UWA Handbook 2025

Definitions

In these Rules, unless the context suggests otherwise—

the Board is the Board of the Graduate Research School and includes any position to which the Board has delegated authority for a particular function;

work means scholarly writing or, in the case of the creative arts and building sciences, may mean music composition or music recitals or exhibitions or recordings or scholarly documentation of exhibitions or recordings.

Applicability of the Master's Degrees by Research Rules for courses administered by the Board of the Graduate Research School and the University's Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Master's Degrees by Research Rules for courses administered by the Board of the Graduate Research School excluding Rules 29, 39 to 51, and 65 to 67 apply to the Master of Architecture (Design) except as set out in the rules which follow.

(2) The Student Rules, policies and procedures apply except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

(3) In the applicable Master's Degrees by Research Rules for courses administered by the Board of the Graduate Research School the term 'thesis' is to be read as 'work'.

Academic Conduct Essentials module

1.A(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module).

(2) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module is not required to repeat the module.

(3) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in the rules for this course.

(4) A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of (3) is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation'.

Admission

2. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Master's Degrees by Research Rules for courses administered by the Board of the Graduate Research School Rule 2, to be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have sufficient architectural design experience as determined by the Board on the recommendation of the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts.

Course content

3. A student must present for examination work comprising—

(a) an exhibition of architectural design of a scope of works equivalent to the schematic design of a building of major cultural significance;

and

(b) an A3 volume in temporary binding to be provided at least six weeks prior to the exhibition opening, and containing—

(i) the exhibition drawings in suitable reduction;

(ii) photographs of the exhibition models;

(iii) the research proposal required and described under Rule 4(1); and

(iv) an expanded abstract of up to 5000 words explaining the student's response to the brief and how their design proposal contributes to the discipline of architecture.

Research proposal

4.(1) A student must, within four months of the date of first enrolment in the course if enrolment is full-time or the equivalent period as determined by the Board if enrolment is part-time or a mixture of full- and part-time, submit to the Board for approval a research proposal which includes a brief, the scope of works and the estimated construction costs for the proposed architectural design.

(2) The approval of the Board is required for any significant changes to the details submitted under (1).

[Approved addition to Rule 18 of the Master's Degrees by Research Rules]

Submission of work for examination

5.(1) A student submitting for examination the work described in Rule 3 must provide relevant particulars on a form to be obtained from the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts and must observe any guidelines set down by the Faculty regarding the preparation and subsequent disposal of the work.

(2) When a student submits for examination the work described in Rule 3, it must be accompanied by a declaration signed by the student that—

(a) all sources are acknowledged;

(b) the work has not previously been accepted for any other degree in this or another institution;

(c) the work has been substantially accomplished during enrolment in the Master of Architecture (Design) course; and

(d) except in the case of jointly authored work, the work is wholly the student's own composition.

(3) If any part of a work submitted for examination has been jointly authored—

(a) that part of the work done by the student must be clearly indicated and certified as such by the co-authors; and

(b) the co-authors must certify that they agree to the inclusion of the part of the work of which they are joint authors.

(4) A publication of which the student is sole or joint author may be submitted as an appendix in support of a student's work but, in the case of joint authorship, the contribution of the student to the publication must be clearly indicated.

(5) Except as set out in (6), work submitted for examination must be accompanied by certification from the supervisor(s) and Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts that the form and content of the work are suitable for examination.

(6) The Faculty may, in exceptional circumstances, accept work for examination without the certification of the supervisor and/or the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts and may, after the examination is complete, notify the examiner(s) that the work was submitted without the support of the School.

6.(1) A student must submit for examination four printed copies in temporary binding of the A3 volume required under Rule 3(b) and must comply with any guidelines set down by the Faculty at the time of submission of the volume.

(2) All students must declare at the time of submission that a full electronic copy of the A3 volume is available on request.

7. Except in exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Faculty, a student is not permitted to withdraw, alter or add to the work after the A3 volume has been submitted in a form suitable for examination.

8. The date of the opening of the exhibition referred to in Rule 3(a) will be regarded as the end of the formal period of enrolment.

Examination

9.(1) The Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts must, at least two months prior to the date of the opening of the exhibition referred to in Rule 3(a), notify the Board of the details of the exhibition, including the date, venue, number and type of works and other relevant information.

(2) The Faculty must provide the examiners with a copy of the A3 volume described in Rule 3(b) prior to the exhibition opening.

(3) The student must give a presentation of the architectural design, of approximately 20 to 30 minutes duration, to the examiners and answer any questions of fact arising.

(4) After examination is complete the Faculty will provide to the Board—

(a) the examiners' reports; and

(b) a summary of the examiners' reports from the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts.

[Approved addition to Master's Degrees by Research Rules 52 to 59]

Classification of work

10. When undertaking the classification of the work submitted for examination, in accordance with Master's Degrees by Research Rule 60 the Board will also consider the summary of the examiners' reports provided by the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts under Rule 9(4)(b).

Lodgement of final version following classification

11.(1) When the work has been classified as Passed, the student must, after completing any corrections required, submit to the Graduate Research School an electronic copy of the updated A3 volume of work referred to in Rule 3(b).

(2) The format of the version submitted under (1) must comply with detailed specifications laid down by the University Librarian.

(3) Unless otherwise approved by the Board, after the work submitted for the degree has been classified as Passed, the Graduate Research School submits the electronic copy of the A3 volume referred to in Rule 3(b) to the University Library which must make reasonable efforts to convert the electronic copy into a digital format suitable for inclusion in the University's Digital Thesis Repository.

12. After the work has been classified, its examiners are normally invited to keep their copies of the A3 volume.

Transfer of candidature

13.(1) The Board, on the recommendation of the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, may permit a student for a Master of Architecture (Design) at this University to upgrade candidature to the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design).

(2) A student who wishes to upgrade candidature to the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) must, at the time of application for upgrade, provide a research proposal through the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts for the Board's approval.

Examination of work prepared during the course of enrolment for a Master of Architecture (Design) as work for a Doctor of Architecture (Design)

14.(1) After having regard to the recommendation of the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, the Board may permit a student who has completed the work for a Master of Architecture (Design) to submit that work for examination for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design), although the student has at no time been enrolled for that degree.

(2) If, after considering the examiners' reports on the work submitted for the award of a Master of Architecture (Design), the Board considers that the work may be suitable for submission for examination for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design), it may with the agreement of the student permit the student to submit the work for examination for the award of that degree.

(3) If, after due consideration, the Board determines that the work produced as part of the course for a Master of Architecture (Design) but recommended for submission for examination for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) is not suitable for that examination, it must so advise the student immediately.

(4) If the Board is satisfied that the work is suitable for submission for examination for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design), it must arrange the examination immediately.

15. If, following examination, the Board classifies the work submitted for examination in terms of Rule 14(4) as Passed—

(a) the student is qualified for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) although he or she has at no time been enrolled for that degree; and

(b) the Board arranges for details of the student's qualification for the degree to be entered on the academic record as a course result of 'Doctor of Architecture (Design) Awarded'.

16. If, after considering the examiners' reports on the work submitted for examination in terms of Rule 14(4), the Board determines that the work is not suitable for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) the Board must—

(a) so advise the student;

(b) arrange for the academic record to be annotated to indicate that the work was examined, but found unsuitable, for the award of the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design); and

(c) proceed to examine or classify the work, as appropriate, in terms of the rules for the Master of Architecture (Design) for which it was originally submitted.