The Advanced Studies courses are taken under the direction of the supervisor, but may involve teaching and learning from a wide variety of sources, including other ANU Colleges/Schools/Centres. In each case, the experience of the student will be oriented towards the development of a research career. Advanced Studies courses can be counted towards a major, with the permission of the discipline concerned and of the PhB Convenor.

There are three main ways in which Advanced Studies courses may be negotiated, but in each instance the assessment will focus exclusively on a major project:

Under the guidance of the supervisor, the student may arrange for a Reading Course in which to pursue a particular topic in more detail. The Reading Course may be run by the supervisor, or by another member of academic staff working in an area of particular relevance to the student's interests. If the course is run by someone other than the supervisor, that person is known as the 'course convenor'.

Alternatively, the student may want to focus on a project. Once again the student would negotiate an appropriate program under the guidance of the supervisor and, once again, such a program may be run by someone other than the supervisor: the course convenor. Learning activities may include attending the teaching events for a course already offered. Such a decision would take into account the student's interests and academic direction. The supervisor, course convenor and student would together decide on an appropriate theme that would be the focus of the student's work throughout the semester  and this theme would result in a major project.

Undertaking an internship. Again, this would be negotiated under the guidance of the supervisor.