Monash University Doctoral Handbook PDF
Monash University Doctoral Handbook PDF
Monash University Doctoral Handbook PDF
for
CONTENTS
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Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) & Dept of Forensic Medicine (DFM)
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Andrology Australia
11
Registries
11
12
Choosing a project
12
Academic expectations
12
Work commitment
12
Research skills
12
13
Leadership skills
13
Teaching contribution
13
Presentation skills
14
Problem solving
14
14
Frustration
14
Reviews
14
If progress stalls
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16
Location
16
Units
17
Centres
17
17
Staff
17
Student representatives
17
18
19
19
Statistical support
19
19
20
Equipment entitlements
20
General information
20
All Students
20
Accommodation
20
21
21
Banking
22
Medical
22
22
22
22
Employment guidelines
23
Full-time candidates
23
Part-time candidates
23
23
External Candidates
24
Style of thesis
24
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24
25
Doctoral Degrees
25
Doctor of Philosophy
25
Eligibility
25
Applying
25
26
Staff PhD
26
26
With supervision
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Without supervision
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4
Admission to Candidature
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28
Master of Philosophy
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Entry requirements
28
Scholarships
28
Postgraduate Scholarships
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28
29
29
29
29
30
30
Information A-Z
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31
Review Schedule
31
Oral Presentation
31
Review Meetings
32
Conferences
34
Coursework
34
Compulsory
34
Exemptions
34
Optional
35
Enrolment
35
Data management/storage
35
36
Ethics
36
Data Management
37
37
Submitting
37
E-thesis
38
Graduation
38
38
Forms
38
5
39
Survey instruments
39
Intranet
39
39
Leave
40
41
Hargrave-Andrew Library
41
41
Professional development
41
42
42
Short Courses
43
Professional Organisations
43
43
Online lectures
43
Other resources
43
Publications
44
Authorship of papers
44
Affiliations
44
Who to notify?
44
Recreation
45
45
Seminars
45
46
Meetings
46
46
Teaching
46
Travel
47
47
48
48
49
Troubleshooting
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6
Note! We are located near the city, NOT near the main Monash University campus.
MCHRI, MonARC
Clinical Epidemiology
Michael Abramson (Head)
Prevention Science
John McNeil (Head)
DEPM is headed by Professor John McNeil (also Head of School and pictured left). The
Department comprises 18 Units and nine Centres and plays a prominent role in public
health medicine in Australia. Further information on the department can be found
below.
www.core.monash.org
CORE is located at the Alfred Hospital and is headed by Professor Paul OBrien (pictured
left). The Centre is a unique collaboration of renowned national and international
researchers and educators studying every facet of obesity, with a multidisciplinary
approach integrating strengths in epidemiology, public health, basic science, clinical research and
therapy, and professional and community education.
Prof Helena Teede (pictured left) is the Head of MCHRI, the focus of which is clinical,
health services and public health research, emphasising translation into practice and
policy. MCHRI has three divisions the Women's Public Health Research Unit (healthy lifestyle
change, indigenous women's health, menopause and midlife health , PCOS , reproductive health),
The Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Research Unit and the Clinical Research Support Unit.
Andrology Australia
www.andrologyaustralia.org
Andrology Australia, headed by CEO Dr Carol Holden, is the countrys peak authority on
male reproductive health and associated conditions. Andrology Australia provides
community and professional education programs and resources on male reproductive
health and associated conditions, and supports national research programs. Andrology
Australia is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health.
Registries
The School is the repository of many state and national registries, of which some are listed below.
The Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Surgery
Database Program* (ANZSCTS)
Australian Cardiac Procedures Registry* (ACPR)
Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD)
Australian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons Database* (ASCTS)
Bariatric Surgery Registry
Bi-national Burns Registry (BiNBR)
Breast Device Registry
Massive Transfusion Registry (MTR)
Melbourne Interventional Group Registry* (MIG)
Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (MRDR)
Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombopenia (NAIT)
Pancreatic Surgery Registry
Prostate Cancer Registry (PCR)
Registry of Kidney Diseases (ROKD)
Surveillance of Australian workplace based respiratory events (SABRE)
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Registry (TTP)
Venous Thromboembolism Registry (VTE)
Victorian Cardiac Arrest Registry* (VCAR)
Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (VCOR)
Victorian Lung Cancer Registry* (VLCR)
Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Registry (VOTOR)
Victorian State Trauma Registry (VSTORM)
* Denotes a clinical quality registry
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Join special societies (e.g., Public Health Association, Australian Epidemiological Association,
Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, AMA, etc.), attend their meetings and seek
some (usually minor) office bearing role;
Assume roles within the School that give you visibility, perhaps by assisting with seminar
organisation, becoming a student representative or contributing to the social committee;
Comment on issues through the letter or opinion columns in medical journals or the lay
press.
The senior staff members in the School are very much aware of those who put themselves forward
in this way since these attributes correlate well with future leadership roles.
Teaching contribution
Contributions to teaching provide one of the most effective ways
of learning and are important for professional development. The
School expects all students and staff to make a contribution of at
least 10 hours per semester to teaching. At an early stage, this
may involve activities such as undergraduate tutorials or
problem-based learning sessions and exam marking. Later on you
may be asked to assist in other ways such as course
coordination.
The School pays for all teaching through the Monash payroll system. This can make a valuable
contribution to the income of graduate research students. Contributions to teaching are taken into
account if students apply to SPHPM for support to attend the Australasian Epidemiological
Association and Public Health Association of Australia Conferences (if your abstract is accepted).
Teaching contribution can also offset Short Course fees (see Teaching and Short Courses below).
You will be expected to keep a record of all teaching contributions in the work diary that will be
supplied to you. It is most important that teaching contributions are limited to a maximum of 6
hours per week so that they do not interfere with the progress of your graduate study. Request to
undertake more teaching, even a very limited amount, should be discussed with your supervisor
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and/or the Higher Degrees by Research coordinator. Watch for emails sent by staff from time to
time seeking tutors, and also contact Maida OKeefe, post-graduate administrator.
Presentation skills
Presentation skills are a fundamental
component of research and leadership
training. A good presentation can have a
very positive influence on the way people
perceive you (and vice versa). It is vitally
important that you never make a
presentation
without
extensive
preparation and practice. The ability to
give a good presentation is a skill that is greatly assisted by practice and advice. The School and the
University provide training in PowerPoint slide presentation, of which you should make use. As a
graduate research student you should take every opportunity to practice making presentations and
get critical feedback from your supervisors and colleagues.
