Master of Philosophy - Science

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.

The Faculty of Science offers MPhil programs in the following departments:

• Botany
• Chemistry
• Earth Sciences
• Genetics
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Optometry and Vision Sciences
• Physics
• Zoology

For information in regards to the research groups within the Faculty of Science departments as listed above, please refer to: http://science.unimelb.edu.au/research-themes

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).

MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ENTRY TO THE MPHIL

MPhil applicants will be assessed using the criteria described below. The measures include an assessment of an applicant'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 six measures. In addition all applicants (internationally and locally qualified) must meet the University's English language entry requirements. Further information is available from our Entry Requirements page.

In exceptional circumstances, the Research Higher Degrees (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, RHD 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.

The criteria for assessing applicants’ eligibility for MPhil-Science candidature are:

1. Minimum qualifications
Applicants are normally required to have completed at least a Master of Science or 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 or equivalent, in the relevant Masters or honours degree.

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.

4. Evidence of research ability
Applicants are normally required to have completed a research project, component, subject or group of subjects that accounts for at least 25% of their work (i.e. Honours year), or 25% of one year accumulated over the length of a Masters course, and which has, or have, been conducted, and assessed, individually. Research carried out in groups should at least have been graded individually. This project, component, or subject(s) may include:

• any obviously research oriented project, subject or sustained piece of scholarly writing conducted for assessment, such as small theses, research essays, long essays, or studios; AND/OR
• any less-obviously research subjects, including practice-based subjects such as performance or fieldwork, where there is also scholastic rigor as documented in a sustained piece of writing analogous to (a); AND/OR
• any subjects directed at the formation of research skills, such as methodology and reasoning, such as scientific reasoning, or legal reasoning, where a sustained piece of writing has also been produced.

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

6. Assessment 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 applicant for the proposed program of study. For example, a full-time candidate would be expected to devote at least 40 hours a week and a part-time candidate about half of this.

All MPhil candidates are required to complete the equivalent of at least six months full-time (12 months part-time) advanced study and research at the University unless studying at an outside institution approved by the Research Higher Degrees Committee (RHDC). The RHDC will not approve entirely distance supervision or entirely on-line supervision for research higher degree students.

Throughout their candidature candidates are expected to attend the University in order to benefit from planning, conducting and writing up their research within a University community and environment.

The residency requirement is deemed especially important during the first six months of candidature. During this time the student is expected to interact on a regular basis with the supervisor, the department (including staff and other research students) and the University, so as:

• 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.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison.

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.

Application Procedures: Detailed course and scholarship application procedure information is available at http://graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au/

Facilities and Supports: The Melbourne School of Graduate Research makes available a broad range of Programs & Services available to graduate research students.