Unit HDRLO9943 - PhD Research Project P/T Lo 43 | Federation University Handbook

Unit description

This unit forms part of the Doctor of Philosophy, providing a structured yet flexible framework for research candidates to cultivate expertise while systematically advancing through key academic milestones. Candidates undertake rigorous inquiry, producing research outcomes that extends disciplinary boundaries while situating their contributions within a broader intellectual and emerging scholarly context. Throughout the unit, candidates receive mentorship and expert academic guidance from a supervisory panel, ensuring their work exemplifies research rigor, ethical integrity, and aligns with candidature milestone requirements. This oversight helps to refine both theoretical constructs and practical applications, while developing the highest standards of independent academic inquiry and enhancing autonomy. Supervisor guidance facilitates progress across important domains of researcher development, in conjunction with skills development provided by the Graduate Research School. Successful completion of the unit culminates in a substantive independent research project demonstrated through the submission and examination of a thesis, or creative works accompanied by an exegesis. The final scholarly output reflects an advanced and integrated comprehension of a complex body of knowledge, demonstrating the candidate’s aptitude for critical analysis, intellectual synthesis, and original contribution to their field. Graduates emerge as independent researchers, equipped to exercise authoritative judgment in their field of endeavour, and well-positioned for academic or professional research careers, and other high-order intellectually demanding positions.

Unit content

Topics may include a combination of the following, depending on the discipline, and stage of candidature: <ul> <li>The conduct of ethical research.</li> <li>Becoming a responsible and independent researcher.</li> <li>Completion of relevant components of the Skills Development Program delivered by the Graduate Research School.</li> <li>Researcher integrity, accountability & autonomy, including data and information management.</li> <li>Synthesis and/or a critical review of the relevant literature that provides a basis for research questions.</li> <li>Development of a sound research methodology that is theoretically consistent with the research questions and relevant to the discipline.</li> <li>Preparation for the Confirmation of Candidature.</li> <li>Analysis and interpretation of research results, and the synthesis and drawing of conclusions.</li> <li>Developing and maintaining collaborative professional relationships with supervisors, collaborators and experts.</li> <li>Submission of relevant progress reports.</li> <li>Preparation, display or delivery of seminars, presentations or exhibitions, to a range of audience types and end users.</li> <li>Developing high level academic written expression of a standard that would be publishable in a reputable academic journal or comparable publication relevant to the discipline.</li> <li>Preparation of a substantive and high-quality thesis, or equivalent creative works with exegesis, including the incorporation of appropriate adjustments and refinements in relation to supervisor feedback and critical self-reflection.</li> <li>Submission a completed thesis, or creative works with exegesis, for examination.</li> </ul>

Institute / school:

Graduate Research School

Discipline:

Graduate Research School

Study level:

Postgraduate - Research

Credit points:

EFTSL:

0.125

Field of education:

Grade scheme:

Ungraded (e.g. S-Satisfactory, UN-Unsatisfactory)

Fee information:

Prerequisite

Corequisite

Exclusion

Learning outcomes

Ref	Outcome
K1
K2
K3
S1
S2
S3
S4
A1
A2
A3
A4

Supplementary assessment available:

FedTASK

Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FedTASKs (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key, transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and co-operative learning opportunities.

FedTASK	Description of FedTASK outcome
	Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams.
	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations.
	Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning.
	Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities.
	Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life

Institute / school:

Graduate Research School

Discipline:

Graduate Research School

Study level:

Postgraduate - Research

Credit points:

EFTSL:

0.125

Field of education:

Grade scheme:

Ungraded (e.g. S-Satisfactory, UN-Unsatisfactory)

Fee information:

Add Info Static Text

Internal reference: HDRLO9943 - U1.1

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FedTASK

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HDRLO9943 - PhD Research Project P/T Lo 43

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HDRLO9943 - PhD Research Project P/T Lo 43

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Catalogue Term and Year

RDS Holder

Parent Region

Overview

Key information

Requisites

Learning outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Assessment

Learning Tasks and Assessment

FedTASK

Key information

Additional information

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Traditional Custodians

Main Footer

Section 1

Section 3