coursework master to phd

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How the PhD Program Works

Program Overview

Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending your doctoral dissertation.

Admission to candidacy.

You begin by taking courses required for your program of study. All programs requires a preliminary exam, which may be either oral or written.

Some programs may have further requirements, such as an additional exam or research paper. If you enter with a master’s degree or other transfer credit, you may satisfy the formal course requirements more quickly.

Beginning the Wharton PhD Curriculum How the first two years of the Wharton program helped students discover their interests, learn the tools of the profession, and fuel their passion for teaching.

The Doctoral Dissertation

Upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, you are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies.

Your doctoral dissertation should contain original research that meets standards for published scholarship in your field. You are expected to be an expert in the topic you choose to research.

You are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, but you can start thinking about and working on research of relevance at any time.

The dissertation process culminates with a “defense,” in which you defend the proposal orally before your dissertation committee.

While working on your dissertation, you interact extensively with Wharton faculty. Together with interested faculty, you create your own research community that includes your dissertation advisor and dissertation committee.

Policies and Procedures

Get more detailed explanation of course requirements, academic standards, the Teacher Development Program, time limits, and dissertation procedures and requirements.

Sample Program Sequence

Years 1 & 2.

Coursework Examination Research Papers Research Activities Field-Specific Requirements

Directed Reading & Research Admission to Candidacy Formulation of Research Topic

Years 4 & 5

Continued Research Oral Examination Dissertation

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• Integrated Masters with PhD – Explained
• Types of Doctorates

An Integrated Masters with a PhD (iPhD) is a four-year postgraduate level programme that combines a one-year Masters course with a three-year PhD course. They allow students to familiarise themselves with their chosen topic, research methods and academic writing techniques before embarking on their own independent research project. An Integrated Masters with a PhD is particularly popular with international students and students who initially lack specialised knowledge or research skills.

Introduction

An Integrated Masters with PhD, also commonly referred to as either just an Integrated Masters degree or an Integrated PhD, offers a relatively new way to undertake postgraduate training. They maintain the depth and focus of a conventional PhD but offer a more comprehensive doctoral training experience.

Due to their growing popularity, both the number of universities offering these newer forms of PhD and the number of students applying to them has steadily increased.

This page describes what Integrated Masters with PhDs are, who they are for, their advantages and disadvantages, how they differ from conventional PhDs and how they are structured in terms of programme, eligibility and costs. This page is for you if you are considering applying for an integrated course, or simply want to know more about them.

What is an Integrated PhD?

An Integrated PhD is a four-year postgraduate programme. They involve undertaking a one-year Masters degree (MRes or MSc) in your first year, followed by a three-year PhD programme in your second to fourth year. Although the courses run back-to-back, a student can only progress to the second year if they show satisfactory performance in their first year. The one-year Masters and the three-year PhD are considered separately in terms of qualifications; therefore, a student who completes an Integrated PhD will receive both a Masters degree (MRes or MSc) and a PhD as opposed to a single postgraduate qualification.

The aim of an Integrated PhD is to provide a structured approach to doctoral studies, combining advanced PhD research with formal teaching in relevant subjects, research methods and communication skills.

As Integrated PhDs are relatively new compared to more regular doctoral pathways such as stand-alone or MPhil-upgraded PhDs, some professors informally refer to them as ‘New Route PhDs’.

Difference Between Integrated PhD and Regular PhD

The most significant difference between an Integrated PhD and a regular PhD is the addition of the one-year Masters degree at the beginning of the programme. This results in an Integrated PhD typically lasting four years, as opposed to the three years as with regular PhDs.

Integrated PhDs are structured in such a way that they provide students with a broader range of foundational skills than a regular PhD. The first year introduces you to a combination of taught elements, practical experience and advanced research skills. In a regular PhD this mode of teaching is missing as it is assumed you already have this level of knowledge.

The last significant difference between the two types of doctoral programmes is the ‘group’ aspect associated with the Integrated version. Since the Masters programme also includes other students enrolled in Integrated PhDs, you will have a small cohort with whom you will work closely alongside during your studies.

Who are Integrated PhDs suitable for?

Integrated PhDs can be an effective pathway for any student, but they stand out in two situations:

Scenario 1: International Students

The Higher Education system differs across countries , although not by a large amount, enough to where an unfamiliar student may struggle, especially when working independently. An Integrated PhD allows you to adapt to the UK education system by offering a more guided and hands-on approach to your learning and research process before you embark on your three-year research project.

It also has visa benefits. If an international student seeking a Masters degree in the UK already knows they want to follow it up with a PhD, enrolling in an Integrated PhD will save them from having to leave the country and re-apply for a visa after completing their initial postgraduate degree.

Scenario 2: Lack of undergraduate research experience or a relevant Masters degree

An Integrated PhD is useful for students who have academic abilities but lack the necessary background to be considered for a standard-route PhD. This usually occurs under one of three scenarios:

• The applicant is currently an undergraduate student or only holds a Bachelor’s degree,
• The student has a Masters degree, but in a subject only loosely related to the discipline they wish to pursue at doctoral level,
• The student has a relevant Masters degree, but the programme lacked a research focus, leaving the student with underdeveloped research skills.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Integrated PhD

The advantages of an Integrated PhD are strongly linked to the international and inexperienced students they cater for. They offer students an effective means of gaining more confidence, knowledge and research skills in their field before starting a doctorate, and also provide visa benefits to international students who will be undertaking prior postgraduate study.

Integrated PhDs also enable students the possibility of receiving funding for the Masters phase of their programme, as will be explained in more detail in the ‘Funding Opportunities’ section.

Integrated doctorates have no obvious disadvantages, but are generally not suitable for those who already have a Masters degree or well-developed research skills in their chosen field. For these students, the additional costs and duration of an Integrated PhD can be avoided by opting for a traditional PhD for which they will already be suited for.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

The programme of study is naturally divided into two parts, the first for your Masters studies and the second for your PhD studies.

Your Masters studies will usually be divided into 180 module credits, half of which will focus on taught components and the other half on research components.

The modules will be tailored to your course, but they will include a variation of:

Taught modules:

• Subject-specific module – You choose one or two modules from a predefined list of topics within your subject area. Your selection should reflect the research area you want your PhD to focus on.
• English and Communication – Academic language and communication skills will be taught to prepare you for the ‘writing-up’ phase of your doctorate. A common misconception is that this module is similar to the English language requirement tests required to apply to a iPhD. In reality, the module will focus on learning how to critically evaluate research sources, write abstracts, literature reviews and conclusions, communicate in lab-based environments and present to audiences.
• Research Techniques  – You’ll receive in-depth training to familiarise you with the different research methods and analytical techniques available to modern researchers.
• Research Proposal Development  – You’ll work with your intended PhD supervisor to prepare a research proposal for your three-year PhD research project.

Research Modules:

You will carry out one or two small laboratory research projects under supervision for practical experience.

If you complete these modules with satisfactory performance, you will be awarded a Masters degree and will be considered for the following three-year PhD programme.

Each university has its own process for making this consideration, but most invite you to an interview with the supervisor you wish to conduct research with. The interview is used to confirm that you have acquired the specialised knowledge and research skills expected at masters level, and beyond that of someone capable of completing doctoral study.

If your interview goes well, you will be enrolled in your PhD programme. From this point on, your path will be the same as a regular PhD student. During your doctoral phase, you will conduct independent research and laboratory work for two years, followed by a final year of writing up and formally submitting your findings as a thesis. Your thesis, expertise and research competence will be assessed in an oral examination known as a viva. Upon successful completion of your viva, you will be officially awarded a PhD, and your studies will come to an end.

It should be noted that aside from the above, your university may offer optional modules which can equip you with a wide range of transferable skills.

Eligibility

Entry requirements for an integrated masters degree in the UK will vary from university to university, but the typical requirement is an Upper Second Class (2:1) honours Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject. Equivalent international qualifications are also accepted.

If you are an international student and English is your second language, most universities will require proof of your English language proficiency through an exam certificate. It’s best to check directly with the universities which certificate types they accept, but the most common English language qualification requirement is an IELTS certificate, with a minimum overall score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in each category.

The typical annual tuition fee for an Integrated PhD in the UK is £4,712 per academic year for home/EU students (or £2,356 for part-time study) and £19,596 per academic year for international students (or £9,798 for part-time study).

As with all doctoral programmes, there are likely to be additional costs associated with your studies, such as bench fees for lab work, travel costs for collaborating and potential write-up fees for students who need more time to submit their thesis. You can get more information about these additional costs on our cost breakdown page .

Funding Opportunities

You can obtain funding for Integrated PhDs in the same way as for regular PhDs. Funding is usually provided by one of the seven UK Research Councils  and research charity organisations such as the  Wellcome Trust ; grants, scholarships and funded opportunities can be found directly in our searchable database .

Funding can either be partial (tuition fees only) or full (tuition fees and living costs). Most funding providers also cover the tuition fee for the Masters degree programme due to being integrated with the PhD, however, you should confirm this on a case-by-case basis.

As with regular PhD funding, the fully-funded opportunities are generally limited to home and EU students.

It’s also worth noting that PhD programmes which include an integrated Masters degree are eligible for a Doctoral Loan , even if you already have a postgraduate Masters degree from a previous university. Applications for Doctoral Loans must be made directly to Student Finance England and you must first be registered for a full doctoral degree. Due to application restrictions, you won’t be able to apply for a separate Postgraduate Masters Loan for the integrated Masters phase of your degree.

Availability

You can search for Integrated PhDs in three ways:

• Our Search Page  – Search for the term ‘Integrated’ in our  comprehensive database of STEM PhDs .
• University Search Pages – Universities advertise their Integrated PhDs on their postgraduate search pages. You can find them by searching the name of the university followed by “ search postgraduate courses ” directly in Google.
• Funding Body Websites – Funding bodies which provide studentships for Integrated PhDs sometimes advertise the positions on their website. A list of the most common funding providers can be found here: PhD Studentships .

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Articulation from Masters by Coursework to PhD

Students who have completed a coursework Masters degree from the School will be considered for entry to our PhD program if they have a suitable research proposal and the agreement of two potential supervisors and have:

1. Successfully undertaken a 12 UOC or 18 UOC research project as well as at least 6 UOC of a research methodology-related course from the list below:

• PHCM9120 Qualitative Research Methods
• PHCM9132 Applied Research Methods for Public Health
• PHCM9517 Regression Methods in Biostatistics
• PHCM9518 Epidemiological Methods

2. Distinction average (75%) or above for the overall Masters coursework program.

3. A letter of support from the Head of School or delegate.

Should I Pursue A Master’s or A Ph.D.?

