australian national university phd thesis

All Australian National University theses are in digital form. You can search for them online through the  theses collection in ANU Open Research , and are also searchable via the  Library Catalogue .

The majority of ANU theses are openly accessible but a small number are restricted due to cultural sensitivities, copyright controls or other restrictions.

Digital theses

Digital theses can be searched online through the  theses collection in ANU Open Research .

The Australian National University Library’s theses collection holds the research output of the University’s academic community over the last 60 years. The first ANU thesis was awarded in 1953.

By digitising its print theses collection, ANU Library delivers the University’s unique and original research in a freely available, open access online collection. Digital delivery expands engagement with the Library’s collections, provides visibility to the university’s scholarship, and supports the careers of its academic community.

Restrictions

The majority of theses are openly accessible; however, some may not be available under open access conditions due to author or copyright restrictions.

If an author wishes to restrict access to their thesis (or part of it), they can elect to do so as part of the online submission process. If after 12 months an extension to that restriction is required, a new application must be completed.

In the case of a Higher Degree by Research thesis, approval is required from the Dean, Higher Degree Research and can be sought by filling out an  Extension of Thesis Restriction of Access Request Form  or emailing  [email protected] . If approved, the Open Research team will be notified and restrict access to the online version of your thesis in line with the decision made.

Read our  Restriction Infosheet  for more information about applying for restrictions on theses.

Hard copy theses

Hard copy theses can be requested  for reading within the Library, but cannot be borrowed.

The majority of theses are available for research or study, however some may not be available due to author or copyright restrictions.

To check whether access restrictions apply to a particular thesis, ask at the  Menzies Library  Information Desk or email the  ANU Library .

Non-ANU readers are advised to check in advance whether they will be granted access to a particular thesis.

Location of hard copy theses

• ANU Doctoral and Masters’ theses (1953-2018) –  Menzies Library
• Master of Law and International Law theses (pre-October 1987) –  Law Library
• ANU Honours theses – held by the  ANU Colleges
• ANU Law Honours theses (selected) – Law Library or online through  ANU Open Research
• Non-ANU theses (without access restrictions) are on the open shelves.
• Hard copy theses requests

Related links

• Finding theses
• Ask a librarian
•   Theses   +61 2 6125 2005   Send email

How do I find Australian theses?

Sievers, Wolfgang (1963),  Monash University: Main Library, students at desks  1963 nla.obj-143591614

Theses completed for higher research degrees (PhD, Masters or Honours) form an important body of original research.

There are a number of places you can search for Australian theses, we have outlined the three main sources for you below.

National Library collection

While the Library holds a selection of theses presented to Australian universities, we do not have a comprehensive collection. 

To search the Library's collection for a thesis on a particular subject:

• Go to our  online catalogue  
• Type in your subject keywords, and add the keywords  dissertation or thesis, for example:  "global warming" AND thesis  ;  alpine AND thesis

To browse theses in the Library's collection:

• Select 'Browse alphabetically' and 'subject'
• Enter the terms 'Dissertations Academic'; for example:  Dissertations Academic
• Add the country of publication if known; for example:  Dissertations Academic Australia
• Hit browse.

We also hold a number of useful reference books on finding Australian theses, including:

• Guide to Microform Research Collections in the National Library of Australia .  1992. See pages 148-149 for an outline of the Australian and overseas theses held on microform at the National Library. This title is available on open access in the Newspapers and Family History zone .
• Union List of Higher Degree Theses in Australian University Libraries . 1959+ A list of theses submitted for a higher degree at Australian universities. The list is arranged by author, subject and keyword indexes. Supplements covering the period  1961-1976  and  1976-1991  can also be accessed via the catalogue.

Other Australian collections

Use the Library's discovery service  Trove to search for Australian and overseas theses in over one thousand Australian collecting institutions.

For a basic thesis search:

• Go to the homepage of Trove, type in your search terms and hit search
• Select the Books & Libraries category
• Select the 'Thesis' facet under 'Format' on the right-hand side.

If you'd like to use more advanced options in your search, on the results page you can click on advanced search (underneath the magnifying glass icon) to see the options available. 

Hint: to find thesis that are freely available online, narrow your search results to 'Freely available' under 'Online'.

You can find more search tips and strategies on Trove's  Australian theses blog .

University libraries

In most cases, a copy of a thesis is deposited in the library of the relevant university.

You can access the online catalogues of Australian university libraries through the  Australian Libraries Gateway . Links to many university libraries are also available through the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) .

