unimelb thesis examination system

• Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
• Current students
• Graduate researchers
• Submitting your thesis

Submitting your thesis and beyond

Tips on what you need to do before you submit your thesis and beyond.

When you pass the 3-year mark in your PhD candidature (or 1-year mark in your MPhil candidature) you should start preparing to submit your thesis to ensure timely completion. There are several requirements you will need to follow to successfully submit your thesis.

Get organised for your Completion Seminar

All graduate researchers are required to make a public presentation of their research findings at the University in the six-months prior to submitting their thesis for examination. This is called a Completion Seminar and is regarded as an important part of candidature. The seminar should present the objectives, methods, findings and significance of the candidate's thesis research. This is often a departmental seminar. Your supervisors will write a report detailing feedback that can be used for the final draft. Your Completion Seminar should be undertaken at around 3-6 months before you intend to submit. Be proactive and arrange your Completion Seminar ahead of time.

For more information on Completion seminars please go to the Graduate Research Hub page: Submitting my thesis | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)

Completion seminar requirements can be viewed on the Graduate Research Training Policy (MPF132) policy library. Please note: This policy in the process of being updated .

Preparing your thesis

There is a plethora of information on the GR Hub in regard to:

• Writing your thesis
• Incorporating your published work in your thesis
• Thesis with creative works
• Preparation of Graduate Research Thesis Rules
• Graduate researchers and digital assistance tools
• Research integrity in my thesis

All of which can be found here: Preparing my thesis | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)

Preparing to submit

Similarly, on the GR Hub there is information on what your need to do before you submit your thesis. Submitting my thesis | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)

Topics include

• Before you submit your thesis IP Guide
• Completion Seminar
• Creative works
• iThenticate
• Graduate Research Thesis Submission Checklist (download from the site)
• Read the section ‘How to submit’, which may take some of the mystery out of this final step and help take the jitters out of this stage.

The examination process

For information on the examination process Examination Overview | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)

Key points on:

• What examiners look for
• The Thesis Examination System
• Examination process
• Examination of jointly awarded PhD
• Examination criteria and marking
• Responding to examiners
• Changes to the thesis
• Citation for Completion

For additional information please view the Graduate Research Training Policy Graduate Research Training Policy (unimelb.edu.au)

Thesis submission date expiry and late submission

Your final thesis submission date will correspond to the maximum period of your candidature, that is for a PhD (4.5 EFTSL/years if you commenced prior to 1 March 2020, and 4 EFTSL if you commenced on or after 1 March 2020) or MPhil (2 EFTSL if you commenced on or after 1 March 2020).

However, if you need more time to submit, these are the options for GRs who confirmed after Jan 2018.

• If you need to up to two more weeks post final thesis submission date you need to apply for a 10-working day extension. Please request this by email with [email protected]
• If you cannot submit your thesis by your final thesis submission date and you need several weeks or up to 12 months extension of your thesis submission date, you need to apply for Late submission . Late submission applications need to be requested with the FEIT GR team 2 months prior to your final thesis submission date = 4 EFTSL date. More information on late submission can be found here: Late Submission | University of Melbourne (unimelb.edu.au)

Student visa holders: Staying in Australia for the examination period

Please take care with managing your visa extension needs, especially if your visa expiry date corresponds with your thesis submission date period and you intend on staying in Australia for the examination period. Please contact Stop1 for visa queries well before issues arise if you can.

Once student visa holders submit their thesis their CoE is ‘completed’ and they need to apply for a  CMT if they intend staying in Australia for the examination period. For requesting CMTs and more information: Renewing your student visa (unimelb.edu.au)

• Faculty of Education
• Graduate Research at FoE
• Current Students

Preparing my Thesis and Examination

Find resources, programs and workshops to help you prepare your thesis. Access information, support and guidance for every stage of your examination.

Graduate Research Hub

• Preparing my thesis
• Writing my thesis

Getting started on your thesis

The approach to writing will vary by discipline. The best way to make sure you are doing the right thing is to talk to your supervisors, plan the structure of your thesis and start writing early and regularly.

In creative arts disciplines where your thesis may take the form of creative works and a dissertation, you should also discuss the form and presentation of your thesis with your supervisor, to ensure that it is presented as a cohesive whole. You can refer to the thesis with creative works page for further information on formatting , weighting and the examination process for creative works.

Thesis formats, preface and word limits

The rules governing thesis content, language and word limits are contained in the Graduate Research Training Policy while the formatting and preface requirements for theses, compilations and creative works are provided in the Preparation of Graduate Research Theses Rules . You can also refer to the sample thesis title page .

If your thesis includes some of your publications, or material extracted from some of your publications, format requirements are explained under Including your published material in your thesis .

The University repository, Minerva Access , stores completed theses and is a good resource for viewing how others have presented their work. Just browse by types and choose Masters research thesis, PhD thesis or Doctorate .

You will need to add an Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) to your thesis title page. Information on the ORCID and how to apply for one is available from the University Library

If your thesis includes third party copyright material, the Preparation of Graduate Research Theses Rules requires you to include a list of the material and whether or not you have gained permission from the copyright owners to make this material publicly available as part of your thesis. When creating the list, please use the Template for Listing Third Party Copyright Material . For further information on copyright and dealing with the copyright of others, see Copyright & Research .

Check the Handbook entry for your course for specific word limits and, where applicable, for the proportion of the thesis to be presented as a creative work.

The maximum word limit for theses (including footnotes but excluding tables, maps, bibliographies and appendices) are:

• 50 000 words for Masters theses
• 100 000 words for a PhD or doctoral thesis.