Problem solving
Problem solving is a critical part of leadership. During your studies you will often be required to think
through how to approach problems that you have never encountered before. Good students rise to
this challenge in many ways. Hitting brick walls and working out how to go around them may require
high levels of mental toughness and initiative. Developing these skills is fundamental to a good
research leader. The School is supportive of students as they go through these ups and downs and
will help you deal with them. However we can only help if you approach us!
Communication with supervisors
Although this seems self-evident, it is important that the student is pro-active in maintaining regular
and useful communication with his or her supervisor(s). Not only is there an expectation that
supervisors are to ensure communication with students, but the reverse is also true. This links
closely with student initiative and leadership development.
Frustration
Most new graduate research students find that commencing their studies is unlike any previous
work they have undertaken, especially if coming direct from a clinical career. A lack of any imposed
structure and an expectation to 'make things happen' mean a much greater reliance on initiative and
self organisation. It is often very frustrating when things do not automatically fall into place.
However, dealing with this sort of situation is part of a problem solving capacity (see below) and will
be invaluable for your later roles in senior positions.
Reviews
As required by the University, the School maintains close track of its graduate research students and
organises annual reviews where you will present your work and subsequently have an interview with
various key research leaders in the School (including your supervisors). These reviews provide the
major way in which your progress is assessed. It is essential that you put time and effort into
preparation. See Annual Reviews below.
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If progress stalls
During the course of your studies you may find your progress hits a brick wall. Reasons may vary.
Your experiments may not work, recruitment of subjects is more difficult than expected or essential
data is not available. You should not be discouraged by such events. It is a normal occurrence in real
life as well as during studies. However, it is essential that you formulate plans to overcome obstacles
early on. Discuss these obstacles (and flag any personal ones, in confidence) with your supervisors
and be sure to keep the Higher Degrees by Research Coordinator (Dr Elizabeth Douglas) aware of
your concerns. It is much better to relay concerns early.
With best wishes for a productive and successful research program,
John McNeil
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Location
DEPM is located in The Alfred Hospital's Medical Research and Education Precinct (AMREP) on the
edge of Prahran, about 20 km from the main Monash University campus at Clayton and 5 km from
Melbourne's CBD, with easy access to trams, trains and buses. See map on page 7 for the location of
each component of DEPM and SPHPM. Location within AMREP offers our staff and students
opportunities to collaborate with staff from other research groups, to access its seminar and
classrooms, and to use the Ian Potter Library (see Libraries and Referencing, below). It also puts us
within walking distance of the open spaces of Fawkner and Albert Lake Parks, as well as being close
to the popular Chapel St shopping precinct. DEPM students should try to find accommodation near
Prahran as your daily activities will largely be based at this site.
DEPM
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Units
Biostatistics Unit
Cardiovascular Research Unit
Clinical Epidemiology Unit - Alfred
Clinical Epidemiology Unit - Cabrini
Clinical Pharmacology Unit
Epidemiological Modelling Unit
Global Health and Society Unit (GHSU)
Global Health Research Unit
Health Services Management and Research Unit
Centres
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) Trials Group
Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre (ANZIC-RC)
Australian Centre for Human Health Risk Assessment (ACHHRA)
Australian Centre for Radiofrequency Bioeffects Research (based at RMIT)
Centre of Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics (CCRET)
Centre of Research Excellence in Patient Safety (CRE-PS)
Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights
Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (MonCOEH)
Water Quality Research Australia
www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/units-centres/
Staff
The SPHPM Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Coordinator is Dr Elizabeth
Douglas (pictured left). Elizabeth oversees all aspects of candidature and
you can contact her with any general concerns that you might have. Issues
specific to your research project should be discussed with your supervisor
in the first instance, but Elizabeth is always available for discussions if you
are concerned about any aspect of your progress which your supervisor is
not able to satisfactorily resolve. There are a few resources you might like
to borrow from her about how to navigate a graduate research journey.
Student representatives
Representatives are volunteers from among graduate research students. You will be introduced to
them when you commence your studies - they will be pleased to discuss any concerns and
suggestions. Their role is to be a conduit between students and the School and to represent students
on the SPHPM Research Degrees, Good Research Practice and Space Committees. Their role also
involves planning and delivering Professional Development sessions, running morning teas for HDR
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students, welcoming and supporting new students, identifying and addressing student issues and
representing HDR student issues and interests at key School meetings.
Student Representatives:
L-R:
Katherine Gibney
(Infectious Diseases 5th floor, east side)
Minh Le
(JHRU Ground floor, Burnet Building)
Judith McInnes
(MonCOEH 5th floor, east side)
Monash Institute of Graduate Research (MIGR)
www.monash.edu.au/migr/
Statistical support
The DEPM Biostatistics Unit can provide some statistical support for students. The MIGR funded
statistical consulting service also entitles Monash students to up to 10 hours of free support, after
which a fee is charged. The Skills Essential Stats Program seminar series is another resource for
students. For more information see link below.
intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/candidates/scholarships/grants/hdrconsulting.html
Equipment entitlements
All students are entitled to a computer they may choose either a basic model laptop or desktop.
Students are first to check with their supervisor if a computer is available in their unit or if their unit
has funding to purchase one. If no computer/funds are available, students are to ask their
supervisor to email the HDR Coordinator with the request.
If unit funding is available, supervisors should make their own online IT request, specifying the
funding arrangement. Where the student is funded by a scholarship and the scholarship has funds
for a computer or the student is willing to expend funds on a computer, supervisors should make
their own online IT request specifying the cost centre and fund.
The School has software that is available to students (Microsoft Office/SPSS etc.) Some of these
software licenses do not extend to a students own computer. Software purchased from an alternate
source cannot be supported by our IT.
Printing and scanning facilities are provided. Basic stationery for work at a desk is provided. Further
stationery related to a project must be paid for with project funds.
General information
All Students
Accommodation
DEPM is located about 20 km from the main Monash University campus at Clayton and 5 km from
Melbourne's CBD. Suburbs close to DEPM include Prahran, Windsor, St Kilda, South Yarra, and
Richmond. Cheaper suburbs are more distant. Check train, tram and bus routes when you are
considering your choice. See map on page 7 for locations of other parts of SPHPM.
