As a Doctor of Philosophy candidate you will undertake supervised research with the aim of making a significant and original contribution to a discipline or profession.

Research areas include: intellectual property, copyright, trade marks law, innovation and technology in legal services, artificial intelligence and law, sentencing, criminal law, commercial and corporations law, Asian law, transnational lawyering.

This program is suited to applicants who:

• have some prior research experience
• are interested in a pursuing a career in research
• have a desire to make an original contribution to research in a particular field
• have a naturally inquiring mind and a desire to know more
• wish to gain an internationally recognised qualification
• want to enhance their employment opportunities.

Applicants must have completed at least four years (or equivalent) of tertiary education studies in a relevant discipline at a high level of achievement, and must have been approved for the award of the degree(s) for which they studied.

A high level of achievement is defined as the equivalent of a four year Swinburne Honours degree that includes a significant research component in the fourth year, leading to an Honours degree class 1 (average grade between 80-100) or class 2A (average grade between 70-79) level.

Four years of tertiary studies can be demonstrated by the completion of any of the combinations of qualifications below, at the required standard of achievement:

• a bachelor degree (three or four years) and a Masters by Research; or
• a bachelor degree (three or four years) and an Honours year; or
• a bachelor degree (three or four years) and a Masters by Coursework; or
• a bachelor degree (three or four years) and a postgraduate diploma in Psychology; or
• a bachelor degree (four years) in an approved discipline.