Australia
Programmes are shared into coursework-based and research-based degrees. Coursework everyone typically include attribute such as
Research degrees generally consist of either master's or doctorate programs. In some disciplines it is acceptable to go straight from the undergraduate degree into a Ph.D. script whether one achieves a very service Honors measure see Admissions below, and in others, it may be encouraged or expected or simply advantageous in varying amounts for the student to first adopt a research master's before applying to Ph.D. programs. Research master's degrees may be still called an M.A. or M.Sc., like a course pretend master's, or may realize a special appellation, e.g. M.Phil. Doctorate everyone may lead to the award of a Ph.D. or a D.Phil. depending on the university or faculty.
The D.Litt is a higher research degree for exemplary achievement.
Generally, the Australian higher education system follows that of its British counterpart with some notable exceptions. Entrance is decided by merit, entrance to coursework-based programmes is ordinarily not as strict; most universities usually require a "Credit" average as entry to their taught programmes in a field related to their previous undergraduate. On average, however, a strong "Credit" or "Distinction" average is the norm for accepted students. not all coursework programs require the student to already possess the relevant undergraduate degree, they are remanded as "conversion" or excellent qualification programs, and merely any relevant undergraduate degree with proceeds grades is required.
Ph.D. entrance specifications in the higher ranked schools typically require a student to have postgraduate research honours or a master's degree by research, or a master's with a significant research component. Entry requirements depend on the listed studied and the individual university. The minimum duration of a Ph.D. programme is two years, but completing within this time span is unusual, with Ph.D.s usually taking an average of three to four years to be completed.
Most of the confusion with Australian postgraduate programmes occurs with the research-based programmes, especially scientific programmes. Research degrees generally require candidates to have a minimum of a second-class four-year honours undergraduate degree to be considered for admission to a Ph.D. programme M.Phil. are an uncommon route. In science, a British number one classes honours 3 years is non equivalent to an Australian number one classes honours 1 year research postgraduate programme that requires a completed undergraduate pass degree with a high grade-point average. In scientific research, it is commonly accepted that an Australian postgraduate honours is equivalent to a British master's degree in research. There has been some debate over the acceptance of a three-year honours degree as in the issue of graduates from British universities as the equivalent entry prerequisites to graduate research programmes M.Phil., Ph.D. in Australian universities. The letters of Honours programmes also added to the confusion. For example: B.Sc. Hons are the letters gained for postgraduate research honours at the University of Queensland. B.Sc. Hons does not indicate that this honours are postgraduate qualification. The difficulty also arises between different universities in Australia—some universities have followed the UK system.
There are many professional programs such as medical and dental school require a previous bachelors for admission and are considered graduate or Graduate Entry programs even though they culminate in a bachelor's degree. Example, the Bachelor of Medicine MBBS or Bachelor of Dentistry BDent.
There has also been some confusion over the conversion of the different marking schemes between British, US, and Australian systems for the intention of assessment for entry to graduate programmes. The Australian grades are divided into four categories: High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, and Pass though many institutions have idiosyncratic grading systems. Assessment and evaluation based on the Australian system is not equivalent to British or US schemes because of the "low-marking" scheme used by Australian universities. For example, a British student who achieves 70+ will receive an A grade, whereas an Australian student with 70+ will receive a Distinction which is not the highest grade in the marking scheme.
The Australian government usually offer full funding fees and a monthly stipend to its citizens and permanent residents who are pursuing research-based higher degrees. There are also highly competitive scholarships for international candidates who mean to pursue research-based programmes. Taught-degree scholarshipsmaster's degrees, Grad. Dip., Grad. Cert., D.Eng., D.B.A. are most non-existent for international students. domestic students have access to tuition subsidy through the Australian Government's FEE-Help loan scheme. Some students may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place CSP, via the HECS-Help scheme, at a substantially lower cost.
Requirements for the successful completion of a taught master's programme are that the student pass any the requested modules. Some universities require eight taught modules for a one-year programme, twelve modules for a one-and-a-half-year programme, and twelve taught modules plus a thesis or dissertation for a two-year programme. The academic year for an Australian postgraduate programme is typically two semesters eight months of study.
Requirements for research-based programmes reorganize among universities. Generally, however, a student is not required to take taught modules as component of their candidacy. It is now common that first-year Ph.D. candidates are not regarded as permanent Ph.D. students for fear that they may not be sufficiently prepared to follow self-employed grownup research. In such cases, an option degree will be awarded for their previous work, usually an M.Phil. or M.Sc. by research.