of those terms which shall govern candidature. In order to change any element (with the exception of the commencement date which is confirmed when the offer of admission is accepted), a Request for Change to Description of Candidature form, which has been endorsed by the principal supervisor and the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation), must be lodged with the Office of Research for approval by Research Higher Degrees Committee.

The following changes require approval:

A change of status between full-time, part-time and internal, external;
When a change in the title of the thesis or a major change in the direction of the research is planned;
A change in supervision whether at the candidate's request, or by necessity because of Faculty changes;
A change of faculty (normally necessitated by a change of supervisor).

Leave from your Research Program

Candidates may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) from their research program, which may not exceed 12 months.Candidates must apply using the Request for Leave of Absence for Postgraduate Research Candidature form, the application must be endorsed by the principal supervisor and the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) and lodged with the Office of Research for approval by Research Higher Degrees Committe.

Progress Reports

All research higher degree candidates are required to submit a Progress Report, due 30 April and 30 September each year. The Progress Report is an important means of monitoring and evaluating candidature. It provides an opportunity for both the candidate and their principal supervisor to discuss formally the direction of the research and to note any problems or obstacles. The Progress Report must be annotated by the Principal Supervisor and endorsed by the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation). The Faculty must provide a full copy of the report to the candidate. Where this does occur, a candidate may request a copy from the Office of the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation).

Provisional Status and Confirmation of Candidature

Research Higher Degree candidates are normally admitted to provisional candidature and require approval to proceed to full candidature. Candidates are required to complete a confirmation within the timeframe specified in the Rules governing the program. Candidates are expected to have formulated a thesis topic and developed a detailed program of research and study. Details on the confirmation process can be found in the "Guidelines for Confirmation of Candidature" .

Each Faculty has its own requirements for the preparation, submission and evaluation of a detailed program and candidates should familiarise themselves with the individual requirements of their Faculty.

Based on the assessment of the confirmation process, the Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) will make a recommendation to the Research Higher Degrees Committe about the continuing status of the candidature. This recommendation can be that:

Candidature be confirmed;
Provisional candidature continue with conditions or;
Candidature be terminated.

A period of provisional candidature may be waived or reduced at the discretion of the Research Higher Degrees Committe in cases where advanced standing has been approved or the candidate has changed their program or transferred from another institution.