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Higher Degree by Research Examination (with Oral Examination) Procedure

Section 1 - purpose and scope, section 2 - process and key controls, section 3 - key requirements, thesis format, nomination of the chair of examiners, nomination of examiners, requirements for thesis formatting, thesis submission, examination, examination outcomes, thesis corrections, repeating the oral examination, revise and resubmit, meeting degree requirements, access to a thesis, section 4 - roles, responsibilities and accountabilities, dean, graduate school, chair of examiners, principal advisors, section 5 - monitoring, review and assurance, section 6 - recording and reporting, section 7 - appendix, flowchart describing examination process, definitions, terms and acronyms.

(1) This Procedure describes the process at The University of Queensland (UQ or the University) for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) examination for the award of PhD, MPhil and PDR degrees that require an oral examination. The award of an HDR degree is based on an assessment of the quality of the thesis and of the candidate’s performance at the oral examination. External examiners with recognised disciplinary expertise make a written assessment of the thesis and participate in the oral examination. Following discussion with the external examiners, the Chair of Examiners makes an outcome recommendation to the Dean, Graduate School. The decision to recommend conferral of the degree is made by the Dean, Graduate School for approval by the Provost.

(2) All HDR examinations must be conducted in accordance with the principles and requirements described in the Higher Degree by Research Examination Policy and those described in this Procedure.

(3) An overview of the process for HDR examination is illustrated in the flowchart in the Appendix. 

(4) The thesis must be a coherent scholarly work that meets UQ standard for examination. Candidates should submit a thesis for examination in an approved format, suitable for their discipline and project. Approved formats can be viewed in the  Higher Degree by Research Examination Guideline .

(5) To obtain permission to submit a thesis in a format not listed, the Principal Advisor should prepare a proposal for endorsement by the Head of the Academic Organisational Unit (AOU) to then submit to the Dean, Graduate School for approval. The process and criteria for this are outlined in the Guideline . 

(6) The Chair of Examiners is an academic staff member of the University who has sufficient domain knowledge relating to the topic of the thesis.

(7) The Principal Advisor nominates a Chair of Examiners with the endorsement of the Postgraduate Coordinator (PGC).

(8) Following the attainment of the Thesis Review Milestone and prior to thesis submission, the Principal Advisor nominates a minimum of three examiners. The candidate has an opportunity to review and comment on the nominations. Nominations of examiners must be endorsed by the PGC.

(9) All actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest (COIs) must be declared by the advisory team members and the candidate at the time of nomination of thesis examiners.

(10) The Dean, Graduate School will invite two nominated examiners to participate.

(11) Additional nominations from the Principal Advisor may be requested. All examinations should be treated as confidential. Where an additional level of legal protection is required, in the case of material that may be commercial-in-confidence, give rise to a patent, or be legally or culturally sensitive, then a request for a Confidentiality Agreement should be made at the time of nomination of examiners.

(12) Examiners will be advised to seek independent legal advice prior to signing the Confidentiality Agreement.

(13) The thesis should not exceed 80,000 words for a PhD or 40,000 words for an MPhil. The word limit includes all footnotes and appendices but not the bibliography. Requests to exceed this word limit must be approved by the Dean, Graduate School.

(14) Formatting should be: line spacing 1.5, Times New Roman or Arial 12pt font, all four margins 20mm.

(15) A thesis must adhere to the templates provided by the Graduate School.

(16) The thesis examination process is initiated when:

• An approved Thesis Submission request has been received by the Graduate School.
• The thesis and abstract have been uploaded to the University’s digital repository as instructed by the Graduate School.

(17) An HDR candidate will maintain enrolment in the program until the oral examination is completed after which their enrolment status will change to ‘under examination’ until an outcome of the examination is determined. This enrolment status does not consume load and a tuition fee is not incurred.

(18) If an HDR candidate has submitted their thesis and has been enrolled for 4 years FTE, but not yet completed the oral examination, then they will be placed ‘under examination’. For a candidate who has not submitted their thesis by 4 years FTE enrolment, a review of candidature may be conducted in accordance with the  Higher Degree by Research Candidature Procedure  (section 3).

(19) Where a candidate requests permission to submit without the Principal Advisor's approval, the candidate must make a written case to the Dean, Graduate School. Following consultation with the Head of the enrolling AOU, PGC and Principal Advisor, a decision will be made by the Dean, Graduate School.

(20) The examination comprises a review of the thesis and an oral examination.

Examination of Thesis

(21) All examiners are provided access to an electronic copy of the thesis by the Graduate School.

(22) Examiners are asked to assess the thesis document against the following quality measures:

• Does the thesis demonstrate a significant and original contribution to knowledge (PhD) or show originality in the application of knowledge (MPhil)?
• Does the thesis engage with the literature and the work of others?
• Does the thesis show an advanced knowledge of research principles and methods relating to the applicable discipline?
• Is there a clear and discernible coherence in the presented research, its arguments and conclusions?
• Is the thesis convincingly written?

(23) Examiners are requested to return their written reports along with the summary form within 5 weeks of receiving the thesis. Once both reports are received, they will be distributed to the Chair of Examiners and the candidate.

(24) After the requisite time period the Dean, Graduate School may elect to replace an examiner if there has been undue delay in receiving the examiner's report.

Oral Examination

(25) The oral examination panel is comprised of:

• The Chair of Examiners; and
• Examiners – examiners may participate in person or using video conferencing. The examination may proceed with the approval of the Dean in exceptional circumstances with one examiner and comments from the second examiner if the attendance of both examiners is not possible (all reports must be taken into consideration).

(26) The advisory team does not form part of the examination panel.

(27) Examiners are asked to assess the candidate’s performance in the oral examination against the following quality measures:

• Did the candidate demonstrate detailed knowledge of the thesis?
• Did the candidate demonstrate an understanding of their research in the broader context of their discipline?
• Was the candidate able to defend the methodology and conclusions of the thesis and display an awareness of any limitations?
• Did the candidate effectively communicate the results of the research in terms of impact and application of new knowledge?
• Did the candidate as an individual demonstrate a substantive and independent contribution to the discipline?

Possible Outcomes from the First Examination

(28) The candidate be awarded the degree without further changes.

(29) The candidate be awarded the degree, without further examination, after the changes (see Thesis Corrections – clauses 36 to 38) required by examiners have been made to the satisfaction of the Chair of Examiners and the Dean, Graduate School.

(30) The candidate not yet be awarded the degree but be allowed to repeat the oral examination component in response to the comments and recommendation of the oral examination panel. Before the degree is awarded, the candidate must also make any changes to the thesis required by the examiners to the satisfaction of the Chair of Examiners and the Dean, Graduate School.

(31) The candidate not yet be awarded the degree but be allowed to submit for re-examination a thesis revised in response to the comments and recommendations of the examiners (see Revise and Resubmit – clauses 43 to 50), which may also require a repeat of the oral examination.

Possible Outcomes from a Second Examination

(32) The candidate be awarded the degree without further changes.

(33) The candidate be awarded the degree, without further examination, after the changes (see Thesis Corrections – clauses 36 to 38) required by examiners have been made to the satisfaction of the Chair of Examiners and the Dean, Graduate School.

(34) The candidate be awarded an MPhil (for a PhD re-examination only) - the candidate has not demonstrated a contribution to knowledge that is of sufficient significance or originality for a PhD but fulfils the criteria for an MPhil.

