Admission requirements

The admission requirements for each of the various research master’s degrees and doctorates by research can be found in the Calendar or the appropriate faculty handbook.

The Resolutions of Senate, located in the Calendar, set out the admission requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

General requirements are outlined in this section.

Research master's degrees

A research-only master’s degree usually has a minimum entry requirement of a bachelor’s degree with first or upper second class honours or equivalent in an appropriate subject area.

However, prerequisites are required for all degrees. Students must have undertaken appropriate courses at the undergraduate level and must demonstrate appropriate standards of performance. Factors that may be taken into account to demonstrate this include:

• performance in the first degree
• professional or other experience gained during or subsequent to the first degree
• high level pass in an external examination such as the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).

For admission to some master’s degrees a bachelor’s degree may not be essential. Evidence of general or professional qualifications and experience may be sufficient to satisfy the faculty concerned that the applicant possesses the academic preparation and capacity to complete the course in question. In any individual case the faculty concerned can prescribe additional work to be completed before or subsequent to admission.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The minimum admission requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the possession of a master’s degree or a bachelor’s degree with first or upper second class honours. Alternatively, an applicant may be admitted having passed a qualifying examination at a standard equivalent to the bachelor’s degree with first or upper second class honours.

This qualifying examination could be completion of a period of relevant full-time or part-time advanced study and research towards a master’s degree at the University of Sydney, at such a standard as would demonstrate to the satisfaction of the faculty that the candidate is suitably prepared in the particular field of study to undertake candidature for a PhD.

In addition to these academic requirements, the head of department/school must certify to the faculty that your proposed course of advanced study and research is appropriate and acceptable, that you have in addition to the academic qualifications the necessary training and ability to pursue the proposed course of study and research, and that there are sufficient supervisory and other resources and facilities available to enable your candidature to be completed successfully. (See the section below on application procedures.)

Faculties are particularly concerned to ensure before admission to PhD candidature that there is the likelihood of a successful outcome. The Academic Board has agreed that a probationary period of up to 12 months for a PhD should be seen as usual practice.

This probationary period may be satisfied by prior enrolment in and/or completion of a master’s degree by research. Some departments and faculties require all potential PhD candidates to enrol in an appropriate master’s degree first with transfer to PhD candidature only after completion of that degree or after at least one semester’s satisfactory progress.

Graduates of other institutions

The admission requirements for postgraduate research degrees in the Senate regulations are usually expressed in terms of an applicant holding a qualification from the University of Sydney. The dean of a faculty may also admit to candidature applicants with qualifications deemed equivalent to those expected of University of Sydney graduates.

Eligibility for admission to a particular research degree is not simply determined by the applicant’s qualification. A suitable project and supervision must be available. The dean of the faculty must also be satisfied that the applicant is suitably prepared in the particular field of study in which the applicant proposes to be a candidate and has a standing equivalent to that required of a graduate of the University of Sydney qualified for admission to candidature for the degree.

This means that where, for example, a first or second class honours degree is required of a University of Sydney graduate, a similar level of achievement is expected of graduates from other institutions. This may be measured by other means where appropriate such as a Grade Point Average (GPA) or other form of grading. For international students, the International Office can advise about such equivalences.

Experience or further training undertaken subsequent to a first degree may be included in any assessment of eligibility for admission.