Chapter 3: Conditions of candidature

3.3 Coursework, training and practica

3.3.1 Coursework and training

Commencing in 2013, various faculties are introducing a range of discipline-specific components comprising skills training and coursework to their PhD degrees, commonly referred to as a Program. Programs will be introduced over a three year period commencing in 2013 and are mandatory where they have been established as part of a particular doctoral degree.

The Programs will consist of the equivalent of three months’ coursework and/or training and are designed to enhance candidates’ research and employment-related skills and knowledge. By 2015 all PhD courses in any faculty and on any campus will include programs of at least three months of coursework and/or training.

Candidates will discuss mandatory and optional units in their Graduate Research Individual Skills Training Plan with their supervisors and the Program Director prior to finalising enrolment with the Monash Institute of Graduate Research.

Candidates wishing to add or discontinue skills training or coursework units to or from their current enrolment respectively are required to consult their supervisors and the Program Director for authorisation. Candidates should note that there are penalties attached to discontinuing coursework units after the census date, i.e. a fail result will appear on their transcript.

Candidates are responsible for recording their attendance or participation in activities on their Graduate Research Individual Skills Training Plan and gaining the appropriate signatures from faculty staff.

Any required coursework and/or skills training components must be satisfactorily completed prior to the Pre Submission Seminar.

Examiners will be advised that coursework and/or training components have been satisfactorily completed when they are sent the thesis.

Research coursework units are assessed and graded according to the Monash University Grading Scale Policy . Within a PhD program candidates must achieve a grade of 70% for these units. A candidate who does not achieve this grade will be allowed to repeat the unit once. If a candidate does not achieve this grade in a repeated unit they will be subject to a termination process under the Candidature Progress Management Regulations. (For rules concerning coursework within professional doctorates consult the individual course descriptions.)

The grading scheme for research skills training units is as follows:

SR	Satisfied Requirements
NSR	Not Satisfied Requirements
NYS	Requirements Not Yet Satisfied
WDN	Withdrawn

Interim grades

NYS	Requirements Not Yet Satisfied
DEF	Deferred

3.3.1.1 Additional work/enabling units

A candidate may be required to undertake units if the supervisors or Program Director consider these necessary to enable the candidate to carry out the proposed program of research. This may be done on a case-by-case basis. Such requirements should normally be prescribed in advance by the Program Director or head of academic unit or nominee in consultation with the candidate and the main supervisor.

3.3.1.2 Enabling coursework and PhD/doctoral level coursework: a summary

For doctoral candidates, no more than 48 credit points of coursework, including both enabling and mandatory coursework, may be undertaken during the doctoral degree. There are similarities and differences between enabling and PhD level coursework, clarified in the table below.

