Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is offered in most disciplines taught at VU. It involves undertaking research that leads to new knowledge or re-interpretation of existing ideas, theories and approaches. The aim is to develop a thorough understanding of your field and relevant methodologies, and the capacity to critically evaluate and present your work.

Course requirements

From 2011, Victoria University formally recognises three broad thesis formats for the Doctor of Philosophy degree:

• Standard thesis – in this format the thesis (60,000 - 100,000 words) is presented as a single monograph that contains a series of interlinked chapters reporting on the research
• Thesis by creative project – in this format the thesis is presented as creative work (creative component) and an accompanying critical reflective written work (analytical written component)
• Thesis by publication – in this format the thesis is presented as a number of high quality Papers together with framing, linking and concluding material. For more information, download the Guidelines on Thesis By Publication at VU.

Entry requirements

You must have one or more of the following:

• four year bachelor degree with honours, or an honours degree at H1 or H2A honours level
• Masters by coursework degree with minor thesis with average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (above 70%)
• Masters by research degree, or demonstrated exceptional ability during partial completion of a research project in a Masters by research degree

You must also demonstrate competency in English sufficient to work at a doctoral level by providing evidence of one or more of the following:

• completion of one of the degrees stipulated above with English as the language of instruction and assessment, and undertaken in a predominantly English-speaking context
• you have an overall band score of not less than 6.5 in an International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) test with no individual bandscore below 6.0
• you achieved a score of not less than 92 with no section score less than 22 in the internet-based Teaching of English Foreign Language (TOEFL) test, or English proficiency equivalent

• demonstrate competence in English equivalent to above

Duration

Three to four years full time study, or part time equivalent.

Application

International applicants

You must submit your application through Victoria University International.

Australian applicants

You must submit an Application for Admission to a Masters by Research or a Doctorate with supporting documentation to Admissions and Enrolments, St Albans Campus, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, VIC, 8001.

Contact us

If you require further information please contact the Office for Postgraduate Research or the Faculty relevant to your area of study.