Former students suggested the following websites:
www.flatmatefinders.com.au
www.flatmates.com.au
melbourne.gumtree.com.au
A Real Estate Agent who has been helpful:
Lucy Geselle, Property Manager ([email protected])
Century Wilson Pride (www.century21.com.au/caulfield)
195 Balaclava Road, Caulfield, 3161
Tel 03 9528 888/9526 1223
Some students experience difficulties in finding a flat as the status of student may not appeal to
some agents. The HDR Coordinator can provide you with a letter of introduction which hopefully
may help. Make clear to the agent that even though you are a student, you are a masters/doctoral
student and an adult and will not be interested to inspect flats that arent presentable.
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Older flats may have little or no heating, so you should get an idea of heating costs in advance. Some
will not have laundry facilities, so you will need to factor in Laundromat charges to your budget.
It is rare for a flat to be furnished, but there are useful second hand and Opportunity shops to
furnish a flat, including everything for the kitchen. Student-specific accommodation is often
furnished.
There are companies to assist with relocation, but of course they charge a fee. For example:
Resettlement Services Australia Pty Ltd (www.resaust.com.au/); a directory can be found at
www.aussieweb.com.au/directory/relocation/
Monash Connect (formerly Health and Wellbeing)
www.monash.edu.au/connect/ monash.edu/students/support/
Students can attend at the Caulfield or Clayton Campuses for advice about accommodation and
many other issues.
See also
Accommodation for students
Careers and jobs for students
Clubs and Societies
Counselling
Family and child care
Financial aid
Legal aid
Medical services (For local options, students recommendations are held by Elizabeth
Douglas)
Monash Postgraduate Association
Monash Institute of Graduate Research
Religious services
Security and safety
Students with disabilities
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Banking
Any of the big four (Commonwealth, Westpac, National, ANZ) are recommended. You may be able
to open an account and transfer funds prior to arrival in Melbourne. You have to indicate your home
branch reference. Branches in Chapel Street, Prahran are about a 10-minute walk from DEPM. You
may find Westpac the most convenient as it has an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) in The Alfred
Hospital, adjoining DEPM. The ANZ has an ATM in the petrol station/supermarket diagonally
opposite DEPM.
Medical
There has been a steep increase in OSHC (overseas student health cover) rates as a result of the
Knight Review which has increased post course completion stay periods which need to be covered.
The increase is particularly steep for family cover. MIGR has advised that that after a lengthy
negotiation with Worldcare with regards to their expensive Multi family OSHC policy, Worldcare is
prepared to accept Monash sponsored students requiring multi family cover on the dual family rate
i.e. 57 months of cover for multi family at $6,178 instead of $12,578. Note that at this rate, they are
still slightly more expensive than Medibank Private for the same duration but their essential cover
waives the waiting period for pregnancy and mental health upon commencement of the cover. This
is an important factor to consider to ensure that our students are covered for those services on
arrival and also have easy access to Worldcare with their presence on campus. As the Worldcare
OSHC rates have been approved by the Dept of Health and Ageing and published accordingly, they
are unable to vary from the schedule.
If you have queries please contact Christina Hui, Student Finance Accounting Officer to take
advantage of this arrangement.
International students can visit local GP clinics with their OSHC world care insurance. You pay up
front, then claim from OSHC world care insurance (first visit always costs more). On the corner of St
Kilda and Commercial Road there is a GP clinic with an agreement with OSHC world care insurance
to bulk bill (no upfront payment necessary) after the first visit. The Monash University Health
Service have clinics at main Monash campus at Clayton (~20km away), as well as the Caulfield (~8km
away) and Peninsula (~55km away) campuses, that provide a range of services and tests and bulk
billing (see map on page 7) www.monash.edu.au/health-medical/services.html
Support Services and Programs
Services provided to international students include:
Airport reception and transfer
International Student Friendship Program
Contact a Student Advisor
Orientation for international students
For a full list of services see www.monash.edu.au/study/international/services.html
Visa and immigration
Please note that if you are an international student, you must check if there are any visa conditions
that may change with the submission of your thesis, as Monash no longer lists you as a student as
soon as you submit. www.monash.edu/study/international/visa-requirements.html
English language support (also see Language and Learning Skills Services above)
MIGR - www.monash.edu.au/lls/
MPA - www.mpa.monash.edu.au/new-to-monash/learning-support.html
Faculty - www.med.monash.edu.au/current/ipas.html
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Employment guidelines
The following conditions apply to full-time and part-time APA/MGS awardees.
Full-time candidates
Full-time candidates are permitted, with the approval of their main supervisor, to undertake a
strictly limited amount of paid employment throughout the year, being no more than 15 hours of
work per week on average. Up to a maximum of only six hours on average of this employment may
be undertaken during normal working hours (9 am to 5 pm, Mondays to Fridays). However, this may
be extended to a maximum of eight hours if the employment is limited to one weekday. The
candidates supervisor(s) must be satisfied that any part-time work undertaken does not interfere
with the candidates study program and progress.
International students need to be aware that the employment restrictions outlined above apply
even though a student visa permits students to work up to 20 hours a week.
Part-time candidates
In order to undertake part-time candidature, a candidate must be able to devote a minimum of two
days per week to the pursuit of the research project. At least one day must be a week day so that a
candidate may attend the University to meet with the supervisor or attend seminars or workshops
etc. Where the candidates research work involves systematic use of University facilities, such as for
lab-based disciplines, the faculty may require that at least one and a half days be week days.
In the case of professional doctorate students, part-time candidates must devote the equivalent of
one-and-a-half days a week to thesis preparation. The half-day should normally be a week day. This
time will allow the candidate to attend the University to meet with a supervisor and to participate in
departmental school activities.
Where the candidate is engaged in full-time employment, the head of the academic unit will be
required to certify that he/she is satisfied that the candidate is able to spend the stipulated time in
pursuit of the research project. The candidate will also need to provide a letter for the committee
from his/her employer, which details the time the candidate has available to undertake the
research.
Our experience is that it is difficult for students to persist with a research degree part-time if they
are employed more than three days per week.
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External Candidates
While all SPHPM students are situated away from the main Monash campus and some are also
situated away from the various SPHPM locations and its affiliated Hospitals and Institutes, only a few
are External candidates. In special circumstances a student may be based interstate or overseas.
