Doctor of Philosophy - Indigenous Knowledge

Minimum eligibility

You’re considered an international student based on your citizenship – even if you're studying in Australia.

To be eligible to apply for graduate research courses, you're normally required to have completed at least a four year Australian Bachelor course or overseas equivalent and achieved an overall average of greater than 75% in the final year of the course.

You're also normally required to have completed a research project/component that accounts for at least 25% of your year's work at 4th year undergraduate or masters level.

Some courses may have higher or additional entry requirements and a pre-application process. Check the course you're interested in to learn what these are.

Course-specific requirements

Requirements vary by course. Usually, to apply for a graduate research course, you first need to determine your research topic and find a supervisor. Some graduate schools advertise available projects. Visit Find a Course for the requirements of the course that interests you. You will need to be able to commit to the workload required by the course.

Finding a supervisor

Check with the course you're applying for to see if you need to find a supervisor for your course before applying.

If so, you want to make sure the supervisors you choose are right for your needs and can support you in your research. Support from supervisors does not guarantee admission, nor does it guarantee a scholarship or financial assistance.

For help finding a supervisor, visit Find an expert

Writing a research proposal

Some graduate schools also require a research proposal as part of your application.

To develop a successful proposal, you need to be familiar with current research in the area. Your proposal also needs to state your research question, your area of interest, and how you'll undertake your research.

Many graduate schools offering research courses will have their own pre-application process, entry requirements and application due dates. Check the entry requirements for the course you're applying for.

Career outcomes

A PhD is an essential qualification for a research career in many industry and community settings. A PhD is also a ticket to international research opportunities and being competitive for research funding that can greatly help Indigenous communities.

Many of our graduates go on to work as postdoctoral researchers and as academics with research and teaching careers. They also move into industry and community careers, where the research and professional skills that come with completing a PhD are highly valued. Indigenous academics with PhDs and potential for research excellence are widely sought by university employers.

Employers of PhD graduates include:

• Universities
• International research institutions like CSIRO, the Max Planck Society, and NASA
• UN agencies like UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and World Intellectual Property Organization
• NGOs like ANTaR, CARE Australia, and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities
• Government departments like NIAA, DFAT, and Melbourne Water
• Statutory authorities like the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australia Council for the Arts, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority
• Copyright collectives like APRA AMCOS and CAL
• Consulting firms like Deloitte and PWC
• Software and computing companies like IBM, IRESS, and Quantium
• Large financial services companies like ANZ and NAB
• Schools and professional training providers.

Intended learning outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD, the graduate researcher will be able to:

• demonstrate command of a substantial and complex body of knowledge at the forefront of a discipline
• independently and systematically engage in critical reflection, synthesis and evaluation
• independently and systematically develop, adapt and implement research methodologies to extend and redefine existing knowledge
• independently and systematically generate original knowledge and understanding such that they can make a substantial contribution to a discipline
• disseminate research findings effectively in the professional arena and in an international context
• demonstrate autonomy, authoritative judgement and responsibility as an expert and scholar
• demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, research ethics and integrity.

Graduate attributes

For graduate attributes, refer to the Graduate Research Hub.