HDR Course Upgrade Procedure

PROCEDURE DISESTABLISHED:  Only Masters Candidates enrolled prior to the 1 January 2020 may apply to upgrade. Masters Candidates enrolling on or after this date are not eligible to upgrade.

Intent

To specify the process by which a candidate enrolled in a Research Masters degree can transfer their candidature to a Research Doctorate degree.

Definitions

Terms mentioned in this document and not defined here are defined in the Glossary of Terms for Policies in the Student and Teaching and Course Management chapters of the University Policy Library and in the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Requirements.

Upgrade of Candidature: the transfer of candidature from a Research Masters degree to a Research Doctorate degree without completion of the Research Masters degree.

Milestone: refers to Confirmation of Candidature, Mid-Candidature Review and Pre-Completion Evaluation.

“At a Doctorate Level”: means at the scope and standard for a Doctorate as compared to that for a Masters.

Procedure

1. There are three opportunities during candidature, for the Upgrade of HDR Candidature from a Research Masters to a Research Doctorate. They are:

a. At Confirmation of Candidature milestone

Timeframe: at 0.5-1 EFTSL as per the normal PhD Confirmation of Candidature.

Requirements:

• UPG-FORM-01 HDR Course Upgrade Form
• Conduct Confirmation of Candidature at a Doctoral level
• Attach all Confirmation of Candidature documents including evidence that the Confirmation of Candidature was done at the Doctoral level

b. At the Mid-Candidature Review milestone.

Timeframe: no later than 1.5 EFTSL.

Requirements:

UPG-FORM-01 HDR Course Upgrade Form

• Completed Masters Confirmation of Candidature
• Met all the requirements of RD7003
• Conduct Mid-Candidature Review at a Doctoral level (note presentation/seminar is compulsory if upgrading at Mid-Candidature Review.)
• Attached Mid-Candidature Review documents including evidence that the Mid-Candidature Review was done at the Doctoral level
• Attached a revised project proposal on COC-FORM-01 at the Doctoral level

c. At the Pre-Completion Evaluation milestone.

Timeframe: at 1.5 to 2 EFTSL but must repeat Pre-Completion Evaluation for Doctorate candidature at 2.5-3.75 EFTSL and within 6 months before thesis submission, as per the Doctorate Pre-Completion Evaluation time frame.

Requirements:

UPG-FORM-01 HDR Course Upgrade Form

• Completed Masters Confirmation of Candidature and Mid-Candidature Review
• Completed a Pre-Completion Evaluation at the Doctoral level
• Attached Pre-Completion Evaluation documents including evidence that the Pre-Completion Evaluation was done at the Doctoral level
• Attached a revised project proposal on COC-FORM-01 at the Doctoral level OR complete draft of the thesis at the Doctoral Level.

2. All candidates wishing to upgrade must apply using the UPG-FORM-01 HDR Course Upgrade Application Form.  The HDR Course Upgrade Application Form should be completed and submitted to the Primary Advisor with the documents relating to the upgrade milestone, for assessment of the upgrade.

3. Subsequent to the application for upgrade, the milestone documents and HDR Course Upgrade Application Form should be submitted to the Graduate Research School.

4. If the milestone is successfully conducted at a Doctorate level, the Graduate Research School will input an application into the Student Management System and the Candidate will receive an offer from University Admissions for their Doctorate. The offer must be formally accepted, at which point the Graduate Research School will withdraw the Candidate from their Masters and enrol them in the Doctorate, deducting time consumed in the Masters degree from the total time allowance of a Doctorate.

5. For Candidates enrolled prior to 1/1/2018 upgrading at the Confirmation of Candidature and Mid-Candidature Review are required to successfully complete RD7003 (80 hours total of Professional Development) at the appropriate time during the course of the Doctorate, whilst those upgrading at Pre-Completion Evaluation are not required to complete RD7003 at all.  For Candidates enrolled form 1/1/2018 upgrading at any milestone will require all Professional Development requirements to be met.

6. If at any point an application to upgrade is declined, the candidate has three options.  These are:

• To continue with and complete their Masters Candidature.
• To continue with their Masters Candidature and attempt to upgrade at a later milestone depending on the amount of EFTSL consumed.
• To attempt to resolve the situation with their ADRE and Candidature Committee.

Related policy instruments

Schedules/Appendices

Administration

Note: Printed copies of this procedure are uncontrolled, and currency can only be assured at the time of printing.

Approval Details

Revision History