You should aim to write a thesis shorter than the maximum allowed, for example 40 000 for a Masters thesis or 80 000 words for a PhD. Any thesis that exceeds the maximum limit requires permission to proceed to examination, which must be sought via the Graduate Research Examinations Office prior to submission.

It may have been necessary for you to significantly alter your research plan, due the COVID-19 pandemic or other major disruption. In some cases, this may mean that the thesis you submit is not typical for your discipline. In your thesis, you should discuss any methodological changes you have made and explain how the changes arose because of the disruptions. Theses usually also include discussion of possible future research; you may wish to outline research that could be done once conditions change. Your discussion in the thesis of COVID-19 or other impacts will guide the examiners’ understanding of the reported work and the environment in which it was undertaken.

Acknowledging COVID-19 disruptions in your thesis

This guide discusses how to explain the impact of COVID-19 disruptions in your thesis. You should consult with your supervisors to decide what approach suits your situation best.

What to include or exclude

When you include statements within your PhD, other than in the Acknowledgements, they must be objective and within the scope of matters that examiners consider. You can include statements about the impact of COVID-19 or other significant external disruptions on matters such as the scope of the thesis; experimental design; or access to resources including facilities, collections, cohorts of experimental subjects, fieldwork, laboratories, and performance spaces. Note this list is indicative only. If in doubt, contact your supervisor or advisory committee chair about other relevant inclusions.

It is not appropriate to include emotional statements, how your experience compared to others (examination is not competitive), nor impacts such as the need to work remotely, or personal statements on mental or physical health, family, finances, nor the behaviour or availability of supervisors. Examiners are not asked to consider these matters.

While these factors may have had a profound impact on many candidates during the disruptions, there is no concept of ‘special consideration’ in examination of theses. Challenges to candidature are expected to be managed prior to submission and are not considered by examiners. For example, if access to supervisors was a difficulty, alternative arrangements should have been made. Examiners are not asked to make allowance for such factors.

Major changes to the project

If the disruptions led to significant changes to your project, you could address this in a single location.

For example, you might include a section that addresses the impact that the disruptions had on the entire thesis, or on multiple chapters within the thesis in a systematic and explicit way.

The introduction is where candidates lay out the thesis for examiners and so provides an opportunity to present objective statements regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the thesis. If the disruptions meant that different methodologies were pursued in different parts of the thesis, the introduction is a good place to explain why in a cohesive way.

Alternatively, statements can be added to the preface, to provide context to the work as a whole.

A final conclusions chapter is used to summarise the work and outline future research opportunities. If the disruption prevented you from undertaking particular research activities, you can use this section to highlight these gaps in the study and how they might be addressed.

Carefully explaining how the methodology was shaped by the disruption demonstrates your capacity to think beyond the PhD and to adapt to changing conditions. It can show that you are creative, flexible, and exploratory as a problem-solver.

The skills expected of a strong candidate include an ability to formulate a viable research question and to analyse information critically within and across a changing disciplinary environment.

You have the opportunity to demonstrate these attributes, even if the investigative component of the research was impeded. Remember that the core goal is research training, not the achievement of specific research outcomes.

Impact on specific chapters

If the disruptions impacted just one or two chapters of your thesis, they still need to stand alone as quality research.

One option is to explain the original design and how it was revised, either in the chapter introduction or in the section where it best fits in your narrative. It is important to explain to the examiners why you chose that methodology, particularly if it is unusual for your discipline. For example, the disruption may have affected the number or type of interviews that were conducted or have forced a change from experimental work to computational modelling.

Again, writing a focused discussion of the impact of the disruptions on a specific piece of work is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the qualities and skills that an examiner seeks in a strong candidate.

Impact that was not specific

You may wish to note that your thesis was completed during COVID-19 disruptions, even if there was no specific identifiable impact on the scope of the thesis or the project design. The appropriate location for this note is in the acknowledgements section because it is not examined. Remember that although this is the section where you might offer gratitude for family, friends, supervisors, inspirations, and supports; not every examiner will read the acknowledgements.

Editing my thesis

Your thesis must be your own work, and you must clearly understand your role as well as the roles of your supervisors and others throughout the editorial process.

The  Graduate Research Training Policy limits the editing of theses by others to that permitted in the current Guidelines for Editing Research Theses .

As editorial intervention (other than by your supervisors) should be restricted to copyediting and proofreading, as covered on page two of the Guidelines for Editing Research Theses , it is important that you understand the types of editing as explained on the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) website.

The University does not maintain a list of editors. If you would like help finding a suitable editor, the Institute of Professional Editors Limited (IPEd) has a register of accredited editors.

If your thesis has had the benefit of editorial advice, in any form, you must provide the name of the editor or company providing the service and a brief description of the service rendered, in terms of the Standards, in the preface of your thesis.

Registering my intention to submit

Prior to submission, or prior to your performance or exhibition of a creative component of your thesis, register your intention to submit by logging into the Thesis Examination System (TES). About 2-months prior to your submission is the ideal time for this. Your estimated submission date, or your thesis submission date, must not exceed your maximum submission date, i.e. your expected thesis submission date as listed on the Graduate Research Details page of my.unimelb .

Registering your intention to submit begins the process of the selection of examiners. You will need to provide a brief (80-word) overview of your research question, methods and results which will be sent to potential examiners. If you are submitting a thesis with creative work, include the weighting of the proportion of the written dissertation and creative component/s. You will also be given the opportunity to name up to two people that you consider to be unsuitable examiners, along with substantiated reasons. You are encouraged to create and enter an ORCID .

