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Curtin University
Research

Guidelines for research students

About candidacy

Provisional candidature

On receipt of your official notification of enrolment, you will be able to begin your program of study. You are now considered to be a provisional candidate. Several years of full-time study stretch ahead of you and the idea of writing a thesis might seem very remote. However, you need to plan your time with great care to ensure that everything that must be done can actually be completed within the time frame.

Your immediate aim is to obtain candidacy, which is the official University confirmation that your program of study, including research aims and expected results, is of an acceptable standard. An Application for Candidacy [.pdf - 393 kB] must be made within the period specified below.

A doctoral or master research degree may include up to one-third coursework.

It is expected that candidates will normally complete the coursework component before undertaking work on their application for candidacy (Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(b)).

If you have a valid reason for not being able to submit an application for candidacy within the required time, the time limit may be extended by applying to the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee through your supervisor and Head of Enrolling Area using the Request for Extension of Time to Submit Application for Candidacy [.pdf - 29 kB] form (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(a)).

Failure to attain candidacy within the period prescribed by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee may result in your enrolment status being changed to conditional. If candidacy is still not approved within a further period the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee may recommend to the University Graduate Studies Committee that your enrolment be terminated (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(c)).

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The candidacy application

Candidacy is the academic quality control process in which provisional candidates have their program of study and supervisory arrangements approved by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee and thereby become confirmed candidates.

For practical information please refer to the Preparing your application for candidacy information. This webpage includes a downloadable guide and Summary of Proposed Research Program examples.

The following conditions are considered by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee in the granting of candidacy (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(d)).

  1. Definition of an acceptable research program, including its objectives, methodology, facilities and resources and a time schedule for completion;
  2. Attainment of the necessary level of knowledge and skill to proceed with the proposed research program;
  3. Acceptance of the nominated Thesis Committee;
  4. Certification by the Head of Enrolling Area that adequate facilities and resources are available for the proposed research program;
  5. Approval from the appropriate Ethics Committee for research involving animals; humans; ionising radiation, microwaves, lasers or ultraviolet light; or recombining of DNA (see section on Ethics and Safety Committee Approval);
  6. Acceptance of appropriate arrangements regarding the ownership of intellectual property in accordance with University policy as it may from time to time be amended (see sub-section on Intellectual Property);
  7. Certification by the Head of Enrolling Area that the University's health and safety requirements, as appropriate to the proposed research program, are satisfied.

Please note that you cannot submit a thesis for examination until the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee has approved your candidacy (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 5(m)).

Interim Thesis Committee

A useful first step as you work towards candidacy is to get to know your School (staff and facilities) and let them get to know you, because information is most easily obtained by asking the right person at the right time. Most importantly, you should get to know the members of your Interim Thesis Committee as they have been appointed specifically to guide you during this first stage.

You must satisfy your Interim Thesis Committee that the selected project is one which will lead to research work of such calibre, depth and extent that it should qualify for the award of the degree within the projected time span and the resources available. While the calibre, depth and extent of projects are described in general terms by University policy on higher degrees, precedent is established by what has been accepted or rejected in the past, and your supervisor is best placed to advise you on this.

The formalities for candidacy require that you consult your supervisor in order to complete and submit an Application for Candidacy [.pdf - 393 kB] form together with a summary of your proposed research program (or research proposal) conforming to the Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(d)(i).

If you require external associate and/or co-supervisors, they will have to complete complete a Registration of an University Associate with Compliance Agreement form .

Your Interim Thesis Committee will guide you in the development of your application for candidacy including your research proposal. You should therefore concentrate on formulating your proposal to ensure that:

Summary of proposed research program

Your particular School may require you to present a draft research proposal either to a research committee or in the form of a seminar so that it can be reviewed prior to your candidacy application being submitted to the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee for approval. These seminars can be very helpful and informative, as they provide an excellent opportunity to get feedback on your proposal from your peers, and can lead to useful contacts and other sources of information. Learning about the programs of study being undertaken by others in your area can also provide comparative and/or complementary information on the progress and direction of your own research.

Even if your particular School requires a more comprehensive proposal for review, the summary of the proposed research program to be submitted with your Application for Candidacy form should be limited to a certain number of pages.

Doctoral application for candidacy - The summary shall be a maximum of ten typewritten pages* (excluding references).
Master application for candidacy - The summary shall be a maximum of five typewritten pages* (excluding references).
* All pages must be numbered and the font size should be a minimum of 11 point.

The format for the summary of the proposed research program follows.

Abstract: A half-page explanation of the program in plain English.
Objectives: A clearly defined statement of the objectives of the research.
Background: The background of the proposed study.
Significance: The importance/relevance of the proposed study.
Research Method: An outline of your method/s including sample selection, instrumentation, data collection, data analysis, reference to any hazardous procedures, highly toxic chemicals (e.g. carcinogenic or mutagenic agents), etc.
Ethical Issues: This section must clearly demonstrate that you have considered all ethical issues which may arise and the manner in which they will be addressed. This may include approval information received from the relevant Ethics Committee/s (see section on Ethics and Safety Committee Approval).
Facilities and Resources: An outline of these requirements for the completion of your research.
Data Storage: You must arrange secure storage of research data for at least five years after thesis publication. Some types of research may require even longer terms of storage (e.g. Clinical research = 15 years).
Time Schedule: This should be realistic.
References: A bibliography.

