How to get your Masters or PhD in IT at Monash - Starting Out

Choose Masters or PhD

So you think you want to undertake a Higher Degree by Research (HDR)?

Before you make a commitment:

• Make sure you have the appropriate background to undertake a research program. See Research pathways for a summary of the background you’ll need.
• Choose the program that best suits your interests and timeline from the Faculty of Information Technology Research degrees.
• Check that you meet the entry requirements.
• Make sure you are aware of the fees that apply.
• Note that PhDs, while supervised by the Faculty of Information Technology, are administered by the Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS). See the PhD Handbook (MRGS page) for details of the PhD program.
• See what past students have said about doing a research degree. Review Snapshots from the research journey for experiences from a range of student backgrounds.

Decide on your research interests 

To apply for a research degree you will need to know what your research is to be about.
You will need to have:

• A suitable supervisor – explore the Research areas of the Faculty to identify people you could approach.
• A suitable topic – explore the Research strengths of the Faculty to identify areas you could work in, then talk with potential supervisors to fine tune the area you are interested in.
• Checked that appropriate resources are available, including:
  • Central computing resources (Monash ITS page)
  • Library facilities (Monash Library page)
  • Help with the research process, such as the excellent Learning support for HDR students provided by Monash Language and Learning Services.

Write a draft proposal

To get you started and show you are ready to begin, you will need to write a draft proposal to submit along with your application. This is not your final proposal, but an outline to show your interests and your knowledge of the area. Please look here for more information.

Want a scholarship?

You’ll need to have enough funds to support yourself while you do your research. A number of scholarships are available on a competitive basis.

• Monash university offers research scholarships (MRGS page).
• Check the dates for scholarship applications.
• You can apply online for scholarships.  

Apply for admission

Once you have done your preparation, including finding a supervisor who is willing to support you with your topic, you should:

• Apply for admission to your choice of research degree. Note that you need to include your research proposal with your application as well as evidence of your suitable background.

Enrol

Once you receive your offer letter, you can enrol and start your research program in earnest.

Next steps

See Confirmation phase for the next steps you need to carry out prior to confirming your candidature.

Do you have suggestions for improvements to this page? Let us know by email to: Jack Sotiriou