Why do a research higher degree (RHD)?

Stretch yourself

Research and scholarship underpin our teaching and creative activity. Candidates who are working towards a higher degree by research are important to us and our aim is to attract and support talented, keen researchers. A research degree program is a demanding undertaking that will take a number of years to complete. It is likely to involve extended hours to absorb and digest vast amounts of existing information, to develop new data or ideas and, with the assistance of your supervisor, to distil these into a well-structured and clearly written research thesis.

Start your career as a researcher

A research higher degree is the recognised qualification for a career in academia, and will also open doors to new career paths in the public and private sectors. As a successful Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy graduate, you will have overcome the obstacles, persevered with the research, mastered new skills and convinced a group of your peers that the contribution to knowledge submitted as your thesis is worthy of the award of a higher degree. The end result is an overwhelming feeling of great accomplishment.

Challenge yourself

Graduates regularly report that their research journey was extremely challenging and because of that, highly rewarding. The day that a candidate submits their thesis is truly a day for celebration. A research higher degree can be likened to a full time job. Candidates generally work on their research Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm from January to December with four weeks off for recreational leave usually over the summer period. The research program normally involves several milestones starting with the research proposal, literature review, data collection, confirmation, regular progress reporting, analysis and several thesis drafts before the final version is ready for examination.

Develop your passion for research

A research higher degree provides an exciting career path for high-achieving students who have an analytical mind and an intrinsic desire for problem solving.

Contribute to critical knowledge

Research involves defining and solving problems and constantly striving for improvement in your chosen discipline. We regularly receive feedback from graduates that doing a PhD has given them a real sense of achievement and the feeling of having contributed to something positive for the future.

Broaden your career options

Research is a growth industry, and gaining a research higher degree will give you an advantage in the job market. Research shows that the unemployment rate for people of working age in 2006 with a PhD is only 2.2% (Edwards, 2010). The same article suggests that "The total Australian workforce is expected to grow by 16.6 per cent between 2007 and 2020, but the doctorate degree level component of this workforce has a projected 47.9 per cent growth over this time". In addition, a recent report into research training commissioned by the Australian Government confirmed that the academic population is aging and that the number of young academics coming through will be insufficient to meet the future needs of research in Australia (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent and Scales, 2008). The option of a career in academia is likely always to remain open for you if you complete a PhD, both immediately after graduation and as you continue to build knowledge and gain experience in your discipline.