A research degree at Deakin will help you to develop the skills and qualifications required to conduct research.

Although not exclusive, a HDR undertaken at the NIKERI Institute can focus on how Indigenous ways of knowledge can be exciting within a research space. It is also an opportunity to begin a rewarding and meaningful research career in an award-winning university.

What is a research degree?

While many organisations engage in research, universities also have a unique responsibility to provide research training. This is done in research degree programs, including PhD and masters degrees (more formally, these are called higher degrees by research, or HDR).

The award of a research degree requires the student to satisfactorily complete an approved program of research under the guidance of a supervision team within a prescribed period of time. The results of the research are incorporated into a thesis which is then submitted for examination at the end of the program. The thesis must be a self-contained, integrated and coherent body of work that constitutes a substantial original contribution to knowledge – as judged by independent experts.

Students enrolled in a research degree program will develop research skills that includes:

• the ability to relate the research to the broader framework of knowledge in the area
• the ability to describe the new knowledge that is gained in exploring the problem.

Deakin offers three types of HDR:

• Masters by Research
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Doctor of Psychology (DPsych)

Read more information about research degrees at Deakin.