Cultural Studies Masters by research - conversion to PhD
Conversion to PhD
Some MA students may wish to convert to a PhD. This would normally occur if a research project was developing beyond MA capacity and the student was prepared to double the time commitment to the project.
Information about conversion can be found on the website at http://www.arts.unimelb.edu.au/currentstudents/research/res_guide.html#convma Don’t forget to download both forms from this website.
Conversion Process
For conversion to PhD, each candidate is required to:
- prepare the required reports (see below) and a draft chapter or two amounting to 8000 – 10 000 words;
- make an oral presentation on the project of 20–30 minutes duration (allowing time for questions) in a School postgraduate seminar or similar forum;
- verbally defend the proposed research project with the Confirmation Committee. During the defence, the Confirmation Committee will assess the feasibility and resource requirements of the proposed project and offer suggestions towards its successful completion;
- have met any special requirements noted at enrolment and necessary for confirmation.
Procedural details to take into consideration when applying for conversion:
At six months of candidature: MA students must complete a Progress Report for the Faculty of Arts (see above). This should be the point at which the student or supervisor raises the option of conversion.
At nine months of candidature: if the student wishes to apply for conversion to PhD candidature, she/he should confer with the supervisor and disciplinary Research Coordinator about the conversion process. The student should by this time have produced a draft proposal of the PhD research project, with a basic, descriptive outline of the chapter contents, indicating topics, issues and key texts. A document of around 1000 words is suggested. The document will be discussed at this meeting, with the intention of developing the project towards conversion. The disciplinary Research Coordinator and supervisor may at this point recommend against conversion if the project looks unsuitable: this should be formally noted and communicated to the student, and further discussion may then take place. The aim, however, is to produce a positive environment in which to develop the project towards an acceptable PhD-level if it seems feasible to do so.
At eleven months: the student should submit the MA / PhD conversion application.
Conversion Reporting Requirements
1. Both forms from the Faculty of Arts website (see address above), filled out but not signed (these should be signed at the Conversion Committee Meeting).
2. The Faculty of Arts Conversion Report consisting of:
- a brief summary (one A4 page) of your progress and a projected timetable for completion of the thesis;
- title of thesis;
- a description of the research project;
- the proposed research procedure(s);
- brief bibliography;
- list of publications produced or presentations made during Masters/PhD candidature.
3. The MSGR Conversion Report consisting of:
- a concise statement of the research question(s);
- a critical summary and analysis of relevant literature;
- as appropriate to the discipline of study, an explanation of the conceptual framework to be used and/or a summary of experimental methods and equipment requirements;
- a summary of progress to date including preliminary data, resources developed etc.;
- an argument for the relevance and importance of the study;
- a proposed schedule and timeline for the phases of the study, including a date for submission;
- a brief bibliography; and
- a list of publications produced or presentations made during probationary candidature;
- if applicable, a fieldwork plan and budget (note: Faculty of Arts students must submit the fieldwork plan and budget to the Faculty of Arts to be eligible for fieldwork funding after confirmation).
4. An 8 000-10 000 word draft of completed work for the thesis (normally a chapter or two).
Note: Creative Writing postgraduates should devote equal space in their reports to describing the scholarly and creative halves of their proposed PhD projects. The report must include a clear description of how the two halves constitute a coherent, integrated, innovative project of research and writing. The 10 000-word sample of completed writing submitted by Creative Writing postgraduates should be divided evenly between scholarly and creative writing.
Note: The 10 000-word sample of completed work submitted by Creative Arts students should represent both the scholarly and creative components, in consultation with their supervisor. Note the following extract from the University’s Guidelines for Examiners of PhD theses in Creative Arts:
Relationship between Dissertation and Creative Work
Examiners should note that the dissertation and the creative work should be considered as complementary, mutually reinforcing parts of a single project. The candidate may argue, however, that the relationship between the two parts contributes to the originality and creativity of the whole.
The dissertation should not simply describe the creative work and how it was undertaken. While it will often include information on the materials and methodology used and elucidate the creative work and place it in an artistic, intellectual and / or cultural context, the dissertation must answer to the requirement of every PhD research thesis that it make an original contribution to knowledge.
5. The Conversion Reports and draft should be prepared in close consultation with the supervisor. The candidate should submit three copies of the reports (but only one copy of the two forms) to the disciplinary Research Coordinator, who will convene a meeting between the student, the supervisor, a prospective PhD associate supervisor and the Coordinator him / herself, to discuss the conversion application and the prospects for successful completion of the thesis.