School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

The Doctoral degree is recognition of successful research experience. The candidate must make a distinct contribution to knowledge. Considerably more original work is required for a doctorate than for a research Masters degree.

The work will be closely supervised in the early stages. In the later stages, however, the candidate must be allowed increasing scope to exercise initiative and demonstrate originality. In the last year of the program the candidate should be able to work alone and be guided rather than directed by the supervisor.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy requires a minimum of six academic semesters (three years) advanced-full-time (or eight academic semesters part-time) study, which involves 18 Units of Credit (UoC) of coursework and research leading to the submission of an original thesis. During the first year the equivalent of three 6 unit formal courses prescribed by the supervisor must be satisfactorily completed. All students must enrol in the 3 UoC course GSOE9400 (Engineering Postgraduate Research) in their first semester. At the end of the student's studies, a thesis is submitted which will be examined by expert examiners both external and internal to the University. Information on the preparation and submission of theses can be found in the Online Handbook. The length of a doctoral thesis normally should not exceed 100,000 words of text.

A School requirement for PhD students is an annual seminar on their research progress. Progress Reviews are also carried out at least annually, normally in conjunction with the seminars, but additional reviews are required within the first six months of candidature and prior to submission of the thesis.

Candidature may be either internal or external mode.

Master of Engineering (ME)

The research Masters program is designed primarily as training in advanced work. The candidate learns the fundamentals of research and acquires new techniques. The candidate must undertake an original investigation but this would normally be more limited in scope and degree of originality than for a doctorate.

Although originality is to be encouraged as much as possible, the work will be closely supervised in the early problem-formulation stages and whenever a new technique is being developed.

A normal ME research program requires a minimum of three academic semesters advanced-full-time (or six academic semesters part-time) study, which involves 18 UoC of coursework and research leading to the submission of an original thesis. During the first year the equivalent of three 6 unit formal courses prescribed by the supervisor must be satisfactorily completed. All students must enrol in the 3 UoC course GSOE9400 (Engineering Postgraduate Research) in their first semester. At the end of the student's studies, a thesis is submitted which will be examined by expert examiners both external and internal to the University. Information on the preparation and submission of theses can be found in the Online Handbook. The length of a research Masters thesis is normally between 30,000 and 75,000 words of text.

A School requirement for ME students is an annual seminar on their research progress. Progress Reviews are also carried out at least annually, normally in conjunction with the seminars, but additional reviews are required within the first six months of candidature and prior to submission of the thesis.

Candidature may be either internal or external mode. Articulation from the ME to a PhD program is possible.