Handbook for the CCPP Doctoral Program in Political
and Social Thought
(This handbook should be read in conjunction with the UWS Handbook Information for
Research Candidates*)
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* It should be noted that the CCPP handbook is directly relevant to the CCPP Doctoral
Program and the UWS Handbook relates to all other information regarding Higher Degree
Research candidates.
Contents
1. Welcome – Director, Professor Anna Yeatman
2. Introduction
3. Doctoral Program in Political and Social Thought
3.1.
Facilities
3.2.
Research Student Support Funding
3.3.
Student evaluations of coursework
3.4.
Completion of coursework at
satisfactory level
3.5.
Grading of coursework
3.6.
Grade Appeals
3.7.
Transition from coursework to thesis in the Doctoral
Program of Political and Social Thought
3.8.
Supervision
3.9.
Principal Supervisor
3.10.
Supervision Panels
3.11.
Development of thesis proposal
3.12.
Confirmation of Candidature
3.13.
The CCPP CoC Panel
3.14.
Apart from Supervisor, Panel and Chair (who must
attend), who else can come to the CoC?
3.15.
Annual progress reports
3.16.
Length of Thesis
3.17.
CCPP Intellectual Conversations
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1. Welcome – Director, Professor Anna Yeatman
The Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy has two types of PhD program—the first is an
innovation in the Australian system and it is our flagship program: a four-year (full-time) PhD
in Political and Social Thought where students have to satisfactorily complete four
substantive courses before they proceed to work on the thesis; and the second is a regular
three-year (full-time) PhD. In the Centre, we are aware that it is the quality and vitality of
our PhD students that is a key ingredient in making the Centre an exciting, cutting-edge and
challenging intellectual environment. We are committed to recruiting such students,
ensuring they are well supported when they arrive, and making them feel welcome in all of
the activities of the Centre. My door is open at any time to those of you who are Centre PhD
candidates.
Anna Yeatman
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2. Introduction
CCPP’s vision and goals
The Centre seeks to promote democratic governance, active citizenship, and a practical
awareness of the interdependencies of the political, the social, the economic and the
environmental.
The goals of the Centre are three-fold:
1. To produce, communicate and network internationally recognized and high quality
research on important topics in citizenship and public policy;
2. To engage in research and other kinds of partnership with practitioners in
government and non-government organizations;
3. To train and educate postgraduate students who can take the Centre’s vision in new
directions.
What do we do?
The Centre engages with a number of communities; academic and non-academic as well as
postgraduate students in intellectual and research-oriented conversation through its seminar
and workshop series. The Centre also collaborates in research with practitioner communities
especially in the areas of social enterprise, deliberative democracy, and deep democracy. As
a result Centre publications are focused on varied audiences.
CCPP research programs
Political and Social Thought
Political and Social Thought is the theoretical heartland of the Centre for Citizenship and
Public Policy and all full-time academic members of the Centre are affiliated with this
program. It is also the intellectual basis for the Doctoral Program in Political and Social
Thought. As a distinct program of activity, it comprises specialist theoretical work. It is also
the hub for regional, national and international networks in political and social thought.
Specialist strengths cover:
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Kant, Arendt, Heidegger, Weber, Simmel
Freedom, practical reason, and identity
Democratic theory
Indigeneity and Modernity
Reconciliation and post-trauma community
Subjectivity and politics
Action theory, institutional design and economics
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Daoist theory of action and economics
Ethics and belonging in a climate-changed world
Active Citizenship and Democratic Governance
This program brings together expertise in methods of inclusive and democratic decisionmaking (Deliberative Democracy and Deep Democracy) with research on these practices. We
also engage with research and practice in the areas of:
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public-private partnerships in the work of government
democratic and inclusive governance
inclusion of citizens in the policy process
technology, participation and wellbeing
ethnic diversity and corporate governance.
Social Economy
This program brings together researchers and practitioners to discuss, research and practice
new solutions to the challenge of achieving environmental and social well-being in the 21st
century. Conventional models are failing us and we need to learn from innovative and
experimental solutions that are being pioneered within the social economy by businesses,
NGOs, self-organised networks and social movements with strong values and articulated
missions. We offer expertise in:
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imagining and enacting ethical economic practices
mapping of the social economy in Australia and internationally
theorization of social economy-ecology interdependencies
action research methodologies for building the social economy
research partnership with communities, NGOs, business, farmers, scientists,
philanthropists and the media in learning about ecology-economy connections and
translating such learning into action.
Doctoral Program in Political and Social Thought
3.1
Facilities
All students will have access to a desk, computer and a shared telephone. Full-time students
will be allocated a permanent desk and part-time students will have access to a hot desk.
