Program Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy typically consists of four years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the completion of the following:

• The submission and successful examination of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. If approved the thesis may take an alternative form, such as a performance and/or corpus of creative work.

• The completion of at least 12 units of coursework subject to the requirements of your discipline, which will consist of dedicated HDR coursework on theories, and research methods that are relevant to your thesis.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present at a minimum, an Australian Honours degree or equivalent, with a result of H2A (Second Class Honours Division A), and the approval of an identified supervisor for the research project/thesis. Equivalence may be met by completion of a Master’s degree that includes a significant research component, or by a combination of qualifications and professional experience.

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

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

Fee Information

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

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

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.

Employment Opportunities

The Doctor of Philosophy equips graduates to work in a wide variety of areas including academia, public and private sectors and NGOs. For further details see the CASS website.

Further Information

ANU is consistently ranked amongst the best universities in the world for its research in the arts, humanities and social sciences. Our students are part of a community of leading researchers and are inspired by intellectual curiosity and scholarly excellence.

Graduate research degrees are available in over 20 disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences within the College of Arts & Social Sciences (CASS). The major component of the research program is a substantial piece of written work which investigates a particular subject or issue. A research student works independently under the direction of a primary academic supervisor who forms part of a supervisory panel of academic staff.

Graduate students in the Research School of Humanities and the Arts are located in five schools/centres: School of Art and Design, School of Music, School of Archaeology and Anthropology, Centre for Museum and Heritage Studies, and School of Literature, Language and Linguistics. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged through the Interdisciplinary Cross-Cultural Research program.

See the CASS higher degree research website for more information.