• Section 1 - Purpose
• References
• Section 2 - Policy
• Section 3 - Procedure
• Assessment of equivalence
• Dual and joint HDR awards
• Resources and supervision
• Master by research courses
• Doctor of philosophy courses
• Professional doctorate courses
• Higher doctorate courses
• English language proficiency
• Section 4 - Guidelines
• Section 5 - Glossary

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure supports the Admissions Policy by stating detailed university-wide minimum:

1. academic and professional requirements for entry to higher degree by research (HDR) courses, and
2. English language proficiency requirements for entry to HDR courses.

(2) Individual courses may have higher and/or additional entry requirements and/or higher English language proficiency requirements.

(3) The Admissions Procedure states detailed application requirements for admission to higher degree by research courses, to enable assessment of whether applicants meet the requirements in this procedure.

References

(4) Where a supporting document is referred to in this policy, it will be listed in the associated information tab.

Section 2 - Policy

(5) This procedure supports the Admissions Policy and should be read alongside that policy.

Section 3 - Procedure

Assessment of equivalence

(6) Where this procedure states academic qualifications required for entry, the applicant must have gained the qualifications either:

1. at an accredited Australian tertiary education institution, or
2. at an overseas institution provider assessed by the Admissions Office as delivering qualifications at a standard equivalent to that of an accredited Australian tertiary education institution.

(7) Where this procedure refers to ‘equivalent’ qualifications, and applicants present qualifications gained outside Australia, the relevant admissions office will assess them for equivalence with the qualifications stated below.

(8) To do this, the relevant admissions office will refer to sources that are commonly used in international admissions work, such as the guides published by the United Kingdom’s National Academic Recognition Information Centre and Australian Department of Education’s Country Education Profiles.

Dual and joint HDR awards

(9) To be admitted to candidature for a dual or joint HDR award, the applicant must:

1. meet the entry requirements stated in this procedure for the type of course, any additional entry requirements specific to the Charles Sturt University course, and the partner university’s entry requirements for the course, and
2. be approved for admission by both partner universities.

Resources and supervision

(10) In addition to the academic and professional requirements stated below, the University must also be satisfied that the resources and supervision are available for a research higher degree candidate before they can be admitted. The Admissions Procedure states those resource and supervision requirements.

Master by research courses

(11) Applicants must have achieved at least one of the following:

1. Completed a bachelor degree followed by a one-year honours degree with class 1 or class 2(1) honours, specialising in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline.
2. Gained class 1 or class 2(1) honours in a bachelor degree of at least four years full-time duration, specialising in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline.
3. Completed a bachelor degree and either at least one year of full-time-equivalent postgraduate study including a significant research component, or at least two years of relevant experience.
4. Completed other academic qualifications and/or achievements that demonstrate the capacity to undertake research at masters level.

(12) Individual courses may have higher and/or additional entry requirements, in addition to these university-wide minimum requirements.

Doctor of philosophy courses

(13) Applicants must have achieved at least one of the following:

1. Qualified for the award of a master by research with an acceptable level of performance.
2. Completed a bachelor degree followed by a one-year honours degree with class 1 or class 2(1) honours, specialising in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline.
3. Gained class 1 or class 2(1) honours in a bachelor degree of at least four years full-time duration, specialising in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline.
4. Commenced a masters by research at the University and shown exceptional ability in a research project that is clearly capable of being extended to a doctoral level.
5. Qualified for the award of a coursework masters:
   1. including a thesis/dissertation and research component subject or research component subjects totalling at least 16 Charles Sturt University points, or equivalent to 25% of a full time study load over one year, and
   2. normally with a grade average equivalent at class 2(1) honours or better.
6. Completed another appropriate combination of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications (such as relevant research graduate certificates and graduate diplomas) and research experience that demonstrates capacity for research at a doctoral level, considered on a case-by-cases basis.

(14) Applicants for doctor of philosophy candidature on the basis of prior publications must also have a significant record of refereed publications of doctoral standard.

(15) Individual courses may have higher and/or additional entry requirements, in addition to these university-wide minimum requirements.

Professional doctorate courses

(16) Applicants must hold at least one of the following:

1. A doctoral degree.
2. A masters degree by research.
3. A masters degree by coursework at credit average (see clause 18) or better.
4. A bachelor degree followed by a one-year honours degree with class 1 or class 2(1) honours, specialising in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline.
5. A bachelor degree of at least four years full-time duration, in the same discipline or a closely similar discipline, with class 1 or class 2(1) honours.
6. Some other appropriate combination of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications (such as relevant graduate diplomas) and research experience that demonstrates capacity for research at a doctoral level.

(17) The relevant faculty will specify which of the following definitions of ‘credit average’ applies to a specific professional doctoral program:

1. A credit grade or better in all subjects.
2. An average of all subject grades that is at least a credit.
3. A credit grade in each of a list of specified subjects, plus an average of any other subject grades of at least a credit. 

(18) As well as the academic admission requirements above, a professional doctorate course may have course-specific requirements of:

1. a minimum period of relevant professional experience, and/or
2. current employment in the profession or access to the profession so the candidate can fulfil the practical and research requirements of the program.

(19) Individual courses may have higher and/or additional entry requirements, in addition to these university-wide minimum requirements.

Higher doctorate courses

(20) An applicant who is a graduate of Charles Sturt University must hold one of the following degrees and have, with it, the specified period of continuous work experience in the relevant field:

1. A bachelor degree and at least ten years work in the field.
2. A master degree and at least seven years work in the field.
3. A doctor of philosophy degree or an equivalent professional doctorate and at least five years work in the field.

(21) If the applicant is a graduate of another university, the degree and work experience requirements are the same, and they must have carried out a substantial part of the work submitted for the award at or in connection with Charles Sturt University.

English language proficiency

(22) Applicants must meet the University’s English language proficiency requirements to be eligible for admission. See the minimum requirements stated in the Admissions Policy and evidence requirements as outlined in the Admissions Procedure.

(23) Individual courses may have higher English language proficiency requirements in addition to these university-wide minimum requirements, which will be listed in the online course brochure. 

(24) In exceptional circumstances, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Research (Performance and Governance) may accept alternative proof of an applicant meeting the English language proficiency requirements after consulting the relevant Sub Dean (Graduate Studies) and nominated principal supervisor.

Section 4 - Guidelines

(25) Nil.

Section 5 - Glossary

(26) Most of the terms in this procedure are defined in the glossary section of the Admissions Policy. For the purposes of this procedure, the following additional terms have the definitions stated:

1. Accredited – registered with the relevant regulator (the Australian Skills Quality Authority or Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Authority) as approved by the regulator to deliver the level of qualification.
2. Dual HDR award – candidates undertake a single HDR course of study with the University and another university, with their candidature time split between the two institutions. The candidate is examined against criteria agreed between the institutions before the candidature starts and each institution confers a separate award on completion.
3. Joint HDR award – where candidates undertake a single course of study with the University and another university, with their candidature time split between the two institutions. The candidate is examined against criteria agreed between the institutions before the candidature starts and, on completion, one of the institutions confers a single award testamur, jointly badged with both institutions’ crests or logos.