The first step in deciding on the right graduate program for you is to figure out which degree will best serve you—a master’s or a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.). Here are a few factors to consider.

What are your career goals?

• Professional master’s: A good choice if you want to develop a particular skill set in order to practice a particular profession. This type of degree provides coursework focused on learning and practicing skills.
• Research master’s: A good fit if you want to gain expertise in a discipline and know how to teach it. A research master’s typically includes a research project or thesis and comprehensive exams in addition to coursework and provides experience in research and scholarship.
• Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy): Consider this option if your goal is to ground yourself in a body of research and develop the ability to add to that body of knowledge. Ph.D. study includes a major research project in addition to coursework, and a Ph.D. is the highest scholastic degree awarded by American universities. Contrary to common perception, career paths for Ph.D. graduates are quite varied, not just limited to academia. Ph.D. training helps you hones skills such as writing, research, teaching, data analysis, communicating complex topics—all of which can translate into many sectors, including industry, government, nonprofit, and entrepreneurship.

See career data for Duke graduate programs' alumni

How much time do you have to pursue a graduate degree?

Master’s degrees typically take two years to complete, while Ph.D. programs generally take five to seven years ( see Duke programs' time-to-degree ). That is a significant difference in commitment and opportunity costs. It might also play a key role in deciding which factors take higher priority as you evaluate a program. How does the length of the program fit with your career and family plans? How important is the surrounding community if you are going to be there for seven years instead of two? How long are you able or willing to go on a limited income while in graduate school?

How much can you afford to pay for a graduate degree?

Consider your personal financial situation (e.g., how much savings and student loans do you have), as well as how much financial aid you can get. Master’s and Ph.D. programs differ greatly in the amount of financial aid available. Ph.D. programs tend to offer significantly more financial support than master’s programs (but often will have research or teaching requirements). 

A typical Ph.D. financial aid package usually includes coverage of tuition and fees, a living stipend, and some level of support for health insurance for a set number of years. For instance, Duke’s standard Ph.D. package covers tuition, mandatory fees, and a stipend for five years, as well as health insurance premiums for six years. 

Within an institution, the level of financial support often differs across programs, so be sure to ask your specific program about the financial aid it offers. There are also many national organizations that provide competitive fellowships and scholarships for graduate students.

Know which degree you want to pursue? Here are some key things to look for in a program .

PhD Coursework

Coursework refers to the work undertaken by doctoral students before taking their oral exams. It includes the required courses, original research papers, and certification of language proficiency as described below.

Students admitted to the PhD program will obtain an MA as part of the process of completing coursework towards the PhD.

Course Requirements

Students entering the program with a bachelor’s degree take a total of 16 courses for 64 credits, or roughly 4 classes per semester at 4 credits each. Of these, 14 courses (or 56 credits), including the four required courses that all graduate students must take, consist of seminars, lecture courses, directed research, and directed study taken prior to the Qualifying Oral Examination. The remaining 8 credits are reserved for four semesters of a two-credit Dissertation Workshop course (GRS HI 900) taken after the oral exam.

Note that students entering with an approved Master’s degree from another institution are offered 16 credits of transfer courses, or the equivalent of 4 courses; instead of 56 credits, they are expected to take 40 credits prior to taking the Qualifying Oral Examination.

So that our graduates can participate fully in the historical profession, the Department of History familiarizes graduate students with historiographical and methodological paradigms in fields beyond their own area of expertise. All students in the PhD program (including students who have earned an MA at another institution) are thus required to take the following four courses in their first year of graduate study:

• GRS HI 800: European Historiography
• GRS HI 850: American Historiography
• GRS HI 870: African Historiography
• GRS HI 801: The Historian’s Craft

HI 800, 850, and 870 are reading and research courses on historiographical issues and approaches in the areas where the department has special strengths. In contrast, The Historian’s Craft (HI 801) is a research seminar designed to help students move from the original conception of a problem to a publishable article.

Note students must take the historiography courses (HI 800, 850, or 870) in their first year, alongside HI 801, which is offered every year in the spring semester.

• PhD students may take selected courses (numbered at the 500 level) that are open to undergraduates toward their degree requirements. Students are also permitted to take two graduate level courses in relevant disciplines other than history. These courses must be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor. Moreover, PhD students are encouraged to take Directed Reading and Directed Research Studies with their advisors and other faculty members of their choice.
• Students may also take approved courses within the Boston Consortium. Normally these courses are selected in consultation with the student’s advisor and respective Consortium faculty.
• Please note that the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) expects students to pass their courses with a grade of B- or higher and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. If students earn a grade below a B- in any of their classes, they will automatically be placed on academic probation, which is considered in violation of the definition of “satisfactory academic progress.” Academic probation will endanger their funding. Under GRS policies, students who receive three grades below B- are liable for termination from their graduate studies at Boston University.
• After completing all other course requirements and the qualifying examination, every doctoral student is required to complete four semesters of a two-credit Dissertation Workshop course (GRS HI 900). The eight credits count toward the 64-credit requirement for PhD students. This course, presided over by a departmental faculty member, meets every two weeks for a presentation of a significant work or research related to the dissertation by a current graduate student, a roundtable discussion on an important research issue, or a topic relating to a career in college teaching. Although students in Boston are expected to attend the course regularly, students need not be in residence to enroll in HI 900. However, every dissertation student must present their research once a year, either in person or by some other means when appropriate.

Original Research Papers

Every doctoral student must write two major research papers between 25 and 40 pages. Students with an approved master’s degree from another institution are required to complete only one major research paper. The papers must be based on primary sources and meet professional standards of documentation, citation, argument, and structure. The paper completed in HI 801: The Historian’s Craft qualifies as one of the research papers. The second paper may be developed in a research seminar or directed research study. A copy of each paper must be approved by the student’s advisor and then submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies to determine if it meets these requirements. Approved papers remain in the student’s file. Students may not schedule their oral examination without having completed this requirement.

Language Requirements

The Department aims at graduating world-class scholars capable of conducting research in languages other than English. Students working in African, Asian, and European history must conduct primary research in languages other than English. But given that significant secondary literature is produced outside the English-speaking world, the Department believes that it is important for all of our doctoral students, including Americanists, to demonstrate a genuine ability to read research in foreign languages.  To this end, we require that doctoral candidates in United States history and Asian history demonstrate a graduate-level reading knowledge in one relevant foreign language, and doctoral candidates in European and African history demonstrate a graduate-level reading knowledge in two relevant foreign languages. In exceptional circumstances, doctoral candidates in European history may petition for exemption from the two-language requirement.

Students can demonstrate reading proficiency in a foreign language in one of three ways:

• Language examinations. Students are given an excerpt from a scholarly text and asked to translate as much as they can as accurately as they can into good English (a dictionary is permitted). These exams are administered during the semester in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. Exams must be scheduled with an administrator at least 2 weeks in advance.
• Language courses. The Department of Romance Studies offers reading courses for graduate students in French (GRS LF 621), Italian (GRS LI 621), and Spanish (GRS LS 621). The Department of World Languages & Literatures offers a reading course for graduate students in German (GRS LG 621). Passing one of these reading courses fulfills the department’s requirement for the language in question. Note that these courses may not be taken for credit toward the degree.
• Prior graduate school certification. If the candidate has passed a reading examination at another accredited graduate school and submits evidence to that effect to the Director of Graduate Studies, the departmental requirement will be waived in most instances.

PhD Students Who Have Already Earned an MA

Incoming PhD students who have already earned an MA receive the following credit upon approval:

• 16 credits toward the 64 credits required to advance to candidacy ( Note: please see the Department Administrator for details ).
• Credit for one of the research papers upon submission of the relevant document to the Director of Graduate Studies. It is worth noting that most students usually write two papers, one in the required course HI 801 and one through a directed study with their advisor.
• Credit for proficiency in one foreign language if certified by another accredited graduate school, contingent on the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Program Type

• Combined Degree (4)
• Degree Granting (72)
• Summer Programs (1)
• Visiting Students (4)

Academic Areas

• Arts & Architecture (4)
• Biological Sciences (4)
• Engineering & Applied Sciences (10)
• Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (14)
• History (14)
• Humanities (22)
• Languages (9)
• Mathematics (2)
• Medical Sciences (7)
• Physical Sciences (6)
• Social Sciences (21)

Degrees Offered

• AB/AM, AB/SM (1)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (68)
• Master of Arts (AM) (8)
• Master of Engineering (ME) (2)
• Master of Science (SM) (4)

GRE Requirement

• Not Accepted (28)
• Optional (28)
• Required (14)

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Doctor of Philosophy

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is an internationally recognised graduate research program that will enable you to become an independent researcher. 

With the guidance of an advisory team, you'll undertake a research project, produce an 80,000-word thesis and complete an oral examination.

A PhD takes 3 to 4 years full-time. Under guidance, you'll develop advanced research skills and knowledge in your chosen field.

The thesis is a substantial document that makes an original contribution to your field of research. Your thesis may involve an alternate format .

You'll need a strong academic background and you may need to submit a research proposal and other documents to support your application. About 1,000 PhD candidates join UQ each year researching a wide range of topics.

Research at UQ

UQ is one of Australia’s top research-intensive universities. Our research makes an impact on the world's cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

Learn more about UQ's research

Program highlights

• Be inspired and challenged to explore new ideas and develop greater understanding of complex questions with leading researchers.
• Access premier resources including one of Australia’s largest libraries, with more than 2 million physical resources and 116,800+ journal subscriptions.
• Foster and improve your skills through the Career Development Framework, created with industry.
• Learn from researchers whose work addresses national and global cultural, environmental, economic and social challenges.

35 in the world

CWTS Leiden Ranking 2023

51 in the world

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Supervision

You have to find and contact a thesis supervisor before you apply

This supervisor will support, guide and mentor you through your research, and can introduce you to professional networks that will start your career.

Find a supervisor

3-Minute Thesis

The showcase event for research candidates is the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT). 

3MT is held each spring.

Learn more about the 3MT

Career development

UQ offers a range of development opportunities via the Career Development Framework (CDF) to help you develop portable skills for any career or industry.

Learn more about the CDF

Studying at UQ gave me the flexibility to expand my knowledge across different areas of science outside of my chosen specialty. Keeping my scientific and translational skills broad has allowed me to adapt to different environments and opportunities throughout my career.

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Entry requirements

Gpa equivalent.