Such students need to have a local supervisor at the institute at which they are based in addition to
their Monash supervisors. The local supervisor is responsible for ensuring the students engagement
in an academic culture. External candidates are required to make regular visits to Monash.
External international students are not eligible for any Monash scholarship.
Full details in Section 3.4 of the MIGR Doctoral / MPhil Handbook on the MIGR website spell out
conditions that differ from internal candidature, including completion of compulsory coursework
and attendance in DEPM for five days each year and contact with your supervisor in DEPM at least
fortnightly. See (www.monash.edu.au/migr/research-degrees/handbook/).
See also the Monash Postgraduate Association (MPA) website: mpa.monash.edu.au/yourcampus/distance-ed.html
Distance Orientation: mpa.monash.edu.au/new-to-monash/DE-HDR-online-orientation.html
Style of thesis
Every students experience is unique, however as a rough guide to a typical candidate in DEPM,
students write a systematic literature review during the first year of their candidature whilst they
plan their studies, obtain ethical approval, and get work under way. The second and third years are
generally devoted to data collection. The second six months of the third year is typically devoted to
writing up the thesis and associated publications. Some students (e.g., in human bioethics) write a
theoretical doctorate, but these are the exception in the School.
Doctoral Degrees
Degrees are outlined below. Much of the information overlaps, so you are advised to read all
sections.
Doctor of Philosophy
Eligibility
If you are wishing to apply, please visit www.monash.edu.au/study/research/.
If English is not your first language, then please pay attention to the English language requirements.
In SPHPM, an overall IELTS score of 7.0 with individual band scores of 6.5 is required. This equates
to TOEFL PBS 600, TWE 5; CBS 25, ER 5; IBS 100, 25 for written, reading, speaking and listening. No
English score is required if the country where you studied in English has English listed as an official
language in the World Fact Book, see the link www.monash.edu/migr/apply/eligibility/.
Please visit our SPHPM, DEPM, DFM and JHRU web pages (e.g.,
www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/research/) for an indication of the current area/s of
research that match your interests. If your interest is in HIV/AIDS, please note there are few
opportunities currently. We expect students will pick up a topic that a supervisor here already has
planned.
See also Scholarships below for scholarship eligibility.
Applying
You may not apply for a scholarship before we invite you to do so. You should first contact the
Higher Degrees by Research Coordinator, Dr Elizabeth Douglas ([email protected]),
not a potential supervisor in the first instance. Applications for scholarships close each year on 31
May and 31 October for commencing study within three months after each date (the academic year
in Australia runs from March to October). See Scholarships below for further information.
If you have a source of funding from an organisation or university for tuition (international
applicants) and a living allowance (not private funding), you may apply for candidature without a
scholarship at any time. This is also the case for locals with a source of funding for living expenses.
Generally speaking, for candidature you will need a degree at the equivalent Monash level of at least
high second class honours and research experience. For a scholarship you will need a first class
honours degree and at least one publication in a Scopus-listed journal.
25
If you think your CV will be competitive and you would like to pursue this further, please send the
following to Dr Douglas:
CV, including full citation of any publications and referees (noting your relationship to each
one)
Transcripts of grades for every degree you hold
A measure of your proficiency in English if you have been tested (e.g., IELTS score) and if
English is not your first language and you have not studied for a degree in English (see
Eligibility above for English language requirements)
A brief statement explaining your current work, why you wish to undertake a higher
research degree and the areas of research that interest you (maximum 1 page)
Details of your funding, if any
After reviewing these documents we will let you know if we think your application might be
competitive and if so, we will try to identify a suitable supervisor. Only when this is achieved can we
invite you to apply.
Candidature and thesis
Information regarding all aspects of candidature is
available in the Doctoral / MPhil Handbook on the
MIGR website.
(www.monash.edu.au/migr/researchdegrees/handbook/) (www.monash.edu.au/migr)
In particular candidates should be familiar with the
chapter entitled Code of Practice for the Supervision
of
Doctoral students. You are also expected to read the Universitys regulations regarding Intellectual
Property. However in practice it would be unusual for the Schools research to find something that
can be patented. Nearly always in SPHPM Intellectual Property is assigned to Monash University. See
Intellectual Property below.
Staff PhD
These have been discontinued.
provides less research training such that a graduate may be less able to conduct
independent research
may be completed with others having collected data but the candidate having had a
coordinating role and having analysed the data
at this university; or
at another university recognised for the purpose by the faculty board and, in this case, the
applicant must be a member of the academic staff (or adjunct) of the faculty unless the
faculty board in any particular case otherwise determines
and the faculty board must be satisfied that the applicant has, since qualifying for the degrees, have
been substantially engaged in
scientific or other scholarly work relevant to the practice of medicine or an allied field.
Handbook: monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/courses/3852.html
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is a 2-year FT (4-yr PT) university-wide master by research degree.
In SPHPM the MPhil may be undertaken in the principal areas of research offered by the school.
Students will be required to conduct a prescribed program of research under direct supervision of a
member of the academic staff. The supervisor, in consultation with the candidate, is responsible for
developing the research program to be followed by the candidate and for reporting at regular
intervals on the candidate's progress. The MPhil requires the candidate to submit a thesis which may
include published work directly relevant to the argument of the thesis, provided such work has been
written during the period of candidature and has not been presented for any other degree or
diploma at this university of any other institution.
Entry requirements
Domestic: bachelor degree with honours 1, honours 2A (or honours upper 2B from Monash
University).
International: The same criteria as for PhD. Fees apply.
More details: http://www.monash.edu.au/study/coursefinder/course/3438/
Scholarships
Applications for scholarships close each year on 31 May and 31 October for commencing study soon
after each date (the academic year in Australia runs from March to October). Please do not apply for
a scholarship or contact staff members about a project before we invite you to do so. You should
first contact the HDR Coordinator, Dr Elizabeth Douglas ([email protected]).
Postgraduate Scholarships
Postgraduate Scholarship Database for Australia: www.jason.edu.au/
www.monash.edu.au/migr/apply/application/guide/index.html
Part-time awards are not available to international applicants or to applicants seeking to undertake
paid employment on a full-time or a substantial part-time basis. The same employment conditions
that apply to full-time awardees apply to part-time awardees. A part-time scholarship may be
awarded in exceptional cases for medical reasons.