Students who are allocated a desk are expected to use it on a regular basis. Students should
advise the Centre’s administrative officer if they are not going to use the desk allocated to
them.
All students have access to basic stationery supplies, printing and photocopying.
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3.2
Research Student Support Funding
Funding is available to support attendance at overseas and domestic workshops, meetings
and conferences where a paper is being presented that relates to your intended thesis
research. CCPP approval for conference funding is on the basis that a paper will be
presented. It is a condition of submission that affiliation to CCPP will be acknowledged. The
level of annual funding is determined by UWS and can vary from year to year.
3.3
Student evaluations of coursework
Students are expected to complete evaluations of the coursework component of the
Doctoral Program after both Semester 1 and Semester 2. These should be handed in to the
PG Convenor no later than a week after teaching has finished. The lecturer will hand out
evaluation questions half way through the teaching session.
3.4
Completion of coursework at satisfactory level
Students are expected to complete each of the four coursework units and achieve a grade of
“satisfactory” which is equivalent to a B+ or better to proceed to the thesis stage of their
candidature.
3.5
Grading of coursework
Students’ work for assessment in each unit will be graded in time for grades to be submitted
to the Examiner’s meeting on a date determined by the Doctoral Program Convenor. Where
the unit convenor has awarded a final grade for the unit of less than ”satisfactory”, the
Doctoral Program Convenor is to allocate a second examiner for the work submitted for
assessment in that unit. If the second examiner agrees with the unit convenor’s judgment,
the decision stands, but where such agreement is not given, the Doctoral Program Convenor
should convene a meeting of the two examiners and seek resolution of the grade. There is
no formal transcript for coursework grades, but each student will be given a letter to attest
to the courses taken and outcome achieved by a student.
3.6
Grade Appeals
All Grade Appeals are subject to the UWS Grade Review Policy.
3.7
Transition from coursework to thesis in the Doctoral Program of Political and
Social Thought
Once the coursework is satisfactorily completed, students are expected to begin work on
their thesis topic and proposal under supervision.
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3.8
Supervision
Each student will have established and had confirmed a supervision panel in the first year of
their candidature in the Doctoral Program in Political and Social Thought. The supervision
panel for each student should have been established and confirmed as early as possible in
the student’s candidature (and no later than the end of the first year of candidature for
students admitted to the Doctoral Program in Political and Social Thought). No supervision
arrangement can be regarded as final until it has the approval of the CCPP Director.
3.9
Principal Supervisor
It may not always be possible to meet the student’s first choice for principal supervisor. In
consultation with the Doctoral Program Convenor students will discuss supervision
possibilities.
3.10
Supervision Panels
A Supervision Panel consists of the following roles.
Principal Supervisor. This person must qualify as a 'supervisor' under the UWS rules and
policies. He/she is responsible for the functioning of the panel and thus for the progress of
the candidature. He/she is the person who can sign Annual Progress Reports, requests for
travel and non-travel funding and other forms that may be associated with a PhD
candidature, whenever a supervisor's formal authorisation is necessary.
Co-supervisor. This person need not qualify as a 'supervisor' under the UWS rules and
policies, and has no delegation to sign forms. He/she will have substantial intellectual
responsibility for advising the candidate on all aspects of the dissertation research, as the
candidate's mentor, within the oversight of the Principal Supervisor. Performing in the role of
co-supervisor is understood to be an important part of a junior academic's professional
development.
Panel member. Panel members should be selected because they have interest and
competence in some aspect of the dissertation research. Panel members will participate in
the Annual Progress Report meeting and, at the discretion of the student and the Principal
Supervisor, in other ways that are useful to the candidate's progress."
3.11
Development of thesis proposal
The development of the thesis proposal is the first stage of working on the thesis. It forms
the basis of the Confirmation of Candidature process. Candidates are expected to work
closely with their supervision panel in developing their proposal, and to attend the CCPP
Thesis Development Workshop which will be offered each year.
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3.12
Confirmation of Candidature
Details concerning the Confirmation of Candidature (CoC) are published in the UWS
Handbook
http://www.uws.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/70680/CoC_Guidelines_Jan2011.pdf .
The CoC occurs during the first year of the thesis preparation when a clear statement of the
research proposal (in conformity with the protocol attached as an appendix to this
document) is approved by the Principal Supervisor.
3.13
The CCPP CoC Panel
The steps that should be followed before, during and after a CoC in the CCPP are set out in
Appendix 1.
3.14
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Apart from Supervisor, Panel and Chair (who must attend), who else can
come to the CoC?
Anyone from CCPP
An invitee of the candidate’s
It is assumed that everyone attending a CoC will have read the candidate’s pre-circulated
document.
