Skip to Content

Home > School of Tourism & Hospitality Management > Research > Research degrees

Research degrees

Research an important topic as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a Master of Business (MBus) candidate with the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM).

At STHM we have an exemplary team of research supervisors who can help you turn your burning interest into a new body of knowledge through research.

STHM also has a comprehensive range of research strengths that include tourism, hospitality, leisure, gambling, event and club related matters - with further specialisations in policy and planning, transport, marketing, human resource management, Indigenous issues, environmental issues, education and socially critical matters. STHM has two research centres: Centre for Tourism, Leisure and Work; and Centre for Gambling Education and Research.

To successfully complete a higher degree by research you need to have a research interest that you are passionate about as well as time, commitment and dedication. The average PhD candidature is three years, (four years maximum) of full-time study or part-time equivalent. The average MBus candidature is one and a half years, (two years maximum) of fulltime study or part-time equivalent.

Research degree options

Master of Business

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) [administered by the Division of Research]

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) [administered by the Southern Cross Business School]

Eligibility

To be admitted, you would normally have an Honours I or IIA for a PhD or Honours I or II for a MBus, or equivalent tertiary qualification. However, you may be admitted on the basis that your work experience and/or published or other written material together constitute the equivalence of Honours at the level required. It is your responsibility to convince the School, and ultimately the SCU Higher Degrees Research Committee, by submitting all relevant documents and a detailed research proposal, developed in consultation with your potential supervisor.

Further eligibility criteria are outlined in the document Application for Doctor of Philosophy/Master Degree by Research, available in step 3 below.

How to apply

  1. Find a supervisor

    • Contact the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, or a HDR supervisor to discuss your research interest
    • Your relationship with your supervisor is essential to your candidature. You will need to find a supervisor who is willing to guide your research interest, preferably with a similar research agenda to yours
    • Your potential supervisor must think there is merit in your research proposal and be convinced that you are capable and willing to complete the degree

  2. Develop your research proposal in consultation with your supervisor

    Note: your supervisor may ask you to strengthen your research proposal before submission

  3. Submit your application

    Submit to your supervisor:

  4. STHM will complete your application

    • Your supervisor and the HDR team at STHM will complete sections 2 and 3 of the Application for Doctor of Philosophy/Master Degree by Research
    • Your application will be submitted by the Director of Research Training at STHM to the Division of Research Higher Degrees Research Committee which will assess the quality and integrity of your application

  5. Letter of Offer or resubmission

    • The Division of Research will either ask for additional material to substantiate your application, or issue you a Letter of Offer to a Higher Degree Research candidature

Updated: 27 February 2012