Alternative thesis formats

Your thesis can be in one of three forms:

*An exegesis is a small thesis which presents an academic explanation of the submitted work and/or a description of the linkages between the works (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(i)).

If you are considering submitting a thesis in a non-traditional format, it is essential that you discuss your intentions with your Interim Thesis Committee and include this information in your candidacy proposal. If your thesis is likely to include artworks, performances, constructions, 35mm slides, videotapes, or some other audiovisual or digital media, for example, and the documentation of such work, it is essential that you take into account both the required resources and the costs involved in producing this documentation (see section on thesis preparation).

Intellectual property

As part of your application for candidacy, you will have to complete and sign the Copyright and Ownership of Intellectual Property: Student Agreement form. In signing this form you agree that:

  1. You have read and understood the University's copyright procedures;
  2. There will be no material in the thesis which would infringe the copyright of any person(s);
  3. You will obtain permission for third-party copyright material reproduces in the thesis;
  4. You have read the University's Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures;
  5. You understand the provisions of the policy and the requirements of the procedures as they relate to you as a student;
  6. You undertake to be bound by the provisions of the policy and procedures;
  7. You understand that all intellectual property created by you in the course of your research will belong to you UNLESS it arises from:
    a. participation in a University Project (see point 1 below) in which case it will be owned by the University, and you as the student will be required to enter into an agreement with the University in respect of the intellectual property generated;
    b. from work undertaken with a Specific Contribution by the University (see point 2 below) (in which case it will be owned by the University);
    c. a program supported in whole or in part by a third party funding body in which case the ownership of and intellectual property developed by you as the student shall be determined by any agreement between you, the University and the third party funding body.
  8. You undertake to do all things necessary to protect any of the University's intellectual property which may be capable of commercialisation as directed in Clause 7.20 of the policy.

Generally, as the owner of intellectual property developed in the course of your studies, you are free to commercialise or otherwise deal with the intellectual property as you wish. However, if in the course of your research, you create University Intellectual Property (see point 3 below) (through participation in a University Project (see 7(a) above) or by virtue of a specific contribution from the University (see 7(b) above)) you "must register the existence of that University IP with [your] Supervisor who must then provide written disclosure to the Director, IP Commercialisation" as required by Clause 7.19.2 of the University's Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures.

In determining whether you are the sole owner of intellectual property developed in the course of your studies, you are required (in accordance with Clause 7.12 of the University's Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures) to consult with your supervisor to discuss contributions to the development of the intellectual property that may have been made by persons associated with your research project. Refer specifically to Clause 7.8 of the University's Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures.

If the University or the supervisor have contributed significantly to the generation of the intellectual property then appropriate arrangements should be agreed regarding these contributions and the intellectual property should be registered (in the manner mentioned above).

The following terms are defined in the Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures as follows: 

  1. University Project means a self-contained program of work or research administered by or on behalf of the University which:
    a. is funded wholly or in part by a Sponsor;
    b. is funded wholly or in part by a Specific Contribution; or
    c. is a Collaborative Project.
  2. Specific Contribution, in relation to the creation of Intellectual Property, means funding or resources which are contributed by the University, but excludes a scholarship awarded by the University as a contribution to a specific University Project.
  3. University IP means Intellectual Property which is owned by the University according to the terms of this Policy or otherwise as a matter of law.
    For definitions of other terms in this declaration ("Collaborative Project", "Staff Member", "Student", "Commercialisation" etc) please refer to the Intellectual Property - Ownership and Commercialisation Policy and Procedures.You should also refer to the above policy and procedures to ensure that you fully understand your rights and obligations in relation to intellectual property at Curtin.
  4. Intellectual Property (IP) includes any rights in relation to:
    a. a circuit layout or semi-conductor chip layout or design or eligible layout as defined in the Circuit Layouts Act 1989 (Cwlth);
    b. a Copyright Work as defined in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth);
    c. a design as defined in the Designs Act 1906 (Cwlth);
    d. a patent, application for a patent, invention, manner, method or process of manufacture, or method or principle of construction as defined in the Patents Act 1990 (Cwlth);
    e. a plant variety as defined in the Plant Breeders' Rights Act 1994 (Cwlth);
    f. a trade mark as defined in the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cwlth); and including related rights and confidential information and know-how in relation to the above rights, or as otherwise determined by the University.

The definition of Intellectual Property may be amended from time to time consistent with Commonwealth legislation and international conventions.

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Ethics and Safety Committee approval

As a provisional candidate, if you intend to undertake a research project where the research involves humans, laboratory animals, the collection of confidential information, the use of potentially dangerous equipment or research with other ethical implications, it is essential that you examine the ethics and safety guidelines as related to your field of study and consult with your Interim Thesis Committee to determine if the research proposal and methodology requires the approval of any University Ethics or Safety Committees. If so, you must complete the appropriate forms and submit a research proposal that outlines your research method.

