Stage 1 - Application and entry requirements

 

Entry requirements

Doctor of Philosophy or PhD or IF49

The entry requirements for a PhD are:

  • an honours degree relevant to the discipline you are applying for, at either Class 1 or 2A (Upper Second), incorporating a thesis of approximately 15,000 - 20,000 words or
  • the QUT Graduate Diploma in Business (Research) or BS69, if you completed it with a grade point average of 5.5 or higher on a 7-point scale. This is a full fee-paying PhD qualifying course that forms the first year of a four-year PhD package or
  • a Research Master's degree. Successful completion of the Master of Business (Research) or BS92 or
  • an advanced coursework master's degree, or a professional doctorate that contains a significant research thesis (normally no less than 25% of the total program), with a program grade point average of at least 5.0 on a 7-point scale (where 7 equals a High Distinction or approximately 90%).

The thesis must be 15,000 - 20,000 words long and contain empirical work similar to that completed in an honours thesis, i.e.

  • a study designed
  • a research question or questions tested
  • data collected and analysed
  • the entire study written up.

At QUT, a Business honours thesis is worth 48 credit points or one full-time semester. Consequently, a 48-credit-point thesis in an advanced QUT master's coursework program may provide direct entry to the PhD if:

  • it contains empirical work similar to an honours thesis
  • obtains a grade of 6 or 7 in the thesis and a high grade point average in the master's coursework program overall
  • the thesis is an additional 48 credit points to coursework program requirements.

If you want to undertake this thesis with a view to gaining access to the PhD, then you should discuss it with your proposed master's thesis supervisor before starting the thesis, or

  • some other level of research experience deemed acceptable to QUTBS and approved by the QUT Research Degrees Committee - for example, published articles in refereed academic journals.

Master of Business (Research) or MBus(Research) or BS92

The entry requirements for a Master of Business (Research) are:

  • an honours degree, Class 2B (Lower Second) or higher, relevant to the applied-for discipline and incorporating a thesis of approximately 15,000 - 20,000 words or
  • a pass degree, where the undergraduate degree includes a major in an area relevant to the applied-for discipline and a grade point average of 5.5 or more on a 7-point scale.

English language requirement

If you're an international student you must also meet English language proficiency levels:

  • IELTS: overall band score of 6.5 with no sub-band below 6.0 or
  • TOEFL: 575 (paper-based) or 230 (computerised), if TOEFL is permitted by your visa requirements.
If haven't yet met this requirement, consider our English language programs.

English language programs

Further requirements

For all degrees, in addition to assessing qualifications, adequate supervision and resources must be available to support your proposed research. All applications must include details of the proposed research project enabling alignment of the research project with a potential supervisor. Without a research proposal, it is not possible to progress an application.

Finding a supervisor

If you wish, you can source a supervisor before submitting an application through the QUT Business School staff profiles.You can examine the research expertise and then correspond with potential supervisors if they're willing to engage with you. If you haven't found a supervisor, or don't want to search for a supervisor, it is quite acceptable to submit an application without listing any supervisor. Assuming you meet entry criteria, QUTBS will attempt to match your research project to an academic staff member.

School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

The School of AMPR does require applicants to nominate a potential supervisor or supervisors. You must ensure that there is a genuine fit by reading the work of the potential supervisor before launching an application. It would be helpful if you could outline how your research proposal aligns with the potential supervisor's research.

Program durations and thesis lengths

We expect:

  • PhD candidates to complete their programs within three years (full-time equivalent)
  • MBus(Research) to complete their programs within 18 months or three semesters (full-time equivalent).

The PhD and the MBus(Research) contain coursework components (usually taken in the first semester of study or in the early stages of the program) in addition to the thesis through which the degree is awarded.

A PhD thesis requires 80,000 - 100,000 written words, and an MBus(Research) thesis requires 40,000 - 60,000 written words.

Coursework

Both degrees are awarded by research thesis, although it is normal for coursework to be undertaken at or near the commencement of study for the purpose of preparing you for thesis work. The coursework is completed at the Gardens Point campus. The subjects are not presently suitable for external study.

If you have previously completed more or less identical subjects of similar weighting, you can make a case for 'advanced standing' or credit (although this is somewhat rare).

You must:

  • make a cases for advanced standing in the appropriate panel of the application form.
  • include detailed and easily read course outlines of the previous subjects that you've complete.

Any advanced standing that is granted will reduce the duration of candidature - i.e. the thesis will need to be submitted before the program durations listed above.

The prescribed subjects normally include a methods suite:

The disciplines of Economics/Finance and Accountancy often prescribe subjects outside this suite, which are individually tailored during the application process.

Business School courses

External enrolments

Although (domestic) external or long-distance enrolments are technically possible at QUT, it does not work well in QUTBS. This is because coursework is mandatory at an early stage of the program. Most students are prescribed coursework, except perhaps those who have come from a QUT honours or research master's degree and have already completed a full complement of research methods subjects.

Submitting an application

Domestic application procedure

A domestic applicant is:

  • an Australian citizen
  • a New Zealand citizen
  • an Australian permanent resident.

For admission to the Master of Business (Research) or the Doctor of Philosophy:

  • visit the submit your application to QUT page
  • complete the PR application form
  • submit it to the Research Students Centre online or by posting it to the address on the top of the form.

You must:

  • use the checklist to ensure you include all the documents requested
  • use certified copies of the documents you provide
  • make certain your research proposal addresses the form's requirements.

It is very helpful if you provide an academic curriculum vitae.

International application procedure

If you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or an Australian permanent resident, you are not an international applicant.

For admission to the Master of Business (Research) or the Doctor of Philosophy:

For enquiries regarding the form (and its requirements), see the contact details listed towards the top of the form.

Don't submit applications to the Research Support Office.

You must:

  • use the checklist to ensure you include all the documents requested
  • use certified copies of the documents you provide
  • make sure your research proposal addresses the form's requirements.

It is very helpful if you provide an academic curriculum vitae.

PhD and research degree applications

Contacts

QUT Business School - Research Support Office

  • Level 7, Z Block, Room Z704
    Gardens Point
    2 George St
    Brisbane QLD 4000
  • Postal address:
    Research Support Office - QUT Business School
    2 George St
    Brisbane QLD 4001