Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
Research Higher Degree Milestones
This description of research higher degree milestones for candidates in the Faculty of
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (FMNHS) is based on the University’s student
record system Equivalent Full-Time Student Load (EFTSL) enrolment.
The nature of ongoing enrolments in research higher degrees means that it is difficult to
assign definite years to a student’s candidature. All students, whether they are full-time or
part-time, are time-based students, and accrue EFTSL each semester (EFTSL = 1 year fulltime equivalent). In identifying milestones for research higher degree progress, we are using
EFTSL as a consistent unit of temporal measurement for both full-time and part-time
students. Any periods of intermission that have been approved and have been zeroed out of
a student’s load do not count toward the EFTSL calculation.
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FTE = full-time equivalent;
Milestones in bold are faculty specific requirements;
Qualitative judgements will also need to be made by students and supervisors about
many matters, such as whether professional development is needed and what
constitutes an appropriate level of achievement at each stage.
MASTERS – overview
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2 years full-time or 4 years part-time;
As a guidelines for candidates, a research thesis of a maximum of 50,000 words or
200 pages, excluding bibliography and appendices;
Normally 3-5 chapters, plus introduction and conclusion.
0.5 EFTSL
 Attendance at University/Faculty induction sessions;
 Provide assessment panel with a literature review and research plan for the
next 12 months (normally 3,000 words in length). The assessment panel must
formally notify the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee (FHDC) that the literature
review and research plan has been completed and whether or not the standard
is satisfactory. A copy of the literature review and research plan must be
submitted to the Secretary of FHDC and reviewed by the Assistant Dean
(Research Higher Degrees (RHD)) who may seek independent advice.
 Attend meetings with supervisor;
 Plan for submission of ethics proposal;
 Submission of ethics proposal;
 Completion of necessary documentation of resourcing requirements eg research
student maintenance.
1 EFTSL
 Present a progress seminar which will be advertised widely in the Faculty and
attended by the assessment panel with a report to the FHDC that it has been
completed, whether the standard is satisfactory, and whether the student’s
progress is satisfactory for the stage of candidature. The assessment panel
should discuss its deliberations with the student;
 Completion of Annual Review of Progress form in conjunction with supervisor
and Associate Dean and reported to the FHDC;
 Attend meetings with supervisors;
 Attend seminars by other postgraduate students and staff;
 Attend professional development programs, as required;
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Written evidence of substantial reading for the topic;
Substantial progress towards data-gathering and preliminary writing of approximately
5,000-15,000 words.
Consideration given to transfer to a PhD, if intended, with a timetable for doing so;
1.5 EFTSL
 Present a progress seminar by no later than 1.5 EFTSL which will be advertised
widely in the Faculty and attended by the assessment pane. The seminar must
encompass all of the work carried out during candidature, together with a
summary of any work remaining and a schedule for completion of the thesis
within the maximum period of candidature. At the completion of the seminar,
the student should take part in a post-seminar interview with the assessment
panel which must formally notify the FHDC that the progress seminar has been
completed, whether the standard is satisfactory, whether the student has
completed sufficient work to meet thesis requirements for the degree of the
candidature and/or whether there is a strong likelihood of the thesis being
completed within maximum period of candidature. The assessment panel
should discuss its deliberations with the student.
 Attend meetings with supervisors;
 Continued attendance at relevant professional development programs;
 Evidence that sufficient reading for the topic has been completed eg literature review
incorporated into the draft thesis or demonstration throughout the draft of adequate
theoretical and scholarly grounding;
 Completion of literature review/theoretical grounding;
 Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
 Completion of preliminary draft (around 50,000 words or 200 pages, excluding
appendices and bibliography) with at least one chapter to a polished standard;
 Approach supervisor about nominating examiners for the thesis;
 Submission plan including submission date.
2 EFTSL
 A final seminar no later than 2 months prior to the date of thesis submission
unless this corresponds to the progress seminar by 1.5 years EFTSL. It should
be advertised widely in the Faculty and attended by the assessment panel and
a member of FHDC.
 Final draft of thesis no later than 2 months prior to the date of thesis
submission to the assessment panel who must formally notify the FHDC that it
has read the final draft of the thesis, prior to submission. The assessment
panel must provide the FHDC with an assessment of the standard of the thesis
and of the seminar, and the student should sign the form to verify that he/she
has had a discussion with the assessment panel and has been advised of the
panel’s opinion.
 Final writing and polishing of thesis;
 Request for extension to candidature if required, with realistic timetable for
completion within period of extension;
 Submission of 3 copies of thesis to Faculty Office.
