Types of research degrees

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• Master's Degree by Research

  As a Master’s Degree by Research student, you’ll produce an original piece of research and develop a wealth of skills relevant to both industry and academic career paths.

  The research you conduct will be closely supervised and might even be part of a bigger project led by your supervisor. It is shorter than a PhD and focuses on deepening your existing expertise and interests in a specific discipline area. 

  You may be interested in a Master’s Degree by Research if you are looking to:

  • specialise further in your existing field
  • learn high-level research skills with close supervision, or
  • take the first step towards an academic career.

  Standard duration: 2 years (full-time) or 4 years (part-time)

  After graduation: You’ll hold a master’s degree and have the option to further specialise with a PhD.

  Open to: All domestic and international students. Eligibility requirements →

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

  We offer one PhD that can be tailored to your interests in different ways. You'll shape a research program working alongside leading academic and industry experts to achieve your ambition – whether it's to build a business, shape global policy or contribute to new knowledge. A panel of academic supervisors will guide you to produce an original thesis that makes a significant contribution to your chosen field. Unlike a Master’s Degree by Research, your PhD supervisors may not be as closely involved, giving you the space to think independently and develop expert knowledge on your topic. Your research might be based on a research question you’ve developed yourself, or with your future supervisor. Or, you might join an existing project or research team. You may be interested in a PhD if you’re: ready to tackle a problem you’ve faced in your industry or life want to create social, economic, environmental, or entrepreneurial impact looking to accelerate your professional career, or interested in pursuing an academic career. Standard duration: 4 years (full-time) or 8 years (part-time) After graduation: You’ll hold an internationally recognised Doctorate in Philosophy and can use the title Doctor. Open to: All domestic and international students. Eligibility requirements → Explore the UTS PhD suite and tailor your degree "Doing a PhD gives you time and space to explore alternate ways of thinking, knowing, and ultimately being in the world. It’s an absolute privilege." - Claire Marshall, PhD student

• Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program

  Study your PhD with the benefit of two universities and joint academic supervisors in the Collaborative Doctoral Research Degree Program.  During this program, you’ll undertake your PhD research between UTS and one of our international partner universities and produce an original thesis. You may be interested in this program if you’re: tackling a global problem studying a problem that is localised to an area outside of Australia, or looking to build international partnerships. Standard duration: 4 years (full-time) if your home institution is UTS, or the standard length of a PhD at your home institution if you're based elsewhere After graduation: You’ll hold an internationally recognised Doctorate in Philosophy from UTS and the partner university and can use the title Doctor. Open to:  current or future PhD students whose home university is UTS international students whose home university is one of UTS's international partner universities Eligibility requirements → Learn more about the Collaborative Doctoral Degree Program

• Doctor of Philosophy (by international distance mode)

  Take advantage of UTS's world-class research training from outside of Australia.  As a PhD by distance student, you'll work closely with a panel of academic supervisors from UTS, and have access to UTS’s student benefits, research, and industry collaborations. You may be interested in this offering if you: are not interested in moving to Australia, but want access to UTS’s exceptional research training want to gain international experience without leaving your home want the flexibility to conduct your research from anywhere in the world, or are tackling a problem localised to an area outside of Australia. Standard duration: 4 years (full-time) or 8 years (part-time) After graduation: You’ll hold an internationally recognised Doctorate in Philosophy and can use the title Doctor. Open to: All international students only. Eligibility requirements → Learn more about the PhD by Distance Mode

• Visiting research student program

  Visit Australia and UTS as a visiting research student to study with academic experts in world-class facilities. 

  You may be interested in this program if you:

  • want to add an international edge to your degree, or
  • are looking to collaborate with an academic or research team based at UTS.

  After graduation: You can use the networks that you gained while at UTS to collaborate on research or find a job. This program will not grant you a degree from UTS.

  Open to: International students currently enrolled at a university other than UTS in a:

  • PhD
  • Master’s Degree by Research, or
  • Master’s Degree by Coursework with a minimum 60 per cent research component.

  Next steps: 

  • Use the find a supervisor tool to find and contact a supervisor in your area of research interest.
  • Once they agree to supervise you, your supervisor should contact the UTS Human Resource Unit to organise an invitation letter for you to visit UTS.
  • You may need this invitation letter to arrange your visa your visiting research period.