(35) Fail - the thesis is not of the appropriate standard for the award of any Higher Degree by Research and/or the candidate has not adequately met the expectations for the oral examination component.

(36) Corrections to the thesis in response to an outcome requiring changes but no further examination are required to be completed within 3 months.

(37) The enrolling AOU will forward a fully endorsed Recommendation to Confer Degree to the Dean, Graduate School once satisfied the candidate has made the changes requested by the examiners or satisfactorily defended on academic grounds the absence of changes.

(38) A candidate can request a 3-month extension to complete the thesis corrections. Candidates who do not submit their thesis corrections for review following this extended period may be withdrawn from the program without academic penalty.

(39) If a candidate is required to repeat the oral component of the examination, this must be undertaken within 3 months of notification.

(40) The oral examination will be repeated with the Chair of Examiners and both original examiners, whenever possible.

(41) If an examiner is unable to participate in the repeat of the oral examination, a replacement examiner will be nominated by the Principal Advisor and appointed by the Dean, Graduate School.

(42) Upon repeating the oral examination, the possible outcomes are listed at clauses 32 to 35 – Possible Outcomes from a Second Examination.

(43) When a candidate is required to revise the thesis and repeat the examination, they will have up to 12 months to do so.

(44) Following revision of the thesis, the submission process – as outlined in Thesis Submission clauses 16 to 19 – is repeated.

(45) Both the written and oral components of the examination are repeated.

(46) If either of the original examiners is unable to continue to participate, a replacement examiner will be nominated by the Principal Advisor and appointed by the Dean, Graduate School.

(47) Examiners will be sent the revised thesis, the examiners' original reports (including oral examination report if applicable) and the candidate's response to the examiners' comments.

(48) Where the examiners disagree on the examination outcome following revision of the thesis, the Dean, Graduate School may appoint a third examiner nominated by the Principal Advisor. This examiner is appointed to provide an independent assessment of the thesis and will not be provided with the original examiners’ reports. All three reports will then be considered by the Dean, Graduate School in determining an examination outcome.

(49) The possible outcomes for the examination are described from clauses 32 to 35 – Possible Outcomes from a Second Examination.

(50) Candidates who are not able to resubmit their thesis for examination within 12 months of the first examination, may request an extension.

(51) Once a candidate has fulfilled the requirements of the examination process, the Graduate School will direct the candidate to confirm their thesis title and 100-word abstract. Once this is completed, the candidate will receive confirmation from the Graduate School that degree requirements have been met.

(52) Upon submitting the thesis for examination, a candidate must indicate whether they intend to have the thesis made available immediately upon conferral as Open Access or to apply for an Embargo placed on access on the basis of academic, cultural, ethical, legal or commercial reasons. The application must be supported by the candidate's Principal Advisor and must be approved by the Dean, Graduate School. The Dean will consider the principles for academic freedom when determining whether or not to embargo a thesis, which recognise the importance of academic freedom and the right to disseminate, and only deny this in limited circumstances where there is a compelling case. If approved, the embargo will be set for a 3-year period in the first instance. Where the candidate and Principal Advisor have differing views on the selection of the access option, the matter will be referred to the Dean for determination.

(53) In circumstances where a candidate has transferred their IP to the University, after consultation with the candidate, the Principal Advisor will make a recommendation to the Dean, Graduate School on the thesis access arrangements, taking academic, cultural, ethical, legal and commercial factors into consideration. In cases where the Principal Advisor is not employed by the University, a recommendation will be sought from the Head of the AOU.

(54) Every three years for theses under Embargo, the Graduate School will contact the thesis author, or the Principal Advisor in the case where IP has been transferred to the University, to advise that the Embargo period is due for review. Where the Principal Advisor is not employed by the University, the matter will be referred to the Head of the enrolling AOU for a recommendation.

(55) Requests for renewal of the Embargo will be considered by the Dean, Graduate School. In the absence of an approved request for an Embargo extension, a thesis will transfer to Open Access.

(56) The University's responsibilities, together with any relevant academic, cultural, ethical, legal or commercial factors will be considered when determining whether a request for an Embargo extension will be approved.

(57) The Provost approves the conferral of the degree, upon recommendation from the Dean, Graduate School.

(58) The Dean, Graduate School (or their delegate) decides on the examination outcome of the HDR candidate and provides recommendation for the conferral of the degree to the Provost.

(59) The Chair of Examiners is a UQ staff member that provides academic oversight of the HDR examination process, including the oral examination, as described in the Higher Degree by Research Examination Guideline .

(60) The Chair of Examiners provides outcome recommendations to the Dean, Graduate School and oversees the oral examination component, where applicable.

(61) Principal Advisors are approved UQ staff members that take primary academic responsibility for the candidate during their candidature.

(62) The detailed academic role, accountabilities and eligibility for Principal Advisors are specified in the  Eligibility and Role of Higher Degree by Research Advisors Policy .

(63) Advisors are suitably qualified persons who provide expertise related to the candidate’s research and are available to provide advice throughout candidature.

(64) The detailed academic role, accountabilities and eligibility for Advisors are specified in the  Eligibility and Role of Higher Degree by Research Advisors Policy .

(65) Review of, and compliance with, this Procedure is overseen by the Dean, Graduate School and the Academic Board's Higher Degree by Research Committee.

(66) All thesis examination transactions, activities and approvals are recorded within UQ’s student system.

(67) All student records including final outcome, applications and University decisions are filed in the student’s electronic record.

(68) The  linked flowchart describes the examination process. 

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UQ Dean's Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses

Congratulations to School of Political Science and International Studies alumnus,  Dr. N.A.J. Taylor , who has won the  UQ 2018 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses ( the 2018 awards are announced in 2020, and the 2019 awards will be announced next year in 2021).  Fewer than 5% of PhD and MPhil graduates are recognised this way each year, and the award is recognition that his examiners required no changes or revisions in commending the thesis.  

Congratulations to Nico and his supervisors, Associate Professor Marianne Hanson and Dr Shannon Brincat. Nico is an incoming 2021 Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver; an ADFA Visiting Fellow at UNSW; and the  2020 Fryer Memorial Library for Australian Literature Fellow . Congratulations Nico!

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2023 Dean's Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses

The University of Queensland Centre for Online Health (UQ-COH) PhD graduate Dr Keshia De Guzman has just been selected by the Dean, UQ Graduate School to receive the  2023 Dean's Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses . This is an honour bestowed upon fewer than 10% of PhD and MPhil graduates each year.

Keshia’s thesis described an evaluation of the economic factors and clinician drivers impacting telehealth uptake and sustainability in Australian general practice settings .

Keshia’s research was critically important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person services were heavily restricted due to social distancing regulations. Keshia employed quantitative and qualitative approaches in her research, and used her expertise in health economic methods to complement her work.  Keshia published 17 peer-reviewed articles during her candidature, 11 of which were first-author papers in discipline leading peer-reviewed journals.  During her PhD, Keshia also delivered 20 conference presentations, including more than half which were invited presentations.

Keshia’s research revealed that certain policy changes did not sustain the long-term upward trajectory of telehealth activity; and there were specific factors which influenced general practitioner choice of in-person, videoconference, or telephone consultation service options. Research findings related to cost-effectiveness are also likely to have implications on telehealth strategy and funding reform decisions for telehealth services in primary care.

Keshia was supervised by COH researchers  Dr Centaine Snoswell  and  Professor Anthony Smith .

Congratulations, Dr De Guzman!