Preparing to submit your thesis soon? Download our Thesis Submission Checklist to assist you.

More information

Read the  FAQs on using the Thesis Examination System

You must be admitted to the relevant graduate research degree in order to submit your thesis. If your candidature is suspended, cancelled or terminated and you wish to submit, you must first  apply for reinstatement and readmission . Before applying for readmission you should contact your supervisor or head of department to discuss your thesis. If your supervisor is no longer available please contact  the  graduate research team for your faculty , or the faculty nearest in discipline to your former department.

Resources and workshops to help you write

• Writing skills
• Publication, open access and copyright
• Library skills for researchers
• Systems and tech tools including - Nvivo, LabArchives, File Management 101, Producing excellent graphs and sessions for a range of reference management software
• Communication skills and presentation skills workshops including - Oral presentations, Working with people and managing complex relationships and Working with a supervisor
• Upcoming workshops offered by Research@Library including digital skills webinars.
• Melbourne talks - a free program for international graduate researchers to the University of Melbourne delivered by the Student Peer Leader Network in partnership with Academic Skills.
• The University’s Library Guides provide a resource of library research support information on research, reading and writing skills
• We recommend you watch the series of eight short videos on Getting Started with Library Research
• The Eastern Resource Centre Library will be regularly updated to include information on when they are hosting structured social writing sessions known as ‘shut up and write’ and library information sessions
• Connect to the  Thesis Writers’ Community on LMS. Established by Academic Skills, the Community provides information and support through the writing process for graduate researchers
• You can join GSA’s regular Shut Up & Write sessions and Shut Up & Write-a-Thons
• Book an adviser for individual appointments to help with your thesis
• Your graduate school may have writing groups and they may offer 'boot camps' for an intensive writing effort. GSA also runs regular thesis bootcamps .
• You may also find it helpful to look at theses from past candidates in your field.  You can use the Browse “Communities and Collections” function in the University's institutional publications repository,  Minerva Access to find the “Theses” collection for your faculty or department (use the “+” symbol to expand the list of communities available).  You can also use the search function to find theses with relevant keywords.
• Annual graduate research competitions organised by the University such as the Three minute thesis (3MT®) competition and  Visualise your thesis competition 

Please note: These programs and workshops are subject to change, based on bookings and demand.

• Resources for candidates
• Orientation and induction
• Mapping my degree
• Principles for infrastructure support
• Peer activities
• Change my commencement date
• Meeting expectations
• Working with my supervisors
• Responsible Research & Research Integrity
• Guidelines for external supervisors
• Pre-confirmation
• Confirmation
• At risk of unsatisfactory progress
• Unsatisfactory progress
• Add or drop coursework subjects
• Apply for leave
• Return from leave
• Apply for Study Away
• Return from Study Away
• Change my study rate
• Check my candidature status
• Change my current supervisors
• Request an evidence of enrolment or evidence of qualification statement
• Change my project details
• Change department
• Transfer to another graduate research degree
• Late submission
• Withdraw from my research degree
• Check the status of a request
• Re-enrolment
• Advice on requesting changes
• Extension of candidature
• Lapse candidature
• How to cancel a form in my.unimelb
• Resolving issues
• Taking leave
• About Study Away
• Finishing on time
• Accepting an offer for a joint PhD online
• Tenured Study Spaces (TSS) Usage Guidelines
• Tenured Study Spaces Procedures
• Research skills
• Academic writing and communication skills
• Building professional and academic networks
• Research internships
• Commercialising my research
• Supplementary PhD Programs
• Examples of thesis and chapter formats when including publications
• Thesis with creative works
• Research Integrity in my Thesis
• Graduate researchers and digital assistance tools
• TES Statuses
• Submitting my thesis
• Depositing multiple components for your final thesis record
• The Chancellor's Prize
• TES Graduate Researcher FAQs
• Career planning
• Publishing my research
• Getting support
• Key graduate research contacts
• Melbourne Research Experience Survey
• Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)
• Current Students

• Faculty of Science
• Current Students
• Course guide: Graduate research

Learn everything you need to know about drafting and submitting your thesis, preparing for your final progress review and how to finish on time.

Planning for submission

The final stage of your candidature will involve drafting (and re-drafting) your thesis before your final submission. Before reaching this final step you should be aware of what options are available to you regarding extending your candidature (if you need to) and potentially preparing for your Final Progress Review.

Preparing your thesis

We recommend that you visit  Graduate Research Hub: Preparing my thesis for information on the required format of your thesis , word limits, details of what to include (and exclude) in your thesis, how to submit a thesis with publication , as well as an overview of the examination process.

Your supervisors and advisory committee will be able to provide you with guidance on any discipline-specific requirements of your thesis.

The faculty recognises that writing up your thesis is a difficult stage in your candidature, and so has multiple thesis boot camps available throughout the year to assist you.

We acknowledge that COVID-19 disruptions may have impacted your thesis. You should discuss these in your thesis and/or include a written statement so that your examiners can understand how your thesis has been impacted. Visit the Graduate Research Hub for further guidance .

Thesis due dates

The expectation is that you will submit your thesis within your expected course duration:

• PhD: within three years (part-time six years)
• MPhil/Master of Industrial Research: within 18 months (part-time three years)

Your expected thesis submission date may change during your candidature – for example, if you take leave of absence, change your research degree or change between full and part-time study.

You can check your expected thesis submission date through my.unimelb .

If your research hasn’t gone to plan and you need more time, there is the facility to extend the expected course duration to the maximum course duration as part of your progress review meeting, noting that extensions are provided for a maximum of 6 months (full-time equivalent) at a time.