Select where you studied and your qualification to see the GPA you need to be considered for this program.

Meeting the GPA requirement doesn’t guarantee admission.

Academic entry requirements

You have to prove you are prepared for PhD study. You do this by showing you:

• have completed some research experience
• have completed an approved university degree  and
• can meet the English language requirements.

Approved degrees

An approved degree needs to be:

• in an area relevant to your proposed PhD project and
• completed no more than 10 years ago.

You need one of the following approved degrees to apply for a PhD:

• Master of Philosophy (or another research master’s degree); or
• Bachelor’s degree from an approved university with at least honours class IIA or equivalent; or
• Coursework master’s degree with an overall grade point average of 5.65 on the 7-point UQ scale which includes relevant research experience, approved by the dean; or
• Postgraduate degree (at least one year full-time or equivalent) with an overall grade point average of 5 on the 7-point UQ scale, together with demonstrated research experience equivalent to honours class IIA will be considered on a case-by-case basis; or
• Bachelor’s degree plus at least 2 years of relevant research experience , including research publications.

Research experience

You'll meet the requirements for admission into a PhD in terms of 'research preparedness' if you can provide evidence that you've planned and executed project work and/or a body of research with some independence.

To demonstrate this, we'll ask you to provide one of the following:

• with completed courses that aim to develop research skills (minimum value of #1 unit e.g. 50 per cent of a #2 unit course), and/or
• the completion of a supervised research project that includes an individually graded written report with a combined minimum course volume equal to #4 units at UQ.
• Scholarly papers involving a substantial contribution as an author, appearing in recognised academic journals or in volumes published by recognised academic publishers.
• Research or technical reports prepared for industry, government or business, which adhere to the broad conventions of academic publishing (i.e. contain an up-to-date review of relevant literature, a description of relevant research methods and an evaluation of results, etc.) and which identify you as a significant contributor.
• A portfolio of published creative work together with published critical discussion of some or all of that work, or of a comparable body of work by others, and which demonstrates your development of a scholarly approach to creative work as research investigation.
• Demonstrable industry or work experience where you can demonstrate that you have planned and executed a project, working with a high level of independence.

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Doctor of Philosophy are eligible to apply for an Australian Student visa (subclass 500).

This program has two CRICOS codes:

• 0100213 – Architecture, creative arts, education, health, information technology, management and commerce, mathematical sciences, social and cultural studies
• 0100214 – Agriculture and environmental studies, dentistry, engineering, human movement, medical studies, natural and physical sciences, pharmacy, psychology, veterinary science

Discuss your proposed project with us to determine which CRICOS code is most relevant for your visa application.

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Additional entry requirements

Many departments will have additional entry requirements and may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

Additional application information

Minimum English language proficiency requirements apply, please refer to the English proficiency policy .

English language requirements

There are a few ways you can meet our English language requirements. If you sit a test, the following scores are needed for PhD admission:

Read our English language requirements

Scholarships

There are several types of PhD scholarship:

• tuition fee scholarship : this covers the fees charged by UQ for PhD study
• living stipend scholarship: this is a   fortnightly payment (or stipend) to support your daily expenses
• top-up scholarship: may be provided by external organisations, supervisors, or philanthropic donations. When awarded, they provide an additional payment on top of a living stipend scholarship. They cannot be held without a living stipend scholarship.

Each year, we award more than 600 scholarships to attract and support the highest quality higher degree by research applicants.

View all postgraduate research scholarships

University scholarships

UQ scholarships include:

• Graduate School Scholarships
• Graduate School Tuition Fees Scholarship
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships
• Earmarked Scholarships
• The Graduate School Scholarship

Other scholarships

Throughout the year we advertise a range of other research scholarships, including top-up scholarships, travel grants and external scholarships, including:

• Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship

How to apply for a scholarship

You can apply for many scholarships using the same form as your PhD application. External scholarships might have different ways to apply. 

Our Scholarships website explains how to apply for each scholarship. If you are applying for a non-UQ scholarship, outcome dates may vary.

Fees and costs

Tuition fees.

Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.

Learn more about postgraduate research fees

Research costs

The department you enrol with will meet all necessary costs for your project, including:

• resource and facility costs: at UQ, which may include other organisations in Australia or overseas
• travel costs: to complete fieldwork, collect data, or to visit libraries or other repositories
• coursework costs: for courses studied outside the department
• relevant training: in particular methodologies or techniques.

How to apply

Before you apply, 1. check your eligibility.

Check your eligibility by reviewing the entry requirements for UQ's Higher Degrees by Research. If applying for a scholarship, check the scholarship's eligibility and important dates.

2. Approach a potential supervisor or find a project

You'll either need to find:

• a supervisor in your field who will support your proposed project.  Identify a researcher .
• a project you can join that suits your interests.  See available projects .

If you're choosing a researcher, you'll need to find one with relevant expertise and get agreement to support your PhD and project.

Many departments will require additional information to make a decision around your motivation, understanding, commitment, and financial support required.

They may request documents to support your application, such as a research proposal. You should discuss these additional requirements with your potential thesis supervisor.

3. Gather your documents

You will need to compile the necessary documents. We will accept scanned copies of original documents, but you will have to keep all original documents for the duration of your studies.

Upload all documents as PDFs and name your files like this: LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf

If any of your documents is in a language other than English, you will need to send both the original document and an official translation.

Send the following documents with your application:

An academic CV assists us to determine your readiness to commence a higher degree by research. For the purposes of this application, your academic CV should be current (i.e. no more than 6 months old) and include information under the following headings:

Personal details

• your full name
• your contact details (phone number, email address, city and country of residence)
• nationality
• languages spoken and proficiency level for each
• your ORCID ID or other research output identifier (such as Google Scholar) if you have one (see the ORCID ID and research identifiers information provided by UQ Library).

As the purpose of this academic CV is to determine your academic suitability for a higher degree by research program at UQ and your competitiveness against other applicants, we only require information that is of direct relevance to our decision-making processes. With this in mind, please do not include the following in your academic CV:

• photographs/head shot
• marital status
• driver’s license
• date of birth/age
• hobbies and interests.

Educational qualifications and academic awards

List each of your formal educational qualifications in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent formal educational qualification listed first). For each qualification, include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the qualification
• the full title of the qualification (e.g. Bachelor of Arts instead of B.A.)
• the institution attended and the enrolling school/administrative unit
• the city and country where the institution is located
• your Grade Point Average (GPA) for the overall qualification
• any academic achievement awards (e.g. Dean’s awards, subject prizes, University medals, thesis prizes etc.) received for the qualification
• if a research thesis was part of the qualification, include the title and word length of your dissertation.

As part of your application, please submit academic transcripts and degree certificates for each educational qualification you list.

Please do not include:

• high school qualifications
• the individual subjects/courses undertaken throughout your qualifications or the grades awarded for these
• training courses/professional development activities not resulting in a formal qualification.

Professional affiliations and memberships

List any professional/disciplinary associations or committees that you a member of and include:

• the commencing and end date (in years) for the affiliation/membership
• the name of the professional association or committee
• your membership type (e.g. student member, affiliate member, full member etc.) or role (e.g. committee member, secretary, president etc.).

Employment history

List each of your previous employment roles in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent/current employment listed first) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) for the employment
• the title of each position
• the name of the employing organisation, the city, and country where you were based
• your main duties or accountabilities in that role, providing detailed information on any research-related activities
• any achievements during that role that are relevant to your proposed field of research .

Other research experience

List any voluntary, unpaid, or extra-curricular research-related projects or experiences you have undertaken (e.g. summer research projects, internships etc.) and include:

• the commencing and end dates (month and year) of the experience
• the name of the organisation, the city, and country where you were based

Research outputs

In reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent output first) list your research outputs,  including for example research published or accepted for publication, research reports, and research by creative practice.

If needed, use sub-headings to separate refereed journal articles, published conference proceedings, edited book chapters, books, creative works, industry reports, invited papers, patents, media commentary, conference presentations and posters, invited talks etc. If applicable, use additional sub-headings to indicate if outputs are published , accepted for publication (but not yet in print), or (submitted but) under review .

Do not include any outputs/publications that are ‘in preparation’ .

For all research outputs, include:

• the output/publication reference using an official bibliographical style (such as Turabian/Chicago, APA, Harvard), including listing all authors in the order that they appear in the work with your name in bold
• the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), PubMed Identifier (PMID), International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or URL where applicable
• the standing of the journal or conference and the impact of the work (e.g. impact factors, citations and other metrics indicators)
• relevant indicators of national or international significance
• rejection rates for the outlet etc.
• how much of the original research you were responsible for (i.e. what was your role in the conception and design of the project and how involved were you in the analysis and interpretation of the research data on which the publication is based?)
• the extent to which you authored the paper.

Research grants and relevant awards

Include only those research grants and relevant awards that you have received at the time of making your application (i.e. do not list grants or awards that you applied for and did not receive or are awaiting a decision on). For each research grant/award, include:

• the name of the granting/awarding body and the country in which they are based
• the name of the grant/award
• the year(s) in which the grant was active or the year in which the award was made
• the amount of the research grant/award
• if relevant (e.g. for research grants), the title of your application.

Applicants from creative and professional-based disciplines may also include non-research grants and awards related to their creative or professional practice.

Research achievements relative to opportunity (optional)

In recognition of the diverse personal and professional pathways that applicants have experienced, you are invited to provide information ( maximum 200 words ) to contextualise your research outputs and achievements, relative to the opportunities that you have had to participate in research-related activities.

This section of the CV is optional and should only be included if you believe there are factors relevant to your research achievements that you would like the selection panels to know. Examples of factors include (but are not limited to):

• study/career disruptions due to illness, caregiving, natural disasters etc.
• non-linear academic or career progression, or a change in career direction
• reduced ability to take up research-related opportunities (e.g. attend conferences) due to caregiving responsibilities.

Academic referees

Please provide us with two referees who can comment on your academic work. For each referee, include their:

• honorific and name
• employing organisation and the city and country where they are located
• contact details, including office address, telephone, fax and email (preferably an institutional, rather than private, email address)
• an indication of the capacity in which you know this person (e.g. were they a lecturer or thesis supervisor, an employer, how long you’ve known them etc.). 

If possible, please include at least one:

• senior person (preferably your supervisor or the head of your organisational unit) closely associated with your current work, and
• person who is not a member of your proposed advisory panel/supervisory team.