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• HDR student support
• Student support

Resources for candidates

Visit my.UQ’s Information and Services pages for information and resources to support you from acceptance of your offer to award of your degree.

You’ll find information on:

• getting started at UQ, including checklists and compulsory tasks for your first week
• managing your candidature, including changes, milestones and extensions
• thesis preparation and exams
• scholarships and fees.

UQ Graduate School support

The UQ Graduate School supports HDR students through their candidature, facilitates thesis exams, and offers skills training and career development opportunities.

Career development

Explore development activities and experiences to help you reach your research and professional goals .

International research experiences

Spend time abroad at a leading institution with the UQ HDR Travel program.

International mobility builds your professional networks and gives you new perspectives on your research.

Science HDR Industry Placement Travel Assist Award

The Faculty of Science is offering a new award for PhD students enrolled in a Faculty of Science School to support travel as part of an approved 60-day Industry Placement that has been approved by the Graduate School.

Applicants can apply for up to a maximum of $5,000 to contribute towards costs including airfares, accommodation and other transport costs.

Find more details, including the guidelines and the application form (requires UQ login).

Apply for a limited impact permit

Current UQ HDR students and staff can apply through the UQ Faculty of Science to conduct limited impact research on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Our GBRMPA accreditation allows us to approve applications for extractive and non-extractive research.

Find more details, including permit assessment information and application forms, on the UQ Science staff intranet (requires UQ login).

Not enrolled yet?

Find information about our HDR degrees , including how to apply.

Contact our UQ Faculty of Science HDR liaison officers in our schools and institutes.

• Getting started and Orientation
• Careers and employability
• Leadership and mentoring
• Academic help and general enquiries
• Scholarships

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Support for researchers

Candidates with oral examination

Process overview.

The external examination of a HDR candidate is a 2-part process consisting of a thesis evaluation and an oral examination.

Each of these parts is linked to the following outputs:

• Thesis evaluation: a summary and a written report from each examiner.
• Oral examination: a Chair’s report summarising the feedback of the examiners and recommendation of the examination panel.

These outcomes inform a decision by the Dean of the Graduate School on the final outcome of the candidate’s examination and whether an award (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Philosophy (MPhil)) will be conferred.

The oral examination will take place between 2 weeks to 3 months after scheduling, depending on the availability of the participants.

Thesis evaluation 

Read the entire thesis and provide a summary and written report, based on the following criteria.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate:

• Does the candidate demonstrate a significant and original contribution to knowledge?
• Does the candidate engage with the literature and the work of others?
• Does the candidate show an advanced knowledge of research principles and methods relating to the applicable discipline?
• Is there a clear and discernible coherence in the presented research, its arguments and conclusions?
• Is the thesis clearly, accurately, and cogently written?

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) candidate

• Does the candidate show originality in the application of knowledge?

Your written report should provide sufficient detail to allow the candidate to prepare responses for the oral examination.

If you express significant concerns about the thesis, then the oral examination, which usually takes place approximately 1 month after your reports are returned, may be postponed at the Dean’s discretion in order to give the student more time to prepare.

Evaluation timeframe

Your report should be submitted to the UQ Graduate School no later than  5 weeks  after you receive the thesis for evaluation. If you require additional time, contact the Graduate School’s progressions and examinations team outlining your requirements at  [email protected] .

Once your report has been reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School, it will be released to the candidate and their principal advisor so that the candidate can prepare for the oral examination.

Oral examination

The oral examination is the second part of the HDR candidate examination process. Only once the oral examination has taken place can an outcome of the candidate’s examination be determined.

The oral examination usually involves 4 participants:

• the candidate
• the Chair of examiners (appointed by UQ)
• 2 external examiners who provided written reports.

The Chair of examiners and the 2 examiners constitute the oral examination panel.

The main objectives are to:

• provide a developmental learning opportunity
• authenticate the contribution made by the candidate to the thesis
• establish that the candidate fully understands the work and its wider implications
• provide the candidate with an opportunity to reply to criticism or challenge
• enable the candidate and examiners to clarify issues, corrections, and revisions.

Assessment and report

The oral examination will include assessment of the candidate’s ability to:

• demonstrate detailed knowledge of the thesis
• locate their research in the broader context of their discipline
• demonstrate the originality of the thesis and the contribution it makes to the state of knowledge in the field
• defend the methodology and conclusions of the thesis
• display awareness of the limitations of the thesis.

The outcome of this second component is a Chair’s report which:

• summarises the feedback of the examination panel
• provides the recommendation of the panel on the outcome of the oral examination.

The report should:

• be clear and concise
• detail any revisions required
• justify the final recommendation.

Oral examination process

The Chair of examiners is responsible for scheduling and conducting the oral examination. Once the examiners’ reports have been returned, the Chair will be informed that the oral examination is ready to be scheduled. You’ll then be invited to respond to an online poll to help establish the date and time of the oral examination. Once a date and time have been finalised, you will receive a Zoom link for the examination.

By this stage in the examination process, the candidate is aware of the examiners’ identities, but is not allowed to contact them. Similarly, you are requested not to contact the candidate or their advisors. All communication should be conducted through the Chair of examiners.

Day of examination

It is recommended that, on the day of the oral examination, the Chair and examiners meet in the first 20 minutes of the scheduled session to discuss their reports and set an agenda with points for discussion and issues requiring clarification. Any potential areas of disagreement between examiners should be discussed at this meeting and a resolution should be sought. (If the examination panel wishes to begin these preparatory discussions earlier via email, it’s welcome to do so.)

The oral examination may take up to 3 hours.

All discussion should take place in English.

Possible recommendations are:

• Pass with changes
• Repeat oral examination
• Revise and resubmit thesis for examination.

At the conclusion of the oral examination, the Chair’s report containing the panel’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School for a final decision.

Examination format

The examination typically begins with the candidate presenting a short overview of the thesis and its main findings. The thesis should be discussed, and questions asked and answered, in a respectful and fair manner.

Questions should focus on the areas of concern raised in the written reports provided by the examiners. The candidate may rebut some of the feedback with sound academic arguments and justifications or may concede that further revisions would enhance the thesis.

Examiners may ask questions tangential to the work carried out in the thesis, but the ability or inability of the candidate to answer such questions should not influence the examiners’ recommendation on the final outcome of the examination.

At the conclusion of the oral examination, the candidate will temporarily leave the room (or Zoom meeting). The examiners (with the guidance of the Chair) will decide on a recommendation to the Dean regarding the outcome of the oral examination.

The candidate will then be invited back into the room (or Zoom meeting) and given a verbal summary of the outcome of the oral examination.

Honours procedures

Students are required to complete 16 units, comprising coursework (8 units) and thesis (8 units). Refer to the Course Profile for assessment details and procedures in individual courses.

Thesis marks are awarded by two examiners, and then averaged to arrive at one mark out of 100. In cases where there is a discrepancy of 8 marks or more, a third examiner will see the other two reports, but not the marks awarded. The third examiner’s decision will be final.

All marks will be finally determined and confirmed by the Honours Examiners’ Meeting for each discipline (usually held at the end of each semester). The decision of the meeting is collegiate and final. 

Applying for an extension

Extension applications must be received by the due date.

Details of the extension application procedure on are available on the application for extension form . 

