Graduate Centre

Orientation

Welcome to the beginning of your research student candidature at Murdoch University. All aspects of research administration including policy, research grant opportunities, postgraduate study, scholarships and ethics approvals are handled in the Faculty of Research and Development. Murdoch University also has Six Faculties of study. You are enrolled in the Faculty and school where your principal supervisor is located. Research degrees are administered by the Research and Development Board which is chaired by the Acting Pro Vice Chancellor Research, Professor Andris Stelbovics. The Research Degrees and Scholarships committee is a standing committee of the board, and is chaired by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Associate Professor Graham O'Hara.
Karen Olkowski is secretary to the Research Degrees and Scholarships Committee and Manager of the Murdoch University Graduate Centre
Staff in the Murdoch University Graduate Centre are available for formal or informal, personal or telephone enquiries.
The office is open from 9.00 to 4.30 and is located on level three of the Chancellery. Each Academic Faculty has a Research/Postgraduate Committee which oversees postgraduate research in the Faculty, including the provision and allocation of maintenance funds and conference travel funds. Each Faculty also has a postgraduate co-ordinator (see page 6) with special responsibility for research student welfare.

Getting Started

You should agree upon a suitable starting date with your principal supervisor and return your enrolment form following the instructions in your enrolment pack. Once you have enrolled you can obtain a library/student card from the Library. The helpdesk (phone 9360 2000) for your Student e-mail account is also located in the Library foyer and can be e-mailed helpdesk@student.murdoch.edu.au. Take time to think about your topic - it has to be appropriate for you, as well as fall within the bounds of your supervisor's expertise. You will need to live with your topic for a considerable period of time. It is therefore essential that you engage with it, be stimulated by it and feel sure that it has the capacity to be developed so as to offer a significant contribution in your field. You will need to be flexible - it is highly likely that the nature of your research will present a number of hurdles as it develops and challenge some of your initial ideas. You will need to discuss your Programme of Study (or "blue form"), and milestones with your supervisor. If you are a full-time student your programme of study is required within six months of initial enrolment, and twelve months for part-time students. Your programme of study forms the working basis for your research. It describes the aims of the research, the contribution to scholarly knowledge, methodology and/or techniques, the body of literature to which it belongs, and a timeline for achieving milestones along the way. Other questions about joint supervision, part-time work, intellectual property, ethics approval, a space to work, IT, and other resources, should also be discussed with your supervisor.

Other places to go and people to see for help and information

The Library provides tours and Merrilee Albatis (phone 9360 6604) coordinates workshops for postgraduates. Some carrels are available in the library for PhD candidates, and the contact person for these is Janice Pell (phone 9360 2154).

The Teaching and Learning Centre provides direct assistance to postgraduate students success at university. The TLC is located on the first floor of the Library. Julia Hobson is the lecturer in learning skills focusing on postgraduate students. TLC offers the Generic Skills Training programme for postgraduate research students designed to further develop your research skills and assist you in your current project and future career options. Details of the programme will be made available to you each year, \and is offered free of charge to postgraduate students.

MUPSA is the Murdoch University Postgraduate Student Association and is a Council of the Guild of Students. MUPSA provides a point of contact for the postgraduate community at Murdoch, advocates on behalf of postgraduate students, provides a forum for academic discussion, and organises social functions. The MUPSA office is located in the amenities building, and the MUPSA executive can be contacted on 9360 6353 or by email mupsa@central.murdoch.edu.au or, http://www.guild.murdoch.edu.au/mupsa. You are encouraged to subscribe to the postgrad e-mail discussion list (postgrad chat) and the e-mail bulletin board (postgrad bulletin). To subscribe email: mupsa@central.murdoch.edu.au or visit MUPSA subscription