Formatting and document specifications

We recommend that you use the below formatting settings to improve the readability of your CV:

• margins of at least 1.5 centimetres
• single line spacing
• no smaller than 12 point Times New Roman font (or equivalent)
• left justify text (not full justify)
• include your name and page number on each page
• be consistent in your formatting and spelling throughout
• limit the use of bold, underline, italics, and multiple font types.

Please proofread your CV carefully before uploading it to your application.

Save as a PDF and name your file: LASTNAME_firstname_CV.pdf

There is no page limit to your academic CV – it can be as long as required to include the information requested here.

Please include in your CV all the headings listed above – if you do not have any content to add for a particular heading please list ‘None to date’ under that heading .

An academic CV for employment purposes within Australia would not include the information requested here outlining your three most significant publications or your research achievements relative to opportunity. It would, however, include information about professional and service activities undertaken and may include a summary of your relevant research/teaching interest areas and skill sets – this information is not required in the CV you submit here for application to an HDR program.

This should show all study you have undertaken since secondary school, whether complete or incomplete, including the institution grading scale. The grading scale is often found on the final page or the reverse page; be sure to include all pages.

An academic transcript can also be called an:

• academic record
• diploma supplement
• statement of learning
• record of achievement.

A degree certificate is a legal document, imprinted with a university seal. It should state the name of your qualification and areas of study.

Include all degree certificates (testamurs) for post-secondary study with your application. If you studied in China, you must provide a:

• award certificate and
• graduate statement/certificate.

All applicants have to prove they can meet English language requirements . Any test scores have to be valid at your proposed commencement date.

Include a copy of the information page (with your photo) in your passport. This will verify your identity and ensure we can make offers correctly.

Include the contact details of two referees who will support your application. These referees will need to provide insight into your research experience.

We will contact your referees for a report, but you will need to enter their details into the application form.

Other documentation, originals or certified copies, may be required depending on your individual circumstances, for example:

• evidence of change of name
• proof of citizenship, if you are not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand by birth
• evidence of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
• previous research program information .

If you don't provide us with all documents it will take us longer to process your application. Your start date might then be delayed, or you might miss an admission or scholarship deadline. 

4. Apply online

Once you have prepared your application and contacted a potential supervisor, use the online application form to apply. Your application can only be assessed once your referees have responded to us, and all outstanding documents and school/institute endorsements have been received.

Important dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ).

Candidates applying for a Student Visa or UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check  scholarship round application deadlines  and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your Confirmation of Enrolment.

Find out more about research quarter dates

The academic year for research students is divided into four research quarters (RQ). You can start a PhD in any quarter, as long as the Census Date hasn't passed.

Candidates applying for a UQ scholarship may need to apply earlier. Make sure you check scholarship round application deadlines and outcome dates before applying.

The agreed start date will be included on your offer of admission.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

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• Programs : PhD in Information Studies

PhD Coursework & Plan of Study

Each student will complete at least 39 graduate hours while enrolled in the iSchool doctoral program prior to entering candidacy. A full-time student will ordinarily take two to three years to complete this coursework. To count toward a PhD, all coursework must be no more than six years old when the doctoral student is admitted to candidacy. 

The table below shows the minimum required coursework. Students may take (or be required by their committees to take) additional courses.

Students should review the tentative schedule of  iSchool courses  and the UT course schedule when planning a course of study.

Doctoral Core - 9 Credit Hours

Each student, whether full- or part-time, must take “Survey of Information Studies” in the fall of the student’s first academic year in the program and “Disciplinary Foundations for Information Studies” in the spring of that first year. Students will take “The Research Enterprise” as soon as practical, usually in the fall of their first year.

Research Methods Courses - 9 Credit Hours

Each student must take a minimum of nine credit hours of graduate-level research methods courses beyond the doctoral core:

• One graduate-level course in qualitative methods – three (3) credit hours
• One graduate level course in quantitative methods – three (3) credit hours
• One further graduate-level course germane to building skills to undertake research – three (3) credit hours

This requirement can be met via independent studies with faculty (e.g., INF 391D.06 - Directed Readings , or INF 391D.07 - Directed Research ) or classroom-based courses (e.g., INF 391F - Advanced Topics in Research Methods, Methodologies, and Design ). Research methods courses may be offered and taken within or outside of the iSchool.

The third methods course (beyond the qualitative and quantitative methods courses) can include advanced qualitative or quantitative methods, or coursework in skills necessary to undertake the anticipated dissertation research, including foreign languages, computer programming languages, policy analysis, information systems design, or skills in particular areas, such as chemistry or neuroscience.

All course selections should be discussed with the student’s committee chair, consulting other committee members as appropriate. Prior to enrolling in a course, students must obtain approval from their committee chair, who will confirm the appropriateness of such courses for fulfilling the research methods requirement.

Electives - 21 Credit Hours

The remaining 21 hours of coursework may be completed within the School of Information and/or outside the School of Information. All course choices should be discussed with the student’s committee chair, consulting other committee members as appropriate.

Students are particularly encouraged to take the following courses:

• Advanced Topics in Information Studies (INF 391E) , (aka “topical seminar”) which may be repeated when the individual course topics differ.
• Directed Research (INF 391D.07) in which students work closely with a faculty member, individually or in small groups, to contribute to original research, either in an apprenticeship mode as part of the faculty member’s research agenda or as a student-driven research project.
• Directed Readings (INF 391D.06) , in which students work closely with a faculty member, individually or in small groups, to complete an in-depth examination of the primary research and theory literature of the field in preparation for their qualifying examinations.
• Supervised Teaching in Information Studies (INF 398T) , (aka “the pedagogy course”) and teaching internships in which they work closely with faculty to develop, design, and support implementation of a course plan.
• Doctoral Writing Seminar (INF 391G) which provides an opportunity for students to improve their academic writing skills through a writing studio environment with instructor and peer critique.

Plan of Study

The doctoral student must produce a formal document identified as the Plan of Study prior to their first annual review. The Plan of Study is to be updated each year, prior to the student’s annual review.

The plan of study consists of the following seven components:

• The student’s CV
• One to three paragraph summary of degree progress, including participation in research, teaching, and service
• One paragraph academic plan, including research, teaching, and service, for the next year
• One paragraph description of career goals
• Table of coursework (format is provided below)
• Bullet point list of requested input from the committee
• An appendix with 2-5 recent major outputs (e.g., publications, course papers, etc.)

Coursework Listing

Students should list all the courses they have taken, are currently taking, and those they intend to take to satisfy their requirements for coursework. The format is provided below:

Each course listing should identify: The name of the course, the instructor for the course, the semester in which the course was/will be taken and the number of credit hours and the page number of the appendix where the course details can be found.

Coursework Requirements: Three columns should be used to show whether the course is to be counted towards each section of the coursework requirements. Students should ensure that the plan meets the coursework requirements outlined above.

Doctoral Program Overview

• PhD Degree Requirements
• Committees & Annual Review
• Coursework & Plan of Study
• Qualifying Procedure
• Candidacy & Dissertation

PhD Degree Resources

Student handbook.

• PhD Program Handbook

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• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →

PhD Programs

• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

• Ph.D. Coursework

The Faculty of the College of Engineering recommends a minimum number of courses for students in the Ph.D. program.  The EECS Department requires that a student, with the approval of their advisor, must choose courses to establish a major subject area, 1 minor subject area, and either two courses for an outside minor or two elective courses (one free and one outside EECS). The minimum number of units to complete the requirement must be at least 24 semester units.  In addition, students will also need to complete  prelim breadth courses .  The courses used in the prelim breadth requirement may be eligible to double count in the major, minor, or electives.

At the discretion of the Vice Chair or Head Graduate Advisor for EECS Graduate Matters, students may receive credit for some units (a maximum of 12 semester units) taken at a comparable institution. Students would need to fill out the Transfer Credit Petition , find a faculty at UC Berkeley to assess the comparison of the courses, then return the form to the staff Graduate Adviser for final review and approval with the Vice Chair. Please note that the approved transfer credits will be used for department purposes and will not appear in the official Berkeley transcript.

Graduate courses used for the Berkeley M.S. degree may be included as part of the Ph.D. coursework. Students may also transfer in coursework taken during their undergraduate career as long as the course was not used towards their undergraduate degree.  These courses must be at least upper division undergraduate or graduate courses.

More details of the Ph.D. coursework can be found in the Graduate Handbook . Students can also view Examples of Previously Approved Courses for EECS students.

There are two issues which students should consider when choosing specific courses for the minor:

• adequate technical content in the minor, and
• adequate breadth provided by the minor, as distinct from the major area.

Students that entered the Ph.D. program in fall 2020 and before, may choose to complete either Plan 1 or Plan 2 for the coursework requirements.

Ph.D. candidates entering in fall 2021 and beyond will be required to follow Plan 2.

Major (all grad (200 level) courses): 12+ units, 3.5+ GPA

Inside Minor (at least 1 grad (200 level) course): 6+ units, 3.0+ GPA

Outside Minor (at least 1 grad (200 level) course): 6+ units, 3.0+ GPA

Minor (at least 1 grad (200 level) course): 6+ units, 3.0+ GPA

Elective courses (at least 100 level): one free elective (any department, any area except for the major) and one outside EECS elective (not in the major and not listed as EECS), 3+ units for each course, 3.0+ GPA

Some things to consider:

• The Minor program must have an orientation different from the major program, and the courses involved should contain concepts not present in the major program.
• The Inside Minor may include one or more classes from outside the EECS department.
• The Inside Minor program must have depth (meaning at least 3 units of graduate course work of the 6 units required).
• The Outside Minor program must consist mainly of courses from outside the EECS Department (at most one course may be cross-listed within EECS).
• The Minors and each of the Elective Courses must have at least a 3.0+ grade point average.
• All courses must be taken for a letter grade (with the exception of courses that may have been taken in spring 2020 due to the Covid-19 accommodations).
• A minimum of 24 semester units must be completed.
• Courses in 298, 299, 301, 375 and 602 units do not count towards the requirement.

These course criteria attempt to constitute a body of knowledge and include courses from several different departments. For example, a student in computer hardware who wishes to have a minor in statistics and stochastic processes could include courses from the Statistics Department, as well as EE 226A.

There are cases where the technical overlap between EECS courses and courses in other departments is so great that a course in another department should be listed as part of the major, rather than as a minor, since they add so little breadth to your program. Examples of this sort of overlap would be Electromagnetics students in EECS taking certain EM courses in Physics or CS Theory students taking some of the theory courses in IEOR. These complications make it essential for students to fill out their Blue Card in the Graduate Office as soon as they have passed the preliminary exam requirement.

