Faculty of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology
Research Higher Degree Milestones
This description of Research Higher Degree milestones for candidates in the Faculty
of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology 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 fulltime or part-time, are time-based students, and accrue Equivalent Full-Time Student
Load (EFTSL) each semester (1 EFTSL = 1 year full-time 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
All milestones other than those in bold are guidelines that may be modified by
individual schools.
Milestones in bold are university or faculty 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 reading at each stage.
Masters – overview
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2 years full-time and 4 years part-time
Research thesis of 35,000-50 000 words
Normally 3-5 chapters, plus introduction and conclusion
0.5 EFTSL
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Attendance at University/Faculty and School Induction sessions;
Preliminary planning;
Satisfactory completion of Academic Integrity website activities;
Completion of necessary documentation of resourcing requirements;
Plan for submission of ethics proposal, if relevant;
Commencement of literature review, general reading, and preliminary writing,
as discussed with supervisor.
1 EFTSL
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Attendance postgraduate and/or staff research seminars and thesis proposal
meetings;
Attendance at relevant professional development courses;
Auditing of relevant topics as appropriate;
Plan research with supervisors. This may include construction of a working
bibliography, preliminary discussion of aims and objectives, methodology,
timetable, and rough plan/structure of the thesis;
Faculty of EHLT – RHD Milestones
1
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Satisfactory completion of research proposal and presentation (within
6-12 months FTE)1;
Presentation to an appropriate Work-in-Progress forum;
Written evidence of substantial reading for the topic;
Submission of Ethics proposal submitted, if relevant;
Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form2 in September, in
conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and endorsed at
Faculty level;
Preliminary writing of approximately 10,000-20 000 words, including, for
instance, thesis proposal (draft or complete), draft literature review and draft
method chapters;
or
 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 the
transfer to be put in place. (Transfer can be considered anytime between 1
and 1.5 EFTSL).
1.5 EFTSL
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Further attendance at relevant professional development courses;
Further auditing of relevant topics as appropriate;
Evidence that sufficient reading for the topic has been completed. This
evidence could take the form of a literature review incorporated into the draft
thesis or demonstration throughout the draft of adequate theoretical and
scholarly grounding;
Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form in September, in
conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and endorsed at
Faculty level;
Completion of literature review/theoretical grounding;
Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
Presentation of Work-in-Progress seminar (or similar);
Completion of preliminary draft, (around 30,000 words);
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or
 Completion of data-gathering and completion of partial draft, around 25,000
words;
 Completion of at least one chapter to a polished standard;
 Completion of nomination of examiners paperwork for the Faculty Office; and
 Submission plan including submission date.
2 EFTSL
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Final writing and polishing;
Submission.
Extension to Candidature, 6 months3 FTE (if approved) at end of 2 EFTSL
1
See School specific requirements for Research Proposals at: http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehlt/rhd/for-students/forstudents_home.cfm
2
For details of Annual Review of Progress requirements go to:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships/forms/forms_home.cfm
3
Refer to Research Higher Degrees Policies and Procedures Section 14 at:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/student/res.high.deg.html
Faculty of EHLT – RHD Milestones
2
PhD – overview
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3-4 years full-time and 8 years part-time
Research thesis 70,000-100,000 words
Normally 6-8 chapters, plus introduction and conclusion
0.5 EFTSL
 Attendance at University/Faculty and School Induction sessions;
 Preliminary planning;
 Satisfactory completion of Academic Integrity website activities;
 Completion of necessary documentation of resourcing requirements;
 Plan for submission of ethics proposal, if relevant;
 Commencement of literature review, general reading, and preliminary writing,
as discussed with supervisor.
1 EFTSL
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Attendance at postgraduate and/or staff research seminars and thesis
proposal meetings;
Attendance at relevant professional development courses;
Auditing relevant topics as appropriate;
Plan research with supervisors. This may include construction of a working
bibliography, preliminary discussion of aims and objectives, methodology,
timetable, and rough plan/structure of the thesis;
Satisfactory completion of research proposal and presentation (within
6-12 months FTE)4;
Presentation to an appropriate Work-in-Progress forum;
Written evidence of substantial reading for the topic;
Submission of Ethics proposal, if relevant;
Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form5 in September, in
conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and endorsed at
Faculty level;
Preliminary writing of approximately 10,000-15 000 words, including, for
instance, thesis proposal (draft or complete), draft literature review and draft
method chapters;
or
 Substantial progress towards data-gathering and preliminary writing of
approximately 5 000-15 000 words.
2 EFTSL
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Further attendance at relevant professional development courses;
Further auditing of relevant topics as appropriate;
4
See School specific requirements for Research Proposals at: http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehlt/rhd/for-students/forstudents_home.cfm
5
For details of Annual Review of Progress requirements go to:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/scholarships/forms/forms_home.cfm
Faculty of EHLT – RHD Milestones
3
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Evidence of further substantial reading. This evidence could take the form of
a literature review or demonstration throughout the draft chapters of
developing theoretical and scholarly grounding;
Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form in September, in
conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and endorsed at
Faculty level;
Completion of literature review/theoretical grounding;
Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
Presentation of Work-in-Progress seminar (or similar);
Completion of draft chapters (30,000-40,000 words), including completion of
at least one chapter to a polished standard;
or
 Reasonable progress towards data-gathering and completion of partial draft
20,000-25,000, including completion of at least one chapter to a polished
standard.
3 EFTSL
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Further attendance at relevant professional development courses;
Further auditing of relevant topics as appropriate;
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;
Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form in September, in
conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and endorsed at
Faculty level;
Conference presentation and/or submission for publication;
Presentation of Work-in-Progress seminar (or similar);
Completion of draft chapters (45-70 000 words) including completion of at
least three chapters to a reasonably polished standard;
or
 Substantial completion of data-gathering and completion of draft chapters
(40,000-60,000 words) including completion of at least three chapters to a
reasonably polished standard; and
 Submission plan, including timetable for completion by end of candidature.
3.5 EFTSL
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Sufficient reading to keep pace with new literature in the area and to fill gaps
in knowledge essential for completion of the project;
Completion of full draft;
Completion of nomination of examiners paperwork for the Faculty
Office.
4 EFTSL
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Completion of Annual Review of Progress Form in September (if
needed), in conjunction with supervisors and Head of School, and
endorsed at Faculty level;
Completion of all chapters to polished standard;
Submission.
Faculty of EHLT – RHD Milestones
4
Extension to Candidature, 6 months6 FTE (if approved) at end of 4 EFTSL
Approved by FRAG-HD DATE 2009 - tbc
KJ:MD
6
Refer to Research Higher Degrees Policies and Procedures Section 14 at:
http://www.flinders.edu.au/ppmanual/student/res.high.deg.html
Faculty of EHLT – RHD Milestones
5