PhD - Program Structure

Successful PhD candidates generally work closely with one of the Melbourne Institute's core areas:

• Applied Macroeconomics
• Labour, Economic and Social Policy
• Health economics
• Industrial economics
• HILDA Survey

Information about current projects within each of these research areas is available by following the appropriate link. Summaries of staff research interests and profiles, and Melbourne Institute working papers are also available.

Coursework

The Institute offers a PhD degree that incorporates some coursework provided by the Department of Economics. All PhD students in the Melbourne Institute program are normally required to do at least 3 subjects. The coursework component is described in the overview of the Economics PhD program. It has a core in macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics and some elective field subjects.

The coursework consists of six semester-length subjects normally comprising three core subjects, three elective subjects and a year long (double subject) Thesis Workshop.

A. Three core subjects:

• 316-611 Microeconomics
• 316-612 Macroeconomics
• 316-654 Advanced Econometric Techniques

B. Three elective subjects:

Subjects may be selected from other six hundred level subjects. Current offerings of six hundred level subjects can be viewed at:
http://www.economics.unimelb.edu.au/SITE/students/postgrad/2007pgrsubs.shtml

The candidate's choice must be approved by the Academic Convenor of the PhD program in Economics. Please note that subject offerings may vary over time.

C. Thesis Proposal and Workshop (double subject):

• 316-703 Economics Thesis Workshop

D. The second and third years of PhD candidature are devoted to thesis research.

Overview of the PhD program is available in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce Research Prospectus for 2008

Thesis

The thesis is 80 000 - 100 000 words in length. The award of the PhD is based solely on the examination of the thesis.

Confirmation

For confirmation, which usually occurs 12 to 15 months after enrolment in the PhD program, students are required to obtain an average of at least 75% in their PhD coursework subjects, to have prepared a written proposal that outlines the research program and shows evidence of substantive progress and to have made an oral presentation based on their thesis proposal.

The presentation is open to all members of the Melbourne Institute. The Committee will recommend confirmation if it believes there is a reasonable expectation that the student will complete the PhD thesis by the due date.

Assessment

Students are required to maintain satisfactory progress throughout their candidature. In addition to the regular meetings with supervisor(s), progress is monitored through the confirmation process and annual reports.

For further details on confirmation and progress reports, see the PhD Handbook website: http://www.gradstudies.unimelb.edu.au/current/phdhbk/