• Sample Blue and White Cards

Includes 299 CNs and forms.

• Designated Emphasis

Teaching and Statistics

Ph.D. Student Guide

• Ph.D. Oral Exam
• Ph.D. Breadth Requirement
• Ph.D. Blue Card
• Ph.D. Applications for the Qualifying Exam
• Ph.D. White Card
• Ph.D. Advancement to Candidacy
• Ph.D. Thesis Proposal Defense and Application
• Ph.D. Qual Eligibility
• Qual Deadlines
• Ph.D. Qual Committee
• Ph.D. Qual Format
• Ph.D. Teaching Requirement
• Ph.D. Dissertation Filing Fee
• Giving the Ph.D. Dissertation Talk
• Ph.D. Dissertation Filing Procedure
• Ph.D. Technical Report Submission
• Ph.D. Graduate Division Surveys
• Ph.D. Commencement
• Ph.D. Diploma and Transcript
• Ph.D. Student Review Instructions
• Ph.D. Student Review Forms
• Ph.D. Student Review Frequently Asked Questions

Graduate Coursework

• Satisfactory progress
• Registration and Minimum course load per semester
• Taking Courses in Other Departments

Pre-Candidacy Research Credits

Phd coursework waiver policy, areas and courses, 898/899/799/798 section numbers.

• Special Topics Courses

1. Registration and Coursework Policies

Maintaining satisfactory progress.

To ensure continuous progress toward your degree, it’s imperative that you consistently meet the set expectations, commensurate with your other responsibilities. You must maintain continuous registration, whether through coursework or research credits. An overall B average must be sustained in your coursework, exclusive of CMSC 799 (Thesis Research) and CMSC 899 (Dissertation Research). Failure to comply may result in the termination of your graduate admission.

In instances where you receive a grade of I (incomplete) in any course, you must resolve this to a satisfactory grade before your degree can be conferred. If you earn a grade of D or F in a graduate course, you must retake the course and achieve a grade of C or higher to maintain your eligibility for degree completion.

You are responsible to keep yourself updated and comply with all deadlines and requirements for your graduate studies. The Graduate School announces exact dates for graduation, academic deadlines, registration deadlines, and other pertinent timelines for each academic year. The Computer Science Graduate Office announces these dates on a semesterly basis. Any changes in departmental policies will be communicated through an announcement to gradlist [-at-] cs [dot] umd [dot] edu . In the event of any circumstances that might hinder your ability to maintain graduate standing or fulfill degree requirements, it is your responsibility to inform the Computer Science Graduate Office in writing.  

Registration and Minimum course load per semester

All graduate students within the Computer Science department are required to register through Testudo. It is essential to notify your advisor of your course selections and any subsequent changes each semester. To request permission for restricted courses, please use the Graduate Office’s online permission form. Due to the high demand for Computer Science courses, we strongly advise you to register early.

Minimum course load

Course load is measured in units, which are defined as follows:

Audited courses do not generate graduate units. A part-time graduate student must complete at least 12 units per year. A full-time graduate student is normally expected to successfully complete a combination of courses that totals at least 48 units each semester (excluding summer sessions). For graduate assistants, the minimum full-time requirement is reduced to 24 units, calculated as above (36 units for half-time appointments). Graduate assistants and International students must maintain full-time status.

Consult this reference to help calculate whether or not your coursework qualifies you as a full-time graduate student:

Taking Courses from Other Departments

Graduate courses from other departments can be used to satisfy the “elective” courses requirement (see section 2.3 in the policy manual ). Under specific circumstances, these courses might also qualify for MS/Ph.D. course requirements.

Qualifying Course Criteria:

• At least 75% of the course grade should be based on homework, programming tasks, research projects, and exams
• Written exams in these courses should form at least 30% of the final grade

For Elective Course Registration:

If you're looking to enroll in a non-CS course to satisfy the "Elective" graduate course requirement, please complete this form and provide the necessary details.

For MS/Ph.D. Qualifying Course Registration:

To have an external course evaluated for its relevance as a qualifying course within the MS/Ph.D. program, please provide the necessary details to the Grad Office using this form :

• Specific course details, including the syllabus and the instructor’s name
• Identifies the area in which you want the course to count
• A justification explaining the relevance and importance of this course to your studies
• Upload any relevant supporting documents

The Grad Office forwards the request to the appropriate field committee members and they will decide on the course’s suitability as a qualifying Ph.D./MS course for the indicated area or if it should be considered as an elective.

Note: Please ensure your submission is well in advance of the semester in which you plan to undertake the course

Pre-candidacy research credits (CMSC898) are used to maintain registration or full-time status when regular coursework isn’t sufficient. These credits are particularly relevant in scenarios where you are engaged in research activities with your advisor but have not yet advanced to candidacy. In such cases, you should register for CMSC 898 to appropriately account for your research efforts.

CMSC898 section number is linked to the professor under whom you are conducting your research. A listing of section numbers can be found in  898/899/799/798 Section Numbers . 

In the Computer Science graduate program, advancing to candidacy requires students to complete six qualifying courses at the 600–800 level across four different areas with a minimum of four A's and two B's, two additional elective courses with grades of B or higher, and a compulsory one-credit course, "How to Conduct Great Research." (For detailed information, refer to section 2.3, Pre-candidacy Requirements , in the Policy Manual.)

While approved course waivers can reduce the total number of courses you need to take, they do not reduce the requirement to earn a minimum of four A's at UMD, a requirement that ensures mastery of the subject matter.

Criteria for Waivers

• The previous course must align closely with a UMD-qualifying course in terms of exams, graduate-level content, and syllabus similarity
• Waivers must be approved by the relevant field committee

 Please Note:

• A maximum of 3 courses can be waived. Please only submit 3 requests at a time. If some requests are denied, additional ones may be submitted
• The waiver process does not affect the requirement to achieve four A’s in UMD-taken courses. Approved waivers are only applicable for meeting the requirement of obtaining two 'B' grades in the qualifying courses or elective courses
• Courses taken for undergraduate credit, or those no longer offered at UMD, or non-CS courses, are ineligible for waivers
• 400-level courses do not qualify for Ph.D. credit. If a course is evaluated and classified at the 400 level, it cannot be applied to your Ph.D. requirements. However, if you intend to apply a 400-level equivalent course to your MS degree, you must adhere to the Graduate School's policy for transferring courses into your MS degree, providing your course meets the criteria for acceptable transfer credit

Submission Process:

• Submit waiver requests through this form to the relevant field committee chair(s).
• For consideration in your Spring semester coursework, submit waiver requests by October 1st
• For consideration in your Fall semester coursework, submit waiver requests by March 1st
• Clearly link the course you're seeking to waive to the equivalent UMD course for comparison purposes.

2. Course Listings

The graduate program coursework is organized into areas, each with associated faculty and courses. There are currently eight areas:

Artificial Intelligence

Bioinformatics, computer systems, database systems, software engineering/programming languages/hci, scientific computing, algorithms and computation theory, visual and geometric computing.

Below are the courses by area:

Some courses may appear in more than one area. However, you cannot use a particular course to satisfy more than one area's requirement.

It is expected that courses at the 600-800 level will be offered on a rotating basis, roughly every three or four semesters.

In addition to the courses listed above, special topics courses are offered, under the course numbers CMSC 818, 828, 838, etc.

Sections for the following independent research courses (CMSC798, 799, 898, 899) are by faculty member.

• CMSC798 - Master's Non-Thesis Research
• CMSC799 - Master's Thesis Research
• CMSC898 - Pre-Candidacy Research
• CMSC899 - Doctoral Dissertation Research

It is assumed students have already received faculty approval for registering for their section. For CM899, PhD students who have advanced to candidacy will automatically be registered each Fall and Spring by the registrar if the student has advanced by end of schedule adjustment for that semester. PhD students graduating in summer would need to register for 1 credit of CMSC899 to meet the requirement of being registered the semester of graduation.

Off-campus Internship/Individual Study (I1** or I2**):  Students who are off-campus or on internship can register for "I" sections in summer (replacing the zero in the course number with the letter "I"). These sections are intended for when the student is NOT required to come to campus. All coursework is off-site or there are no on-campus meetings with the advisor. Students will be charged the off-campus mandatory student services fee if they are enrolled in this type of section.

MS/PhD Status of Special Topics Courses

• Fall 2015 and later - whether it is MS/PhD qualifying  and area
• [Spring 2015 and earlier: MS or PhD qualifying courses must base their grades primarily on exams (and not on paper readings, presentations, etc).  An MS comp must be based entirely on exams (and not projects, homeworks, term papers, etc). It can be one or more of the regular exams in the course (e.g., final, midterm + final), regular exams augmented with additional questions, a separate exam, or any combination.]
• Instructors offering such courses should email the relevant information to the grad office well before the start of the semester.
• Information for a semester is finalized when the semester starts.
• If a special topics course being offered is not listed here, then it does not count as MS/PhD qualifying or toward MS comps.
• CMSC673: Capstone in Machine Learning  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC818B: Advanced Topics in Computer Systems; Decision-Making for Robotics  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC818I: Advanced Topics in Computer Systems; Large Language Models, Security, and Privacy  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818J: Advanced Topics in Computer Systems; Domain Specific Architecture  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818L: Advanced Topics in Computer Systems; Fantastic Zero-Knowledge Proofs and How to Use Them  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC828J: Advanced Topics in Information Processing; Common-sense Reasoning and Natural Language Understanding  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC828P: Advanced Topics in Information Processing; AI/ML at Scale  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC838L: Advanced Topics in Programming Languages; Programming Languages and Computer Architecture  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC839A: Advanced Topics in Human-Computer Interaction; Embodied Media Design  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC848B: Selected Topics in Information Processing; Computational Imaging  MS/PhD qualifying in Visual and Geometric Computing
• CMSC848K: Selected Topics in Information Processing; Multimodal Foundation Models  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC858A: Advanced Topics in Theory of Computing; Concentration Inequalities for Randomized Algorithms and Machine Learning  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory

Spring 2024

• CMSC818G: Information-Centric Design of Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818R: Software Security via Program Analysis  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC828A: Fantastic Machine Learning Paradigms and Where to use Them  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC828J: Common-sense Reasoning and Natural Language Understanding  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC838C: Advances in XR  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI  MS/PhD qualifying in Visual and Geometric Computing
• CMSC838L: Programming Languages and Computer Architecture  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC839A: Embodied Media Design  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC848B: Computational Imaging  MS/PhD qualifying in Visual and Geometric Computing
• CMSC848G: SELECTED TOPICS IN ML  MS/PhD qualifying in Bioinformatics
• CMSC848J: Cognitive Robotics  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC858G: Quantum Error Correction and Fault-Tolerance  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC858N: Scalable Parallel Algorithms and Data Structures  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC858O: The Foundation of End-to-End Quantum Applications  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC818B: Decision-Making for Robotics  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC818E: Distributed And Cloud-Based Storage Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818F: Cryptography and Hostile Governments  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818I: Large Language Models, Security, and Privacy  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818J: Domain Specific Architectures  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC818Q: Cloud Networking and Computing  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC828C: Statistical Pattern Recognition  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC828I: Visual Learning & Recognition  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence  MS/PhD qualifying in Visual and Geometric Computing
• CMSC829A: Algorithmic Evolutionary Biology  MS/PhD qualifying in Bioinformatics
• CMSC838B: Differentiable Programming  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC848F: 3D Vision  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC848I: Trustworthy Machine Learning  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC848Q: How and Why Artificial Intelligence Answers Questions  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC858J: Network design Foundations  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC858V: Quantum Control, Metrology, and Error Mitigation for Quantum Algorithm Deployment  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC878B: Fast Multipole Methods: Fundamentals and Applications  MS/PhD qualifying in Scientific Computing

Spring 2023

• CMSC818L: Fantastic Zero-Knowledge Proofs and How to Use Them  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC828O: Computational and Mathematical Analysis of Networks Across Scales  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC828T: Sorting in Space and Words and Foundations of Multidimensional and Metric Data Structures  MS/PhD qualifying in Database Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Visual and Geometric Computing
• CMSC838D: Embodied Media Design  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC838E: Compiler Construction  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI
• CMSC848D: Explainable Natural Language Processing  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC848E: Machine Learning for Data Management Systems  MS/PhD qualifying in Database Systems
• CMSC858C: Randomized Algorithms  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC858L: Quantum Complexity  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC858N: Scalable Parallel Algorithms and Data Structures  MS/PhD qualifying in Algorithms and Computation Theory
• CMSC858Z: Modern Discrete Probability  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC818X: Introduction to Parallel Computing  MS/PhD qualifying in Computer Systems
• CMSC828J: Common-sense Reasoning and Natural Language Understanding  Not MS/PhD qualifying
• CMSC828V: Numerical Methods for Data Science and Machine Learning  MS/PhD qualifying in Scientific Computing
• CMSC828W: Foundations of Deep Learning  MS/PhD qualifying in Artificial Intelligence
• CMSC838X: Personal Health Informatics & Visualization  MS/PhD qualifying in Software Engineering/Programming Languages/HCI

Doctoral Program - Coursework

PhD students register for 10 units in each of the autumn, winter and spring quarters. Most courses offered by the department for PhD students are three units, including the core courses of the first year program. In addition to regular lecture courses on advanced topics, reading courses in the literature of probability and the literature of statistics are available each quarter. Students working on their dissertation may register for up to 10 units of directed research in each quarter. Students should also register for selected courses outside the statistics department in order to fulfill the  breadth requirement .

Prerequisites

Equivalents of Math 113, Math 115; Stats 116, Stats 200; CS 106A. (Descriptions of these courses may be viewed on Stanford's  ExploreCourses  course listings pages.

Previous experience has shown that before starting the core courses students need to have mastered the material in the prerequisite courses (or their equivalents at other universities), as demonstrated by very strong and relatively recent grades. Where this background is missing or not recent, admission to the PhD program will involve working with the Graduate Director to design an individual program to make up the necessary courses.

Core Courses

Statistics 300A, 300B and 300C systematically survey the ideas of estimation and of hypothesis testing for parametric and nonparametric models involving small and large samples.

Statistics 305A is concerned with linear regression and the analysis of variance. Statistics 305B and 305C survey a large number of modeling techniques, related to but going significantly beyond the linear models of 305A.

Statistics 310A, 310B and 310C are measure-theoretic courses in probability theory, beginning with basic concepts of the law of large numbers, and martingale theory.

Although the content of the first year core courses is specified by the department, the order in which topics are studied and details of the presentation are left to the instructor and will vary from year to year. Unusually well prepared students may place out of Statistics 305A. Students who do not have a sufficient mathematics background can, with approval from the Graduate Director, take the 310 series after the first year. All core courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Literature/Work In Progress Course

Stats 319 is a literature course in statistics and probability that is offered each quarter. The course is generally taken by students in the second and third years, and may be taken repeatedly. It serves two connected purposes:

• to expose students to a variety of topics of current research interest, for example, to help identify dissertation topics. Students are expected to read a number of articles and to write a short paper related to the reading that is presented to the class. The paper can be a synthesis of the reading material, or it may mark the beginning of research in the area. Reading assignments are made in consultation with any faculty member, especially the course instructor.
• to fulfill the Work in Progress requirement. Each post-quals and pre-orals student gives a 50 minute talk once a year. This requirement gives the student practice in giving and receiving feedback on talk technique, and keeps the department informed on the student's work. The talk can be on dissertation work in progress, on an ancillary project (consulting, RA work), or on a selection of papers that the student has recently read. The instructor of the literature course, along with the student's course peers, provide feedback on the talk, and can also provide guidance in topic choice where needed.

All students who have passed the qualifying exams but have not yet passed the Dissertation Proposal Meeting must take Stats 319 Literature of Statistics at least once per year.

Advanced Courses (Depth Requirement)

Students are required to complete a depth requirement consisting of a minimum of three courses (nine units) of advanced topics courses offered by the department. Courses for the depth and breadth (see below) requirements must equal a combined minimum of 24 units. Recommended advanced topics courses include the following:

• In troduction to Time Series Analysis (Stats 307)
• In formation Theory and Statistics (Stats 311)
• Advanced Statistical Methods (Stats 314A)
• Modern Applied Statistics: Learning (Stats 315A)
• Modern Applied Statistics: Learning II (Stats 315B)
• Stochastic Processes (Stats 317)
• Modern Markov Chains (Stats 318)
• Machine Learning Methods for Neural Data Analysis (Stats 320)
• Function Estimation in White Noise (Stats 322)
• Multivariate Analysis (Stats 325)
• Topics in Probability Theory (Stats 350)
• Topics in Mathematical Physics (Stats 359)
• Causal Inference (Stats 361)
• Monte Carlo (Stats 362)
• Design of Experiments (Stats 363)
• Statistical Models in Genetics (Stats 367)
• Bayesian Statistics (Stats 370)
• Convex Optimization I (EE 364A)
• Convex Optimization II (EE 364B)

In any given year only some of these courses will be offered.

These courses are normally taken after the first year and may help students to find dissertation topics.

Consulting Workshop

Students taking the consulting workshop, Stats 390, provide a free consulting service to the Stanford community. Researchers from all areas of the University drop in to discuss their problems. This course allows students to assimilate the material from their first year courses, especially Stats 305A/B/C.

The consulting is executed by teams of students, in which inexperienced students are matched with those more experienced. The course is offered each quarter and may be taken repeatedly. Students are encouraged to participate in the formulation of the consulting problems and in any data analysis which may be involved.

Postgraduate research degrees

Our research is driven by the big picture. The University of Sydney is home to leading researchers who are finding solutions to the world's most pressing issues by changing the way they look at them. 

We are home to 90 world‑renowned multidisciplinary research and teaching centres that tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as health, climate change and food security. These centres include the Charles Perkins Centre, the Brain and Mind Centre ,  The University of Sydney Nano Institute , the Sydney Policy Lab , the Sydney Environment Institute , and the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre .

Our interdisciplinary approach means that students are part of a community of scholars that unites experts in fields as diverse as medicine, arts, social sciences, engineering, information technologies and science. 

As a researcher at Sydney, you'll work alongside some of the world's brightest and most accomplished academics. You can access high-calibre facilities and unique international partnerships with top-ranked institutions, including Stanford, UCLA, the University of Edinburgh, Utrecht University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the University of Hong Kong.

Types of research degrees

Master's degree by research.

A master's degree by research at Sydney:

• is the second-highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework
• can be a gateway to study at a PhD level
• is usually one to two years full-time or two to four years part-time*
• is awarded based on a supervised thesis, which makes a substantial contribution to the knowledge of the subject concerned.

*Part-time is not available to international student visa holders.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD at Sydney:

• is our premier research award and the highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework
• comprises of independent research and writing on an approved topic toward a thesis for examination
• may be undertaken in all faculties and divisions, or across disciplines
• is usually 3.5 years of full-time or seven years of part-time* study.

If you’re interested in a Joint PhD program, you need to follow the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) application steps 1-3. In addition, your proposed supervisor will need to complete a proposal to negotiate a student agreement form. If accepted, you will also be required to sign an individual student agreement. After your student agreement is finalised, you will then be sent an application form for the Joint PhD program.

Please refer to the University's Dual and Joint Degree Policy for full policy details.

Download our  Joint PhD programs factsheet (pdf, 116KB)  to learn more.

Professional doctorate

A professional doctorate at Sydney:

• allows candidates to pursue rigorous scholarship alongside advancing their practice in many fields
• is usually three to four years of full-time or six to eight years of part-time* study.

Internship opportunities

Grow professionally and academically through a paid 3-6 month internship with an industry partner as you complete your degree.

The University of Sydney has partnered with  Australian Postgraduate Research Intern (APR.Intern)  to provide domestic and international HDR students with internship opportunities  in a range of sectors and disciplines.

A paid internship will allow you to:

• Develop competencies that will contribute to your research
• Gain industry experience, develop skills and build networks
• Enhance your employability
• Earn additional income

HDR coursework 

HDR coursework is mandatory for some of our research degrees. HDR coursework adds to your researcher toolkit so you can graduate with a robust set of skills, for a career in academia or industry.

Your faculty may elect to define certain units of study as mandatory for a given degree, or define any other studies as required by the progress evaluation panel of the research project. Refer to the relevant course in the  handbook .  

Frequently asked questions

Getting started, do i need prior research experience.

Yes, all HDR courses require prior research experience. This is because HDR courses are largely self-driven, requiring pre-requisite research, time and project management skills.

If I have no prior research experience how can I get started?

If you do not have any previous research experience, there are ways to gain what you need. Both the one-year honours and masters by coursework degrees containing substantial research components are great pathways into research. These courses will allow you to gain the research skills necessary to apply for the PhD.

What is the difference between a Master of Philosophy/Research and a PhD?

The PhD is our premier research award and the highest qualification on the Australian Qualifications Framework. The PhD is usually three years full-time or six years part-time.