3.15
Annual progress reports
It is the responsibility of students to complete the relevant sections of the Annual Progress
reports and to discuss their progress with their supervisor prior to submission by 30 June
each year of candidature after the first year.
http://www.uws.edu.au/research/current_research_students/annual_reports
3.16
Length of Thesis
The word limit on the thesis for the Doctoral program in Political and Social Thought is
80,000 words.
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3.17
CCPP Intellectual Conversations
It is a requirement that all students participate in the academic life of the Centre. This
includes attendance at the CCPP Seminar Series, the Occasional Seminar Series and Master
Classes given by distinguished academics who have been invited as part of the Director’s
Visitor Program.
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APPENDICES
Steps to be taken in organising and completing a CoC in the CCPP
Preparing for CoC
1. Candidate and Supervisor discuss who would be a good Chair for CoC (can be internal
or external to CCPP). Supervisor contacts suggested person and asks whether they
would be willing to chair that CoC.
2. Supervisor ensures Doctoral Program Convenor (DPC) approves Panel composition
including Chair.
3. DPC gets ADR to approve Chair.
4. Supervisor gets Administrative Officer (AO) CCPP to organise CoC meeting with Panel
and Chair.
5. Event is diarised by AO with Panel, Chair and CCPP staff and CoC paper is circulated
(at least 7 days in advance) on the understanding that attendance is optional and that
those attending will have read the candidate's pre-circulated CoC paper.
At CoC
6. Chair invites candidate to speak to the pre-circulated paper (for about 20 minutes).
7. All present direct questions and comments to the Candidate.
8. Candidate and audience leave the room; Supervisor, Panel and Chair remain.
9. Supervisor, Panel and Chair go over the main points that have arisen in discussion.
10. Candidate invited by Chair to return to the room.
11. Chair conveys orally to Candidate a summary of the panel's discussion.
12. Supervisor and Panel leave room.
13. Chair invites Candidate to comment candidly on the strengths and weaknesses of the
Supervisor and panel. This is an opportunity for the Candidate to reveal problems
with the working relationship, if there are any.
14. Chair closes CoC and completes CoC report documentation.
After CoC
15. Chair shows report to Panel and it is either verified or amended.
16. If Panel recommends that the Candidate's CoC paper be revised, Chair liaises with
Supervisor and Candidate to make sure that the revisions have been done.
17. Chair gives completed CoC report (including, if necessary, confirmation that the
required revisions of CoC paper have been implemented) to AD(R).
18. AD(R) signs off the CoC report.
Protocol for COC
CCPP Confirmation of Candidature Research Protocol
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This protocol is an adaptation of the Australian Research Council Discovery Project
Proposal protocol – it provides an excellent training in how to engage in the
substantive, formal and technical aspects of developing a persuasive research project
proposal. As such it will facilitate your clarification of a final research design for your
thesis including the specification of a manageable research question (thesis topic).
In following this protocol, please ensure you comply with all that it asks of you – this
is an important aspect of a good research project proposal. Seek appropriate
guidance from your supervisor/supervision panel.
PART A-Administrative Summary
1. Proposal Title
2. Name of investigator
3. Names of Supervision Panel
4. Has your supervision panel signed off on the submission of this protocol? YES/NO
Signatures:
Principal Supervisor:
Panel Member 1
Panel Member 2
5. Summary of Proposal
Provide a written Proposal summary of no more than 750 characters (approximately 100
words) focussing on the aims, significance and expected outcomes of the project.
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Use plain English and the minimum of terminology unique to the area of study; and
Avoid the use of quotation marks, acronyms and do not use all upper case characters in
the text.
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6. Summary of Project for Public
Keywords
Release
Provide a two-sentence descriptor of
no more than 350 characters (approximately 50 words) of the purpose and expected
outcomes of the project which is suitable for media or other publicity material. Do not
duplicate or simply truncate the ‘Summary of Proposal’.
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Use plain English and make the summary comprehensible and accessible for the general
public as far as possible; and
Avoid the use of quotation marks, acronyms and do not use all upper case characters in
the text.
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Note: This summary may be used for public release.
PART B – Classification and other statistical information
Field of Research Codes
B1 – The Field of Research (FOR) classification defines research according to disciplines. The
FOR codes selected should describe the research in this Proposal.
Select each classification code that relates to the Proposal by clicking on ‘Add FOR code’.
Indicate the importance of each classification by using a percentage. Select no more than
three FORs per proposal.
Please prioritise the classification codes from highest percentage to lowest percentage and
ensure that the percentages sum up to 100%.
Field of Research (FOR) Code
Field of Research (FOR) Percent
1
2
3
Keywords
B2 – Enter between one and ten keywords to describe the proposed research.