Details need to be provided of ethical and safety considerations the Ethics and Research Practice Clearance section of the Application for Candidacy [.pdf - 393 kB] form. Depending on the nature of your research, you may also need to seek approval from ethics committees outside the University (e.g. hospitals if you desire access to patients and/or their records).

In some cases, such as those involving the development of questionnaires and other experimental measures, it may not be possible for you to submit all of the methodological details required for ethics committee approval. In these circumstances you are required to submit an outline of the manner in which such questionnaires will be developed and how privacy and other ethical considerations will be taken into account. You may be granted a form of limited approval from the ethics committee that allows candidacy to be confirmed but requires the candidate to have the details of their questionnaires or experimental measures approved before research can commence.

During your study, you must abide by relevant legislation and guidelines. The current ethical requirements are available from the research ethics section of the Office of Research and Development website. You should also seek advice from your supervisor.

If you are proposing research involving animals; humans; ionising radiation, microwaves, lasers or ultraviolet light; or recombining of DNA you must receive Ethics Committee approval from the appropriate committee prior to commencing research (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(d)(v)). You should allow adequate time to obtain ethics approval from the appropriate committees. It is not unusual for an additional 6 - 8 weeks to be required depending on the number and location of the ethics committees.

Human participants

If your program of study involves human participants, you must consult with your supervisor as to whether your proposal should be submitted to the University's Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) for approval. It is important that this point is given careful consideration as both you and your supervisor are ultimately responsible to this Committee for the ethical conduct of your research. For example, where relevant, you must obtain written, informed consent from the participant(s) of your research. Where a proposed participant is in a dependent relationship, special consent must be obtained from the legal guardian or custodian. If this is not possible, an alternative participant must be sought. Depending on the nature of your research, you may also need to seek approval from authorities outside the University. If this is the case, you should do so prior to seeking approval from HREC. Research involving humans is subject to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) published by the National Health and Medical Research Committee (NHMRC). For further information, guidelines and/or an application form please view the Human Research Ethics page.

Animals used for scientific purposes

If you are using animals for scientific purposes, you should apply for approval to do so through the University's Animal Ethics Committee. Information on the procedure for doing this can be obtained from the Secretary of that Committee or from your supervisor. Research/teaching activities involving animals is subject to the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (7th Edition, 2004) published by the National Health and Medical Research Committee (NHMRC). For further information, guidelines and/or an application form please view the AEC webpage.

Ionising radiation (X-rays, fluoroscopy or radioisotopes)

If you are undertaking any research involving ionising radiation, microwaves, lasers or ultraviolet light you will need to submit your proposed program of study for review by the University's Radiation Safety Officer. Information on this procedure, as well as the relevant legislation and guidelines, can be obtained from the Radiation Safety section of the Curtin Health and Safety website. In the case where exposure of humans is involved, approval of the Human Research Ethics Committee is also needed (see above).

Recombining of DNA

If you are undertaking any research involving the recombining of DNA, then you should obtain approval from Curtin's Institutional Biosafety Committee. Relevant information is available through the Biosafety section of the Curtin Health and Safety website. Guidelines published by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator should also be reviewed. Further information can be obtained from the Committee Chairperson.

Hazardous substances

If you are undertaking any research involving hazardous substances, such as chemicals, then you should obtain approval from the Hazardous Substances Committee. Information about hazardous substances and procedures for obtaining approval can be obtained from the Managing Hazardous Substances section of the Curtin Health and Safety website and/or the Committee Chairperson.

Data storage

As a general ethical principle in the conduct of research, you and the School must also ensure that adequate provision has been made for the storage of all raw data for five years (refer to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research). This means that you should store all of the information necessary for someone to reconstitute your research and verify your results if necessary.

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The candidacy approval process

Once completed and signed by the Chairperson of your Interim Thesis Committee, the Application for Candidacy form, accompanied by the summary of your proposed research program, is lodged by your supervisor with your Head of Enrolling Area. The Head of Enrolling Area will then complete part 5 of the form, including the names of the people suggested for your formal Thesis Committee (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 8(a)-(f)). Your application will then be assessed by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee who will determine whether it fulfils the conditions for candidature as listed under the Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 6(d).

Please note that the Head of Enrolling Area is required to consult with you before suggesting the composition of your Thesis Committee. In most cases the composition of the Thesis Committee varies little from that of the Interim Thesis Committee, although the period between provisional and confirmed candidacy does provide an opportunity to get to know committee members and also to look further afield for relevant expertise. The members of this committee will play an important role in helping you to complete your program of study, and so it is important that you play an active role in ensuring the composition of your Thesis Committee is appropriate to your needs.

You will be advised by the Faculty Graduate Studies Officer when your candidacy has been formally approved. At this point your status changes from Provisional Candidature to Confirmed Candidature. This process normally takes about six weeks (depending on the scheduled dates of monthly Faculty Graduate Studies meetings) from the time of lodgement of your form with the Head of Enrolling Area. If candidacy is deferred or not approved, you will be advised accordingly.

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