Hurdles/Progress
All the hoops you need to jump through to get to the end of your degree! The supervision, the progress reports and seminars and of course, the thesis.
Supervision
It is recommended that at the commencement of your course you and your supervisor meet to discuss your expectations of each other including the frequency of meetings, the way feedback is given, deadlines etc.
From the outset of candidature, supervisors and students should ensure that they confer at what are agreed by them to be appropriate and regular intervals. This is particularly vital in the first year and for part-time students. Such agreements may be re-negotiated from time to time as the candidature proceeds.
The recommended frequency of supervision meetings is half an hour every two weeks for a full-time candidate and every four weeks for a part-time candidate.
In addition to regular meetings, it is important that major reviews take place at least six monthly in order that the student's achieved work can be assessed within the overall shape of the study and the time-frame for completion.
It is a useful practice to keep a diary of supervisions with dates and details of discussions. Candidates should always keep supervisors informed of their research activities, progress and problems.
Both supervisor and student should then be in a position to be able to report when required on progress and to judge when some intervention may be desirable.
Additional information can be found at the websites below:
- http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/research/res_guide.html#super
- http://www.gradstudies.unimelb.edu.au/phd/enrolcandid/phdhbk/apendixa/
Students who are experiencing difficulties with their supervision arrangements which cannot be resolved through consultation can seek advice from the Postgraduate Studies Coordinator, Dr Carolyn Stevens. Alternatively, for advice from outside the Department, students can make an appointment to see an UMPA advisor.
The team at Arts Research are also able to provide advice to MA students and the staff at SGRare available to assist PhD candidates.
Confirmation or Conversion
After 6 months (full-time) probationary PhD enrolment the School of Graduate Research sends a Confirmation Report Form to prompt the candidate to commence preparation for the confirmation process.
MA students wishing to convert to the PhD must first complete an application for conversion to be submitted to the department. In addition, a conversion form must be completed for the Faculty. More information on the conversion process is available at:
http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/research/res_guide.html#convma
Confirmation/conversion is a key point in candidature. Its purpose is to determine whether or not work to date on the PhD research proposal (MA in the case of conversion) indicates a strong likelihood that it will result in a high quality thesis, completed in the required time.
The purposes of confirmation/conversion are to:
- assess progress to date and the academic preparedness of the candidate to complete,
- determine whether the candidate has developed a clearly defined, coherent and feasible research project and contribute suggestions for its successful completion,
- determine that any specific requirements for confirmation of candidature have been met,
- provide an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate written and oral presentation skills appropriate to PhD level study, and
- publicly acknowledge a major milestone in the project and inform others about the research project.
Confirmation/conversion requires that students have made a public presentation of their work during their first year. For those students who have not, this presentation will take place immediately prior to the confirmation/conversion meeting. Please refer to the guidelines for this presentation for additional information.
The confirmation/conversion meeting requires students to verbally defend a written thesis report to the satisfaction of a Confirmation/Conversion Committee who will assess the feasibility, format and resource requirements of the proposed project and offer suggestions towards its successful completion.
To prepare for Confirmation/Conversion of Candidature candidates should:
- check the specific guidelines for confirmation in the department,
- prepare early; write the outline of the written research proposal as early as possible, then rewrite it as the project takes shape,
- practise oral presentation skills - enlist the critical feedback of others,
- check that any specific requirements for confirmation will have been met by the confirmation due date,
- carefully check over the proposed timeline for the next two years.
Additional information is available in the PhD Handbook.
Progress Reports and Review by Circulation
Masters by Research
Masters by research students are required to submit two Progress Reports over the course of their candidature in consultation with their supervisor.
- Progress Report 1 at the six-month full-time candidature mark (twelve months part-time)
- Progress Report 2 (also known as the "Review by Circulation" report) 6 months prior to their expected completion date (or 12 months part-time equivalent).
Students will be sent the appropriate reports before they are due.
As part of their second progress report (at 12 months full-time candidature), research Masters candidates are required to submit at least two chapters of approximately 10,000 words to be reviewed by an academic (who is not the supervisor/s) in the student's School. Should the academic reader indicate concerns regarding the student's progress, Faculty will convene a Progress Panel with the student, supervisor/s and a member of the Research and Graduate Studies Committee.
PhD
PhD Arts candidates are required to submit four progress reports:
- The confirmation report at 12 months full-time candidature
- 2nd year progress report
- Review by Circulation at 2.5 years full-time candidature (Arts faculty requirement)
- Completion report at 3 years full-time candidature
Annual progress reports to the School of Graduate Research provide an opportunity for both student and supervisor to review and evaluate progress on the project, and can alert the head of School and the Chair of the RHD Committee, of any difficulties in candidature. The candidate should read the supervisor's comments and is required to sign after completion of the supervisor's section.
Completion of progress reports is required for the continuation of enrolment and any scholarship held.
Progress report forms are sent by the School of Graduate Research direct to the candidate two months prior to the due date. The due date will be adjusted for any approved periods of leave.
The Faculty of Arts Review by Circulation progress report for PhD candidates at 2.5 years (full-time candidature) requires candidates to submit at least two chapters of approximately 20,000 words to be reviewed by an academic (who is not the supervisor/s) in the student's School. Should the academic reader indicate concerns regarding the student's progress, Faculty will convene a Progress Panel with the student, supervisor/s and a member of the RAGS Committee.
PhD Completion Seminar
The Completion Seminar formalises and extends the current requirement for a public presentation in the year prior to submitting a thesis for examination. All PhD candidates are expected to take part in a Completion Seminar of their research findings at the University. The Completion Seminar should present the objectives, methods, findings and significance of the candidate’s PhD thesis research and is held in the department prior to the submission of the thesis.
Further information on the requirements and the format of the Completion Seminar can be found either in the PhD Handbook or in the Completion Seminar Information Sheet.