Grades for each Honours course are based on the following percentages:

2015 onwards

At the completion of the program, a weighted GPA for the whole program will be generated. The Class of Honours is based on this weighted GPA. Classes of Honours are awarded as follows:

At the completion of the program, a weighted percentage for the whole program will be generated. The Class of Honours is based on this weighted percentage. Classes of Honours are awarded as follows:

Communication of results

Honours grades and classes are determined, and confirmed, at the Honours Examiners' Meeting. Decisions of the meeting are final. Students receive advice regarding their class of Honours after this meeting. Students are emailed thesis reports, which are usually anonymous, and asked to collect from the School office the thesis copies that they lodged for examination purposes. Students will be asked to correct the thesis according to the examiners' comments before submitting a final copy to the School for its thesis library.

The School formally notifies the Faculty of Honours results. The Faculty updates student academic records and enables graduation.

Further enquiries

Please refer to section  2.4 Honours degrees  of the  General Award Rules .

An 80,000 word PhD thesis would take 9 hours to present. Their time limit... 3 minutes.

Recognition for four outstanding QAAFI researchers

Completing a PhD is a marathon.

But to receive a Dean’s Award for an Outstanding HDR thesis adds another degree of difficulty.

That achievement is a reality for four QAAFI graduates, three from the Centre for Horticultural Science and one from the Centre for Nutrition and Food Science.

The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses formally recognises outstanding PhD and MPhil graduates who have been commended by their thesis examiners for their outstanding contribution .

Dr Jane Ray‘s research in the Centre for Horticultural Science focused on the biology and epidemiology of banana Blood disease, a bacterial wilt threatening production of the fruit in South-east Asia, Australia and beyond.

“Not many people can say that they thoroughly enjoyed their PhD experience, but I absolutely did,” Dr Ray said.

“This is because of the talent that QAAFI attracts and retains – it’s the human resource that makes all the difference.

“It’s such an honour to receive this award, and I will forever be grateful to my fabulous advisory team of Professor André Drenth, Professor Siti Subandiyah, Dr Lilia Carvalhais, and Dr Alistair McTaggart.”

Dr Ray is now leading a project researching Australia’s bacterial wilts and working towards leading larger collaborative projects researching plant diseases of biosecurity importance to Australia.

Fellow Centre for Horticultural Science graduate Dr Ritesh Jain’s research focused on insect pest management.

He developed a clay mediated RNA delivery platform for targeting white flies ( Bemisia tabaci) .

“My experience at QAAFI has allowed me to engage in ground-breaking research, collaborate with expert minds and contribute to the advance of knowledge in my field,” Dr Jain said.

“Receiving a Dean’s Award after a tremendous amount of hard work is an indescribable feeling of joy motivation and gratitude.”

Dr Jain is now working in Australian Contract Development and Manufacturing (CDMO) organisation specialising in the production of nucleic acid (plasmid DNA & mRNA) products and applying his expertise in molecular biology skills to nucleic acid R&D. 

A third Centre for Horticultural Science graduate Kandeeparoopan Prasannath worked on the project “Etiology of flower blight complex in macadamia” under the supervision of Associate Professor Femi Akinsanmi.

The research provided a strong foundation for developing a disease prediction tool for the management of flower blights in Australia, to help mitigate the economic losses incurred by the flower blights in the Australian macadamia industry.

Dr Prasannath said he was deeply honoured to receive such a prestigious award, a pay off for all his hard work.

“QAAFI is the place that enriched my academic and research capabilities, and I had a fantastic experience there,” he said.

“Even though I am offshore now, my collaborative work with Associate Professor Akinsanmi will continue, as I work as a Senior Lecturer in one of the state universities in my home country, Sri Lanka.”

Dr Selina Fyfe from the Centre for Nutrition and Food Science was awarded for her work characterising the potential of the green plum ( Buchanania obovata ) as a native Australian fruit.

As well as her academic supervisors from UQ, Professor Yasmina Sultanbawa and Associate Professor Heather Smyth, Associate Professor Horst Schirra from Griffith University and her collaborators from two universities in Munich, she worked with two Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory where green plums grow.

“At QAAFI I discovered how much I enjoyed research and writing and was given opportunities to really grow these skills, and do a lot of things to grow my research career,” Dr Fyfe said.

“I feel very happy and excited to receive the award and it was nice to have all my hard work acknowledged and celebrated in this way.”

She is now working as a Research Fellow on The University of Queensland and CSIRO’s Food System Horizons project.

Media: QAAFI Communications, Natalie MacGregor, [email protected] , +61 409 135 651.

The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is a research institute at The University of Queensland supported by the Queensland Government via the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

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Introduction

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Doctor of Philosophy

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an internationally recognised graduate research program that will enable you to become an independent researcher. 

With the guidance of an advisory team, you'll undertake a research project, produce an 80,000-word thesis and complete an oral examination.

A PhD takes 3 to 4 years full-time. Under guidance, you'll develop advanced research skills and knowledge in your chosen field.

The thesis is a substantial document that makes an original contribution to your field of research. Your thesis may involve an alternate format .

You'll need a strong academic background and you may need to submit a research proposal and other documents to support your application. About 1,000 PhD candidates join UQ each year researching a wide range of topics.

Research at UQ

UQ is one of Australia’s top research-intensive universities. Our research makes an impact on the world's cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

Learn more about UQ's research

Program highlights

• Be inspired and challenged to explore new ideas and develop greater understanding of complex questions with leading researchers.
• Access premier resources including one of Australia’s largest libraries, with more than 2 million physical resources and 116,800+ journal subscriptions.
• Foster and improve your skills through the Career Development Framework, created with industry.
• Learn from researchers whose work addresses national and global cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

41 in the world

CWTS Leiden Ranking 2024

51 in the world

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Supervision

You have to find and contact a thesis supervisor before you apply

This supervisor will support, guide and mentor you through your research, and can introduce you to professional networks that will start your career.

Find a supervisor

3-Minute Thesis

The showcase event for research candidates is the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT). 

3MT is held each spring.

Learn more about the 3MT

Career development

UQ offers a range of development opportunities via the Career Development Framework (CDF) to help you develop portable skills for any career or industry.

Learn more about the CDF

Studying at UQ gave me the flexibility to expand my knowledge across different areas of science outside of my chosen specialty. Keeping my scientific and translational skills broad has allowed me to adapt to different environments and opportunities throughout my career.

6 September

Science Research and Honours Week

23 October - 4 November

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Entry requirements

Gpa equivalent.

Select where you studied and your qualification to see the GPA you need to be considered for this program.

Meeting the GPA requirement doesn’t guarantee admission.

Academic entry requirements

You have to prove you are prepared for PhD study. You do this by showing you:

• have completed some research experience
• have completed an approved university degree  and
• can meet the English language requirements.

Approved degrees

An approved degree needs to be:

• in an area relevant to your proposed PhD project and
• completed no more than 10 years ago.

You need one of the following approved degrees to apply for a PhD:

• Master of Philosophy (or another research master’s degree); or
• Bachelor’s degree from an approved university with at least honours class IIA or equivalent; or
• Coursework master’s degree with an overall grade point average of 5.65 on the 7-point UQ scale which includes relevant research experience, approved by the dean; or
• Postgraduate degree (at least one year full-time or equivalent) with an overall grade point average of 5 on the 7-point UQ scale, together with demonstrated research experience equivalent to honours class IIA will be considered on a case-by-case basis; or
• Bachelor’s degree plus at least 2 years of relevant research experience , including research publications.

Research experience

You'll meet the requirements for admission into a PhD in terms of 'research preparedness' if you can provide evidence that you've planned and executed project work and/or a body of research with some independence.