Application deadline each year are 31 May and 31 October. The NHMRC scholarship deadline is 31
July, with announcements in November / December. See also Doctoral Degrees above.
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Information A-Z
Annual Review Information
Throughout your candidature, you will have scheduled review meetings (more or less annually) with
your supervisors and at least two independent academics. These are to assess how your work is
progressing. For Part-time students reviews are timed at the pro-rata equivalent to full-time.
At the review meetings, in addition to the required documents (below), you are required to bring
your diary listing your contacts with supervisors, contribution to teaching, presentations, seminars
attended, courses undertaken, etc.
The University requires all your progress reports, except for your 6-month report, to be submitted to
MIGR. The first 6-month report is filed in the School only.
Reviews requiring presentations will be scheduled on Tuesdays so that students can present at the
SPHPM PhD Seminar. Scheduling is facilitated by the HDR Administrator at least three months
ahead of the due date. Further information for current students can be found via the SPHPM HDR
Intranet
page
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/intranet/sphpm/higher-degrees/annualreview.html. Please contact the HDR Administrator well in advance if you foresee any scheduling
issues with you or your main supervisor due to travel, clinical commitments etc.
Review Schedule
at six months, to enable other School researchers forming the committee to provide
feedback during the planning phase of your project (written report, Checklist Report)
A reminder directing you to the Annual Reviews intranet page that contains a detailed guide along
with relevant forms will be sent to you three weeks before each review. You are strongly
encouraged to prepare carefully for presentations - a well prepared talk can be of great value to
ones reputation and career.
Oral Presentation
The purpose is not only to meet the requirements of your candidature, but also to keep staff and
students up to date on the broad range of active public health research at DEPM and to prepare you
for conference presentations. Thus, your presentation should be just like a paper presented at a
conference.
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Standard presentation
15 minutes with 5 min extra allowed for audience questions, even if there are fewer than
three presenting in the seminar hour
overview of your research area summarizing published findings and explaining what your
project will contribute to knowledge in the area,
The background is an important component of the presentation to set the scene but dont spend
more than a few minutes on it.
Not included in presentation:
timeline
progress to date
conference presentations
Review Meetings
committee comprising a chair person, the HDR coordinator, your supervisor/s and one or
two other academics
discussion of project as a whole
housekeeping issues
opportunity to talk confidentially about any concerns
relevant information and documents will be sent to you three weeks in advance
return of requested documents must be by the deadline, 8 days before review
6 month review (12 months part-time)
This will be conducted with a chair, one independent academic and the principal supervisor
(attendance optional for other supervisors). Scheduling of these reviews will not be limited to
Tuesdays.
Written submission
brief summary of research project including rationale, aims, methodology, etc. (1-2 pages;
refs not required)
3-year timeline of your research program in an excel spread sheet (cf Gantt Chart)
~3000 word report as described below. Try not to exceed 3000 words.
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participants
research design
statistical analysis
Further detail is added to the checklist that is sent to you by the School (e.g. re publications etc.)
Mid-candidature (2-year) review (4 years part time)
This will be conducted with a chair, one independent academic, the principal and preferably all other
supervisors.
Written submission
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Interim review
Written summary from previous review with notes about progress/modifications etc. You
may choose how to present these, e.g., added into the text in colour, as inserted comments,
attached as an appendix, etc.
No seminar.
Occasionally, a student is asked simply to resubmit a report for re-assessment in approx. 10
weeks time.
Conferences
PhD students are expected to present their research at national and
international meetings, such as the Australasian Epidemiological
Association National Conference, the Public Health Association
Conference and any other relevant conferences. This allows them to
expose their work to peer review and to develop networks that will be
important in their subsequent research careers. SPHPM supports up to four students each year to
attend the Australian Epidemiology Association or Public Health of Australia conferences.
Coursework
IMPORTANT: Check your email for notification of important
dates regarding your coursework, including deadlines for
withdrawal, which, if exceeded, will result in a Fail being
recorded.
Compulsory
All DEPM students, including those located elsewhere, are
expected to complete the following compulsory coursework
units (free of charge) to better equip you to undertake
epidemiological research:
MPH5040 (Introductory Epidemiology)
MPH5041 (Introductory Biostatistics)
Qualitative Methods training may be undertaken in lieu of MPH5041 if relevant. Timetables for both
subjects can be found at www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/pgrad/.
These two subjects are free of charge if applied for through the HDR Administrator (see below for
procedure).
Exemptions
Students are exempt if evidence is provided showing similar coursework has been satisfactorily
completed previously. Students who completed honours ECX9720 in DEPM are exempt from MPH
epidemiology if they achieved a Distinction in ECX9720, but exemption from MPH Biostatistics is
reviewed on an individual basis. If you think you are eligible for an exemption, please email Prof
Rory Wolfe with details of relevant previous study and supporting transcripts then forward the
response to the HDR Administrator so that this can be officially documented.
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Optional
In addition, students may enrol in up to two further MPH units taught by DEPM free of charge during
their candidature, the results of which will appear on your academic transcript. Please check the
DEPM Postgraduate Guide available at www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/pgrad/ and consult
with the HDR Administrator to ensure the unit you wish to take is offered free of charge. We
strongly encourage you to undertake such extra study, especially in areas related to your research
topic.
Note that only two places per year are available for Health Economics units (units with course codes
commencing in ECC and ECX) provided prerequisites have been met, through a reciprocal
arrangement with the Faculty of Business and Economics (i.e., 1 student per annum doing two units
or two doing one). These will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Contact the HDR
Administrator for further information. Those with a co-supervisor in the Centre for Health
Economics are not included in this quota.
In some cases, with the supervisors and coursework unit coordinators permission, a student may
attend (audit) and participate in a unit in which they are not officially enrolled, but they won't
receive credit on their academic transcript for that unit. With your supervisors approval, you may
attend an unlimited number of our routine Postgraduate units by attending the Block Days and
taking part in the internet discussions. Chat with your supervisor about the relevance of units and
your time pressures.
Enrolment
To enrol in Coursework Units students must complete the Adding or Discontinuing Coursework Units
request form available at intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/candidates/manage/variation.html and
email it to the HDR Administrator at [email protected]. Enrolling through the
HDR Administrator ensures an official record to confirm compulsory coursework unit requirements
have been met and also so that your results will appear on your academic transcript. Note that
other courses and coursework units outside SPHPM undertaken by a student will most likely incur
fees and payment of these fees are the responsibility of the student and supervisor. The School is
unable to fund such fees.
