UWA Handbook 2025

Terms used

In these Rules, unless the context suggests otherwise—

the Board is the Board of the Graduate Research School which delegates authority as appropriate to the Dean of the Graduate Research School or the Associate Director, Graduate Research and Scholarships;

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 Doctor of Philosophy Rules and the University's Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Doctor of Philosophy Rules excluding Rules 29, 38 to 51, and 62, apply to the Doctor 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 Doctor of Philosophy Rules the term 'thesis' is to be read as 'work'.

Academic Conduct and Research Integrity Unit

1.A(1) 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 and Research Integrity unit (the ACRI module) and complete within the first six months from the date of commencement in the course.

(2) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACRI 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.

(3) A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of (2) is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation'

Admission

2. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must demonstrate that they have fulfilled the requirements of the University Policy on: Adequate Research Preparation and any other requirements for admission of the University, and—

(a)(i) have a bachelor's degree of this University or a qualification recognised by the Board as equivalent; or

(ii) have previously undertaken work, which in the Board's opinion is of a sufficiently high standard, towards a higher degree by research in this or another approved institution but has not submitted it for any degree;

and

have completed and had approved by the Board, on the recommendation of the supervisor and the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, a Doctor of Architecture (Design) research proposal; or

(iii) have the degree of bachelor of this University or have a qualification recognised by the Board as equivalent, and have, since graduation completed at a satisfactory level a Higher Degree by Research Preliminary Program, or equivalent as determined by the Board, in the subject area in which research is to be undertaken;

and

(b) 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.(1) A student must present for examination work comprising—

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

and

(b) an A3 volume containing—

(i) the exhibition drawings in suitable reduction;

(ii) photographs of the exhibition models;

(iii) the research proposal described in Rule 5(1) containing a brief, the scope of works and the estimated construction costs for the proposed architectural design; and

(iv) an expanded abstract of up to 5000 words explaining the student's response to the brief and the contribution of the work to the discipline of architecture.

(2) The A3 volume described in (1)(b) must be presented in temporary binding at least six weeks prior to the exhibition opening.

(3) The work described in (1) must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, for example through the discovery of knowledge, the formulation of theories or the innovative re-interpretation of known data and established ideas.

Confirmation of candidature

4. Doctor of Philosophy Rule 19 applies.

Research proposal

5.(1) A student must, within six 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).

Submission of work for examination

6.(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 the work described in Rule 3 for examination, 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 Doctor 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 the 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) Work 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 the 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(s) 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.

7.(1) A student must submit for examination four printed copies in temporary binding of the A3 volume required under Rule 3(1)(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.

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

9. The date of the opening of the exhibition referred to in Rule 3(1)(a) will be regarded as the end of the formal period of enrolment.

Examination

10.(1) The Doctor of Philosophy Rules 44 to 48 apply to the nomination and appointment of examiners.

(2) 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(1)(a), notify the Board of the details of the exhibition, including the date, venue, number and type of works and other relevant information.

(3) The Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts must provide the examiners with a copy of the A3 volume described in Rule 3(1)(b) prior to the exhibition opening.

(4) A student must give a presentation of the architectural design described in Rule 3(1)(a), of approximately 45 to 60 minutes duration, to the examiners and answer any questions of fact arising.

(5) 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.

Classification of work

11. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Doctor of Philosophy Rule 60, when undertaking the classification of the work submitted for examination, 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 10(5)(b).

Lodgement of final version following classification

12.(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(1)(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 work submitted for the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) has been classified as Passed, the Graduate Research School submits the electronic copy of the A3 volume referred to in Rule 3(1)(b) to the 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 must make reasonable efforts to convert the electronic copy into a digital format suitable for inclusion in the University's Digital Thesis Repository.

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

Transfer of candidature

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

15.(1) The Board, on the recommendation of the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, may permit a student for the 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 to the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design) must, at the time of application to 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 the Doctor of Architecture (Design) as work for the Master of Architecture (Design)

16. 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 work for the degree of Doctor of Architecture (Design), which is considered by the Board, following consultation with the supervisor(s) and the Head of the School of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, to be unsuitable for submission for the award of that degree, to submit the work for examination for the award of the degree of Master of Architecture (Design), although the student has at no time been enrolled for that degree.