To demonstrate this, we'll ask you to provide one of the following:

• with completed courses that aim to develop research skills (minimum value of #1 unit e.g. 50 per cent of a #2 unit course), and/or
• the completion of a supervised research project that includes an individually graded written report with a combined minimum course volume equal to #4 units at UQ.
• Scholarly papers involving a substantial contribution as an author, appearing in recognised academic journals or in volumes published by recognised academic publishers.
• Research or technical reports prepared for industry, government or business, which adhere to the broad conventions of academic publishing (i.e. contain an up-to-date review of relevant literature, a description of relevant research methods and an evaluation of results, etc.) and which identify you as a significant contributor.
• A portfolio of published creative work together with published critical discussion of some or all of that work, or of a comparable body of work by others, and which demonstrates your development of a scholarly approach to creative work as research investigation.
• Demonstrable industry or work experience where you can demonstrate that you have planned and executed a project, working with a high level of independence.

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Doctor of Philosophy are eligible to apply for an Australian Student visa (subclass 500).

This program has two CRICOS codes:

• 0100213 – Architecture, creative arts, education, health, information technology, management and commerce, mathematical sciences, social and cultural studies
• 0100214 – Agriculture and environmental studies, dentistry, engineering, human movement, medical studies, natural and physical sciences, pharmacy, psychology, veterinary science

Discuss your proposed project with us to determine which CRICOS code is most relevant for your visa application.

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Additional entry requirements

Many departments will have additional entry requirements and may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

Additional application information

Minimum English language proficiency requirements apply, please refer to the English proficiency policy .

English language requirements

There are a few ways you can meet our English language requirements. If you sit a test, the following scores are needed for PhD admission:

Read our English language requirements

Scholarships

There are several types of PhD scholarship:

• tuition fee scholarship : this covers the fees charged by UQ for PhD study
• living stipend scholarship: this is a   fortnightly payment (or stipend) to support your daily expenses
• top-up scholarship: may be provided by external organisations, supervisors, or philanthropic donations. When awarded, they provide an additional payment on top of a living stipend scholarship. They cannot be held without a living stipend scholarship.

Each year, we award more than 600 scholarships to attract and support the highest quality higher degree by research applicants.

View all postgraduate research scholarships

University scholarships

UQ scholarships include:

• Graduate School Scholarships
• Graduate School Tuition Fees Scholarship
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships
• Earmarked Scholarships
• The Graduate School Scholarship

Other scholarships

Throughout the year we advertise a range of other research scholarships, including top-up scholarships, travel grants and external scholarships, including:

• Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship

How to apply for a scholarship

You can apply for many scholarships using the same form as your PhD application. External scholarships might have different ways to apply. 

Our Scholarships website explains how to apply for each scholarship. If you are applying for a non-UQ scholarship, outcome dates may vary.

Fees and costs

Tuition fees.

Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.

Learn more about postgraduate research fees

Research costs

The department you enrol with will meet all necessary costs for your project, including:

• resource and facility costs: at UQ, which may include other organisations in Australia or overseas
• travel costs: to complete fieldwork, collect data, or to visit libraries or other repositories
• coursework costs: for courses studied outside the department
• relevant training: in particular methodologies or techniques.

How to apply

Before you apply, 1. check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility by reviewing the entry requirements for UQ's Higher Degrees by Research. If applying for a scholarship, check the scholarship's eligibility and important dates.

2. Approach a potential supervisor or find a project

You'll either need to find:

• a supervisor in your field who will support your proposed project.  Find a supervisor .
• a project you can join that suits your interests.  See available projects .

If you're choosing a supervisor, you'll need to find one with relevant expertise and get agreement to support your PhD and project.

Many departments will require additional information to make a decision around your motivation, understanding, commitment, and financial support required.

They may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

3. Gather your documents

You will need to compile the necessary documents. We will accept scanned copies of original documents, but you will have to keep all original documents for the duration of your studies.

Upload all documents as PDFs and name your files like this: LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf

If any of your documents is in a language other than English, you will need to send both the original document and an official translation.

Send the following documents with your application:

An academic CV assists us to determine your readiness to commence a higher degree by research. For the purposes of this application, your academic CV should be current (i.e. no more than 6 months old) and include information under the following headings:

Personal details

• your full name
• your contact details (phone number, email address, city and country of residence)
• nationality
• languages spoken and proficiency level for each
• your ORCID ID or other research output identifier (such as Google Scholar) if you have one (see the ORCID ID and research identifiers information provided by UQ Library).

As the purpose of this academic CV is to determine your academic suitability for a higher degree by research program at UQ and your competitiveness against other applicants, we only require information that is of direct relevance to our decision-making processes. With this in mind, please do not include the following in your academic CV:

• photographs/head shot
• marital status
• driver’s license
• date of birth/age
• hobbies and interests.

Educational qualifications and academic awards

List each of your formal educational qualifications in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent formal educational qualification listed first). For each qualification, include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the qualification
• the full title of the qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Arts instead of B.A.)
• the institution attended and the enrolling school/administrative unit
• the city and country where the institution is located
• your Grade Point Average (GPA) for the overall qualification
• any academic achievement awards (e.g. Dean’s awards, subject prizes, University medals, thesis prizes etc.) received for the qualification
• if a research thesis was part of the qualification, include the title and word length of your dissertation.

As part of your application, please submit academic transcripts and degree certificates for each educational qualification you list.

Please do not include:

• high school qualifications
• the individual subjects/courses undertaken throughout your qualifications or the grades awarded for these
• training courses/professional development activities not resulting in a formal qualification.

Professional affiliations and memberships

List any professional/disciplinary associations or committees that you a member of and include:

• the commencing and end date (in years) for the affiliation/membership
• the name of the professional association or committee
• your membership type (e.g. student member, affiliate member, full member etc.) or role (e.g. committee member, secretary, president etc.).

Employment history

List each of your previous employment roles in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent/current employment listed first) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the employment
• the title of each position
• the name of the employing organisation, the city, and country where you were based
• your main duties or accountabilities in that role, providing detailed information on any research-related activities
• any achievements during that role that are relevant to your proposed field of research .

Other research experience

List any voluntary, unpaid, or extra-curricular research-related projects or experiences you have undertaken (e.g. summer research projects, internships etc.) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) of the experience
• the name of the organisation, the city, and country where you were based

Research outputs

In reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent output first) list your research outputs,  including for example research published or accepted for publication, research reports, and research by creative practice.

If needed, use sub-headings to separate refereed journal articles, published conference proceedings, edited book chapters, books, creative works, industry reports, invited papers, patents, media commentary, conference presentations and posters, invited talks etc. If applicable, use additional sub-headings to indicate if outputs are published , accepted for publication (but not yet in print), or (submitted but) under review .

Do not include any outputs/publications that are ‘in preparation’ .

For all research outputs, include:

• the output/publication reference using an official bibliographical style (such as Turabian/Chicago, APA, Harvard), including listing all authors in the order that they appear in the work with your name in bold
• the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), PubMed Identifier (PMID), International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or URL where applicable
• the standing of the journal or conference and the impact of the work (e.g. impact factors, citations and other metrics indicators)
• relevant indicators of national or international significance
• rejection rates for the outlet etc.
• how much of the original research you were responsible for (i.e. what was your role in the conception and design of the project and how involved were you in the analysis and interpretation of the research data on which the publication is based?)
• the extent to which you authored the paper.

