Master of Philosophy - Law

The MPhil is an internationally recognised masters (by research) degree. It is designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research. The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship in the area of research.

The normal length of an MPhil thesis is 30,000-40,000 words, exclusive of words in tables, maps bibliographies and appendices. Footnotes are included as part of the word limit.

On completion of the course students should be able to:

• demonstrate advanced learning in research skills and mastery of appropriate techniques, such as the use of archival or primary evidence, analysis of data, judgment of conflicting evidence etc;
• demonstrate specialist knowledge in the area of their research;
• present the results of their research in publishable quality or work towards incorporating their findings in further research;
• gain access to certain types of employment through this specialist qualification;
• demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, research ethics or code of practice.

All candidates for the MPhil will be examined on the basis of their thesis. A candidate will have appropriately experienced supervisor/s and an Advisory Committee who in consultation with the candidate, arranges a course of supervised research designed to suit the individual requirements and interests of the candidate. A candidate may be required to supplement their research program by attendance at, or enrolment in, additional subjects if considered necessary by the supervisor(s).

MPhil applicants will be assessed using the criteria described below. The measures include an assessment of a candidate's knowledge of the discipline and evidence of their ability to complete a rigorous research project. Applicants are required to meet the minimum standards described for each of the 6 measures.

In exceptional circumstances, the RHD Committee may consider for admission a person who does not have qualifications equivalent to a four-year honours degree, if it is satisfied that the person's experience in research and the results of that experience are so outstanding that the person is likely to have the ability to pursue the course successfully. In such cases, or where other minimum standards as specified below are not all met, the department may present an evidence-based case for admittance to the Chair Research Higher Degrees Committee.

Normally, the evidence of research equivalence would take the form of a research publication record and/or additional significant research experience that would be equivalent to a fourth year. In the case of a three-year honours degree from the United Kingdom the sponsoring Department may also provide evidence about the quality of the institution and the quality of the degree, compared with a four-year honours degree.

Criteria for assessing applicant's eligibility for MPhil candidature

1. Minimum qualifications

Applicants are normally required to have completed at least a four-year honours degree at H2A standard from an Australian university, or a qualification or combination of qualifications considered by the RHD Committee to be equivalent.

2. Minimum level of academic achievement

Applicants should have achieved an overall H1 (80-100%) or H2A (75-79%) grade in the relevant honours or Masters degree.
Applicants who have completed certain professional degrees such as MBBS, BVSc, LLB, JD, BPhysio, BProp&Const, BUrbPl, BArch and BLArch will be assessed individually.

3. Relevance of the Degree

The completed degree must be in an area that is relevant to the intended MPhil, including sufficient specialisation such that the applicant will have already developed an understanding and appreciation of a body of knowledge relevant to the intended MPhil. Professional experience in the area of the intended MPhil may be deemed equivalent.

4. Evidence of research ability

Applicants are normally required to have completed a research project/component that accounts for at least 25% of their year's work at 4 th year or at Masters level.

Graduates of certain professional degrees, including MBBS, BVSc, LLB, JD, BPhysio, BEng, BProp&Const, BUrbPl, BArch and BLArch are deemed to have met this requirement.
In the absence of the final year research component, other evidence may be provided as to a student's ability to undertake research.

5. Currency of applicant's knowledge of the discipline

The applicant's degree/s and/or professional experience must demonstrate that their knowledge of the discipline in which they plan to undertake their research higher degree is current. It is therefore expected that an applicant will have completed their tertiary studies and/or any relevant professional experience in the 10 years immediately prior to their intended entry to the MPhil.

6. Assessment of level of suitability

Based on interview or other verbal communication, an assessment should be made of the level of understanding, motivation and time commitment of the student for the proposed program of study. For example, a full-time student would be expected to devote at least 40 hours a week and a part-time student about half of this.

• to build the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out the proposed research program
• to acquire an understanding of the standards and requirements for an MPhil awarded by the University
• to make use of support programs and facilities provided by the Melbourne School of Graduate Research throughout candidature.

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who have a capacity for defining and managing a research project characterised by originality and independence. Their training equips them for more sustained and original work at the doctoral level or for applied research positions in a wide variety of contexts.

The University expects its research Masters graduates to have the following qualities and skills:

• an ability to initiate research projects and to formulate viable research questions;
• a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report independent and original research on a closely-defined project;
• an ability to manage time to maximise the quality of research;
• an understanding of the major contours of international research in the research area;
• a capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature;
• well-developed and flexible problem-solving abilities appropriate to the discipline;
• the ability to analyse research data within a changing disciplinary environment;
• the capacity to communicate effectively the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication;
• an understanding of and facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area;
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
  a capacity to cooperate with other researchers;
• an ability to manage information effectively, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student's field of study.