Postgraduate

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the University's flagship research degree, which can be taken in any discipline area in the University, providing that appropriate supervision and resources are available.

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Address

Student Central

The University of Western Australia (M355), 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009

Telephone

131 UWA (131 892)

International

(+61 8) 6488 1000

Hours

8.30am - 5pm AWST, Monday - Friday

Frequently asked questions

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Careers and further study

Take your studies to a new level with a postgraduate degree and discover what career opportunities lie ahead.

Career Pathways

PhD graduates move into a wide range of careers, depending on their areas of research. The traditional pathways are to research and academic careers, but many graduates progress into other professional areas, including management. Because the PhD is a demonstration of a graduate's ability to conceptualise and implement an independent program of research, manage a project, organise resources, work with other people and communicate effectively in writing at a high level, it is a ticket to many destinations.
PhD graduates move into a wide range of careers, depending on their areas of research. The traditional pathways are to research and academic careers, but many graduates progress into other professional areas, including management. Because the PhD is a demonstration of a graduate's ability to conceptualise and implement an independent program of research, manage a project, organise resources, work with other people and communicate effectively in writing at a high level, it is a ticket to many destinations.

Fees and scholarships

Learn more about the fees that apply to you for this course. For fee type definitions and further assistance, see the Fee Calculator Help page. You can also search our database for scholarships that are relevant to you or this course.

Domestic Student Fees

There is no current fee information available for this course. Please visit the fee calculator to browse course fees from a previous year, or other courses.

Scholarships

Scholarships support UWA's position as one of Australia's leading research-intensive universities and the premier research institution in WA.

The range of scholarships available at UWA include those funded by the Australian Government, the University, philanthropy, external organisations and industry. Scholarship packages may be awarded that include benefits such as: tuition fee scholarship, stipend (living allowance) scholarship, travel and research support costs, a relocation allowance within Australia, and overseas student health cover for international students.

At UWA we award research scholarships through a competitive merit-based selection process which includes publicly available annual scholarship rounds and some additional selection processes. Eligible applicants are ranked according to academic achievement and research potential, based on evidence provided.

Research Training Program

 Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are offered a Tuition Fee Offset Scholarship which offsets the requirement to pay a contribution toward the cost of their research courses if UWA provides them with a Research Training Program (RTP) place.

This Tuition Fee Offset Scholarship is applied for up a maximum of four years full-time equivalent study for the Doctor of Philosophy. The RTP is a performance-based funding scheme administered by the Australian Government Department of Education.

Cost of living

There are a few things to consider before applying to study at university. One could be your cost of living. This can depend on factors such as lifestyle, accommodation, tuition fees, medical insurance, textbooks and more. For an indication of expenses and average costs, see our Cost of living page.

Admission requirements

If you’re interested in furthering your career by studying this postgraduate degree, find out the admission details below.

Admission Requirements

To be accepted an applicant must demonstrate that they have sufficient background and experience in independent supervised research to successfully complete a PhD. The normal requirement is for a bachelor's degree with at least upper second class honours in an appropriate discipline. However, applications are also considered from (1) graduates of this University (or equivalent) who can satisfy the Board that they have had adequate research preparation since graduation;
(2) applicants who have previously undertaken work, which in the Board's opinion is of a sufficiently high standard, towards a research higher degree in this or another approved institution but have not submitted it for any degree and have had their research proposals approved by the Board; and
(3) applicants who have satisfactorily completed an acceptable preliminary program at this University or an approved institution and have had a research proposal approved by the Board.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Doctor of Philosophy

To be eligible for admission, an applicant must demonstrate:

  1. academic merit, and
  2. adequate research preparation, and
  3. English language competency
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and all applicants, including domestic applicants will need to meet the University’s English language requirements to be eligible for a place. A higher level of English is required for admission to the PhD course.

Academic supervision

The role of an academic supervisor is to guide you to develop your own research. There needs to be a good alignment between their area of expertise and your research project.

Applicants will need to identify potential academic supervisor/s and determine if their research outputs match your own intended research direction.