PhD – overview
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4 years full-time or 8 years part-time;
As a guidelines for candidates, a research thesis of a maximum of 100,000 words or
400 pages, excluding bibliography and appendices;
Normally 6-8 chapters, plus introduction and conclusion
0.5 EFTSL
 Attendance at University/Faculty induction sessions;
 Plan research with supervisors (eg bibliography, preliminary discussion of aims and
objectives, methodology, timetable and rough plan/structure of the thesis);
 Plan for submission of ethics proposal, if relevant;
 Submission of ethics proposal;
 Completion of necessary documentation of resourcing requirements eg research
student maintenance;
 Commencement of literature review, general reading and preliminary writing as
discussed with supervisor.
1.0 EFTSL
 Attend meetings with supervisors;
 Attend seminars by other postgraduate students and staff;
 Attendance at professional development programs, as required;
 Supply his/her assessment panel with written evidence demonstrating
critical thinking and problem solving skills, and academic writing skills
(approx 3,000 words), comprising one or more of the following:
o A literature review and research plan for following 12 months;
o A manuscript written by the student as first author (draft, final or
accepted form);
o A research grant proposal written by the student as chief
investigator or co-investigator;
o A substantial conference paper written by the student as first author;
o A conference abstract with accompanying poster written by the
student as first author.
The assessment panel must formally notify the FHDC that the written work
has been completed and whether or not the standard is satisfactory. A
copy of the written work must be submitted to the Secretary of the FHDC
and reviewed by the Assistant Dean (RHD) who may seek independent
advice.
 Completion of Annual Review of Progress form in conjunction with
supervisor and Associate Dean and reported to the HDC;
 Written evidence of substantial reading for the topic;
 Substantial progress towards data-gathering and preliminary writing of
approximately 5,000-15,000 words.
2 EFTSL
 Attend meetings with supervisors;
 Continued attendance at relevant professional development programs;
 Evidence of further substantial reading (eg literature review, developing theoretical
and scholarly grounding with draft chapters);
 Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
 Reasonable progress towards data-gathering and completion of partial draft of
chapters including completion of at least one chapter to polished standard;
 Present a progress seminar which has been advertised widely in the Faculty
and is attended by the assessment panel which must formally notify the FHDC
that the progress seminar has been completed, whether the standard is
satisfactory and whether the student’s progress is satisfactory for the stage of
candidature. The assessment panel should discuss it deliberations with the
student;
 Completion of Annual Review of Progress form in conjunction with supervisor
and Associate Dean and reported to the HDC.
3EFTSL
 Between 3-3.5 years, present a progress seminar which has been advertised
widely in the Faculty, and is attended by the assessment panel. The seminar
must encompass all of the work carried out during candidature, together with a
summary of any work remaining and a schedule for completion of the thesis
within the maximum period of candidature. At the completion of the seminar,
the student should take part in a post seminar interview with the assessment
panel who must formally notify the FHDC that the progress seminar has been
completed, whether the standard is satisfactory, whether the student has
completed sufficient work to meet thesis requirements for the degree of the
candidature and/or whether there is a strong likelihood of the thesis being
completed within the maximum period of candidature. The assessment panel
should discuss its deliberations with the student;
 Completion of Annual Review of Progress form in conjunction with supervisor
and Associate Dean and reported to the HDC
 Meetings with supervisors;
 Continued attendance at relevant professional development programs;
 Written evidence of sufficient reading to keep pace with new literature in the area and
to fill gaps in knowledge essential for completion of the project;
 Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
 Substantial completion of data-gathering and completion of draft chapters to a
reasonably polished standard.
3.5 EFTSL
 Sufficient reading to keep pace with new literature in the area to fill gaps in
knowledge essential for completion of the project;
 Completion of full draft thesis.
4 EFTSL
 No later than 2 months prior to submission of thesis, each student must
present a final seminar which has been advertised widely in the Faculty unless
it corresponds to the progress seminar between 3-3.5 years of PhD
candidature. The seminar is part of the final report and must be attended by the
assessment panel and a member of FHDC;
 Each student must submit a final draft of the thesis to the assessment panel no
later than 2 months prior to the expected date of thesis submission. The
assessment panel must formally notify the FHDC that it has read the final draft
of the thesis prior to submission. The assessment panel must provide the
FHDC (on Form FHDC4) with an assessment of the standard of the thesis and
of the seminar, and the student should sign the form to verify that he/she has
had a discussion with the assessment panel and has been advised of the
panel’s opinion;
 Final writing and polishing of thesis;
 Request for extension to candidature if required, with realistic timetable for
completion within period of extension;
 Submission of 3 copies of thesis to Faculty Office.
AM
14/1/14