Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Admission to doctoral candidature is normally granted on the basis of a relevant Bachelor's degree with at least a second class Honours (upper division) or a relevant Masters degree that contains a significant research component (normally at least 15 University of Adelaide credit points of research or equivalent, with at least 12 units attributed to dissertation).

Coursework degrees that do not contain a significant research component are not acceptable for the purposes of admission to a PhD.

In some circumstances, the Research Education & Development Committee may deem that other educational and research backgrounds are equivalent to Honours for the purposes of admission.

If you are seeking entry based on alternative qualifications, the key consideration will be that you have undertaken significant research training, leading to the production of a substantial written report such as a thesis or publication(s).

If you have entry qualifications that are insufficient for direct entry into a Doctoral program, in some cases it may be possible for you to enrol in a Master of Philosophy and, subject to satisfactory progress and the approval of the Research Education and Development Committee, to upgrade to Doctoral candidature following completion of your first 18 months of study.

Before Applying

Before applying for any research program you are strongly advised to contact the research area in which you wish to study to discuss potential supervision and any other issues relating to your eligibility to undertake a research degree in that area. The appropriate contact in the first instance is usually the Postgraduate Coordinator.

In addition to the formal academic requirements for admission, it is advisable for you and your prospective school to consider a number of other criteria before a higher degree by research candidature is offered or accepted: Questions to Ask

About Honours

Honours is an extra year of study after a three-year Bachelor degree program, involving a specialised research component. Four-year Bachelor programs may include an Honours component in the fourth year of study.

In some circumstances, the REDC may decide that other educational and research backgrounds are equivalent to Honours for the purposes of admission. If you are seeking entry based on alternative qualifications, the key consideration will be that you have significant research experience, leading to the production of a significant written report such as a thesis or publications