Apply for Higher Degrees by Research (HDR)
To become a Higher Degree by Research student in the School of Communication & Arts, you will need to meet the UQ Graduate School’s (UQGS) entry requirements and obtain the School’s support. Getting the School’s support is not an automatic process and requires that you do more than simply meet minimum entry requirements. The School only supports applications from candidates who clearly demonstrate the capacity to complete high-quality HDR theses.
We recommend that you start the School Expression of Interest process 2-3 months before the UQGS’s deadline for online applications.
Our School’s Higher Degree by Research Liaison Officer (HLO) is a key point of contact for all prospective HDR students. You can contact us at any time with questions about the application process, or for advice and assistance. The HLO’s email address is hdr.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au
Step 1: Ensure you meet entry requirements.
The UQ Graduate School has minimum entry requirements for prospective HDR students, including both minimum academic standards and English proficiency requirements.
Ensure you meet the requirements for the degree you wish to study before you contact prospective supervisors.
Step 2: Identify appropriate advisors and secure their support.
You can access the profiles of the School’s academic staff on our website or search by area of expertise on UQ Experts.
Some specialisations within the School have discipline-specific requirements for candidates applying to their programs:
- Art History: PhD by Exhibition
- Creative Writing: PhD in Creative Writing; or, MPhil in Creative Writing
For all other specialisations, you can contact prospective principal advisors directly to ask if they are currently taking on HDR students and are interested in supervising your project. You should include:
- An explanation of your qualifications (attach your academic CV)
- A brief outline of your proposed project
If you are not sure who to contact, you can send this information to the School’s HLO (hdr.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au) and they will forward it to the School’s Director of Higher Degrees by Research on your behalf.
Step 3: Write research proposal
If a prospective advisor is interested in supervising your project, they will ask you to develop a detailed research proposal.
Your detailed research proposal should be approximately 1,000 words, excluding the bibliography. It must cover the following points:
- Research Question: What is the major question, problem or issue that your thesis will attempt to address?
- Significance: Why will your thesis be significant? What makes it important or original? In what scholarly field will it make a contribution to knowledge? In short, why does it matter?
- Relevant Scholarship: What does current scholarship say about your major question? How does your thesis relate to what is already written on the topic?
- Method and Evidence: What methods will you use to conduct your research? Will you use particular theories and/or schools of thought? What evidence or texts will you be using? How will you conduct your research?
Step 4: Submit online application.
If the prospective advisory team are satisfied with your proposal and other application materials, you can submit an online application to the UQGS.
The UQGS application information page outlines what information and documents you’ll need to upload. The School’s HLO can answer any questions as you prepare to submit your application.
Your submitted application will be reviewed for compliance by the School’s HLO, then reviewed and endorsed by your advisory team and the school’s Director of HDR.
Further Information
Students are encouraged to complete ENGL9000 Advanced Research Methods coursework in the first semester of enrolment so we do not accept applications for remote candidature unless the student already holds a relevant research Masters degree and has successfully completed a thesis and research methods training.
You may be referred to another School at this university or to another institution if a supervisor for your project cannot be found. Unfortunately, we cannot accept your application if we cannot guarantee an appropriate advisory team, even if your academic record is exemplary.