Research grants and relevant awards

Include only those research grants and relevant awards that you have received at the time of making your application (i.e. do not list grants or awards that you applied for and did not receive or are awaiting a decision on). For each research grant/award, include:

• the name of the granting/awarding body and the country in which they are based
• the name of the grant/award
• the year(s) in which the grant was active or the year in which the award was made
• the amount of the research grant/award
• if relevant (e.g. for research grants), the title of your application.

Applicants from creative and professional-based disciplines may also include non-research grants and awards related to their creative or professional practice.

Research achievements relative to opportunity (optional)

In recognition of the diverse personal and professional pathways that applicants have experienced, you are invited to provide information ( maximum 200 words ) to contextualise your research outputs and achievements, relative to the opportunities that you have had to participate in research-related activities.

This section of the CV is optional and should only be included if you believe there are factors relevant to your research achievements that you would like the selection panels to know. Examples of factors include (but are not limited to):

• study/career disruptions due to illness, caregiving, natural disasters etc.
• non-linear academic or career progression, or a change in career direction
• reduced ability to take up research-related opportunities (e.g. attend conferences) due to caregiving responsibilities.

Academic referees

Please provide us with two referees who can comment on your academic work. For each referee, include their:

• honorific and name
• employing organisation and the city and country where they are located
• contact details, including office address, telephone, fax and email (preferably an institutional, rather than private, email address)
• an indication of the capacity in which you know this person (e.g. were they a lecturer or thesis supervisor, an employer, how long you’ve known them etc.). 

If possible, please include at least one:

• senior person (preferably your supervisor or the head of your organisational unit) closely associated with your current work, and
• person who is not a member of your proposed advisory panel/supervisory team.

Formatting and document specifications

We recommend that you use the below formatting settings to improve the readability of your CV:

• margins of at least 1.5 centimetres
• single line spacing
• no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font (or equivalent)
• left justify text (not full justify)
• include your name and page number on each page
• be consistent in your formatting and spelling throughout
• limit the use of bold, underline, italics, and multiple font types.

Please proofread your CV carefully before uploading it to your application.

Save as a PDF and name your file: LASTNAME_firstname_CV.pdf

There is no page limit to your academic CV – it can be as long as required to include the information requested here.

Please include in your CV all the headings listed above – if you do not have any content to add for a particular heading please list ‘None to date’ under that heading .

An academic CV for employment purposes within Australia would not include the information requested here outlining your three most significant publications or your research achievements relative to opportunity. It would, however, include information about professional and service activities undertaken and may include a summary of your relevant research/teaching interest areas and skill sets – this information is not required in the CV you submit here for application to an HDR program.

This should show all study you have undertaken since secondary school, whether complete or incomplete, including the institution grading scale. The grading scale is often found on the final page or the reverse page; be sure to include all pages.

An academic transcript can also be called an:

• academic record
• diploma supplement
• statement of learning
• record of achievement.

A degree certificate is a legal document, imprinted with a university seal. It should state the name of your qualification and areas of study.

Include all degree certificates (testamurs) for post-secondary study with your application. If you studied in China, you must provide a:

• award certificate and
• graduate statement/certificate.

All applicants have to prove they can meet English language requirements . Any test scores have to be valid at your proposed commencement date.

Include a copy of the information page (with your photo) in your passport. This will verify your identity and ensure we can make offers correctly.

Include the contact details of two referees who will support your application. These referees will need to provide insight into your research experience.

We will contact your referees for a report, but you will need to enter their details into the application form.

Other documentation, originals or certified copies, may be required depending on your individual circumstances, for example:

• evidence of change of name
• proof of citizenship, if you are not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand by birth
• evidence of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
• previous research program information .

If you don't provide us with all documents it will take us longer to process your application. Your start date might then be delayed, or you might miss an admission or scholarship deadline. 

4. Apply online

Once you have prepared your application and contacted a potential supervisor, use the online application form to apply. Your application can only be assessed once your referees have responded to us, and all outstanding documents and school/institute endorsements have been received.

Important dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ).

Candidates applying for a Student Visa or UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check  scholarship round application deadlines  and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your Confirmation of Enrolment.

Find out more about research quarter dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ). You can start a PhD in any quarter, as long as the Census Date hasn't passed.

Candidates applying for a UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your offer of admission.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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• Faculty of Medicine Researcher Development Award
• HDR student support

The intent of the Faculty of Medicine Researcher Development Award is to support our students’ research experience and professional development, through travel and attendance at conferences, skills development activities and collaborative visits, to present research and to enhance post‐doctoral employability.

PhD candidates may request funding up to $4000 throughout the period of candidature; MPhil candidates up to $2000. The award may be claimed as a single award for one activity, or as multiple smaller awards throughout candidature.

The Principal Advisor and the student share responsibility for appropriate planning and use of these funds. They can plan well ahead, claim the funds when needed and revise if plans change. Students will experience applying for and managing the use of public funds with integrity.

Upload completed forms

Eligibility and planning

• Access to the Faculty of Medicine Researcher Development Award is dependent on the recommendation and oversight of the Principal Advisor (PA), and ideally planned via annual Progress Reviews.
• Students will typically have passed their first Progress Review, although some exceptions for earlier small awards might be considered.
• Requests for use of funds after thesis submission must be clearly justified; approval for use of funds after oral examination will not typically be considered.
• HDRs in Partnering Units (QIMR Berghofer, MRI‐UQ and the UQ Poche Centre) are not eligible for this scheme and these institutes and centres provide support to their HDR students directly.  Students enrolled in Faculty of Medicine, but with shared arrangements with other UQ Faculties or Institutes may be eligible for partial support.

Eligible activities

• Registration or fees for conferences, specialised workshops, or skills development. Students are encouraged to present their work at conferences they attend or institutions they visit.
• Flights, including domestic and interational
• Accommodation
• Local transport costs, including to/from airports
• Functions such as a conference dinner or site visits; but not optional leisure activities
• Abstract submission fees
• Poster printing costs
• Visa processing costs, related to the approved travel.

Ineligible activities

• Direct project costs
• Travel for fieldwork or data collection
• Software, datasets, and data analysis
• Publication costs (article processing charges)
• Any costs associated with private travel or activities. 

How to apply

Students should complete the HDR Researcher Development Award request and HDR student EFT details forms, and ask their Principal Advisor to complete the HDR Researcher Development Award Advisor Statement . Apply and upload forms here.

Students can apply for a Faculty of Medicine Researcher Development Award at any time but should apply in advance if your plans depend on this Faculty funding.  Allow at least 4 weeks for review and payment. Once approved the student will be awarded the funds and make all arrangements directly. HDR students are not required to use UQ’s travel providers.

Revision or cancellation of plans

The Principal Advisor (PA) may approve suitable alternative development activity that meets the intention of this HDR support, under consultation with their Director HDR if unsure. If the student cannot use the funds for suitable research development, the PA must advise the Faculty so that we can retrieve the unused award from the student.

Travel approvals

Approval of Faculty of Medicine Researcher Development Award is for the award of funds only. HDR travel funded under this Award is considered UQ travel and students must seek UQ approval to travel from the Head/Director of their school or centre, prior to undertaking the travel. Please see further information and contact details within your organisational unit.

Dual Purpose travel

HDR students are not subject to UQ Staff Dual Purpose Travel policy, but the funds requested through this award should not include any costs attributable to additional private travel, accommodation, or other costs.

