PhD Program Overview

The department offers the PhD as part of the Geographical Sciences Program within the Australian National University's Graduate School. The PhD involves a program of full-time research under a supervisory panel chaired by a member of the department.

The normal length of the program is 3-4 years. The degree is awarded on examination by thesis, developed through field research undertaken in countries within the Asia Pacific region. Students in the program develop projects allied with departmental research strengths.

The Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies offers internationally recognized academic expertise on many areas of study in the Asia Pacific. Students have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of well-known scholars as advisors or supervisor. In Human Geography, the supervisory panel is established within the first three months of the program and consists of a chair or principal supervisor and an associate supervisor from within the department and up to three other advisors. Students are strongly encouraged to work with other ANU faculty and external experts, while ensuring that the bulk of the administrative work remains with the panel members in the department.

Doctoral projects involve between six to nine months of field research. The department offers generous financial assistance to support this work. A supervisory visit is arranged mid-way through a student's fieldwork. The department encourages students to speak the lingua franca of the country in which they intend to work.

While in Canberra, students are provided with shared or single office space, their own computer and access to e-mail, the internet, cartographic and library services. The Research School and the department offer many multi-disciplinary Asia Pacific research seminars and graduate scholars are encouraged to both attend and to present their own ongoing research.

For more information about the PhD Program contact Sandra Davenport

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PhD Application Procedures

Applicants for the PhD require a First Class or upper Second Class Honours or Masters degree in hand in a relevant discipline and from an approved institution. Prospective students are encouraged to communicate directly with Human Geography academic staff to formulate a preliminary research proposal in line with departmental strengths. For more information see the Human Geography Graduate Program Handbook. [pdf - 120 kb]

Scholarships are available each year. Eligibility and selection criteria vary. For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/graduate/scholarships/.

Application forms can be downloaded from http://www.anu.edu.au/sas/admission/index.php.

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Summer Research Scholar Program

The Department of Human Geography offers Australian students who are engaged in Honours research the opportunity to visit the department for up to three months over the summer. The aim is to work with one of the academic staff on refining or deepening their thesis research, taking advantage of the expertise of the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies and the ANU library collections. For details and application forms see: http://info.anu.edu.au/StudyAt/040PP_Graduate_Research/Summer_Research_Scholarships/index.asp.

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Scholarships and Fellowships available through RSPAS

See the various programs offered by the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies.

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