The Master of Philosophy - Health Sciences (MPhil) is an internationally recognised masters (by research) degree. The MPhil degree is designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research.

Students will produce a thesis which will demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship in the area of research.The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing research in the field of Health Sciences.

The School comprises the following departments:

• Audiology and Speech Pathology
• Nursing
• Physiotherapy
• Social Work
• Optometry and Vision Sciences

Research projects are available in all departments and are grouped under broad research themes of :

• Cancer survivorship
• Child health and wellbeing
• Immunology and inflammation
• Practice and service improvement
• Recovery and rehabilitation across the lifespan
• Sensory neuroscience

Intended learning outcomes

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne are designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research. The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship in the area of research.

On completion of the course students should be able to:

• demonstrate advanced learning in research skills and mastery of appropriate techniques, such as the use of archival or primary evidence, analysis of data, judgment of conflicting evidence etc;
• demonstrate specialist knowledge in the area of their research;
• present the results of their research in publishable form or work towards incorporating their findings in further research;
• proceed to a research doctorate if the Masters thesis has demonstrated appropriate research potential;
• gain admission to certain types of employment through this specialist qualification;
• apply the research skills acquired to other projects;
• demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, research ethics or code of practice.

Graduate attributes

Research Masters degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who have a capacity for defining and managing a research project characterised by originality and independence. Your training equips you for more sustained and original work at the doctoral level or for applied research positions in a wide variety of contexts.

The University expects its research masters graduates to have the following qualities and skills:

• an ability to initiate research projects and to formulate viable research question.
• a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report independent and original research on a closely-defined project.
• an ability to manage time to maximise the quality of research.
• an understanding of the major contours of international research in the research area.
• a capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature.
• well-developed and flexible problem-solving abilities appropriate to the discipline.
• the ability to analyse research data within a changing disciplinary environment.
• the capacity to communicate effectively the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication.
• an understanding of and facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area.
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship.
• a capacity to cooperate with other researchers.
• an ability to manage information effectively, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student's field of study.