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Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)

Course code J42

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About this Course

The Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated) is a research degree commencing with a cohort-based foundation year of research preparation followed by an independent, supervised research project.

The subjects covered in the first year support the development of the research project and include generic research training and discipline-specific units. These provide you with strategies for a successful research journey, appropriate research design and methodology, timely completion, and effective writing and communication skills. You must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of research preparation in order to continue into the thesis component of the course.

A PhD(I) may be undertaken in a variety of areas within ECU, provided there are supervisors available in your proposed research area, and the resources and facilities required to complete your proposed project are accessible. ECU encourages interdisciplinary research that may span multiple research fields and Schools. We encourage you to view the Research Activity pages of the School websites for ECU’s areas of research focus.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 10 Doctoral Degree Award.

Course code J42

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Admissions

ECU admission profile

Fees

The Australian Government's Research Training Program provides tuition fee offsets for domestic students who are enrolled in Higher Degree by Research courses.

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup FT PT FT PT
Mount Lawley FT PT FT PT
South West FT PT FT PT
Online FT PT FT PT
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study

Location & Timetable

This course requires attendance at more than one campus or location. The course also has a modified timetable. See Course Notes.

About this Course

The Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated) is a research degree commencing with a cohort-based foundation year of research preparation followed by an independent, supervised research project.

The subjects covered in the first year support the development of the research project and include generic research training and discipline-specific units. These provide you with strategies for a successful research journey, appropriate research design and methodology, timely completion, and effective writing and communication skills. You must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of research preparation in order to continue into the thesis component of the course.

A PhD(I) may be undertaken in a variety of areas within ECU, provided there are supervisors available in your proposed research area, and the resources and facilities required to complete your proposed project are accessible. ECU encourages interdisciplinary research that may span multiple research fields and Schools. We encourage you to view the Research Activity pages of the School websites for ECU’s areas of research focus.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 10 Doctoral Degree Award.

Course code J42

CRICOS code 085717D

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Fees

International students - estimated 1st year indicative fee AUD $42,450

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

4 years full-time or part-time equivalent

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup FT FT
Mount Lawley FT FT
South West FT FT
Online FT PT FT PT
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study

Location & Timetable

This course requires attendance at more than one campus or location. The course also has a modified timetable. See Course Notes.

Enquire Apply
Enquire Apply

Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to hold a Master by Coursework in a related field. Alternatively applicants can hold an Honours degree, or the equivalent in a relevant field from a recognised University, Applicants seeking online study will be required to provide additional information to support their application, as not all projects nor disciplines are suited to online study.

    Academic admission requirements (Band 10) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • Masters Degree (Research);
    • Masters Degree (Coursework) in a related discipline area;
    • Masters Degree (Coursework) with 2/3 research component; or
    • Bachelor Honours Degree.

  • English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
    • Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
    • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
    • Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
    • Other tests, courses or programs defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

    English Language Requirements for Nursing and Midwifery:
    International students (other than those students schooled in a recognised country as defined by APHRA at http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills.aspx) are required to provide any English language test approved by AHPRA with a score equivalent to an IELTS Academic overall minimum score of 7.0 (no individual band less than 7.0). Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement or we may require additional information to confirm that requirements have been satisfied.

Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to hold a Master by Coursework in a related field. Alternatively applicants can hold an Honours degree, or the equivalent in a relevant field from a recognised University, Applicants seeking online study will be required to provide additional information to support their application, as not all projects nor disciplines are suited to online study.

    Academic admission requirements (Band 10) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • Masters Degree (Research);
    • Masters Degree (Coursework) in a related discipline area;
    • Masters Degree (Coursework) with 2/3 research component; or
    • Bachelor Honours Degree.

  • English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

    • IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
    • Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
    • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
    • Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
    • Other tests, courses or programs defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

    English Language Requirements for Nursing and Midwifery:
    International students (other than those students schooled in a recognised country as defined by APHRA at http://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills.aspx) are required to provide any English language test approved by AHPRA with a score equivalent to an IELTS Academic overall minimum score of 7.0 (no individual band less than 7.0). Internationally schooled applicants may also be required to meet this requirement or we may require additional information to confirm that requirements have been satisfied.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Semester 1: Study part-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Semester 2: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Semester 2: Study part-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Course Structure

Year 1 - Semester 1
Unit Code Unit TitleCredit Points
For candidates commencing from 2018 the examination process will consist of both a written and oral component.
RES5115Research Preparation: Principles and Approaches20
WRS6000Writing and Reading Skills for Researchers20
PRO6000Research Project 120
Year 1 - Semester 2
Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
CPR6100Communicating and Promoting Research20
PRO6110Research Project 240

Students must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of coursework in order to continue to the thesis component of the course.

Year 2 - Year 4
Unit Code Unit TitleCredit Points
Each semester students enrol into the relevant discipline specific research thesis unit at 50% or 100% of full-time enrolment.
AGR7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies)
ARC7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Architecture and Building)
ART7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Creative Arts)
COM7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Management and Commerce)
ETN7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Education)
HLT7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Health)
INF7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Information Technology)
NAT7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Natural and Physical Sciences)
SCL7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Society and Culture)

^ Core Option

J42|9

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

PhD Unit Sets you can study in this course

Course notes

Important course notes

  • Students may be required to attend classes on more than one campus to complete the course.

  • Students are expected to meet regularly with their supervisors as part of the supervised independent research component of the course.

