Admissions Criteria

To gain admission to the PhD program you will need to have at least an upper second class honours degree or its equivalent, preferably in political science, international relations or a cognate discipline. In the US system this equates to a Grade Point Average of at least 3.5. However, as the Department is able to take only a small number of new PhD students each year, admission is very competitive and we rarely take students who do not have a First Class Honours degree or equivalent. We can provide further advice if you are uncertain about the status of your qualifications.

English Language Competence

The University requires international applicants whose first language is not English to provide evidence of English language competence. The Department of International Relations prefers the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and requires an overall score of 6.5 with a score of no less than 6.0 in each component. IELTS may also be the preferred requirement for some international applicants when applying for an Australian visa. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check visa requirements.

The Department also accepts Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) qualifications as follows: paper-based examination - a score of 570 with a Test of Written English score of 4.5; computer-based examination - a score of 230 with an Essay score of 4.5; internet-based examination - a score of 90, with a minimum of 20 in all four sections.

All results must be less than two years old.

Coursework

The Department prefers its PhD students to have completed some postgraduate coursework in International Relations. Students without an appropriate background may be required to undertake coursework within the Department’s Graduate Studies in International Affairs program. From 2009, all new PhD students in the Department will be required to complete the ANU's Social Sciences Postgraduate Training Program. The training comprises a 4-module, 24-point coursework program covering issues of theory, research design and methods, and research communication and utilisation. Students who have completed the equivalent of one or more of these courses elsewhere may apply for an exemption from the corresponding ANU course.

Residency Requirements

The University requires that full-time candidates must attend the University for at least 18 months. The Department’s expectation is that in normal circumstances students will be resident in Canberra throughout their PhD studies except when undertaking field research. Applicants should be aware that it is unusual for students to complete the PhD program in less than 42 months (that is, three and a half years) and some students will take longer.