• For new students
• HDR student committee
• Additional Coursework Scheme for HDR students
• Intellectual property
• Statistical support
• Faculty of Medicine HDR Student Computing Support
• HDR student approval to travel

ACWEB graduate takes home Water Journal 2021 Best Thesis Award

Dr Zhiyao Wang, a postdoctoral researcher at UQ’s Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, was awarded the prize for her work on innovative nitrogen conversion to enhance wastewater and sludge management .

Dr Wang’s PhD research focused on resource recovery in wastewater treatment processes.

“Sewage contains some incredibly valuable resources – water of course, but also chemical energy embedded in the organic carbon, and it also contains large amounts of the valuable nutrients that are normally lost during treatment,” said Dr Wang.

Dr Wang’s research identified a novel ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, Candidatus. Nitrosoglobus, in wastewater treatment systems.

“My research was focused on finding a way to evolve the treatment plants into a resource recovery factory.

Based on the unique physiological features of Ca. Nitrosoglobus, we were able to develop a new acidic activated-sludge process.

This new process expands the operational pH of the 100-year-old activated-sludge technology from a neutral (~7) to an acidic range (2–6),” said Dr Wang.

“This acidic activated-sludge process opens up new opportunities to promote the on-going paradigm shift in wastewater treatment plants  from pollutant removal to resources and energy recovery.”

The new acidic activated-sludge process enables nitrogen removal via anaerobic ammonium oxidation, which does not require organic carbon and allows the organics in sewage to be captured and recovered as biomethane (the main component of natural gas).

Nutrients can then be recovered through reusing sewage sludge, a by-product of sewage treatment.

The acidic activated-sludge process reduces solids concentration, inactivates pathogens, and removes toxic metals from sludge, generating Class A biosolids which qualify for unrestricted agricultural reuse.

Water  is a  peer-reviewed , open access journal on water science and technology, including the ecology and management of water resources, and is published semimonthly online by MDPI. 

Digital dosing helps save sewers

Dead in the water – Role of relic DNA and primer choice for targeted sequencing surveys of anaerobic sewage sludge intended for biological monitoring

Director's Report December 2023

• Director's Report - December 2021
• ACWEB research wins ISME best paper

HDR placements

The Graduate School Career Development Framework facilitates industry experiences, as Placements, to allow you to experience current practice and develop networks while demonstrating and strengthening your transferable, professional and research skills.

• How to arrange a placement
• Types of placements
• List of Host Organisations with Overarching Placement Agreements in place
• Student Experiences
• Placement Scholarships and Awards

1. How to arrange a placement

To undertake a Placement you just need to be an enrolled HDR candidate at UQ, and work with the Graduate School to coordinate your placement. Your placement should

• be within an Industry, NGO or Government organisation;
• be independent of your thesis; and
• develop your transferable and professional skills.

If you are considering undertaking an HDR Placement during your candidature it is important to be proactive and plan ahead. We recommend allowing 2-3 months from when you submit your project brief to when you plan on commencing your placement. Read through the guidelines and attend a Placements Information Session, so that you understand the obligations of a Placement. Placements cannot be taken while on interruption. 

Placement Information Sessions

2024 dates (all sessions are held via zoom).

• 26 September 2024 12pm
• 17  October 2024 12pm
• 07 November 2024 12pm
• 28 November 2024 12pm

If you have attended an information session but still have questions please book an appointment to discuss your plans. 

Book an Appointment

Think about your placement

• Discuss taking a placement as part of your degree with your principal advisor, and make a plan on how to accommodate it.
• Attend a Placement Information Session
• PhD Industry Placement Scholarship  (for students commenced 2022 onwards)
• PhD Industry Placement award  (for students commenced 2022 onwards)
• Career Development Scholarship  (for students commenced prior to 2022)

Attending an information session will give you an overview of the Placement program, projects, and the approach required to secure an approved Placement.  

Once you have attended a Placement information session and have decided to pursue the option of undertaking a Placement,  contact the Graduate School  to discuss your proposed activity and the next steps and request the resources required to start your approach.

Organise your placement

• Look for an industry partner that you are interested in engaging with.  (In some cases, your principal advisor may be able to make some introductions to organisations on your behalf.)
• Check whether that partner already has an industry placement agreement in place (if not, an agreement will need to be established prior to you commencing your placement. This may take some time. The agreement is separate to the project brief).
• Have a discussion/pitch an idea to that industry partner
• Complete a project brief template (DOCX, 92.8 KB) with your industry partner

Seek approval for your placement

• Submit your project brief as an attachment with the  Principal Advisor approval for HDR placement my.UQ request .
• The Graduate School Dean approves your project brief. They will contact you if changes are required. 
• Once the brief is endorsed the Graduate School will arrange a formal HDR placement agreement with your host organisation, if one does not yet exist.
• You will be provided with a formal offer to commence your placement.
• Accept your offer and prepare to commence your placement.

Commence your placement

• Commence on the agreed start date
• Keep in touch with the Graduate School who will check in to make sure things are going smoothly.

Complete your placement

• Complete the final report for assessment, your host will also complete a confidential final report
• Your final passing grade will be recorded on your student transcript
• Booking a meeting with the HDR Careers Advisor
• Taking part in the mentoring program
• Participating in Career Development Framework workshops

Register for the 2024 UQ Visualise Your Thesis Competition Awards

UQ students and staff, join us for the 2024 UQ Visualise Your Thesis Competition Awards proudly sponsored by UQ Association of Postgraduate Students (APS), Inc. 

Event details

Join us for the Awards event:

• on Wednesday 28 August from 10 to 11:30am 
• at the Purple Stairs, Level 1, Central Library (opposite Bookmark Café).

Registrations close on Tuesday 27 August.

Register to attend (UQ login required)  

• Watch the 12 short video entries that visualise the entrants’ research projects.
• Vote for your favourite entry as Viewers' Choice Winner.
• Celebrate as the competition winner and Viewers' Choice Winner are announced.
• Enjoy refreshments after the awards. 

About Visualise Your Thesis

The Visualise Your Thesis competition was developed by the University of Melbourne. The competition has offered local and international competition rounds since 2019 and has wide international reach.

Entrants have created an eye-catching, 60-second audio-visual representation of their research project and its potential benefits to a non-specialist audience.  

Judging panel

Entries are judged on their visual impact and how well the content presents the research. The panel includes:

• Professor Kris Ryan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
• Professor Pierre Benckendorff, Deputy Dean, UQ Graduate School
• Dr Amberyn Thomas, Director, Research Environment, oPVCR
• Dr James Lewandowski Cox, UQ Copyright Officer, UQ Library
• Mr Jeff Cruz, Director, Library Student Experience, UQ Library
• Mr Richard Lee, President, Association of Postgraduate Students Inc.

Winners and prize money

The competition winners will receive prize money generously provided by APS of:

• 2024 Winner:  A$1000
• Viewers' Choice Winner:  $500.

The winner of the UQ competition will automatically be entered into the 2024 international competition round. UQ first participated in the competition in 2022.

Read more about the Visualise Your Thesis competition .

About the APS

The UQ Association of Postgraduate Students encourages postgraduate student community and wellbeing at UQ. 

Visit the APS website to:

• discover their services and events
• buy fun merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, graduation plushies, and socks.

Thank you to APS for their generous support of the UQ Visualise Your Thesis competition.

Related news

• Visualise Your Thesis competition 2024
• Winners of the Visualise Your Thesis competition for 2023
• Psychological Research Methods Workbook: A new open textbook
• Discover the UQ students' voice collection

• Research Awards
• Staff awards

If you have any questions about the nomination process, please contact  [email protected] .

