The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master’s by Research (MRes) are the highest tertiary qualification in Australia, Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Levels 9 and 10.
Candidates are expected to carry out their research with some autonomy and to demonstrate an original and critical research project, resulting in a thesis which makes a significant contribution to existing knowledge in their field of research both nationally and internationally.
Candidates will be mentored by a specialist academic supervisory team throughout their studies.
Entry requirements
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
To be eligible for entry to a PhD you should have completed either:
- a Bachelor Honours degree with first class or second class honours division A
- a Masters qualification which contains a substantial research component.
Please note research experience in the form of publications or creative outputs may be used to increase an honours score or honours equivalency—contact the HDR Team for further guidance.
Masters by Research (MRes)
To be eligible for entry to a MRes you should have completed either:
- a Bachelor Honours degree with first class or second class honours
- a Masters by Coursework or Extended Masters which contains a substantial research component.
Please note research experience in the form of publications or creative outputs may be used to increase an honours score or honours equivalency—contact the HDR Team for further guidance.
Start your research journey
How to apply
1. Check your eligibility
We welcome an application from prospective students. To enable your successful completion, the University assesses academic qualifications, research experience and areas of interest.
To discuss your application to Charles Darwin University's higher degree programme, please contact Professor Tara Brabazon (tara.brabazon@cdu.edu.au) to explore your interests and goals.
2. Find an available project and identify potential supervisors
Finding an appropriate supervisor is the key moment in summoning a successful PhD candidature. CDU ensures that students are supported by a Principal Supervisor and a panel of experts, including, where relevant, industry professionals spanning from civil engineering through to GLAMS (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). After talking with the Dean of Graduate Studies, Tara Brabazon (tara.brabazon@cdu.edu.au) please contact a prospective supervisor.
Browse potential supervisors and project options below:
Available Research Projects
Research Opportunities with the Faculty of Health
3. Identify financial support for your research degrees
Financial support for research degrees, including scholarships for living expenses (often called a stipend) and a tuition fee offset, enables you to focus full-time on your research project.
CDU offers a number of different competitive scholarship schemes for domestic research students. To find out more about these scholarships, or to apply for a research scholarship, please visit the CDU Research Scholarship page
For external scholarship opportunities, please visit the Scholarship Finder page.
You can also contact our Scholarships team for enquiries regarding CDU external scholarships.
4. Fill out and submit your application
Fill out and submit the online HDR Candidature and scholarship application.
Fill out the Domestic HDR Candidature and Scholarship Application