10.1 Upgrade to a Doctoral Degree

10.1.1 A Master of Education (Research) candidate who has been confirmed in their current degree and can demonstrate that the scope of their research has changed, may apply to the Associate Dean Research to upgrade to the Doctor of Education.

A Master of Philosophy candidate who has been confirmed in their current degree and can demonstrate that the scope of their research has changed, may apply to the Associate Dean Research to upgrade to the Doctor of Philosophy or the Doctor of Philosophy in Social and Political Thought.

10.1.2 In making application for an upgrade, a candidate must clearly demonstrate how the extended research meets the expectations of doctoral level research (refer definitions in Regulation 1). The application will involve a written submission as well as a presentation to an Upgrade Panel.

10.1.3 An application for upgrade will be assessed on:

1. academic merit, with consideration given to the quality of the candidate’s proposal and whether it meets the expectations of doctoral level research;
2. the candidate’s performance in the degree thus far;
3. the candidate’s academic history; and
4. the report of the Upgrade Panel.

10.1.4 The Upgrade Panel will comprise, as a minimum:

1. the Associate Dean Research, or nominee as approved by the Dean of Research, as Chair;
2. the Principal Supervisor;
3. a research active professor or associate professor from ACU; and
4. a research active professor or associate professor in the discipline or cognate discipline who is external to ACU.

Where the candidate is also an ACU staff member the Associate Dean Research may vary the panel composition so as to minimise potential conflicts of interest and ensure greater objectivity of the upgrade process.

In all cases, the Associate Dean Research is responsible for approving the Upgrade Panel in accordance with the Regulations.

10.1.5 The Chair of the Upgrade Panel will make one of the following recommendations to the Dean of Research:

1. the candidate should be permitted to upgrade to the nominated doctoral program; or
2. the candidate should not be permitted to upgrade to the nominated doctoral program.

10.1.6 Following consideration of the recommendation made by the Chair of the Upgrade Panel, and the candidate’s written application, the Dean of Research will make one of the following decisions:

1. to approve the candidate’s application for an upgrade to the nominated doctoral program; or
2. to refuse the candidate’s application for an upgrade to the nominated doctoral program, in which case the candidate will remain enrolled in the master-by-research degree.

10.1.7 If a request for an upgrade is approved, the commencement date of candidature will be backdated by a period of time equal to that part of the applicant's candidature for the master-by-research degree.

10.1.8 A candidate who has their application for an upgrade refused may request a review of the decision (refer Regulation 23).

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10.2 Course Transfers

10.2.1 A candidate who wishes to transfer courses, that is from one master-by-research to another master-by-research, or from one doctoral degree to another doctoral degree, must complete an application for admission to the new research higher degree.

10.2.2 In assessing the application and making a recommendation to the Dean of Research, the Associate Dean Research will consider:

1. the progress and outcomes made thus far in the current degree;
2. the time consumed thus far in the current degree;
3. the academic merit of the new proposal; and
4. the fit of the new proposal with the research strategy of the School/Research Institute/Faculty.

10.2.3 The Dean of Research is responsible for approving course transfers to research higher degrees.

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