Consumer and Community Involvement in Research Award (CCI)

Early career research excellence (ecre), research mentorship, research partnerships and translation award, higher degree research - supervision, higher degree research - excellence in graduate research leadership, higher degree research - excellence in promoting industry engagement in graduate research.

The Consumer and Community Involvement in Research Award recognises outstanding partnerships between HaBS researchers and people with lived experience, in the research process.

The award will recognise a team, inclusive of HaBS researchers, professional staff and consumers/community members, who exemplify the potential of consumer and community involvement to maximise the impact of research. Together, the team will have created an inclusive environment in which an authentic partnership is flourishing.

Either self-nominations or other nominations will be considered.

View the award criteria (PDF, 47.4 KB)

The Early Career Research Excellence Award recognises an outstanding research contribution made by a researcher from HaBS who was awarded their PhD within the last eight years. Taking into account that the applicant is early in their career, the award recipient will have made a contribution in their field of research. 

This award is self-nominated.

View the award criteria (PDF, 46.3 KB)    

The Research Mentorship Award recognises the ability of a researcher from HaBS to serve as a role model, and create a research environment that is aspirational, generative of opportunities for students’ and junior colleagues’ future research career development, and reflects and supports the values of UQ. 

An individual may be nominated by one or more staff members or Higher Degree Research students (nominator/s) for a HaBS Research Mentorship Award.

Self-nominations are not eligible. 

View the award criteria (PDF, 88 KB)

The Research Partnerships and Translation Award recognises outstanding models of high-impact collaborative research partnerships and the efforts of HaBS researchers who through industry engagement and research collaboration have achieved excellent outcomes and national and international research impact.

This award is self-nominated. Applications from individuals or teams will be considered.

The award recipient(s) will have demonstrated delivery of either:

• Outstanding partner experiences and outcomes; or
• Excellence in translational research partnership activities; or
• Outstanding indigenous-led research and innovation partnerships that had a positive impact on indigenous peoples and communities.

View the award criteria (PDF, 66.7 KB)    

The Higher Degree Research Supervision Award recognises outstanding levels of performance in the supervision, mentoring, and training of Higher Degree Research (HDR) candidates by a supervisor from HaBS. This award forms a pipeline to the UQ Awards for Excellence in Higher Degree by Research Supervision.

View the award criteria (PDF, 87.5 KB)    

The Excellence in Graduate Research Leadership Award recognises outstanding leadership in supporting and developing HDR candidates and supervisors. This award forms a pipeline to the UQ Awards for Excellence in Graduate Research Leadership.

This award is self-nominated . Applications from individuals or teams will be considered.

View the award criteria (PDF, 47.1 KB)    

The Excellence in Promoting Industry Engagement in Graduate Research Award recognises outstanding promotion of industry engagement to HDR candidates. This award forms a pipeline to the UQ Awards for Excellence in Promoting Industry Engagement in Graduate Research.

This award is self-nominated.  Applications from individuals or teams will be considered.

View the award criteria (PDF, 47 KB)    

• Academic Leadership and Engagement Awards
• Professional Awards
• Teaching and Learning Awards
• Reconciliation Awards
• Information for nominees

Important dates

28 September 2023:  Awards nominations open

23 October 2023:  Awards nominations close

Thursday 23 November:  Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Staff Awards – winners announced

BASES Undergraduate Dissertation of the Year Award - deadline 30 Sept

3rd September 2024

We are now accepting applications for the award below.

Number Offered: 1 each year Target BASES Membership Categories: Student and Graduate Application Closing Date: 30 September Apply for this award: Click here to download the application form Results Available: Within 10 weeks of the application closing date Previous winners: Click here

Aim of the award

This award is given annually for an outstanding undergraduate sport and/or exercise sciences dissertation made by a BASES member who is a final year undergraduate. The prize is an expenses paid free communications presentation at the BASES Annual Student Conference. Expenses of up to £200 (to cover 1-day delegate fee and travel expenses) on proof of receipts will be awarded.

Award criteria

• The applicant must be a member of BASES.
• The applicant must be an undergraduate that graduates in this calendar year (1 January to 31 December) completing a sport and/or exercise sciences related dissertation.
• The submitted work must include analysis of primary or secondary date and cannot simply be a review of existing literature.
• Only one submission per department is permissible.
• Applications will be reviewed and judged on scientific merit, methodological rigour and standard of presentation.
• Applications not adhering to the award criteria will not be marked.
• The decision is final in all cases and no correspondence will be entered into.
• These awards will not be made in the absence of submissions of sufficient merit.
• The applicant’s project supervisor must submit 1 electronic copy of the completed application form to  [email protected], by the closing date with the following statement: I certify that the applicant meets the award criteria and this application is supported by the Head of Department and me.
• Attached to this e-mail should be a file containing the applicant’s name and a condensed version of the dissertation (Up to 1,500 words maximum for quantitative and 2,000 words maximum qualitative research reports and 1,500 words for mixed methods). Both word limits exclude the reference list at the end of the dissertation but include all other words in the document. No abstract is necessary. Submissions should be typed in Journal of Sports Sciences format.
• Each free communications presentation at the BASES Annual Student Conference will normally be limited to 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes of questions.

Latest news

Bases welcomes new division chairs.

5th September 2024

TSES now live for Autumn 2024 edition

About bases.

BASES stands for the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. BASES is the professional body for sport and exercise sciences in the UK.

• Become a member
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• Rooms G07 and G08 Fairfax Hall, Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus. Headingley, Leeds LS6 3QT
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• [email protected]

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Marien Raat wins Vliegenthart Thesis Award 2023

Marien Raat wins the 2023 Vliegenthart Thesis Award with his master's thesis. He wrote his combined master's thesis called Computation in Nested Closed Timelike Curves for the History and Philosophy of Science and Computing Science master's programs.

Computation in Nested Closed Timelike Curves

Described as a genius in his field, Marien's thesis addresses the problem Turing once described: The computational power of computers is finite and stops at the halfway point. A problem so hard to compute that computers simply have no capacity left for it, let alone for even more complex problems. However, Marien argues that with current knowledge, including quantum mechanics and time loops, it may still be possible to expand the computing power of computers and have them compute more difficult - previously unsolvable - problems, thus proving Turing wrong. To do this, you need well-placed time loops that free up space in the computer at exactly the right time. The thesis is described as precise, incisive and clear, as is the lecture summary that makes it possible for almost anyone to understand the basis of his thesis, and touches on a problem that has been cracking brains for some time: can we break through the apparent limits of computational power that currently grips computers?

Jury Verdict

All master's theses in the field of Natural Sciences that competed for the Vliegenthart thesis prize this year were judged by the jury to be excellent and outstanding. Marien Raat's research, with which he graduated cum laude and, according to his thesis supervisors, produced a brilliant piece of work, stands out for two specific reasons.

First, for his research, Marien identified a gap in the argumentation of a previously published article and sought contact with the authors to discuss how this gap could be bridged. Second, the thesis addresses a very fundamental problem and offers a fresh perspective on the topic from different perspectives of physics, computer science and philosophy.

Through this approach and elaboration, Marien demonstrates two skills vital to a healthy and forward-looking research culture: initiating open and critical discussion of the limitations of our work and that of others, and creating familiar spaces to explore intersections of different disciplines in order to work on difficult fundamental problems for which immediate application is not obvious. An admirable achievement for such a young researcher for which the jury warmly congratulates him.

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