Course learning outcomes

  1. Take responsibility and show initiative for designing and executing original research, demonstrating capacity to generate new knowledge with intellectual independence.
  2. Integrate substantial and systemic understanding of complex discipline knowledge with research principles and methods to demonstrate expertise in the field.
  3. Apply communication skills to explain and critique theoretical propositions, methodologies and conclusions, and cogently present findings of a complex and original investigation to peers and the broader community.
  4. Use expert skills and authoritative judgement to adapt and implement research methodologies and conduct systematic and independent investigation of theory and/or practice at the frontier of a discipline.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Semester 1: Study part-time Online

Semester 2: Study full-time at Joondalup, Mount Lawley, South West or Online

Semester 2: Study part-time Online

Course Structure

Year 1 - Semester 1
Unit Code Unit TitleCredit Points
For candidates commencing from 2018 the examination process will consist of both a written and oral component.
RES5115Research Preparation: Principles and Approaches20
WRS6000Writing and Reading Skills for Researchers20
PRO6000Research Project 120
Year 1 - Semester 2
Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
CPR6100Communicating and Promoting Research20
PRO6110Research Project 240

Students must achieve an overall weighted average mark (WAM) of 70% in the first year of coursework in order to continue to the thesis component of the course.

Year 2 - Year 4
Unit Code Unit TitleCredit Points
Each semester students enrol into the relevant discipline specific research thesis unit at 50% or 100% of full-time enrolment.
AGR7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies)
ARC7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Architecture and Building)
ART7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Creative Arts)
COM7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Management and Commerce)
ETN7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Education)
HLT7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Health)
INF7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Information Technology)
NAT7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Natural and Physical Sciences)
SCL7200 ^Doctor of Philosophy Thesis (Society and Culture)

^ Core Option

J42|9

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

PhD Unit Sets you can study in this course

Course notes

Important course notes

  • Students may be required to attend classes on more than one campus to complete the course.

  • Students are expected to meet regularly with their supervisors as part of the supervised independent research component of the course.

Course learning outcomes

  1. Take responsibility and show initiative for designing and executing original research, demonstrating capacity to generate new knowledge with intellectual independence.
  2. Integrate substantial and systemic understanding of complex discipline knowledge with research principles and methods to demonstrate expertise in the field.
  3. Apply communication skills to explain and critique theoretical propositions, methodologies and conclusions, and cogently present findings of a complex and original investigation to peers and the broader community.
  4. Use expert skills and authoritative judgement to adapt and implement research methodologies and conduct systematic and independent investigation of theory and/or practice at the frontier of a discipline.

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

If you're a domestic student enrolled in a Higher Degree by Research program, you won't be required to pay tuition fees. The Australian Government provides domestic students with tuition fee offsets under the Research Training Program (RTP) for up to 4 years full-time (or equivalent) for Doctoral studies.

Note

The RTP covers your tuition fees only. You will still be required to pay all other non-tuition fees applicable to your course, such as the Student Services and Amenities Fee. Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

Throughout your PhD, you will be supported to develop high-level research and professional skills such as project design and execution, problem identification, definition and solving, critical thinking and analysis, data management, utilising research methods and methodologies, teamwork, negotiation and networking, high-level technical skills in your field, and communicating to different audiences. With the majority of PhD graduates now pursuing careers outside academia, the skills and research training embedded in the PhD prime you to move into a variety of sectors and roles, including management, consulting, commercial R&D, research management, entrepreneurship, public policy, government, finance, technical services, biotech, education, and project coordination/management.

Similar courses to consider

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

  • AUD $42,450 - International students estimated 1st year indicative fee 1

Note

1 The 'estimated 1st year indicative fee' is provided as a guide only, and has been calculated based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. At ECU, you pay for each individual unit you enrol in, not an overall course fee, so the total cost of your course will vary, depending on what units you choose. An indicative fee will be provided with your course offer, however you can use our Course Fee Calculator to estimate the actual amount you'll need to pay. ECU fees are adjusted annually.

Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

Throughout your PhD, you will be supported to develop high-level research and professional skills such as project design and execution, problem identification, definition and solving, critical thinking and analysis, data management, utilising research methods and methodologies, teamwork, negotiation and networking, high-level technical skills in your field, and communicating to different audiences. With the majority of PhD graduates now pursuing careers outside academia, the skills and research training embedded in the PhD prime you to move into a variety of sectors and roles, including management, consulting, commercial R&D, research management, entrepreneurship, public policy, government, finance, technical services, biotech, education, and project coordination/management.

Similar courses to consider

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Creative thinkers start here

Explore your options through the following media

Creative thinkers start here

Explore your options through the following media

Student stories

  • There are so many highlights to studying an Integrated PhD at ECU

    Joining the ECU research community and working alongside and getting to know PhD students from across all Schools is a real benefit of the coursework component. Not only have I received training and experience to assist me with undertaking a PhD, but I now have a broad knowledge of research-related industry, business and the media.

    The genuine interest that the academic staff have in my research and their willingness to share their expertise makes undertaking an Integrated PhD at ECU an absolute privilege.

    Lea Beatty
  • I would like to become a professor and strength and conditioning coach

    I got a masters degree in the United States, but had no research experience before I came to ECU. I wanted to pursue my PhD under Dr. Haff and Dr. Nosaka.

    The first year of the Integrated PhD helped me gain research skills such as writing, reading, presenting, and skills needed for experimentation. My supervisors have been devoting so much of their time to assist me to gain these skills.

    Yosuke Kotani
  • Writing, rewriting and more rewriting!

    The skills I have learnt while studying the Integrated PhD have assisted with my research proposal, literature reviews, data analysis and grant writing.

    My ethics application helped with recruitment of participants and surveys. I've also learnt how to develop and analyse complex surveys. I've attended many workshops run by GRS and found them invaluable. And the GRS SOAR centre helped when I experienced issues designing my surveys.

    In the future I want to work with developers and government, and continue writing and teaching about the importance of nature to human health.

    Danica Lee Larcombe

Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

Do you have any questions about the Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)?

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

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