We strongly recommend that you visit Finishing on Time on the Graduate Research Hub as this includes information on your maximum course duration date, a date which will differ depending on when you enrolled, and which course you’re enrolled in.

Final progress review

If you’ve received an extension of candidature beyond your original expected submission date (and you haven’t already submitted your thesis), your Final Progress Review will be due 6 months (full-time equivalent) prior to your maximum course duration date. This Final Progress Review will provide you and your advisory committee with the opportunity to discuss your ability to submit by your maximum course duration date.

If you’ve had research-related impacts or other compelling and compassionate reasons for identifying why you’re unable to submit by your maximum course duration date, then your Final Progress Review may be used to apply for Late Submission . If there aren’t extenuating circumstances, your advisory committee will detail a research plan to ensure you’re able to submit your thesis by your maximum course duration date.

Remember: if you do not submit your thesis by your maximum course duration date (and you have not applied and been approved for Late Submission ) your enrolment will be terminated from the day of your maximum course duration date.

Submission and examination

Submitting your thesis.

Before submitting your thesis you will need to register your intention to submit. You can download the Thesis Submission Checklist to assist you. To submit your thesis, you’ll need to present your research findings at a public completion seminar within six months prior to submitting. Please contact your school administrator to book your completion seminar.

More on submitting your thesis

After submitting your thesis

Once you’ve submitted your thesis through the Thesis Examination System (TES) it usually takes between four to six months before you’ll be notified of your result. The examination period is an ideal time to consider applying for a Postgraduate Writing-Up Award.

Faculty of Science Postgraduate Writing-up Award

This scholarship supports Faculty of Science PhD and Master of Philosophy graduate researchers that have recently submitted their thesis to adapt thesis chapters into publications. The award is valued up to $5000 and is offered annually. Find out more about the Award

More on examinations

Enhance Your Research Experience

There are also ways to Enhance Your Research Experience . Some examples include:

• Thesis Bootcamps, where you can develop your writing skills and dedicate time to writing up. You’ll be presented with new strategies for successful writing that you’ll be able to apply
• The Faculty of Science’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition, an annual event where you can practice effective communication by sharing your research with a wide audience
• The GR Professional Skills Series, where you’ll have an opportunity to hear from professionals and to cultivate those skills and practices required to pursue your individual career path

Making changes to your course

Throughout your degree you’re able to make changes and manage your candidature.

Please visit Managing Difficulties for advice on resolving issues during your candidature.

• Faculty of Business and Economics
• Graduate Research

Your Candidature

Confirmation and progress reviews.

Confirmation and progress reviews are emailed to all students (at their official student email address) at least 3 months prior to their due date. These need to be submitted after they have been completed and signed by your supervisors and advisory panel and by the PhD Director (on behalf of the Head of Department). Students need to ensure that they attach all of the required documentation, including their summary of progress and timeline to completion.

If you are unable to submit your review before the due date because you have not been able to meet with your supervisors and advisory panel, you may be able to extend your review due date by up to 2 weeks. To do this, your supervisor will need to email us on [email protected] to request an extension and state the reason that the form cannot be submitted.

Note: this will not extend your candidature or thesis submission date. Failure to submit your confirmation or progress review may result in an 'Absent without Leave' status being added to your transcript or termination of your enrolment.

Extensions to probationary candidature of up to 6 months can be approved by the Faculty.

Note: extending your probationary candidature will not extend your thesis submission date.

If you require an extension, please email us at [email protected] for more information. It is expected that all students completing coursework as a part of their PhD will extend their probationary candidature.

If you have completed 3 years of candidature and are not ready to submit your thesis, you must submit your Progress Review form with a request to extend your candidature. Extensions are not granted automatically, even if you have previously extended your probationary candidature. Students enrolled in the PhD are eligible for two extensions of up to 6 months to candidature.

To extend your candidature, your supervisors, advisory panel and the PhD Director (on behalf of the Head of Department) need to recommend extension to candidature on the Progress Review form.

If your candidature was confirmed  on or before 31 December 2017 , you are eligible to apply for a third 6 month extension to candidature and also lapsed candidature, also known as ‘lapse’, if you are unable to submit your thesis by the expected work submission date. A period of  ‘lapse’  allows you more time to submit your thesis.

• Approved extension of candidature
• Approved lapse

More information can be found on the Finishing on Time section of the Graduate Research Hub .

Students who do not submit their Progress Review requesting an extension to their candidature before their expected submission date will become liable for fees. These are calculated per day for each day that the thesis is not submitted.

Prerequisites for submission

• Before you submit your thesis, it's important that you discuss your submission with your supervisors. Please note that you must submit your thesis prior to your maximum submission date (your expected thesis submission date).  You can check your expected thesis submission date through  my.unimelb .
• You must present your research findings at a completion seminar prior to submission and meet the eligibility requirements to submit.
• You are encouraged  to use  iThenticate to check for any potential instances of problematic matching text and/or weak referencing practice before submitting your thesis for examination. The iThenticate similarity report will compare your thesis against a database of published research literature which you can discuss with your supervisor/s.

For details see the  Graduate Research Training Policy .

Completion Seminar

You must present your research findings at a public completion seminar in the six months prior to submission. It's an important milestone of your candidature. During the seminar you should present the objectives, methods, findings and significance of your research.

This is your opportunity to receive constructive feedback from an expert audience prior to submission and it provides you with further experience in developing your arguments effectively. It confirms that you understand your research, and illustrates that you have the necessary skills in oral presentations and other research attributes expected of graduate researchers at the University.

