Progression Requirements

In addition to the production of a research thesis, there are three areas of requirements that you need to meet for progression in your research candidature. Fulfillment of these requirements is considered in the Annual Progress Report. This report is completed in conjunction with your Annual Progress Interview with the Postgraduate Coordinator.

The three areas are:

• Attendance and Supervision Requirements
• Thesis Requirements
• Coursework Requirements

Attendance and Supervision Requirements

Throughout postgraduate research candidature, students are expected to spend at least 30 hours (full time) or 15 hours (part time) per week on their PhD work, of which at least 15 hours (full time) or 7.5 hours (part time) should be spent on campus, on average. On campus time can include attendance at seminars and colloquia and meetings with supervisors.

Count Time Away: Students can apply to spend time away from the University as part of their candidature, e.g., to conduct doctoral research in other institutions or settings. A formal application is important to ensure that any time away is officially counted as part of your candidature (affecting earliest and latest submission dates), and is essential for scholarship holders who wish to continue to receive their stipend. A Faculty of Science Variation of Candidature form (“Application for Suspension, Leave of Absence, Count Time Away, Total Discontinuation and Completing Away”), signed by the supervisor and Postgraduate Coordinator, must be submitted to the Science Faculty. The relevant form is available here

Face to face meetings with supervisor: Throughout postgraduate research candidature, students are normally expected to meet face-to-face with their supervisor on average at least twice per month, and with both supervisor and associate supervisor at least once per semester. The pattern of consultation will differ depending on the stage of candidature and the particular circumstances of the candidate. Sydney University policy is that the supervisor and Head of School or delegate must be satisfied with any proposed supervision arrangements.

Thesis Requirements

1. Submit Research Proposal within the first three months of enrolment (approximately 2000 words).

The aim of your Research Proposal is to get your candidature started on the right path, and to provide a basis for evaluating your progress when you reach the end of your probationary period at the time of your first Annual Progress Report (APR). Your Proposal should contain five sections, written in consultation with your supervisor. These are:

• A short, scholarly justification of your proposed area of study
• A brief statement of progress to date
• A detailed statement of your research goals for the remaining period of your probationary period
• To the extent that it is appropriate, the outline of any proposed studies or experiments, including details of design, implementation and analysis
• A preliminary time-line for the implementation of your research over three years

It is not unusual for research projects to be at an early stage of development when you prepare your Proposal, and you may therefore be unable to specify the details of your research studies or experiments. However, it is normally expected that these details will be provided at your first APR, and your research goals for first year should specify how you intend to put yourself in a position to provide such detail (e.g., literature review or pilot studies). When you submit your Proposal, we will confirm with your supervisors (primary and associate) that they have seen it and we will request a recommendation for a third reader to provide you with some feedback. Of course your plans may change over three years as your research progresses; however the more detail you provide in your proposal, the more effective will be the feedback you receive. At the time of your first APR, your supervisor will be asked to review your Proposal before recommending your progression.

Research Proposal feedback forms can be found here.

2. Present your research at the PG Research Seminar in your second semester of enrolment.

This is a great forum to receive feedback from staff and peers regarding the early stages of your research. The presentation lasts 30 minutes, with 15 minute for Q&A.

3. Submit the first year research report (3000-5000 words) and meet with your supervisory team and third reader.

Research report feedback forms can be found here.

4. Submit the second year research report (1500-3000 words) and meet with your supervisory team and third reader.

All PhD candidates are required to submit Research Reports to the Postgraduate Coordinator (PGC) in their first year (3000-5000 words) and their second year (1500-3000 words) of candidature. These reports should describe the research activities so far completed and outline planned future research. Research Reports should have been discussed with the candidate’s supervisors before being submitted to the PGC. Reports will be read by the candidate’s supervisors and one other knowledgeable party nominated by the candidate and his/her supervisor(s). A meeting between the candidate and the their readers is to take place within two months of the report being submitted. The purpose of the meeting is to provide feedback to the candidate and a chance to discuss future research plans. A formal evaluation form will be completed by the three assessors of the report, and returned to the PGC.

The reports may include published or submitted journal papers, and should describe the candidate’s progress to date, together with future thesis plans and an associated timeline. One of the major rationales for these reports is to provide students with advice and feedback in a timely manner, should their research program require it.

