Doctor of Philosophy, Crawford School of Public Policy

Length 4 year full-time
Minimum 192 Units

Academic plan 9540XPHD
CRICOS code 048357G

Program Requirements

Economics

Students studying a PhD program in Economics undertake a program of full-time study that comprises two parts: Coursework (Part A) and Research (Part B). All PhD candidates must complete both parts of the doctoral program. Part A normally consists of two consecutive semesters of coursework. Part B consists of research, participation in seminars and workshops, and submission of a thesis.

Study consists of three to four years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

Policy and Governance

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the submission and successful examination of a thesis of up to 100,000 words (a book length work would usually be 70,000-90,000 words), exceeding the maximum word count should seek special permission.

If the thesis is by publications, the thesis should be consist of single authored four published papers in good journals, or received acceptance letters of the four papers from good journals. These should be journals that are considered to be good quality in the relevant topic and disciplines. The supervisors should work together with the students to set a list of good journals for the students to aim for. The journals should be indicated in the students' annual report and be approved by the supervisory panel and delegated authority. The submitted thesis should still be bound together with an introduction chapter, a literature review chapter and conclusion. The students need to show the logical connections between the different chapters and demonstrate that the published papers are well integrated into one research. It is important that the four papers should not repeat each other.

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the completion of two units of coursework, which must consist of:

POGO8196 Research Design (12 units, Semester 1, offered by Crawford School of Public Policy)
POLS8004 Postgraduate Training in Politics and Policy: Research Methods (6 units, Semester 2, offered by the School of Politics and International Relations).

These courses are different from the Masters level research design courses available at the ANU as important guidance on PhD training and thesis writing will also be covered. These courses are specific to the degree and program. Students who have taken Master’s level research method courses would not be exempt from these courses unless the student has a proven record of academic publication or extensive research experience.

The Policy and Governance Program conducts a PhD candidate reading group on selected themes on public policy and governance. All students are expected to participate and contribute to the reading group.

If a student’s background is inadequate and needs more detailed and basic research methods training, they may be asked to take or audit:

POGO8096: Research methods (this is a Master’s level course)

A student may also be asked to undertake additional courses if the supervisor considers it necessary to aid the successful completion of their dissertation. The following is a list of Master degree courses available at Crawford School of Public Policy which are possible additional courses.

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the submission and successful examination of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. The thesis can be shorter and organised as a series of papers. An option for PhD through publication is under development.

Study consists of two to four years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

Coursework requirements are being developed. Indicatively the following coursework requirements will apply for newly enrolled students, with the research proposal/project subjects to aid in preparation of the PhD research proposal:

EMDV 8102 Research Methods
EMDV 8008 Research Proposal
EMDV 8066 Research Project

A student may also undertake additional courses that benefit their research, and may be asked by their supervisor to undertake additional courses to aid the successful completion of their dissertation.

Admission Requirements

Economics

To be admitted to the Economics PhD program you are required to have the equivalent of an H2A degree in economics (not business or accounting) from an Australian Go8 university. A degree at the same level with honours in mathematics or statistics is considered equivalent, provided the candidate has an undergraduate major in economics with at least a distinction in a third-year economics course.

Candidates are required to have a background in mathematical economics at least at the level of the course ECON6015 Optimization Techniques for Economists or IDEC8015 Mathematical Methods in Applied Economics. For those students who do not have this background, the Research School of Economics in the College of Business and Economics offers a summer course called Mathematical Techniques for Advanced Economic Analysis. The examination from this summer course (which occurs just before the academic year starts) will be used as a mathematical economics entry test.

It is also assumed that candidates have a background in basic econometrics at least at the level of IDEC8017 Econometric Techniques or EMET8005. Candidates who do not satisfy this requirement may be permitted to satisfy it while enrolled in Part A, but the course will not be counted towards the Part A coursework requirement.

Policy and Governance

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program you will be required to have

A BA with First Class Honours with at least three years’ work experience in a research environment and with a proven academic publication record as a first author. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.
A Master’s Degree in social science or related fields of social studies. The applicant should have received an average of 75 at ANU or equivalent results from other universities

You may be granted admission if you can demonstrate that you have a background equivalent to these qualifications.

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program you will be required to have completed at least a four-year Australian degree or equivalent with a result of at least H2A. You may be granted admission if you can demonstrate that you have a background equivalent to these qualifications. All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

If you are interested and meet the requirements, you should identify potential supervisors among the faculty, and contact the RE&D PhD Convener or the potential supervisor with an outline of the proposed research and a CV.

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

If you think you qualify, check out our guidance on how to apply.

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

Domestic students

Domestic research students are not required to pay tuition fees as they are enrolled under the Research Training Scheme which funds the fees. For further information see students.anu.edu.au/fees/domestic/research.php

International students

Indicative fees for international students are:

International student fees (ISF)

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees

Annual indicative fee for international students: $39,024.00

For further information on International Tuition Fees see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments/international-tuition-fees

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are. Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Exceptional research degrees at ANU

The Australian National University provides research students with a vibrant research community and outstanding program support. When selecting a research program, an institution’s reputation is everything. ANU is one of the world’s leading universities, and the smart choice for your research program.

You can undertake a program of research at ANU through a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a Master of Philosophy (MPhil), or a Professional Doctorate (by research). The major component of a research program is a substantial written work known as a thesis, which investigates a particular subject or issue. As a research student you will work with increased independence, under the direction of an academic supervisor or a supervisory panel of academic staff.

What does a Doctor of Philosophy at ANU involve?

The Doctor of Philosophy award will take you between three and four years of full-time research to complete (you can also complete a part-time equivalent). This award is conducted in English and is made principally on the basis of a research thesis comprising of original written work, most typically up to 100,000 words. Your thesis will be independently assessed by no fewer than two examiners where at least one examiner is external to the University. Depending on your discipline an alternative to a written thesis may be submitted and assessed.

Career Options

Graduates from ANU have been rated as Australia's most employable graduates and among the most sought after by employers worldwide.

The latest Global Employability University Ranking, published by the Times Higher Education, rated ANU as Australia's top university for getting a job for the fourth year in a row.

Employment Opportunities

Career options following the Doctor of Philosophy include many opportunities in addition to an academic path.

Economics

Many jobs require high-level economic analysis and our graduates work in consulting firms, think tanks, government research departments, and private enterprise.

Policy and Governance

Many positions require high level policy analysis development skills. Around the world, our graduates work for government departments, including in research roles; think tanks; consulting firms; international organisations; private enterprise and civil society.

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

Our graduates for government departments, think tanks, private enterprise, civil society organisations and international agencies.

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