Detailed information on completion seminar requirements is available in the  Graduate Research Training Policy .

Your thesis should be submitted electronically via the University's Thesis Examination System.

• Prior to submission, or prior to your performance or exhibition of a creative component of your thesis,  register your intention to submit by logging into the Thesis Examination System (TES). About 2 months prior to your submission is the ideal time for this. Please note that you must submit your thesis prior to your maximum submission date, which is listed in my.unimelb as your expected submission date. Registering your intention to submit begins the process of the selection of examiners.  You will need to provide a brief (80-word) overview of your research question, methods and results which will be sent to potential examiners.
• Confirm that the thesis is your work
• Confirm that you have presented a completion seminar
• If your thesis contains publications, upload completed  Declaration of thesis with publication and  Co-author authorisation forms
• Provide appropriate  Field of Research codes for your research. The Field of Research is recorded on your enrolment record and will display as discipline/s on the  AHEGS that is issued by the University once you graduate. An  AHEGS is issued in addition to the testamur and academic transcript.
• Select the type of  public access to your final thesis in the University's digital repository, Minerva Access
• Certify that your thesis conforms with relevant policies and procedures, including  Graduate Research Training Policy ,  Preparation of Graduate Research Theses Rules  and  Management of Research Data and Records Policy
• Upload your thesis as a single file (please ensure there are no commas and hashtags in the file name)

After you have submitted your thesis, notifications will be sent to your principal supervisor and Chair of Examiners to confirm that the thesis is ready for examination.  Once your thesis is sent to your principal supervisor for endorsement an updated thesis will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

More information

• Read the  FAQs on using the Thesis Examination System
• If you are not currently enrolled but have approval for late submission (or are lapsed) you may find you are not able to access University systems such as the Thesis Examination System. To request reinstatement of your IT access to submit via TES, please email the  Examinations Office .

If you are experiencing difficulties during your candidature that may affect your ability to progress, you may want to follow these steps.

• Talk to your supervisor
• Make a student advice appointment with your  local graduate research administrator
• Consider  making changes to your candidature (eg take leave or change to part time)
• Working with my supervisors
• Resolving problems
• Developing my skills
• Counselling and Psychological Services – surviving the journey
• Graduate Research Student Association wellbeing
• Problems During Candidature
• The Thesis Whisperer
• Beyond Blue (learn more about depression and anxiety)
• Academic writing and communication skills
• Life, health and wellbeing support
• Student Equity and Disability Support (for graduate researchers experiencing ongoing health issues or have a registered disability.

Variations to Candidature

Students enrolling in coursework as a part of their Graduate Research degree must discuss their subject selection with the PhD Director for their Department. Subject changes cannot be processed after the second week of the relevant semester and should be organised as early as possible.

Students apply to add or drop subjects using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

Students apply to change supervisor using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal. It is important to discuss proposed supervisor changes with your principal supervisor, the PhD Director for the Department and your proposed supervisor. If there is a problem and you do not feel comfortable with this, please contact the Research Unit.

Applications to change department require a hard copy 'Application for Change of Department' form. Students considering a change of Department must discuss this with their supervisors, PhD Director and the Research Unit.

Students wishing to change between full-time and part-time study may do so after discussion with their supervisors. Supervisors are required to approve the change and must be satisfied that you have adequate time to continue your research and make good progress.

Scholarship holders will need to consider the terms of their scholarship before applying to change their study rate as many scholarships are not available to part-time students. International students will also need to consider the requirements of their visa before submitting an application.

Applications for change of study rate can be submitted using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

Leave of Absence

Leave may be granted for a number of reasons, including illness, family responsibilities and job opportunities. The minimum period approved is usually 2 weeks, with a maximum period of 12 months being approved at any one time.

Parental Leave

This is a separate form of leave and covers maternity leave, partner leave and adoption leave for up to 12 months. This type of leave does not change your entitlement to any other type of leave.

Leave and Coursework

Students who are currently enrolled in the coursework component of their Graduate Research degree should note that leave of absence will result in coursework subjects being withdrawn. If this occurs after the subject census date (usually end of March and end of August) the subject may appear on your transcript as 'withdrawn' or 'failed' depending on the date of leave.

Applying for Leave

Applications for leave of absence are submitted using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

Returning from Leave

Students must submit a return from leave of absence within 5 days of their actual return and within 28 days of the end of their approved leave. Failure to do so does not extend a leave of absence and may result in an 'Absent without Leave' status being added to University transcripts or termination of enrolment.

Notification of return from leave is submitted using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

International Students

Students should note that their student visa may be affected by leave of absence. Students may be permitted to remain in Australia where their leave application is based on compassionate or compelling circumstances, such as illness or maternity leave; however other reasons for leave may result in COE and visa cancellation. The University is required to notify the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) of any leave of absence.

Recreation Leave

All Graduate Research students are entitled to 4 weeks of recreation leave each year. This is organised with supervisors and the department and does not require an application via the Student Portal.

Applying for Study Away

Students planning to study or research away from the University must submit an application to Study Away . Study Away is not normally approved for periods longer than 12 months, and students away for more than 3 months are required to obtain an external supervisor in the location where they will be travelling. Students on Study Away are required to maintain regular contact with their supervisors and must submit any Progress Reports that are due while they are away.

Students can apply to Study Away using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

The application must include a Guideline Form for Off Campus Travel and Work Policy, a detailed itinerary and full contact details. A risk assessment form, ethics approval and permission from the Academic Registrar may also be required.

It is very strongly recommended that students visit the Study Away website before submitting an application.

