- Title
- Coursework in Australian PhD programmes: why is this a boundary and how is it being pushed?
- Creator
- Kiley, Margaret; Luca, Joe; Cowan, Anna
- Relation
- Pushing Boundaries in Postgraduate Supervision p. 123-132
- Relation
- http://www.africansunmedia.co.za/Sun-e-Shop/Product-Details/tabid/78/ProductID/377/Default.aspx
- Publisher
- SUN PRESS
- Resource Type
- book chapter
- Date
- 2014
- Description
- Other than in a few isolated instances, the Australian PhD has been alomst exclusively through 'experiential research learning'. In other words candidates work with a supervisor or supervisory panel who guides their learning of, and about, research through undertaking a research project. To support candidates and supervisors universities generally offer a broad range of workshops, seminars, and other learning ativities (Cumming & Kiley 2009) but until very recently, formal coursework has not been a standard part of the Australian PhD althrough it is part of the Professional Doctorate. Within this context, it is of note that over the past 12 to 18 months the introduction of coursework into the Australian PhD is a development that is quickly gaining interest, although with varying levels of support from candidates and supervisors. One of the major areas of discussion relates to whether the coursework is releated to research processes e.g. research methods, or whether it is more of a disciplinary nature, or whether it should be more closley related to employment capability. This paper reports the findings from a research project currently undertaken in Australia and includes the various negatives and positives that candidates and staff have expressed regarding the introduction of formal coursework, and the models being developed. It notes the boundaries between coursework and research degrees and the hurdles they present to students, supervisors and institutions.
- Subject
- tertiary education; Australian PhD programmes; coursework; universities
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1066285
- Identifier
- uon:18068
- Identifier
- ISBN:9781920689155
- Language
- eng
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