Research Higher Degree Students

Workload
Fulltime research students are expected to devote a normal working year to their studies. Work towards the degree is not confined to semester periods only. A study and data collection period plan should be made early in a student’s candidature to avoid intensive workloads later on. Delays may be experienced in obtaining literature from other libraries, obtaining ethics approval and with subject availability. Practice and refinement of protocols for data collection prior to the actual collection phase is strongly advised.

Paid work during candidature
Full-time research students are encouraged to undertake paid work either as a demonstrator or tutor in the School. It is recommended that students undertake a maximum of 6 hours paid work per week. Part time candidates should be able to give approximately two and a half days of their working week to their studies.

The School requires that both full time and part time research students complete a Working Hours form.

Selection of topic
Prospective candidates for a degree by research are encouraged to discuss their plans for their studies with the Research Student Coordinator at the School of Physiotherapy and the members of the academic staff of the School before they apply. They should consider a number of alternative projects for their research and negotiate a project that is acceptable to them and their proposed supervisors.

Seminar Presentations
Research students are required to give at least two seminar presentations; one at the proposal stage and one at the conclusion of the research project and prior to submission of the thesis. The presentations are designed to enhance presentation skills and to provide an opportunity for constructive feedback from supervisors and student peers.

Publication and Presentation
Candidates will be encouraged to prepare aspects of their completed research projects for presentation at appropriate meetings and for publication in relevant journals. Higher degree candidates generally present and publish with their supervisors as co-authors. Other persons who have contributed substantially to a research project should also be included as an author on any publication resulting from that work. In general, the first author should be the person who has made the greatest contribution to the study and the manuscript.

Ethics Review Committees
It is the responsibility of all students conducting research projects to discuss with their supervisors the ethical implications of their proposed research project. Application must be made to the University Human Ethics Experimentation Committee for all student research projects involving human participation. Copies of the forms are available at the Physiotherapy School Office or electronically via the Melbourne Research Office's Human Ethics website.