Master of Commerce

The degree 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 original research.

Supervised research on approved topics may be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis in the discipline of Actuarial Studies.

• To provide students with the opportunity to acquire an in-depth knowledge about a particular topic;
• To provide students with a capacity to read and critically evaluate the scholarly literature in the discipline;
• To provide students with the capacity to pursue independent research by providing training in research methods;
• To provide students with an understanding of and commitment to research ethics and high standards of scholarship;
• To provide students with an opportunity to contribute original research in the field which may lead to publication and to provide students with the on-going capacity to publish independent research findings; and
• To provide an appropriate foundation for students intending to proceed to a PhD program.

Duration: 1.5 year full-time / 3 years part-time

Thesis Length: 30,000 words

Course Requirements

Candidates pursue original research on an approved topic for at least one year full-time, or two years part-time. When a candidate is accepted for the Degree of Master of Commerce by thesis a supervisor is appointed and the candidate should consult with the supervisor regularly.

Progress Review: Masters by research candidates are required to submit six-monthly progress review forms. Completion of first six-month progress review, the Formal Review, is required for the continuation of enrolment and any scholarship held. The Formal Review is a major hurdle for the masters by research, in which candidates will be required to give a 15 minute presentation of their work. The Completion Report attachment is submitted at 18 months full-time and whenever an extension to candidature or lapse in good standing is sought. Candidates can check the Student Portal at any time to see the date of their next progress review.

International AusAID-sponsored students will be required to submit end-of-semester reports to AusAID.

Please visit the Melbourne School of Graduate Research to view the Masters by Research Thesis Guidelines and Codes of Practice.

Admission to the Master of Commerce as a graduate research degree program in Actuarial Studies normally requires either:

• A four-year honours degree in economics, commerce or a related discipline of at least second class honours (H2B 70-74%) standard; or
• Successful completion of a preliminary course, normally the relevant Postgraduate Diploma, at an overall standard at least equivalent to that required for second class honours.

Applicants are required to submit an official GRE test result as part of their application.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

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 may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Research degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who demonstrate academic leadership, increasing independence, creativity and innovation in their research work.

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

• an ability to initiate research and to formulate viable research questions;
• a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report sustained and original research;
• the capacity to contextualise research within an international corpus of specialist knowledge;
• an ability to evaluate and synthesize research-based and scholarly literature;
• an understanding of key disciplinary and multi-disciplinary norms and perspectives relevant to the field;
• highly developed problem-solving abilities and flexibility of approach;
• the ability to analyse critically within and across a changing disciplinary environment;
• the capacity to disseminate the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication to a variety of audiences;
• a capacity to cooperate with and respect the contributions of fellow researchers and scholars;
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
• an advanced facility in the management of information, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student's field of study;
• an understanding of the relevance and value of their research to national and international communities of scholars and collaborators;
• an awareness where appropriate of issues related to intellectual property management and the commercialisation of innovation; and
• an ability to formulate applications to relevant agencies, such as funding bodies and ethics committees.

The University provides a variety of opportunities in addition to the supervised research program, to facilitate a students' acquisition of these attributes.

Application Procedure
Detailed information for prospective research higher degree students regarding the application process, including the application form is available at: http://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/admissions/applications/research. Applications are accepted year-round.

Which scholarship can I apply for?
Students can find information about graduate research scholarships offered by the University of Melbourne at the Melbourne Scholarships Office.

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

Residency

The RHD Committee of the University will not approve entirely distance supervision or entirely on-line supervision for graduate researchers.