The Master of Philosophy/Research is usually one to two years full-time or four years part-time (part-time is available to domestic students only). A PhD thesis is generally around 80,000 words while a master’s thesis is 50,000 words.

How do I find a supervisor?

To browse through the profiles of our researchers and learn about their current and past research, please refer to Find a Researcher . Here, you will also be able to access the publications lists and contact details of our researchers. 

My research idea crosses two disciplines – is this a problem?

No. Interdisciplinary research is highly regarded in the world of academia and working across disciplines can be very beneficial in developing and demonstrating different analytical skills. Working on research from two perspectives can also offer insight that you would not be able to achieve from one discipline perspective.

What are the English language requirements for a PhD?

Please check your  course page  for the requirements of each course. Generally, the English requirements are between 6.0 to 7.0 IELTS overall or equivalent in other accepted English proficiency tests.

How much do HDR courses cost?

There are no course fees for domestic students – fees are covered by the government Research Training Program (RTP) fee offset. However, fees apply to international students. Please refer to the  course page  for fee details.

What scholarships are available?

We have one of the largest research schemes in Australia. Opportunities include the Australian government-funded Research Training Program (RTP) stipend scholarships, and the University of Sydney and faculty-specific awards. Explore your options .

Degree progression

Do i have to undertake hdr coursework.

It depends on your degree. Your faculty may define certain units of study as mandatory for a given degree. Where this is not the case, you may still have the opportunity to complete units of study that you find useful to support your learning and research. 

Can I transfer from the Master of Philosophy into a PhD?

It is possible for students to move to the PhD after the first year of study, if you have made satisfactory progress and if the transfer is approved by your Faculty. It is important to inform your supervisor of your plans early so that you can work on a timeline together to achieve this goal.

Support during your studies

Am i able to work while studying my hdr course full-time.

Yes, you can work during your PhD. How many hours you take on is at your own discretion, and you must ensure that you still allow time for the completion of your research. International HDR students can generally work more hours than coursework students. Please check your individual visa for specific restrictions.

Will the university employ me during my PhD?

There are sometimes opportunities for PhD candidates to engage in paid employment at the University, but this is not guaranteed and is dependent on the Faculty/Department. If opportunities do arise, they may be in the form of teaching, marking, acting as a research assistant, or other roles.

What support services are available to research students?

There is extensive support for research students at Sydney, including 100+ multidisciplinary research and teaching centres.

Other services:

• Library workshops for research skills
• Academic Liasion Librarians
• Research Support Officers
• Careers Centre
• Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA)
• Learning Hub

How to apply

Find a supervisor.

Search by keyword, location, topic or supervisor name

• 1800 SYD UNI ( 1800 793 864 )
• or +61 2 8627 1444

Student Centre, Level 3 Jane Foss Russell Building, Darlington Campus

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Prospective students

Facts & figures

Research at Sydney

• Top 20 Ranked one of the world's top universities*
• 100% of our research is ranked at world standard and above by the Australian Research Council
• 100+ multidisciplinary research and teaching centres
• * QS World University Rankings 2024

Research scholarships

Find the right scholarship for you

How to write a research proposal

A guide to preparing a strong research proposal

6 ways to finance your postgraduate study

Find out how to reduce the cost of your tuition fees

• Academics /

Take a Course

Online and on-campus courses that fit your lifestyle.

Courses Designed for Impact

At Harvard Extension School, our courses are the cornerstone of our academic offerings.

You may choose to take a single course — perhaps to build a new skill, explore a passion, or prepare for graduate school. Or you may decide to take courses in pursuit of a degree or certificate . The choice is yours.

Our courses are open enrollment, requiring no application to enroll. Whatever your goal, you’ll find courses that balance academic rigor with flexibility and value.

800 courses in over 60 subjects

Harvard faculty and industry-leading professionals

Flexible course formats to fit your life

High-impact learning designed for real-world application

A global community of motivated lifelong learners just like you

Stackable pathways that can lead from a course to a certificate to a degree

Take a Course This Summer

You can explore over 400 online and on-campus courses offered during Harvard Summer School 2024.

Multiple Participation Options Offered Year-Round

We understand that you need flexible attendance options to balance school, career, and other life commitments.

We offer courses multiple times a year, with 3 participation options:

• Online synchronous
• Online asynchronous

Learn more about our course participations options.

Full (15-week) and half (7-week) term courses between August and mid-December

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3-week intensive courses

Spring Term

Full (15 week) and half (7 week) term courses from late January to mid-May

Summer Session

3- and 7-week options from June to August

Course Tuition Rates

Simply enroll—no application required.

To get started, simply follow these steps:

• Create a  MyDCE account .
• Review our  Enrollment Policies .
• Explore our  course catalog .
• Understand our  Enrollment Requirements and complete those applicable to you and your course of interest.
• Complete  preregistration in MyDCE .
• Register for your course.
• Submit your  payment by the payment deadline.
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Has it been a few years since you were in a classroom?

Returning to school as an adult student can be overwhelming. Our Harvard Extension Ready tool and Career and Academic Resource Center can help you prepare.

Harvard Extension Ready

Harvard Extension Ready is a series of online lessons on core writing skills. It is free, self-guided, and self-paced.

Learn more and get started with Harvard Extension Ready !

Career and Academic Resource Center (CARC)

CARC provides academic webinars covering a wide variety of study and research skills you’ll need to thrive at Harvard Extension School.

Whether you want to learn some effective note-taking strategies, prepare to give a presentation, or understand how to properly cite your sources in a midterm paper, you’ll find what you need in the online CARC resource library.

Visit the CARC website to explore all of these valuable resources and more.

Experience all that Harvard Extension Has to Offer

• Receive college credit. Harvard Extension courses are credit-bearing, can be applied to related Harvard Extension certificates and degrees , and may be transferable to other universities.
• Gain access to skill-building and career webinars , student resources , and Harvard University libraries .
• Develop a diverse network of peers like you—driven, experienced, and committed to growth.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="coursework master to phd"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Graduate school degrees.

The Graduate School administers research and professional degrees in more than 80 different fields of study, with opportunities for further exploration in 18 minor (non-degree granting) fields. The Graduate School provides an umbrella of support and resource for graduate students enrolled in these degrees, including admissions and funding support systems and data reporting tools.

Additionally, there are many other advanced degrees administered by colleges and schools at Cornell University that are not part of the Graduate School’s support system and, instead, provide these services within their specific colleges and/or programs. 

Graduate School Research Degrees 

These programs focus on the development of new knowledge through original research and scholarship. Our master’s degree programs are designed for those who wish to obtain further education in a selected field and to develop their ability for critical inquiry, research and teaching. Doctoral programs are designed for individuals who demonstrate the potential to perform original research and scholarship, with a view to various careers requiring a terminal degree, including those in research and teaching. 

• M.A.  (Master of Arts)
• M.S.  (Master of Science)
• M.A./Ph.D.  or  M.S./Ph.D.  (joint Master’s/Doctor of Philosophy)
• M.F.A.  (Master of Fine Arts), Creative Writing
• D.M.A.  (Doctor of Musical Arts) , typically 3 or more years
• J.S.D.  (Doctor of Science of Law)
• Ph.D.  (Doctor of Philosophy)

Graduate School Professional Degrees

In professional degrees, the focus is on projects and coursework. Professional degrees prepare students to practice their profession at an advanced level or to teach the subject matter of their profession. 

• M.F.S. (Master of Food Science) , 1 year
• M.I.L.R.  (Master of Industrial and Labor Relations) , 2 years
• M.L.A.  (Master of Landscape Architecture) , 3 years
• M.P.H  (Master of Public Health) , 1-2 years; part-time option
• Animal Science
• Biological and Environmental Engineering
• Integrative Plant Science
• Global Development
• Landscape Architecture
• Natural Resources and the Environment
• Applied Statistics
• Fiber Science & Apparel Design
• Human Resources (Online)
• ​ Information Science
• Veterinary Medical Sciences , 12 months
• M.R.P.  (Master of Regional Planning) , 2 years

See the fields of study catalog for more information on degree programs offered through the Graduate School. 

Why should you consider Cornell?

• PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
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PROGRAMME BY COURSEWORK

UPM currently offers 70 Masters Programmes by Coursework. Please click the relevant faculties and programmes for further details.

• Faculty of Agriculture
• Faculty of Computer Science And Information Technology
• Faculty of Design and Architechture
• School of Business and Economics
• Faculty of Educational Studies
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Forestry and Environment
• Faculty of Food Science and Technology
• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
• Faculty of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences
• Faculty of Human Ecology

Updated:: 12/12/2021 [mhafizm]

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang ,Selangor

Contact List by Unit Staff and Services

Professional Science Masters (PSM)

Graduate school, main navigation.

Professional Masters in

Computational & Data Science

Are you looking to grow as a professional? Do you want to improve your communication, leadership, and collaboration skills? Explore mathematical models, numerical methods, and data visualization, which are in high demand. You will learn to tackle real-world problems with the full range of skills from these fields.

PSM Admissions

Transferrable Business Skills

(12 credits)

Advanced Quantitative Skills

(6 Credits)

Computational & Data Science Courses

(15 Credits)

Professional Experience Project

(3 Credits)

36 credits & a GPA Higher than 3.0

In graduate school, 9 credits and up is full-time. Full-time students can complete the program in 2 years. Part-time students take 2.5 to 4 years to complete the program.

Transferrable Skills Courses

Data science, computational science.

Expect to take these courses with a cohort of peers from across the different PSM degree tracks.

You may need permission codes to register for classes taught by other departments. Contact advisors in those departments to get those codes. You can find a list of these courses on the PSM canvas course under Module 3: Program of Study.

Professional Development for Scientists & Engineers

MST 6200 - 3 Credits - Fall

Operations & Project Management for Scientists & Engineers

MST 6210 - 3 Credits - Spring

Scientific Reasoning & Inquiry

MST 6500 - 3 Credits - Spring

Business Development for Scientist & Engineers

MST 6110 - 3 Credits - Summer

Applied Statistical Techniques

MST 6600 - 3 Credits - Fall

Core Requirements

Introduction to probability.

MATH 5010 - 3 Credits - Fall

Statistical Inference I

MATH 5080 - 3 Credits - Fall

Graduate Algorithms

CS 6150 - 3 Credits

Advanced Database Systems

CS 6530 - 3 Credits - Fall

Data Mining

CS 6140 - 3 Credits - Fall

Machine Learning

CS 6350 - 3 Credits - Fall

Visualization for Data Science

CS 6630 - Credit 3 - Fall

Focus Area Electives

Students can choose courses from the COMP and CS MATH areas based on their professional goals.