	Enabling coursework	PhD level coursework and training
Purpose	Candidate is advised by the supervisors,head of academic unit or Program Director to meet gaps in knowledge, required for successful completion of research project.  Such enabling work may also on occasion serve to broaden the context of the research project.  Coursework of this type is tailored to suit each candidate’s individual needs and does not form part of a PhD program.	Such coursework and training will be a mandatory requirement within a PhD course.  Candidate pursues PhD levelcoursework and training which is rigorous, relevant and challenging.  Such coursework and training is intended to: broaden the candidate’s knowledge base in the discipline, thus placing the specific research program in a wider context; develop research skills which enhance the candidate’s competence in research; develop other skills to assist the candidate in fields of employment beyond academia. Formal assessment of these coursework units should emphasise competence in research and relevance to the field.
Unit levels	Any level	PhD level units challenging to a doctoral candidate. Units from a master’s level degree which has  a genuine fourth year level entry may also be included.
Approval process	Approval is on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate Research Steering Committee	PhD level coursework and training components in Faculty degrees must be approved by the Graduate Research Committee.
Enrolment status	A candidate may be formally enrolled and assessed or may audit the relevant unit.	The candidate is formally enrolled and assessed.
Maximum amount of coursework in PhD	24 credit points only	Of the total of 48 credit points of coursework (both enabling and PhD level coursework) permitted, up to the full 48 credit points may be PhD level coursework.
Time by which coursework should be completed	The coursework may be undertaken at any time during candidature, but before the thesis is submitted for examination	Coursework and training should be undertaken as outlined in the Graduate Research Individual Training Plan. Some research coursework units and research skills training activities will be tied to specific candidature milestones.
Time at which decision is made to include coursework component	Normally, skill gaps will be identified prior to enrolment.  However, such issues may arise at a later date, e.g. at the time of confirmation, and the undertaking of additional units may be negotiated between candidate and supervisors at this time	Since coursework and training units are an integral part of the PhD (being progressively introduced between 2013 and 2015), the candidate will be made aware of such mandatory requirements before initial enrolment.
Relationship to thesis	All required coursework must be satisfactorily completed before the thesis can be submitted for examination.  Examiners will not normally be notified in detail of the nature and extent of the enabling coursework when undertaking the examination.  Such coursework would not affect the thesis length	All mandatory coursework and training must be satisfactorily completed before the thesis can be submitted for examination. Examiners will be notified of the nature and extent of the PhD level coursework and training when undertaking the examination.  The thesis, or thesis alternative, is the major component of assessment for the degree
Transcript record	A statement of satisfactory completion/assessment of coursework units in which the candidate was enrolled and assessed may be included in the academic transcript and identified as a component of the PhD program	A statement of satisfactory completion of such coursework and training is included in the degree transcript as a component of the relevant PhD degree.

3.3.1.3 Prescribed coursework component for professional doctorates

Degree	Coursework components
EdD	A candidate shall complete four units as approved by the faculty board in advance. Any variation to the prescribed coursework should have the approval of the faculty board. The doctoral coursework units represent six months of full-time work or the equivalent in part-time candidature.  A candidate’s progress will be monitored at the end of each semester during the coursework stage. Candidates may be permitted to repeat a failed unit with the permission of the faculty board. The progress of each candidate will be reported to the Graduate Research Committee prior to enrolment in the thesis Note: Commencing candidates are no longer being admitted to the EdD program. Coursework requirements still apply to existing candidates
DPsych	Coursework sessions are conducted over two 12-week semesters in each of the first three years, with specialisation in the third year. The coursework component comprises approximately 20% of the program
DPH	Coursework sessions are conducted over two 12-week semesters in the first year and one 12-week semester in the second year
DBA	The program consists of approximately 20% coursework comprising two (12-credit-point) units, a 'Current issues in business' unit (six credit points) and a compulsory, unweighted DBA seminar Note: Commencing candidates are no longer being admitted to the DBA program as the course has been discontinued. Coursework requirements still apply to existing DBA candidates
SJD	Candidates undertake four elective (six-credit-point) units from a list of approved Master of Laws units. A distinction average in these units is required. A 12-credit-point ungraded SJD seminar is undertaken on a pass/fail basis. The coursework comprises 25% of the degree program
MPsych/PhD	Candidates undertake three advanced coursework units plus the research project unit in the first year of study (48 credit points). Part-time candidates are enrolled pro rata completing the first 48 points of work over two years

3.3.2 Practica

3.3.2.1 DPsych

Supervised practica will be conducted in a variety of settings. All practica are normally confined to the first three years of the program. By the end of the third year, each candidate will have completed at least four placements in in an in-patient and out-patient setting.

Placements are generally two days per week and last for 4-6 months. Placements will involve patient contact, observation, allied professional activities, supervisory sessions and writing reports and case notes. For more information refer to http://www.med.monash.edu.au/psych/students/current/hdr-info-guide/placement.html.

3.3.2.2 DPH

The public health practicum is taken in the second semester of the second year of the course.

3.3.2.3 DrPH

Not yet available.

3.3.2.4 MPsych/PhD

MPsych/PhD candidates are required to undertake off-campus clinical placements. Attendance is mandatory for the clinical component of each unit. In the clinical setting candidates will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under supervision. All practica are normally completed in the second year of study in the program. Subject to negotiation, the first practicum unit may also be taken in the first year.

Part-time candidates may complete any remaining practicum units and focus on their research from years three to eight.

print version