Returning from Study Away

Students must submit a return from study away within 5 days of their return. Failure to do so does not extend a study away and may result in an 'Absent without Leave' status being added to University transcripts or termination of enrolment.

Notification of return from study away is submitted using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

Students who are unable to complete their Graduate Research program may submit an application to withdraw via the Student Portal. It is strongly recommended that you discuss this with your supervisor and the Research Unit before submitting the application, as students can in some cases transfer from the PhD into a Masters program to take out a qualification.

Applications to withdraw can be submitted using 'Track and submit candidature variation applications' in the Manage My Enrolment (RHD Candidatures) section of the Student Portal.

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Guides and resources to support Graduate Researchers from commencement through to completion. Explore information on scholarships, visas, progress, PhD programs, professional development and where to go to/ who to contact when you need help.

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Find resources, programs and workshops to help you prepare your thesis. Access information, support and guidance for every stage of your examination.

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Writing thesis sections - Part 1

Structuring your thesis.

This resource provides advice for writing the structural elements of your thesis. It includes activities to help you apply tips to your own context and reflect on your learning, and should take you 15-20 minutes to complete. Check out the further resources at the bottom of each section and references on the last page for more information on this topic.

This page introduces you to the macro and micro structures that thesis writers use to clearly convey the value and importance of their research to their readers (Dunleavy, 2003, p. 50). The structure of a thesis should be guided by what readers will expect, what the discipline requires, and what makes sense for the research.

Macro Structure

The macro structure consists of three parts. Note that the lead-in and lead-out sections will include your introduction and conclusion respectively but may include other material as well.

1) Lead-in material 

• Two chapters at most
• Gives your reader a broad overview of the thesis
• Provides background information, usually in the form of a literature review
• Helps readers contextualise your research
• Highlights the contribution your research makes
• Describes the motivation for your research.

2) Core material

• Around five chapters
• Focuses on your own work
• Presents your research question and hypothesis
• Works through your data, cases and primary sources
• Shows the findings of your analysis.

3) Lead-out material

• One or two chapters
• Responds to the research question and hypothesis
• Addresses the impacts of your results for your field.

This basic structure should help you envision your thesis as a whole. (Adapted from Dunleavy, 2003, p. 50)

Micro structure

The micro structure consists of chapters and the sub-headings within an individual chapter. What constitutes a chapter will vary by discipline, but typical chapters include a brief chapter introduction followed by relevant sections and a chapter conclusion.

1) Chapters

• Plan for the introduction and conclusion chapters to comprise roughly 20% of your thesis (10% each)
• Consider that core chapter length can vary, but 8,000-12,000 words is considered a good guideline
• Justify the length of any chapters that are noticeably longer or shorter than others.

2) Sub-headings

• Break chapters into sub-topics
• Use informative and substantive headings and sub-headings
• Make sure your heading reflects the key argument of the section.

Watch this video to see examples of Macro and Micro structures in theses.

• Keep chapter introductions short
• Relate each chapter to the research question and hypothesis
• Conclude chapters by both summing up and looking ahead.

Identify structural elements in a thesis

This activity will help you to plan your own thesis structure.

• Go to University of Melbourne’s institutional repository and find a thesis from your discipline.
• How does it compare to the examples here?
• If you have a draft or portion of your thesis written, how does its structure compare to others from your field?
• Take note of the differences and keep those in mind as you plan your own thesis structure.

Use the side menu to go the next section : Introducing your research , where we discuss writing an introduction.

Introducing your research

Introductions set the scene and prepare the reader to see how and why your research is a contribution to the field. Your introduction should also be linked to your conclusion to demonstrate the progression of your arguments through your thesis.

As a guideline, introductions are usually around 10% of the word count of the thesis and should begin with the big picture and narrow down to the specifics of your own research. Consider working on the introduction and conclusion chapters together. Reviewing them together periodically will help you build a strong frame for your narrative.

Elements in an introduction

An introduction should provide readers with:

• Background/Context: Situates your research within the broader social or academic context
• Motivation: Establishes why your research is necessary
• Significance: Articulates the potential contribution your research will make and states the research aim
• Key concepts: Defines any concepts, methodologies or theories
• Overview or statement of organisation: Provides a summary of what the following chapters explore

Some researchers include a personal anecdote, tantalising statistics or a puzzle in their introductions. This is generally called a hook and, if included, should come before the broader context.

Analyse sample introductions

In this activity, you will identify the elements discussed above in three sample thesis excerpts.

For each excerpt:

1) Match the numbered sentences (1-4) with the elements identified above 2) Use the 'check' button at the bottom to see feedback 3) Navigate to the next excerpt using the arrow.

*If content below does not display, please refresh your browser

Use the side menu to go the next section: Reviewing the literature , where we discuss writing a literature review.

Reviewing the literature

The literature review situates your work and demonstrates your expertise in the field through selecting, analysing, and synthesising relevant literature, leading to the identification of the gap, problem or issue your research will address.

As you review the literature:

• Keep your aim and scope in sight to help you decide on relevance and develop your own review criteria
• Take notes while you read at different stages to help you understand, evaluate and filter the literature
• Establish baselines (the current best) you can compare your own approach to
• Strike a balance between drawing on and deviating from others' ideas
• Put a limit on the time you spend on the literature review, as you will need to recalibrate it in light of your own research.

Structuring a literature review

In your initial draft, you may not be able to structure your literature review in a way that reflects how you’ll discuss your own research, as you may not have completed your research yet.

Keep that in mind for when you are revising the literature review, after your research has been conducted.