Course availability is subject to change. Substitute classes are available, upon approval. Courses may have prerequisites. Students are responsible for confirming they meet course requirements and prerequisites. These courses are in the General Catalog .

MATH 5080 - 3 Credits - Fall

Statistical Inference II

MATH 5090 - 3 Credits - Fall

Introduction to Numerical Analysis I

MATH 5610 - 4 Credits - Fall

Introduction to Numerical Analysis II

MATH 5620 - 4 Credits - Fall

Analysis of Numerical Methods I

MATH 6610 - 3 Credits - Fall

Analysis of Numerical Methods II

MATH 6620 - 3 Credits - Fall

Introduction to Applied Mathematics I

This project is a critical component of any PSM program & required for graduation.

It is a hands-on project in a real work environment of business & science.

Professional Experience Project Planning

MST 6974 - 1 Credits - Fall/Spring

MST 6975 - 3 Credits - Fall/Spring

This course teaches business management & development skills.

Students will learn:

• Modern business practices
• How to create and use effective business plans
• To make business forecasts and scenarios
• To be effective managers
• Marketing and sales strategies
• Financial planning and analysis

This course teaches scientists & engineers how to excel in their careers.

This course includes:

• Interactive lectures
• Practical exercises
• Real-world case studies
• Self-assessments
• To improve their professional abilities
• To be better communicators
• How to advance their careers

This is a cohort class for first-year MST students.

This course offers functional skills for & the improvement of organizational processes.

• To manage value creation
• Effective and efficient process design
• Operational design and theory
• To plan and organize functions of management
• To carry out and oversee functions of management

This course teaches scientific reasoning, inquiry, & problem-solving skills. 

Topics covered include:

• Simple and theoretical induction
• Bayesianism
• Statistical and causal hypotheses
• Using scientific information in decision making
• Inference to the best explanation
• Science and the individual
• Science and society

Required of all first-year MST students.

This course teaches exploratory data analysis (EDA) & the R coding language.

• Real-world examples
• Scatter plots
• Probability plots
• Residual plots
• The RStudio platform
• Standard and quantitative data evaluation techniques

No prior knowledge of the R coding language needed and you should bring your laptop.

This course assists with methods and skills needed to complete a professional project.

• Realistic goal setting
• Project initiation
• To define objectives and scope
• To identify and manage risk
• Resource allocation
• To keep track of progress

Professional Project

This course bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills..

Students will be able to apply diverse skills gained from their studies such as:

• Problem-solving
• Critical thinking
• Communication
• Project management
• Collaboration

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of probability.

Key topics include:

• Combinatorial problems
• Random variables
• Distributions
• Independence and dependence
• Conditional probability
• Expected value and moments
• Law of large numbers
• Central limit theorems

CS 6150 - 3 Credits - Fall

This course provides an in-depth study of algorithms, focusing on design and analysis.

• Greedy algorithms
• Dynamic programming
• Divide and conquer strategies
• Asymptomatic analysis and recurrence relations
• Graph algorithms and network flows
• Computational complexity and intractability
• NP-hardness and beyond
• Approximation algorithms

3 Credits - Fall

This graduate-level course focuses on the design and implementation of relational database system kernels and other large-scale data management techniques.

• Relational data model and SQL
• File organization, database storage, indexing and hashing
• Query evaluation and optimization
• Transaction processing, concurrency control and recovery
• Database integrity and security
• Latest developments in large-scale data management techniques

Students will participate in a semester-long project to build a mini-database system. Note: This is not a course on building database applications.

Data Mining is about discovering patterns and structures in large data sets. This course will guide you on how to model these problems and find solutions using efficient algorithms. Some of these methods involve the use of randomized algorithms, which are simple to use but can be tricky to analyze. We'll focus on how to use them effectively and provide clear explanations.

This course covers techniques for developing computer programs that can acquire new knowledge automatically or adapt their behavior over time.

The curriculum includes a variety of algorithms for both supervised and unsupervised learning. You'll learn about decision trees, online learning, and linear classifiers.

The course also explores:

• Methods to minimize empirical risk
• Computational learning theory
• Ensemble methods
• Bayesian methods
• Techniques for clustering and dimensionality reduction

CS 6630 - 2 Credits - Fall

This course introduces the principles, methods, and techniques for effective visual analysis of data as applied to data science.

We will explore aspects of visualization related to tabular (high-dimensional) data, graphs, text, and maps.

This course also explores:

• Bootstrapping the necessary technical skills (web development with HTML5 and JavaScript)
• Overview of principles from perception and design
• Visualization fundamentals such as interactions and views
• Visualization techniques and methods for non-spatial data types and maps
• Continual analysis, critique, and redesign of visualizations
• Hands-on experience designing and implementing interactive, web-based visualizations using cutting-edge visualization libraries

A complementary course - Visualization for Scientific Data - that focuses on the visualization of spatial data (e.g., grid-based data from simulations and scanning devices) is offered in the spring.

This course is designed to equip students with the mathematical tools necessary for understanding randomness and uncertainty.

The course covers:

• Problem-solving techniques in combinatorics
• Understanding and working with random variables and their distributions
• Concepts of independence and dependence
• Conditional probability and its applications
• Calculation and interpretation of expected values and moments
• Insights into the law of large numbers
• Introduction to central limit theorems

This course is the first part of a comprehensive introduction to statistical inference, focusing on the theoretical foundations of statistics.

• Principles and techniques of sampling
• Understanding sampling distributions
• Application and interpretation of the Central Limit Theorem
• Methods for data transformation
• Concepts of complete and sufficient statistics
• Techniques for point estimation
• Principles of optimality in statistical inference

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of numerical analysis. It is designed for students with prior programming experience.

• Numerical methods in linear algebra
• Techniques for numerical interpolation
• Numerical integration and differentiation
• Approaches to approximation, including discrete and continuous least squares, Fourier analysis, and wavelets

This course is a continuation of Introduction to Numerical Analysis I. It delves into the numerical solution of initial value problems in ordinary differential equations and introduces students to numerical approaches for solving partial differential equations.

Analysis of Numerical Methods I

This course explores initial- and boundary-value problems of ordinary and partial differential equations.

The course also covers:

• Linear algebra
• Interpolation
• Integration
• Differentiation
• Approximation techniques including least squares, Fourier analysis, and wavelets

This course is a continuation of Analysis of Numerical Methods I.

MATH 5710 - 3 Credits - Fall

This course covers key mathematical concepts and techniques used in various fields, including computer science and data analysis.

The course focuses on:

• Understanding and solving symmetric linear systems
• Working with positive definite matrices
• Solving eigenvalue problems
• Understanding equilibrium equations for both discrete and continuous systems
• Solving boundary value problems in ordinary and partial differential equations
• Applying boundary integrals

This advanced course is designed for students who seek a deeper understanding of statistical theory and its applications.

The course covers a range of topics including:

• Estimation of intervals
• Testing of hypotheses
• Methods based on likelihood
• Understanding of errors and optimality
• Study of order statistics
• Introduction to nonparametric methods
• Exploration of rank statistics

Partial Suspension of Regulation on Final Examinations in Graduate Courses Only for Spring 2024

• June 03, 2024
• Instruction

To: Academic Senate Faculty  

Dear Colleagues:

On May 31, 2024, the Executive Board held a special meeting to consider a request from the Graduate Council to suspend sections B and D of divisional  Senate Regulation 505. Final Examinations in Graduate Courses  for Spring 2024 only. The Graduate Council endorsed the partial suspension in order to offer faculty flexibility to adjust final examinations in anticipation of an unpredictable campus situation this academic term.

Acting on behalf of the Legislative Assembly, the Executive Board approved a motion to suspend sections B and D of divisional  Senate Regulation 505. Final Examinations in Graduate Courses  for Spring 2024 only. Thus, the following sections are  not applicable  for upcoming final examinations (June 3–14, 2024) in Spring 2024 graduate courses:

(B) The instructor's methods of evaluation must be announced at the beginning of the course. The methods may include in final written examination, a term paper, a final oral examination, a take-home examination or other evaluation device.

(D) Final written examinations shall not exceed three hours' duration and shall be given only at the times and places established by the departmental Chair and the Registrar.

This temporary partial suspension offers instructors of graduate courses enhanced flexibility in the nature, duration, time and place of final exam. It ends on June 15, 2024, when the full extent of divisional Senate Regulation 505 will be automatically reinstated.

Regarding final exams in undergraduate courses, Divisional Senate Regulations A-330 and A-332 remain in full effect. Instructors may refer to previously issued  instructional guidance  on adjusting assignments and final assessments.

Andrea M. Kasko Chair, Academic Senate View this BruinPost PDF Here

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Other Courses

Department of Economics (Graduate)

Doctor of Philosophy

• •  Economics, PHD

Master of Arts in Teaching

• •  Economics, MAT

Master of Science

• •  Economics, MS
• •  Economics, MS (OL/HY)

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

• •  Business Economics and Data Analytics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Business Economics and Data Analytics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Financial Economics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Financial Economics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Public Economics & Policy, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Public Economics & Policy, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)

Department of Management (Graduate)

Concentration (Graduate)

• •  Robotics and Automation
• •  Technology Commercialization
• •  Management, PHD

Master of Business Administration

• •  Business Administration STEM (Graduate)
• •  Management, MBA (Graduate)
• •  Management-Executive MBA, MBA (Graduate)
• •  Business Analytics and Information Management, MS
• •  Business Analytics, MS (Graduate)
• •  Finance, MS
• •  Global Supply Chain Management, MS
• •  Human Resource Management, MS (Graduate)
• •  Management, MS
• •  Management-Executive MBA, MS

Master of Science in Industrial Administration

• •  Industrial Administration, MSIA
• •  Business Analytics
• •  Business Analytics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Business Essentials, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Business Essentials, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Digital Marketing and Analytics - CPOSTB
• •  Fundamentals of Human Resources, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Fundamentals of Human Resources, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Global Supply Chain Management, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Global Supply Chain Management, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Innovation and Technology Commercialization, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Innovation and Technology Commercialization, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Leadership, Change Management & Negotiations, Post Baccalaureate Certificate
• •  Leadership, Change Management & Negotiations, Post Baccalaureate Certificate (OL)
• •  Marketing Analytics, Post Baccalaureate Certificate

Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (Graduate)

• •  Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management, PHD