Census dates apply to coursework units http://www.monash.edu.au/enrolments/dates/census.html.
Withdrawal from coursework units prior to census dates will result in no financial or academic
penalties. Withdrawal from coursework units after census dates will result in the student being
responsible for fees for that unit and academic penalties may also apply. To withdraw from units
please complete the Adding or Discontinuing Coursework Units request form available at
intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/candidates/manage/variation.html.
Data management/storage
See also Data Management under Ethics / Good Research Practice (below).
The most important thing for you to know is to use the shared departmental network drive for your
work. None of your work should be stored on the hard drive of your desk- or laptop computer or on
portable devices such as USB memory sticks. The shared drive is automatically backed up and
35
ensures security. It is not good research practice and may potentially breach the confidentiality of
participants to use any other form of storage.
Good Research Practice Guidelines contains information and websites that are essential for good
research practice, such as the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Research Involving Humans
at the NHMRC web site; www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/publications/e72.
The Schools Research Governance Committee is chaired by Ms Marina Skiba
(pictured, left) and members include senior representatives from each component
of SPHPM, as well as the School Research Manager, HDR Coordinator and Research
Governance Officer.
Members of the committee are available to assist researchers with most aspects of
the research process. Part of the Committees work is also to audit studies that are associated with
Department. We recommend PhD students volunteer their projects for auditing as this is an
opportunity to receive detailed feedback on research governance issues.
Ethics
No research may take place within the School without the prior approval
of Monash Universitys Humans Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC)
formerly the Standing Committee on Ethics in Research on Humans
(SCERH). You are required to gain ethical approval from the MUHREC as
well as any other institution the research might involve. You may choose
to nominate for example, the Alfred hospital as the primary Human
Research Ethics Committee (HREC) and make an application to MUHREC
for ethical approval for a multi centre application where the MUHREC is
not the primary HREC. Our Research Governance Committee is available
to assist researchers in ethical matters. MUHREC regards Monash staff
36
performing research at other institutions as multi-centre research. More information is available at:
www.monash.edu.au/researchoffice/ethics.php.
Data Management
The Monash data management guidelines and checklist is to be filled in during the first six months of
candidature www.researchdata.monash.edu.au/resources/datahdrchecklist.doc
Further information on each section of the Data Planning Checklist can be found at
http://www.monash.edu.au/library/researchdata/guidelines/
It is essential that you become familiar with important guidelines regarding Data Management.
Please visit the following website (www.researchdata.monash.edu.au/) and be sure to discuss all
aspects of it with your supervisor. In particular, it is important that you understand the section
Ownership, copyright and IP and go to the link Monash University Research Data Planning Checklist
(Higher Degree by Research Student), to be filled in thoughtfully with your supervisor at enrolment.
Your principal supervisor should each keep a copy and a copy made for any external collaborators as
relevant.
Note that the Monash data storage repository (LaRDS) is not to be used without consulting Colin
Fee, IT Manager. Please consult him in the interim about optimal data storage strategies.
Privacy in data handling
There are now legal requirements for the handling of data that includes personal, sensitive and
health information. There are both State and Commonwealth legislation that can be at times, very
confusing. The Departments Guidelines meet the legal requirements that set the minimum
standards required, and at times the DEPM may require a higher standard for ensuring research
participants privacy. You will find useful websites in the GCP booklet and NHMRC website is also a
useful resource. All staff are required to sign a confidentiality declaration to show that they
understand and accept their responsibilities in ensuring the security and privacy of the data
collected in the course of all research activity in the Department.
Breaches in privacy could potentially seriously affect all research in the Department. As part of our
risk management plan there are certain procedures to follow when handling data. Information about
data collection and management can be found in the Good Research Practice Guide, which you will
be given when you join your department. The Short Course is also helpful in understanding the
Departments requirements.
37
Forms
Relevant forms can be found at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/forms/graduate-researchforms/index.html.
38
Please note that the MIGR Office will not approve backdated variation requests. It is the candidates
responsibility to ensure that relevant documents are forwarded to the MIGR Office prior to the date
when the proposed change/s are to take effect and should seek advice from their academic unit if
signatures are difficult to secure.
Survey instruments
Many survey instruments developed by other researchers are copyright. It is illegal to use them
without a licence. In addition, there are specified methods of scoring individual surveys, which would
be invalid if scored otherwise. If a fellow-student offers you a copy of a survey instrument, take its
details and discuss obtaining a licence with your supervisor.
Intranet
Current students are encouraged to access the SPHPM HDR Intranet page.
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/intranet/sphpm/higher-degrees/index.html
To access the page you will need to log in with your "staff-like" username and password.
The page contains links to handbooks, key contacts, forms, annual review information and a link to
the student representatives page. It also contains the SPHPM HDR Calendar of events which
includes important dates for HDR students, all SPHPM PhD Seminars and other professional
development seminars, both free and charged, being offered at the Alfred Centre.
To add individual events to your calendar, select the event to expand then select copy to my
calendar. To add the entire calendar to your personal google calendar, select the+ Google calendar
icon
and follow the prompts.
Leave
There are several types of leave.
www.monash.edu.au/migr/research-degrees/handbook/chapter-four/
Please note:
The MIGR Office no longer approves backdated variation requests.
It is the candidates responsibility to ensure that relevant documents are forwarded to the
MIGR Office prior to the date when the proposed change/s are to take effect, or as soon as
practicable in extenuating circumstances.
Where this is not possible due to a candidate facing illness or exceptional personal
circumstances, the academic unit (either through the main supervisor or Postgraduate
Coordinator/Program Director) must notify the MIGR Office within 10 working days of the
specific circumstances of the candidate to ensure appropriate action is taken.
Annual leave (administered at department level)
Full-time doctoral/MPhil candidates are entitled to a maximum of 20 days annual leave per annum,
pro rata, throughout their candidature. Part-time candidates are entitled to a maximum of 10 days
per annum, pro rata. There is no form for annual leave, which is arranged with the approval of the
candidates supervisor and academic unit. Annual leave is not approved by or reported to the MIGR
Committee. Annual leave can be accrued up to a maximum of 30 days for full-time candidates and
15 days for part-time candidates. Excess leave cannot be taken after completion.