Watch this video for tips on how to structure and organise your literature review, whether you are starting to write, or revising your draft.

Literature Reviews Libguide

23 Research Things

University of Manchester Phrasebank

Use the side menu to go the next section: Writing conclusions , where we discuss writing a conclusion.

Writing the conclusion

The conclusion of your thesis, whether embedded in or separated from your discussion chapter, should create a strong closure to your thesis as it leads out to future research and pathways.

Key conclusion moves

• Summarise the research by restating the research problem and aim, providing a succinct answer to these, and recapping the key findings and evidence
• Unpack the implications of your contribution for theory, practice, research and/or policy in the field
• Acknowledge the limitations and scope of your research
• Address the next frontier: ‘what’s next?’ - make specific recommendations for future work in the field: what could be done to apply or further your research?

Depending on your discipline, you could include a section reflecting on your professional learning as a researcher through the study, especially if you started the thesis with a personal anecdote. Keep your conclusion  concise – it could be just several pages long.

Compare the differences between discussions and conclusions in the table below:

Gather ideas for the conclusion

As you write or edit  your thesis, gather in one place ideas that don’t quite fit the tight purpose of an earlier chapter, or ideas that you would love to develop in another project. These can provide fresh material for the conclusion. For example, they can become statements about the social implications of your research or your recommendations for future investigations.

Align the conclusion with earlier parts of thesis

The introduction and conclusion, as well as the mini-introductions and mini-conclusions of the core chapters, form the bulk of a thesis narrative as they give readers a holistic perspective of the research.

To align the conclusion:

• Make sure it addresses the same problem you set out in the introduction
• If an anecdote or another kind of hook has been used to start the introduction, think about ending the thesis with a return to the hook
• Assess whether you need to adjust the introduction or earlier parts of the thesis to fit your conclusions, or whether the conclusions themselves need to be adjusted.

Explore example introductions and conclusions

In this activity, you’ll read short introduction and conclusion excerpts from two example theses. As you read, think about the ways the author has linked or connected their conclusions to their introductions. Then, turn each card to read a brief commentary.

Conclusions - practice getting to the point(s)

Boostering your introduction and conclusion

Use the side menu to go the next section: Using disciplinary conventions , where we discuss how to use the conventions of your discipline.

Using disciplinary conventions

Although academic writing conventions are common to most disciplines, the way they are applied may differ. For example, some STEM and social science disciplines may require a systematic review that outlines clear inclusion and exclusion criteria for the sources reviewed, while other disciplines may only ask for sufficient background information to justify your methods. Look at examples from your discipline of lead-in and lead-out material and check with your supervisors if you have questions.

Reflect on the thesis lead-in and lead-out

Study an example thesis to observe how the author introduced their topic and object of research, where they situated their literature review and how they organised it, and how they linked their lead-out material to their introductory or lead-in material. Then, look at your own writing or plan for these parts.

Answer the following questions for both the example thesis and your own to help you reflect on how you are using disciplinary conventions in shaping your own thesis narrative.

1. How are lead-in and lead out sections organised?

2. Are there headings and sub-headings? How specific are they?

3. Does the introduction include context, background, motivation, definitions and an overview of the organisation?

4. How is the literature review structured?

5. Has the conclusion of the thesis conveyed the key implications of the research and made useful recommendations for future work in the field? Do you find these convincing?

6. Are the introduction and conclusion aligned in opening and closing the same thesis narrative?

7. How could you improve this thesis in the above aspects?

Anticipate revisiting your lead-in material several times during the writing process, especially as you write the lead-out chapters of your thesis. Together, your lead-in and lead-out material should give your readers a strong sense of purpose, unified structure and closure. Read your lead-in and lead-out chapters together to see if you provide that sense.

For more information and support in your writing, Explore: Academic Skills Graduate Research services

Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD : How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation . Blomsbury.

Evans, D. & Gruba, P. (2014).   How to write a better thesis. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-04286-2

Fahnestock, J. and Secor M. (2004). A Rhetoric of Argument. 3 rd ed. McGraw Hill.

Kamler, B. & Thomson, P. (2006).  Helping Doctoral Students Write: Pedagogies for supervision. Routledge.

Lemoh, C.N. (2013). HIV in Victoria’s African communities: reducing risks and improving care. [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne].

Syiem, B.V. (2023). Attentional Reality: Understanding and Managing Limited Attentional Resources in Augmented Reality . [Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne]. http://hdl.handle.net/11343/326564

Yeomans, N.D. (2022). A History of Australia’s Immigrant Doctors, 1838-2021: Colonial Beginnings, Contemporary Challenges. [PhD. Thesis, University of Melbourne].

Ask - /faq/3686/post-thesis-submission/

Post-thesis submission, i have submitted my research thesis for examination. can i still use my university email account, about this answer.

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Finding theses

University of melbourne theses, australian theses,   international theses, referencing theses, further help, find theses online and in print.

This guide shows you how to find Masters and PhD theses, online and in print, from:

• The University of Melbourne
• Other Australian universities
• Outside Australia

Why use theses?

Theses can be a valuable source of information, especially for topics where there are fewer published works available., the references or works cited in a thesis can also be useful to find further published sources on a topic..

If you are currently writing a thesis (Honours, Masters or PhD) you may want to:

• check if anyone has recently completed a PhD thesis in your area of research internationally
• look at PhD theses from your faculty (or supervised by your supervisor) to get an idea of how to format your thesis.

Most recent theses are available through Minerva Access , the University's institutional repository. 

