Why QUT
Develop
Build your high level research and analytical skills and make a significant and original contribution to new knowledge in your chosen field, or make a significant and original adaptation, application, and interpretation of existing knowledge.
Access
Apply yourself in a supervised program of research and investigation with access to high-calibre facilities and resources and present your research findings after completion of your thesis.
Participate
As part of the research community, participate in university scholarly activities such as seminars, workshops, and teaching, and be encouraged to publish as part of a strong and flourishing research culture.
Recognition
Opportunity to graduate with an internationally recognised degree and follow an academic career in both teaching and research or advance your professional career prospects outside academia.
Our strengths, study areas and projects
We prioritise areas of research identified as significant for the world, the nation, and the state.
Our research seeks to address national and global cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges. In each of these areas we're continuing to build on the strength and experience of our experts.
Funding your research degree
If you're an outstanding graduate and aspiring researcher, you may be eligible to apply for a scholarship in our annual scholarship round.
You can also apply for other research scholarships to help you with study and living costs.
You may also be eligible for the Equity Scholarships Scheme if you are struggling financially.
If you're an Australian citizen or permanent visa holder, or a New Zealand citizen, you may also be eligible for Centrelink payments.
Applying for a research scholarship
Browse our research scholarships
What to expect
Impact
Our PhD program offers the opportunity to work with an experienced supervisory research team to make a significant and original contribution to new knowledge, or to make a significant and original adaptation, application, and interpretation of existing knowledge, in your chosen field.
Challenge
The program challenges students to become independent researchers who develop new ideas, new theories, methodologies and models or new ways of approaching existing problems. Therefore, the research must reveal high critical ability and powers of imagination and synthesis and as such may shape the future of the profession or discipline.
Collaboration
We adopt a project management approach in our PhD program where students work closely with their supervisory team to meet collegially reviewed milestones leading to timely submission of a thesis for examination. This approach contributes to QUT’s timely completions and low attrition rates. The length of the thesis varies according to the topic, but should normally be no longer than 100,000 words, excluding bibliography.
Direction
During candidature the supervisory team and other key stakeholders also provide advice and direction to encourage participation in university scholarly activities such as research seminars, teaching, and publication. These activities enable students to develop wider knowledge and high level generic skills including transferable skills for careers outside academia.
PhD graduates are considered to be highly employable in a wide range of occupations within academia, including academic and research roles.
Employers outside academia recognise the wider knowledge and skills HDR graduates possess, in particular transferable skills – including research, analytical, and quantitative skills, outstanding verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and the ability to solve intricate business problems.
Career development
Our Graduate Research Education and Development team offer a wide range of career development workshops to help you obtain your dream job including workshops to help you:
- identify professional, transferable, and personal skills
- understand the complex job market
- utilise your networks to leverage opportunities in and outside academia.
Find your career
Business and law careers
Creative industries, education and social justice careers
Engineering careers
Health careers
Science careers
Find a supervisor and research topic
We recommend you discuss your research interests with your proposed supervisor early in the application process. You can search for a supervisor using our experts database.
As part of your application, you must propose a research topic and develop a research proposal. You can search our student topics database for available research projects or propose your own research topic. You may ask a supervisor to help you identify or refine a research topic.
Study your PhD with us
Study your PhD full time as either an internal student on-campus or an external student in a workplace away from QUT, either domestically or overseas.
Part time study is subject to QUT approval and not available to international students.
Is a PhD right for me?
We understand that doing a PhD may be a sizeable commitment and circumstances change, that's why we offer the flexibility to transition from your PhD into a Master of Philosophy. You can decide at any time in candidature, in consultation with your supervisory team.
Contact us
If you have questions about the best options for you, the application process, your research topic, finding a supervisor or anything else, get in touch with us today.