Intermission See MIGR handbook Section 4.1.2.1
Candidates can apply for intermission of up to 12 months if approved by supervisor and can be
retrospective if not too far in the past. A Changes to Candidature/Scholarship form must be
completed and evidence provided. See Forms above.
Sick leave (including carers leave) see MIGR handbook Section 4.1.2.2
Candidates are entitled to up 10 days of sick leave per annum throughout their candidature. This
leave is arranged with the candidates supervisor and academic unit and is not reported to the MIGR
Committee.
For periods of illness which are longer than 10 days the candidate may apply for up to 12 weeks of
sick leave. A Changes to Candidature/Scholarship must be completed and evidence provided. See
Forms above.
Maternity leave see MIGR handbook Section 4.1.2.3
Candidates can apply for up to 12 months with 12 weeks paid maternity leave, except where
scholarship conditions allow for payment, e.g., NHMRC. Changes to Candidature/Scholarship form
must be completed and evidence of due date provided. See Forms above.
Other leave
Other leave includes parental leave and jury duty. See MIGR handbook for details.
There is no bereavement leave per se; leave other than sick leave or maternity leave fall under
intermission. Scholarship stipends may be paid during a limited period of sick leave.
See also Travel below.
40
Managing your references is an important part of your doctorate. EndNote is a program that you
should become familiar with. It manages your references, receives references electronically from
Medline searches and generates reference lists formatted to your choice at the push of a button.
Training is available through the main campus library and the Ian Potter Library at the Alfred
Campus. (see Professional Development for further information)
Professional development
For current students, the Alfred based Professional Development sessions are advertised in the
calendar on the SPHPM HDR Intranet page. To access the page you will need to log in with your
"staff-like" username and password.
41
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/intranet/sphpm/higher-degrees/index.html
Skills Essential Seminars
MIGR offers workshops, seminars and online training available at:
http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/seminars/index.html
The full calendar of events offered by Skills Essentials is available at:
http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/seminars/seprograms.html
Bookings for these seminars and workshops can be made via:
my.monash.edu.au/news-and-events/bookings/research/
These seminars are also advertised in the MIGR News and you can access the current issue at:
intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/news/news/index.html#sems. This lists all the workshops held at all
locations.
Skills Essential Replay: DVDs of some previous Skills Essential seminars can be borrowed from Dr
Elizabeth Douglas, SPHPM HDR Coordinator.
Library Research and Learning Skills Seminars
Monash Library and Learning Skills Service runs regular seminars including advanced Word and
EndNote Classes. https://my.monash.edu.au/news-and-events/bookings/library/
42
Short Courses
www.med.monash.edu.au/sphpm/shortcourses/
Short courses (SC) are held throughout the year in our Department. As a doctoral/MPhil student, you
must attend the Ethics and Good Research Practice course, at no cost. You may also attend
Introduction to Stata (a statistical software package for quantitative analyses recommended by the
Departments biostatisticians) at no cost.
For the other SCs, you have the option of paying half price or tutoring in lieu of the fee. PhD students
cannot be admitted gratis since this has severely impeded profitability of previous courses. Students
can acquit the cost of attending courses other than STATA and GRP by teaching four unpaid tutorials
for attendance at a two-day SC, two tutorials for a one-day and one tutorial for attending a half-day
SC. Alternatively, the cost of SCs can be acquitted with three hours of marking for a half-day SC, six
hours for a full day, etc. This must be arranged in advance (see Teaching below) and signed off by a
Course Coordinator. Suzy Giuliano, SC Coordinator, liaises with the HDR Administrator, who
coordinates this list.
Professional Organisations
Several professional organisations exist for those involved in epidemiology and other public health
related disciplines. Active participation in one or more of these organisations is important for those
wishing to develop a position of influence in their specialty and/or to develop a successful research
career. Your supervisor/s will be able to direct you to important ones in your field.
Membership and involvement in one or more of these groups is especially important for
epidemiologists because work in the field is greatly assisted by having a wide range of professional
contacts. These organisations also provide an important educational and social resource. All hold
regular scientific meetings which are a good opportunity to present your work.
Seminars in collaboration with University of Melbourne
UniMelb UpSkills Program is available free of charge to Monash postgraduates if places exist:
www.gradresearch.unimelb.edu.au/programs/skills/index.html
Online lectures
Universities around the world offer online lectures (e.g., UCLA on STATA).
Other resources
The HDR Coordinator holds copies of some Skills Essential Replay DVDs and some
booklets about handling the PhD experience. These can be borrowed.
Two electronic publications that may be useful include the electronic publication How to Write a
Thesis by Rowena Murray
(library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=3487&recCount=20&recPointer=0&bibId=230
4306) - read it early in your candidature.
Another electronic book is The Unwritten Rules of PhD Research by Gordon Rugg & Marian Petre
library.monash.edu.au/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=3536&recCount=20&recPointer=0&bibId=230
6208).
43
Publications
Students are encouraged to produce as many publications as possible
during their candidature since success in this area will have a major
bearing on your success in obtaining future post-PhD support and
especially in gaining overseas fellowships. You should adopt the modus
operandi Write early and write often. You will be responsible for
producing drafts of papers which should then go to your supervisor and other collaborators for
further advice. Initial drafts need not be perfect! It is important to get supervisor feedback on your
broad ideas first, and then gradually fine-tune the detail in subsequent drafts. For authorship
guidelines, please see Authorship of papers section below. It is of course essential that all authors
sign off on the final version of the paper before submission.
Authorship of papers
The list of authors of an academic publication, and the order in which they are listed can be a
contentious matter. To avoid possible embarrassment it is imperative that those preparing the drafts
of publications discuss these matters with the most senior author and/or your supervisor prior to a
draft being circulated. All potential authors also need to sign a Statement of Authorship form
agreeing to this. SPHPM guidelines for authorship can be viewed on the Intranet. The Research
Governance Committee is the vehicle for queries or grievances through the Research Governance
Officer.
It is expected that, except in a few circumstances, Higher Degrees by Research students are first
authors on papers relating to their project.
It is also essential that all granting bodies are appropriately acknowledged. The most senior author
must take responsibility for this.
