Monitoring Academic Progress
Students are reminded that the maximum period of candidature is four years full-time equivalent (FTE) for a PhD and two years FTE for a Masters by research degree. This must be taken into account in planning your research project. Extensions of candidature should not be expected except under the most exceptional circumstances.
Students should aim to complete the entire research, writing up and examination process within candidature. There are several formal Candidature Milestones (milestones) which you will have to meet. These help you manage and communicate your progress, and provide a structured forum for your progress to be assessed by the University.
Planning, communicating and tracking your progress is essential in successfully completing your candidature and delivering your thesis.
Candidature Milestones
Candidature milestones, hereafter referred to as 'milestones', are specific points during your degree program at which you will be required to complete a task. Through the process of completing the various milestones, you, your School and the University will be able to monitor your progress and ensure that your research is proceeding at a rate that will enable you to complete your research program within the time allocated for the degree.
Planning, Communicating and Tracking your Progress
As a student you are required to deliver an updated Gantt chart or a Completion plan as part of the formal review Milestones of your candidature to illustrate the various stages and activities of research in candidature, from commencement to completion. As Gantt chart helps you plan your activities, communicate with your supervisory team and the University, and helps you keep track of your progress.
Provisional Candidature
Formal acceptance as a higher degree by research candidate is a multi stage process. The first 12 months of candidature (or halftime equivalent) are provisional and during this time, you will undertake a number of milestones.
These are:
- attendance at a local induction program
- undertaking the Adelaide Graduate Centre induction program
- completion of the core component of the structured program; and
- completion of the major review of progress.
The number of milestones is greater during the period of provisional candidature than following confirmation, in order to ensure that, irrespective of your discipline, you will receive a comprehensive induction to the facilities, services and professional development opportunities available to you.
These milestones to introduce as much structure as possible into the first 12 months of your research program whilst you are adjusting to what is often a very different study environment and style, and ensure that you formulate an academically sound and feasible research proposal in the early stages of your candidature.Induction
Your induction into the research program consists of two related but separate components.
- Local Area Induction
- The Adelaide Graduate Centre Online Induction
Research Proposal
The research proposal must be submitted in the appropriate Faculty Specific Research Proposal template made available by the AGC.
- The Australian Code for the Responsible
- Practice of Research
- Management of research data
- Ethical clearance
- Intellectual property
- Authorship
- The importance of acknowledging the University of Adelaide in research publications
- Resourcing your proposed research support, and
- Whether the research is commercially, culturally, politically or criminally sensitive.
Major Review
The major review of progress occurs 12 months or half-time equivalent from the commencement of candidature. The purpose of the review is to assess your progress against both the quality and quantity of work required for completion of your degree within the required timeframe (namely, your capacity to achieve thesis submission within three to three and a half years if you are a doctoral candidate, or eighteen months to two years if you are a Masters candidate).
Structured Program
The Structured Program consists of the Core Component and the Development Component. The Core Component is a key element of your assessment during Provisional Candidature and must be successfully completed to progress to full candidature. The Development Component provides the student with a valuable set of skills, knowledge and experience that will complement your research training and prepare you for a wide range of professional positions.
Annual Review
The annual review of progress is undertaken by all Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students during September/October every year following their year of enrolment - accordingly, if you enrolled in this year, your first annual review will be late next year.
Regardless of whether students are active or on leave of absence, the annual review must be submitted to the Adelaide Graduate Centre by the due date of 31 October.
Re-enrolment and the continuation of your scholarship (where applicable) are dependent upon satisfactory progress in the 12 months preceding the review or since the commencement of your candidature where this was less than 12 months ago.
Minor Review
If you are a remote candidate, you will be required to undertake a minor review of progress. The minor review is due on the 15th April each year and is essentially a second annual review.