Minerva includes PhD and Masters Research theses, as well as a smaller number of Honours and Masters Coursework theses.

Accessing Full-Text in Minerva Access

Open access theses.

• Many theses are open access, which means anyone is able to read the full text online, and no subscription or login is required.
• Use the download link on the left to access a PDF of the thesis.

Restricted access theses

Some theses are currently only available to university of melbourne staff/students.

Use the login link and access with your unimelb username and password

Embargoed theses

If a thesis is under full embargo , full-text is not available for internal or external access (including inter-library loan requests). It a thesis is under an external embargo , it can be requested by University staff and students for research purposes via Minerva Access .

You will be able to view an abstract 

Finding theses from your faculty or school in Minerva Access

You can limit your results in minerva access to view only theses from your faculty..

1. Select your faculty from the list of Communities on the Minerva Access homepage. You may need to also choose your school on the next page. 

2. Select the option that includes Theses  (rather than Research Publications) 

3.To further refine the list (ie. to only PhD theses) scroll down to use the Type menu on the far left menu bar.

Finding University of Melbourne print theses

University of Melbourne theses not available online are held in the Cultural Collections Reading Room on level 3 of the Baillieu Library, or in offsite storage. While you cannot physically browse the thesis collection, you can submit a request to view a thesis using the online form .

You can search the Library Catalogue  to find our print collection of University of Melbourne theses

• To restrict your search to just theses, select University of Melbourne Theses from the drop-down menu to the right of the search bar

For more information on requesting to view print theses see the Special Collections website . ( Note : Use the request form for Rare Books)

Australian theses from other universities can be found via Trove .

1. Select Advanced search on the Trove homepage, and choose Research and reports

2. Type your search terms into the first box (Keyword search box)

3. Check the box next to Australian content

4. Click the green Search button

5. On the results page, select the Show more  option under Format

6. Select Thesis  to limit your results to theses

7.  To access, check the purple link at the bottom of each record. Theses available online will either:

• have a link to where they are held

• have an Access conditions apply  link

8. Click on the title of the thesis to view the record, and select the  Read  button to access the full text

•  If the thesis is not available online through Trove, please complete a Thesis request form on the  Request Forms page . We will then try to obtain a copy of the thesis for you via inter-library loan. 
• For more information on using the Advanced Search to create more specific searches, see Trove's Australian theses page. 

These are the top four international theses databases that include full-text:

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global The most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world. Spans 1743 to the present day, offering full text for most dissertations added since 1997.
• British Library EThOS (Electronic Theses Online Service) Search for UK theses and access or request full text. See FAQs for more information.
• DART-Europe E-theses Portal Access to digitised theses from European universities.
• OATD: Open Access Theses and Dissertations Indexes more than 1.5 million theses and dissertations. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from 600+ colleges, universities, and research institutions.

Other useful theses databases ​

• American Doctoral Dissertations
• China Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses full-text Database This database is a comprehensive, high quality database of dissertations and theses in China. The dissertations and theses are from hundreds of institutions located across China. Coverage is 1984 onwards and is updated daily. It covers a wide range of subjects such as fundamental sciences, engineering technology, agriculture, medical science, history, philosophy, education, law, economics and more.
• CNKI China Academic Journals Most comprehensive, full-text database of Chinese journals. To narrow your searching select section (G) Politics/ Military Affairs/ Law to search across the database.
• KRIS - Kiwi Research Information Service NZ open access research document portal.
• TEL (thèses-en-ligne) French theses
• Theses Canada Portal

Need help with referencing theses?

Visit the Re:cite guide to referencing

Contact us , or ask a question on Library chat

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• Last Updated: May 2, 2024 2:46 PM
• URL: https://unimelb.libguides.com/findingtheses

• Scholarships

Arts Graduate Research Publication Support Grant

University of Melbourne

Application is required. Check eligibility

Key scholarship details

Application status

Not open yet

Applications open

Applications close

31 Dec 2023

Benefit amount

Up to $5,000

Eligible study level

Graduate research

Eligible student type

Domestic and international students

Eligible study stage

Current study

Benefit duration

This grant supports eligible Graduate Researchers in the Faculty of Arts after submission of the thesis for examination. The grant supports them to prepare scholarly publications such as journal articles, book chapters, books and non-traditional research outputs while awaiting the outcome of their examination.

A one-off payment up to $5000 for PhD candidates and $2500 for MA by Research candidates.

Approximately 50

Eligibility and selection criteria

Eligibility.

To be eligible for this grant you:

• must be enrolled in a graduate research degree in the Faculty of Arts at the time of application
• may not have been lapsed, reinstated or approved for late submission)
• must have registered an ‘Intention to submit’ the thesis for examination and submitted the thesis in 2024
• must be within the maximum candidature for the degree
• must have the written support of your supervisor.

Selection criteria

Applicants who meets the eligibility criteria and provides the required supporting documents will receive the grant

This grant is subject to the Faculty of Arts Graduate Research Support Grant Terms and Conditions .

In addition to the above you must also:

• agree to the University sharing your name and the name of your course with the donor of this scholarship
• provide a brief report on the benefits of the scholarship and give permission for the University to provide the report, your name and course details to the donor

Study level:

Student type:

Study stage type:

Study area:

Arts, humanities and social sciences

Need help understanding the process?

Application, how to apply.

To apply for this grant, please review the application guidelines for Arts Graduate Research Publication Support Grant and submit your application.

Applications open:

Applications close:

The information listed here is subject to change without notice. Where we have listed information about jointly run scholarships programs, please also see our partners' websites. Information describing the number and value of scholarships awarded is indicative.

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