DIISR ALTC-DDoGS Pathways Project ALTC Coursework Masters Project

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DIISRALTC-DDoGS Pathways ProjectALTC
Coursework Masters Project

• Margaret Kiley
• CEDAM
• The Australian National University

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Australian data

• Increasing variation at the PhD level e.g.
• Australian median age on graduation is 37
• At one Go8 median was 33 with 14.7 graduates in
  Hum/ Soc Sci and 49.4 in Sci
• At an IRU age was 40 with 47.4 in Hum/ Soc Sci
  and only 23.9 in Sci. (Neumann Tan, 2011)
• Increasing of PhD applicants without Honours
  (research or c/w masters)

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Postgraduate Student enrolments (DEEWR data)
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Masters students by gender (DEEWR data)
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Coursework masters by age (DEEWR data)
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Interest in research by age (POSSE data)
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Deans of Graduate Studies

• when asked what knowledge, skills and aptitudes
  they looked for in a PhD applicant and how the
  applicant could demonstrate this, suggested the
  following

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Knowledge
Deep disciplinary knowledge (although not necessarily in the discipline of the PhD) Final year exam results
Awareness of epistemological issues to inform research and facilitate disciplinary work and lateral thinking Interview, references and interviews with referees
Intelligence Test e.g. UMAT Exam results
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Skills (1)
Solve extended problems Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
Base communication Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
High level academic writing Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
Critical analytical writing and reading Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
Organise ideas/ present argument Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
Team making Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
Analyse, synthesise, contextualise solve problems Significant role experience in completing major research projects Research proposal and exemplars of previous work
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Skills (cont)
Inter-relate and work with experienced researchers Interview, references and interviews with referees
Organisational capacity, time management, project management, ability to complete extended project Interview, references and interviews with referees
Learn from mistakes Interview, references and interviews with referees
Team making Interview, references and interviews with referees
Produce and communicate knowledge Results of relevant courses from Testamur
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Aptitudes
Persistence, drive Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Creative Intelligence Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Imagination Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Critical and analytical writing and reading Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Capacity to learn to be independent Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Self motivated Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
Capacity to work hard Interviews, references and interviews with referees,
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DDoGS thinking and current context

• Increased enrolments in coursework masters
  (decrease in research masters)
• At the same time, pressure to train and graduate
  researchers
• Honours under pressure as an undergraduate award
• What are pathways to doctoral entry?

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ALTC-DDoGS Project

• Funding 10,000 from ALTC for one year
• To answer
• What are the various pathways that potential
  candidates take to, through, out of, and from
  their doctoral program?
• What is the exit point and qualification if they
  want to leave a PhD program without completing?

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ALTC I have done a coursework masters project

• Funding 200,000 from ALTC for 2 years to
• Gain a better understanding of the research
  education components of coursework masters
  programs
• Identify what sorts of coursework masters
  programs provide an effective, supportable entry
  to a research program in Australia

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Sample
Masters Project Additional for DDoGS Project
Go8 UNSW Monash
IRU JCU Flinders
ATN QUT UniSA
Other ECU Wollongong
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DDoGS Project Activities

• Overseas models of entry to doctorates
• Survey of Australian universities re entry
  requirements
• Sample of Australian universities
• Interview the Dean of Graduate Studies
• Collect data from each sample universitys web
  site regarding re relevant information

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Overseas universities
Canada McGill UBC
USA Michigan State New York University
UK Durham Oxford Brookes
Sweden Gothenburg Lund
Germany Kassel Freiburg
Malaysia University of Malaya Universiti Putra Malaysia
NZ Otago Victoria at Wellington
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Findings

• Universities most commonly seek
• masters degree (e.g. in proposed discipline or by
  research)
• research experience (e.g. publications emanating
  from research)
• academic achievement (e.g. honours, awards)
• research proposal (e.g. statement of
  intentions/interests/goals)
• language proficiency (e.g. English)

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Note

• A number of universities beyond Australia
• identify only disciplinary specific PhD entry
  requirements (or in addition to general entry
  requirements) and
• refer to graduate studies entry requirements
  (e.g. that embrace Masters and Professional
  Doctorate as well as PhD by research programs)

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Australian university survey

• Twenty (51) seek evidence of
• academic achievement / ability / writing (e.g.
  honours, higher degree, advanced knowledge)
• research performance / readiness / potential
  (e.g. research training, professional /work
  experience)

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Other

• Eleven (55) provide exit credit towards other
  qualifications but this does not appear to be
  standard practice in seven (35).
• Six (30) have special consideration for
  non-traditional candidates and further five (25)
  provide targeted equity support. Seven (35) have
  no formal strategies

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Cont.

• Twelve (60) have courses, workshops and online
  facilities, with three (15) mandating completion
  of a research methods program concurrently with
  the degree. Four (20) have no specific training
• Thirteen (65) have online support for part-time
  candidates. Four (20) have no formal support

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Interviews Deans of Graduate Studies

• The most frequent finding related to variation
  in
• Cohort gender, age etc
• Ways of meeting needs
• Discipline mix
• Programs

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Interviews PhD students

• Challenges of research methodologies etc
• Noted honours students or masters by research
  students could have very similar problems
• Individual capability and drive were big factors
  in overcoming those challenges

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Interviews Supervisors and Convenors

• Significance of programs re industry
• Research training for students
• Coursework masters as a realistic pathway to the
  PhD
• Project management skills learned in coursework
  masters
• The future of higher degree research at
  universities in general (ERA)

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Discussion

• Substantial increase in the number of entrants
• Particular increase in the 20-29 age cohort
• Older students and female students more likely to
  express interest in research
• Specific research required about the disciplinary
  nature of the variation in age, gender etc
• Construction of the coursework masters program
  with the most appropriate training for doctoral
  applicants

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What might this mean for

• Funding Policies fee-paying vs RTS
• Supervisor training and development
• AQF levels
• Construction of coursework programs
• Attracting future researchers from industry

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Dr Margaret Kiley CEDAMThe Australian National
University Margaret.kiley_at_anu.edu.au ALTC
Masters project http//courseworkmasters.anu.edu.a
u/ ALTC Pathways project http//cedam.anu.edu.au/
people/dr-margaret-kiley/research-and-publications
/ddogs_project
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DISCLAIMER

• Support for this project has been provided by
  the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, an
  initiative of the Australian Government
  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
  Relations.
• The views expressed in this report do not
  necessarily reflect the views of the Australian
  Learning and Teaching Council Ltd.