Course Title: Ph D Thesis A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Ph D Thesis A

Credit Points: 48.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ARCH1219A

City Campus

Research

315H Architecture & Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

ARCH1219A

City Campus

Research

320H Architecture & Urban Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2014

Course Coordinator: Pia Ednie-Brown

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3366

Course Coordinator Email: pia@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

You are expected to successfully complete a research methods course in the first semester of your program. You should consult your supervisory team before enrolling in any elective research techniques courses.

 


Course Description

This course is for candidates enrolled in DR067 in the School of Architecture and Design. In this course, you are required to undertake independent self-directed work. The direction of this course will be under the general guidance of your supervisors who have knowledge of the area of study and substantial research experience. 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

- a significant and original contribution to knowledge of fact and/or theory;
While it is difficult to assess what constitutes a ’significant contribution’, one important way of gauging this expectation is to consider the extent to which the work is publishable or a project is publicly presentable at the highest level. Normally a satisfactory PhD project would be expected to form the basis of at least one article in a recognised research journal, conference proceedings, a public exhibition in a recognised venue, or, in some disciplines, a monograph from a specialist publisher.  

’Originality’ may be shown in several ways. For example, a candidate may have posed an important new problem, have formulated an existing problem in a novel and useful way, investigated previously ignored material, offered new and significant insights about issues which have been examined by other researchers, developed new techniques for investigating issues or have applied appropriate techniques to a new set of problems. Replications of previous investigations would be acceptable only if they incorporated important new elements in the design or execution of the investigation.

- independent and critical thought;
The candidate should show that he/she has the ability to conceive original ideas for further investigation from independent, critical examination of the literature, to state clearly the central theme or argument, to develop this theme systematically and to assess the results of those investigations in a critical manner, relative to the work of others.

- the capacity to work independently of supervision;
The originality and significance of the contribution to the field, and the rigor of the independent, critical thought should be high enough to suggest that the candidate can initiate and conduct independent research leading to publication in a scholarly journal or equivalent and exhibition in a recognised venue.
 


You will undertake a program of independent supervised study that produces significant and original research outcomes culminating in a thesis or project and exegesis for independent examination by at least two external expert examiners of international standing.

 


Overview of Learning Activities

You should meet with your supervisors on a regular basis to plan and discuss the progress and direction of your study. Your progress in your research project is monitored formally via the candidature milestones. You will be required to present your research to a panel of experts, before an audience of higher degree research candidates, academic staff and members of the professional community at a Practice Research Symposium twice per year.


Overview of Learning Resources

Your research project will be designed and approved based on the availability of the appropriate facilities and resources. More information about support for candidates can be found here.


Overview of Assessment

During your time as a research candidate you are graded as ‘NEX’. This means that the grades are withheld until such time that your work is examined, recommended for a pass and the final archival copy of your thesis or project is accepted as having met all requirements for the degree. For more information about the assessment of your thesis or project refer to the Higher Degrees by Research Policies.