Are you ready to embark on a research project? A Master of Philosophy (Health Sciences) at The University of Notre Dame Australia is a research degree that combines coursework in research training with writing a major research thesis. Students from other disciplines can undertake a Master of Philosophy in Health Sciences, but additional coursework may be required to support the study process. Contact us today to discuss your options.

Why study this degree?

The Master of Philosophy (Health Sciences) is a postgraduate research degree comprising both coursework and a substantial research component culminating in submitting a thesis or equivalent for independent examination. Each candidate must have a minimum of two supervisors who will support and provide academic guidance throughout the degree. Supervisors will help candidates prepare their research proposal and continue to mentor and direct their work until the thesis is submitted for examination.

Candidates can undertake the program in either a full-time or a part-time capacity. The standard time for completion (not including periods of approved leave of absence) will generally be one and a half years for a full-time student and three years for a part-time student. The minimum time for completion will generally be one year and is usually only applicable to students with prior research experience or qualifications.

The coursework component comprises four compulsory research training courses to be completed as a prerequisite to the student's individual research project. The coursework courses will provide opportunities for candidates to formulate substantial elements of their planned research (e.g. topic refinement, identification and justification of the preferred research method(s), preparation of a draft proposal) and to develop personal competencies in critical analysis and scholarly writing relevant to their profession.

The completion of the coursework is facilitated by a course delivery schedule which takes into consideration that candidates may be in full-time employment during their candidature. A Credit average must be achieved in the coursework as a prerequisite for proceeding to the research component. Within some Schools, a compulsory sequence of courses exists. The structure of the degree in these cases is as follows:

Coursework component (1/3 of degree; 0.5 year full-time study)

• Quantitative Research Methods
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Scholarly Reading and Writing
• Developing a Research Proposal

Research component (2/3 of degree; one year full-time study)

Full details of the program requirements are contained in the Program Requirements.

More information regarding courses can be found at the course descriptions page.

Master of Philosophy (Health Sciences) graduates may pursue careers in industry, academia and research organisations. Fields include journalism and media, Government and public administration, computing, law, education and research.

The following criteria are required for a student to be admitted to the Master of Philosophy program: Possession of an undergraduate degree from a recognised university An equivalent academi

IELTS (Academic) - 7.0 overall, with no score lower than 7.0 in writing and no other individual band score lower than 6.5

CAE/CPE - 185 overall, with no score lower than 185 in writing and no other band score lower than 176

PTE Academic - 68 overall, with no score lower than 68 in writing and no other band score lower than 58

TOEFL (iBT) - 94 overall, with no score lower than 27 in writing and no other individual band score lower than 20.