Submissions that are judged to be unsatisfactory must be resubmitted. In such cases, the student’s readers will make specific recommendations as to what needs to be done, and specify a deadline. In the rare cases in which there is a continuing failure to produce a satisfactory report, the school may recommend to the Faculty of Science that a student be required to show cause for why they should not be dismissed.

Research report feedback forms can be found here.

5. Present your research at the PG Research Seminar in your fifth semester of enrolment.

Another great opportunity to receive feedback from staff and peers as you approach completion. The presentation lasts 30 minutes, with 15 minutes for Q&A.

Coursework Requirements

During your candidature, you will be expected to participate in a range of research-related activities. The aim is (i) to expose you to research-related material not specifically associated with your own research project, and in areas you might not otherwise encounter; and (ii) that you benefit from and contribute to the scholarly activities of the School. Coursework of this sort makes an important contribution to postgraduate academic and general professional development by complementing the experience gained from your research project, as well as providing specific skills training. Coursework activities are likely to be a formal requirement of postgraduate research degrees in the near future, as flagged in the recent University Green Paper. This proposal aims to bridge the gap in anticipation of the emergence of more formal arrangements.

IMPORTANT: Adherence to these requirements will be noted in your Annual Progress Interview, at which your record of activities will be considered. If you are having, or expect to have, difficulty meeting attendance and supervisory requirements due to work or other commitments, you need to contact the PG Coordinator to discuss solutions, in consultation with your supervisor.

The normal coursework requirement for postgraduate research students in the School of Psychology is a total of 56 hours per year (28 hours per semester) in the first six semesters of their candidature, as follows:

1. Regular attendance at weekly postgraduate Friday research seminars in the first 6 semesters of your candidature (13 hours per semester): The research seminars will provide you with opportunities to encounter a range of postgraduate research projects and models for psychological research. They also serve as a forum in which you can receive and provide constructive input and feedback, and identify links between your research project and those of other staff and students. You will be required to give a talk on your research at this seminar in the second semester of your first year (or part-time equivalent), and in the first semester of your third year (or part-time equivalent).
2. A minimum of 30 hours per year, normally 15 hours per semester, of acquisition of research-related skills and/or additional research-related activity not directly related to your thesis. These activities could cover a range of options, for example:

• School of Psychology Colloquia (Fridays 4 to 5pm, throughout each semester)
• School of Psychology workshops (offered depending on needs of students). The length and format of these will depend on the nature of the subject matter and availability of expertise. These will be announced as they become available.
• External workshops or research groups of interest to students
• Existing journal clubs/reading groups, either in-School or external journal clubs/reading groups organized by groups of students in conjunction with (or without) a member of staff, to address particular interest areas. These could be run for longer or shorter periods of time, and at different intervals, depending on the participants. We strongly encourage you to consult with other students to identify areas of common interest.
• Research-related meetings held as part of your employment responsibilities
• Courses in other schools or faculties. We are currently exploring avenues for students to enrol in or audit relevant courses.

Some points to note:

• Conference attendance cannot be counted as part of this requirement
• You should discuss with your supervisor possible activities that would be useful for you.
• If you are not sure whether an activity is appropriate, please contact Dr Bruce Burns, who is coordinating activities. You should also talk to Dr Burns about suggestions for future workshops etc.

Keeping records of your research-related activities

As noted above, consideration of your activities will be a discussion point at your annual progress report meeting. Record keeping will take two forms:

1. Attendance sheet at the Friday Postgraduate Research Seminars: This core requirement will be recorded by signing an attendance sheet – a procedure that is common in most professional development settings. The Postgraduate Coordinator will enter your attendance on the Online Activity Record database (see below) on your behalf. If you are unable to attend, you need to communicate this to the Postgraduate Coordinator by email.
2. Self-recording using the Online Activity Record database (OAR):The system will allow you to record and reflect on your activities as they occur. You will be prompted to make a separate, dated entry for each activity, to classify it in one or more categories (professional development, statistics and methodology, expanding knowledge in your field, expanding the breadth of your knowledge), and make a brief comment on what you learned and its relevance to your studies. The database will allow you to review the number of hours you have accumulated and activities carried out, so that you can check your progress during the semester.

Important: It is your responsibility to ensure that your participation is documented, so that you can present a summary at your Annual Progress Interview.