The keywords should be of the kind normally required for submitting an article to a major
refereed journal.
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1
PART C – Project description
2
3
In no more than 10 A4 pages and in
the required format (see appendix)
upload a Project Description
4
Proposal Description
PART D Ethics
It is the Chief Investigator’s responsibility to obtain ethics approvals from the appropriate
University Committees before commencement of the research, or as otherwise specified by
the funding agency see - http://www.uws.edu.au/research/ors/ethics.
Does your project involve ethics: Y/N
When do you plan to submit your application for Ethics Approval?
PART E Dissemination of Results
State how and when the results of the prepared research will be disseminated.
Type (e.g. refereed journal, book chapter, conference paper – specify when you plan to
submit):
Details:
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PART F Budget
In the preparation of your budget, please be aware that funding is subject to limits and seek
guidance from your supervisor.
Budget Category
Amount
Requested
Amount
Requested
Year One
Year Two
Amount Requested
Year Three
Equipment
Maintenance
Travel/Subsistence
Other
TOTAL
PART G Track Record
G1 Qualifications
Provide details of other qualifications including highest qualification if not a PhD in date
order, beginning with the most recent.
Degree/Award
Year
Discipline/Field
Organisation Name
1
2
G2 Current and previous appointments/positions – during the past 10 years
Provide details of:
Academic, research, professional and industrial experience for up to the past ten years in
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descending date order;
Begin with your current/most recent position, the employment type and contract type;
Specify start date and end date of each position; and
The organisation.
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Position
Organisation Name
Department
Year Appointed
1
2
Continuity
Employment Kind
Current
1
2
G3 Publications (list all publications and asterisk those relevant to this proposal)
PART H Applicant Agreement
I agree that I am a party to this research proposal as set out in this protocol and in the
project description it accompanies
Name:
Signature:
Date:
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Appendix for CoC Protocol
C - Project Description
1.3
Format
Write in plain English and comply strictly with the Proposal format and submission
requirements.
All pages of additional text (uploaded in PDF form) must be as follows:

Black type.
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Single column.
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White A4 paper size with at least 0.5 cm margin on each side and at top and bottom.
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A highly legible font type must be used, preferably 12 point Times New Roman, otherwise
Arial, Courier, Palatino, and Helvetica subject to them being an equivalent sized font to
Times New Roman 12 point font. Variants such as mathematical typesetting languages
may also be used.
Note: Text must be size 12 font Times New Roman or an equivalent size before
converting to PDF format and must be legible to assessors.
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Adhere strictly to page limits designated for each part of the Proposal.
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Applicants should note colour graphs, colour photographs, detailed graphics and grey
scale objects may be reproduced in black and white.
Please provide the following information in no more than ten A4 pages and in the required
format.
The uploaded Project Description must not exceed ten A4 pages. In the uploaded PDF you
must use the headings below, and in this order. Use 12 point font (except for the
references)
PROJECT TITLE
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AIMS AND BACKGROUND
RESEARCH PROJECT
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
REFERENCES
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PROJECT TITLE
This must be the same title as the Proposal title in Part A2 of the Proposal Form.
AIMS AND BACKGROUND
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Describe the aims and background of the Proposal.
Include information about the current state of play of this field of research and
its relationship to this Proposal.
Refer only to refereed publications that are accessible to the national and
international research communities.
RESEARCH PROJECT
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Describe how the research is significant and how it addresses an important
problem in a specific field of research.
Describe how the anticipated outcomes will advance the knowledge base of the
field and, as appropriate, discipline.
Outline the conceptual framework, design and methods and demonstrate that
these are adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the aims of the
Proposal. Include research plans and proposed timelines.
Include a summary of the relevant work if the rationale for some of the Proposal
rests upon manuscripts that are still in the process of being published, or on results of
work that may not be available to assessors. This summary must be provided within the
ten A4 page limit.
Describe the expected outcomes and likely impact of the proposed research.
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
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Describe the existing, or developing research environment within the Centre for
Citizenship and Public Policy for this Project.
Outline the plans for communicating research results, including scholarly and public
communication and dissemination.
REFERENCES
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Include a list of all references, including relevant references that refer to the
Participant’s previous work.
References only may be in 10 point font.
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Supervision Record Form
CCPP Doctoral Program—Supervision Record
Student Details
Name of Student: ________________________________________________________
Year of admission:________________________________________________________
Thesis Topic:_____________________________________________________________
Date of COC:_____________________________________________________________
Supervision Panel
Principal
Supervisor:______________________________________________________________
Co-Supervisor (1): ________________________________________________________
Co-Supervisor (2):__ ______________________________________________________
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