Monash Statement of Authorship Form: http://intranet.monash.edu.au/research/forms/statementof-authorship.pdf
Monash authorship policy: www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/research/research-outputs-andauthorship-policy.html
Note: A different form than the above is required for authorship contributions to your thesis (see
Examination of Thesis/Submission above).
Affiliations
It is essential that you include in your affiliations, the Department or School, and Monash University.
Multiple affiliations are allowed.
Who to notify?
On publication, you must contact Dr Jay Illesinghe ([email protected]), the School
Research Manager. She will guide you through providing required details for new publications. The
publication will then be included in the School database, put onto the notice board, and processes
begun to ensure all authorship forms required by Monash are signed for each publication, and that
44
the publication is included in our annual publication report to Faculty. This is critical to receive
appropriate government funding.
The School gives a small award (The Pen) to recognise a students first publication. Please notify
the Head of Schools office ([email protected]) so that this can be arranged.
Recreation
All work and no play Monash Postgraduate Association arranges various trips and
tours: www.mpa.monash.edu.au/seminars-&-social/day-trips.html
Recreation facilities are available at the main campus and the Alfred Research
Student Society also offers gym membership for students on the Alfred campus.For
Travel Grants see Travel section below.
Seminars
DEPM holds weekly PhD Seminars on Tuesdays from 12-1pm. DFM hold their own seminars.
Graduate research students are expected to attend one of the DFM
seminar programs throughout their candidature. It is a School
requirement that students attend at least 80% of such seminars. Most
will be outside your field of research, which is all the more reason to
attend to, as a Public Health scholar, to broaden your understanding
of Public Health. Higher Degrees by Research students present at this
series as part of the review process (see Annual Reviews above). We
understand that some part-time students and those with clinics may find it difficult to attend every
week. Please keep a record of attendance in the diary you will be given when you start your
candidature. Seminars are advertised by email and listed in a calendar on the SPHPM HDR intranet
site (see Intranet). Apologies can be emailed to [email protected].
The School places great importance on these seminars as part of the research and professional
experience of graduate research students and academic rigour of the Department, because of the
breadth of topics. Exposure to a range of projects enables you to see a variety of methodological and
statistical approaches in action and get a feeling for the strengths and weaknesses of each. You will
see how others have approached problems and will gain perspectives far beyond those gained from
your individual research project. Witnessing many presentations can also be an important aid in
developing a professional presentation style yourself.
45
In addition to the PhD Seminars there are also general SPHPM Seminars held on Tuesdays from 45pm. Speakers are invited to linger after their presentation so that graduate research students can
discuss with them the career path that led to their senior positions.
Teaching
Contributions to teaching provide one of the most effective ways of learning. The School expects all
students and staff to make a contribution of at least 10 hours per semester to teaching. This may
involve activities such as undergraduate tutorials or problem-based learning sessions and exam
marking.
The School pays for all teaching through the Monash payroll system (unless it is in lieu of Short
Course fees by arrangement). Teaching can make a valuable contribution to the income of graduate
research students. Contributions to teaching are taken into account if students apply to the
Department for support to attend the Australasian Epidemiological Association and Public Health
Association of Australia Conferences (if your abstract is accepted).
You will be expected to keep a record of all teaching contributions in the work diary that will be
supplied to you. It is most important that teaching contributions are limited to a maximum of six
46
hours per week so that they do not interfere with the progress of your study. Request to undertake
more teaching, even a very limited amount, should be discussed with your supervisor and/or the
HDR coordinator. Watch for emails sent by staff from time to time seeking tutors, and also contact
Maida OKeefe, Manager of School Education Programs.
PhD students can acquit cost of attending courses other than STATA and GRP through teaching. See
Short Courses under Professional Development above.
Travel
Interaction with researchers of international repute enriches and broadens a
student's research experience, while also stimulating collaborative research links
between Monash and other tertiary and research institutions. The universitys
international travel policy and procedures also apply to postgraduate research
students www.adm.monash.edu.au/workplace-policy/international/procedure-staffinternational-travel.html.
Study Away / Travel Grant
For all periods of overseas travel, a Study Away application needs to be submitted. A study away
application must also be submitted for interstate travel longer than six weeks. See Study
Away/Travel Grant http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/forms/graduate-research-forms/index.html.
The same form is used to apply for Postgraduate Travel Grants.
Post Graduate Travel Grants are for students to:
The School and Faculty contribute to these grants. All graduate research students are eligible for an
amount set by MIGR. MIGR Postgraduate travel grant application guidelines and application kit can
be found at http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/forms/graduate-research-forms/index.html. Please
read the guidelines carefully and make sure to include all the required supporting documents.
Supporting Documents for Study Away/Travel Grant
4.
5.
6.
7.
Please read the instructions on the Study Away/Travel Grant form carefully and send it along with
the supporting documents to [email protected]. Applications must be lodged 46 weeks prior to leaving for study away. Retrospective applications will not be considered.
Retrospective applications will not be accepted.
Returning from travel
All students participating in Study Away with or without a Travel Grant are required to complete a
Return from Leave/Study Away form prior to their return. This form is available at
http://intranet.monash.edu.au/migr/forms/graduate-research-forms/index.html.
Travel to collect data/study
With supervisor consent, candidates with or without a scholarship are allowed six months "study
away" time. You must apply to MIGR for approval. In special cases, a maximum of 12 months may
be allowed, but must be assessed by the MIGR Steering Committee. No departmental or scholarship
funds are available for such travel, apart from the MIGR Postgraduate Travel grant. Sometimes,
funds may be available from a particular project, to be administered at the discretion of the principal
investigator. See Study Away/Travel Grant section above.
Funding for Travel
Limited funding for conference attendance and other travel, as described below, is available through
the Faculty, SPHPM and departmental Units. Other funding may be available through grants. See
your supervisor and Unit Head.
SPHPM Grants
SPHPM supports up to four students each year to attend the Australian Epidemiology Association or
Public Health of Australia conferences. We strongly urge you to join one or both of these
organisations.
The HDR Coordinator calls for applications in June. Attendance at Tuesday seminars and contribution
to the School through teaching, as student representative, etc., are assessed.
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Troubleshooting
If you experience any difficulties with your supervisor that you are unable to resolve, it is important
to discuss these with someone in your department. Occasionally it is necessary to add further
supervisors or even change supervisors. The HDR Coordinator, Elizabeth Douglas is always available
to support students during such a process.
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Good luck!
(Let us know if you need more information)
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