Search the UWA Research Repository to identify and contact potential supervisors in your field of interest.

Identifying and securing academic supervision is an essential component for admission.

How to apply

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Course details

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the University's flagship research degree, which can be taken in any discipline area in the University, providing that appropriate supervision and resources are available.

The PhD is a program of independent, supervised research that is assessed on the basis of a thesis and viva voce. A PhD in the creative field may also include a creative work component, that is examined externally.

The work presented for a PhD must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, demonstrating mastery of the subject of interest as well as an advance in that field of knowledge.

About the course

This is a pinnacle educational qualification, which demonstrates that the graduate is a world-class researcher. The PhD comprises an independent, supervised research project mutually agreed upon by a student, supervisor, head of school and the Board of the Graduate Research School. It may be undertaken in any school in the University.
Doctor of Philosophy

Quick details

Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany
  • Kalgoorlie
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
  • Off-campus
Starting dates
  • By agreement with their supervisors, students may commence at any time throughout the year, except December and January.
Weekly contact time
    • Full-time students are expected to spend at least 30 hours per week on their research throughout the year.
    • Part-time students are expected to spend at least 15 hours a week on their research throughout the year.
Level of study
  • Postgraduate
Course Code
  • 00810
CRICOS code
  • 003310F - Human & Behavioural
  • 003311E - Science (Paramedical)
  • 003312D - Science (Physical and Biological)
  • 003314B - Computer Science
  • 003316M - Laws
  • 003317K - Engineering
  • 003318J - Education
  • 003319G - Economics & Commerce
  • 003320D - Arts
  • 003321C - Architecture
  • 013797F - Science (Geology and Physical Geography)
  • 024816F - Agriculture (Agricultural Economics, Plant & Soil Sciences)
  • 024818D - Agriculture (Animal Science)
  • 037146K - Dentistry (Public Health)
  • 037147J - Dentistry (Biological Sciences)
  • 037148G - Dentistry (Paraclinical Sciences)
  • 037149G - Dentistry (Clinical)
  • 037157G - Medicine (Public Health)
  • 037158F - Medicine (Biological Sciences)
  • 037159E - Medicine (Paraclinical Sciences)
  • 037160A - Medicine (Clinical)
  • 055301K - Mathematics
  • 058936F - Human and Social Geography
Doctor of Philosophy
Status
  • Available
Locations
  • Perth (Crawley campus)
  • Albany
  • Kalgoorlie
Attendance
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Delivery
  • On-campus
  • Off-campus
Starting dates
  • By agreement with their supervisors, students may commence at any time throughout the year, except December and January.
Weekly contact time
    • Full-time students are expected to spend at least 30 hours per week on their research throughout the year.
    • Part-time students are expected to spend at least 15 hours a week on their research throughout the year.
Level of study
  • Postgraduate
Course Code
  • 00810
CRICOS code
  • 003310F - Human & Behavioural
  • 003311E - Science (Paramedical)
  • 003312D - Science (Physical and Biological)
  • 003314B - Computer Science
  • 003316M - Laws
  • 003317K - Engineering
  • 003318J - Education
  • 003319G - Economics & Commerce
  • 003320D - Arts
  • 003321C - Architecture
  • 013797F - Science (Geology and Physical Geography)
  • 024816F - Agriculture (Agricultural Economics, Plant & Soil Sciences)
  • 024818D - Agriculture (Animal Science)
  • 037146K - Dentistry (Public Health)
  • 037147J - Dentistry (Biological Sciences)
  • 037148G - Dentistry (Paraclinical Sciences)
  • 037149G - Dentistry (Clinical)
  • 037157G - Medicine (Public Health)
  • 037158F - Medicine (Biological Sciences)
  • 037159E - Medicine (Paraclinical Sciences)
  • 037160A - Medicine (Clinical)
  • 055301K - Mathematics
  • 058936F - Human and Social Geography
Full time/part time duration
  • Full time: 3 years minimum, 4 years maximum | Part-time: 6 years minimum, 8 years maximum
Degrees course is available in
  • Doctor of Philosophy