UWA Handbook 2025

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(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 Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) (i) a bachelor's degree of this University in a relevant field with first or upper second class honours, or equivalent as recognised by the University; or

(ii) a master's degree of this University in a relevant field, or equivalent as recognised by the University; or

(iii) a four year educational qualification plus extensive research experience deemed equivalent to an upper second class honours as approved by the Graduate Research Coordinator or equivalent

(b) the equivalent of at least two years' full-time professional educational experience.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) This course has the following exit award:

• 30330 Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies (non-articulated) (48 points)

(2) A student who withdraws from the Doctor of Education course before completing it, after completing 48 credit points of core coursework units, may apply to the School to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Educational Studies (non-articulated).

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 192 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS 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 Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) Except as set out in Rule 15, a student enrolled in the core units of the course who fails a unit is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' by the University, unless the Graduate Research School determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances.

(2) A student enrolled in the Doctoral Thesis unit who does not submit an annual report or whose annual report is not considered by the Graduate Research School to be satisfactory—

(a) is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation';

(b) is required to report to the relevant course coordinator prior to re-enrolment;

and

(c) may have conditions applied to their enrolment.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. This rule is not applicable to this course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).

Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months.

Additional rules

Substitution of coursework units

14. The Graduate Research School may permit the substitution of other units of doctoral or equivalent level and of equivalent value for any or all of the core units of the course.

Thesis Length

15. The thesis length should not exceed 70,000 words excluding tables, bibliography and appendices.

Approved leave (suspension of candidature) and extension

16.(1) The Graduate Research School on written application, may grant a period of approved leave, called a suspension of candidature.

(2) Unless the Graduate Research School permits otherwise in recognition of exceptional circumstances outside the student's control, the maximum suspension during a student's candidature is one year, irrespective of whether the student has been enrolled full-time or part-time.

(3) Periods of suspension will normally be approved only for full teaching periods. That is, a student may not commence or end a period of suspension part-way through a teaching period other than in exceptional circumstances outside the student's control;

(4) Periods of suspension are not normally approved while a student is on extension of candidature;

(5) In no circumstances will a period of suspension be approved for less than one month.

(6) For the operation of Rule 23 exceptional circumstances do not include employment commitments.

Minimum and maximum time limits

17.(1) Unless otherwise approved by the Graduate Research School the minimum period of enrolment is three years full-time equivalent.

(2) Unless the Graduate Research School in recognition of exceptional circumstances, grants an extension of time, a full-time student must submit the thesis within four years full-time equivalent from the date of first enrolment for the degree, or the equivalent as determined by the Board if the enrolment is part-time or a mixture of full- and part-time.

Approved leave (suspension of candidature) and extension

18. In addition to the one-year maximum period of suspension of candidature provided for in Rule 23, the Board on written application, permit during the course of candidature either—

(a) up to 12 months' leave for pregnancy and childbirth, for each pregnancy;

or

(b) up to 12 months' parental leave for the primary carer of a child or children.

Approved leave (suspension of candidature) and extension

19. The Board in recognition of exceptional circumstances, may approve an extension not exceeding one year to the maximum period of candidature for the Doctor of Education as set out in these Rules.

Research proposal

20. A student must prepare and defend a research proposal to the satisfaction of the Board of the Graduate Research School—

(a) within nine months of first enrolling in EDUC9930 Doctoral Thesis in the case of a full-time student;

or

(b) within twelve months of first enrolling in EDUC9940 Doctoral Thesis in the case of a part-time student.

Annual progress report

21.(1) A student enrolled in the Doctoral Thesis unit must provide an annual progress report to their supervisor.

(2) The supervisor must forward the annual progress report with their comments to the Graduate Research Coordinator (or Dean, where the Graduate Research Coordinator is also a supervisor) for approval.

Progression

22. To progress to the Doctoral thesis unit a student must pass all coursework units