Higher Degrees by Research

Students with a passion for discovery can undertake independent and original research for doctoral (PhD) or masters (MPhil) degrees.

A full-time PhD requires three to four years to complete and an MPhil one to two years. Both may be taken part time, extending the time needed for completion. Prospective PhD students should have performed well in geology or a related discipline at Honours or postgraduate coursework level, while the requirements for MSc entry are lower - see Course Admission.

Main Research Areas

Most PhD and MPhil projects in Applied Geology fall into one or more of the research areas listed on our research page - please follow the links on this page to learn more about potential research projects available, and staff and students working in these areas of research.

Prospective students looking for more information should contact staff with expertise in their area of interest - see our list of academic staff for details. Information on current and previous PhD and MPhil projects is available from our lists of postgraduate students, PhD graduates and MPhil graduates.

Financial Details

Australian and New Zealand students, and Australian permanent residents, do not pay course fees for research degrees, and they can apply for an Australian Postgraduate Award or Curtin University Postgraduate Scholarship to assist with living expenses, although these are very competitive. All other students will be liable for fees unless they receive a Curtin International Research Tuition Scholarship or an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. See Postgraduate Scholarships for more details.