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

ANU College of Science

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Australian National University provides PhD students with a vibrant research community and outstanding program support .  When selecting a research program, an institution's reputation is everything. ANU is one of the world's leading universities, and the smart choice for your research program.

As a PhD student you will work with increased independence, under the direction of a supervisory panel of experts in the field. Your research will make an original and important contribution to human knowledge, research and development.

Program details

The major component of a research program is a substantial written work known as a thesis, which investigates a particular subject or issue. As a research student, you will work with increased independence, under the direction of an academic supervisor or a supervisory panel of academic staff.

A PhD will normally take you between 2-4 years to complete.

• 2 - 4 years full time
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities

The Doctor of Philosophy is your gateway to an academic or research career in science. In addition to academia, PhD graduates work in diverse fields within government, education, industry and media.

World class facilities

Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and support, including labs, computational services and recreation and relaxation rooms.

Learning experience

Industry engagement

Industry engagement is one of the best ways for a PhD student to test their capabilities as a researcher, and to obtain transferable and professional skills.

Get out of the classroom

PhD student Kate Holland takes us on a field trip to One Tree Island to explain her research.

PhD student unearths the Holy Grail of paleontology

Ilya Bobrovskiy had a crazy idea for his PhD. And then he made one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of the year.

Fees & scholarships

Scholarships.

Whether you are looking for financial support to start your studies at ANU or help to move away from home for the first time, we have scholarship opportunities for you and your situation.

• How to apply
• International

Understand the how to apply steps

Visit the domestic postgraduate research applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.

Finding an academic supervisor

Prospective research students first need to identify a research project and find an academic supervisor.

Review the  fields of research  we offer and contact the academic convenor for advice about potential projects, supervisors, and the pre-application process. The  ANU Researchers  website is also a good place to start looking for a supervisor.

Email your academic supervisor directly to enquire about projects and supervision. Your email should outline the reason(s) why you are attracted to their field of research, the type of research you would like to pursue and a summary of your academic qualifications and research experience. You may also submit a short research proposal, however, this is not mandatory at this point.

The academic supervisor may contact you to discuss your research proposal and possibly other projects, or they may forward your email to other staff in the research school / centre.

Once an academic supervisor has been confirmed to support your application you may proceed to step three.

If you are not sure which area of research or supervisor matches your interest please complete an  expression of interest  and we will get in contact with you. Do not proceed to next step until advised.

Finding available scholarships

ANU Colleges and individual research schools offer a number of  scholarships  that are awarded on a merit basis. You can also talk to your academic supervisor about other sources of funding you might access to assist with living expenses and tuition fees.

Visit the international postgraduate research applications page to prepare for your application to ANU.

Need more information?

Send us an enquiry and we'll get back to you within 48 hours

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PhD in Accounting

The PhD program in Accounting is offered by the Research School of Accounting (RSA). The program draws upon the supervision expertise of researchers within RSA, and offers various opportunities for higher degree by research (HDR) candidates to immerse themselves in the School’s vibrant research community.

While the program focuses on preparing candidates for an academic career, many of the skills it provides are readily transferable to senior industry positions in professional services, business analysis, accounting, finance, auditing, tax, commercial law, and quantitative analysis.

CRICOS #: 048345A

Duration: 2 to 4 years full time (4 to 8 years part time)

Before you submit an application for entry to the program, you should:

• ensure you meet the admission requirements outlined below
• identify potential supervisors – that is, one or two accounting academics at ANU who conduct research in your area of interest.

You can find information on researchers and their research areas in the  ANU researchers database ,  RSA staff directory  or at  RSA Research .

While other ANU schools may recommend contacting potential supervisors before submitting an application,  this is not required or encouraged  for entry into RSA’s PhD program. Instead, you only need to list the name(s) of potential supervisors in your online application form.

Potential supervisors cannot guarantee entry into the PhD program. Admission will depend on the strength of your application relative to others in the pool.

After you’ve completed the steps above, you can proceed with an  online application .

Application deadlines

The first semester of the ANU academic year starts in February, and the second semester starts in July. While all applications for first semester entry must be submitted  before 31 October,  international applicants wishing to be considered for an  ANU scholarship  should submit their applications  before   31 August .

To be considered for a scholarship, your application must be accompanied by all the supporting documents listed below, including the referee reports. Request for referee reports are triggered and sent to your nominated referees at the time of submission of program application. It is thus important that you submit your application in advance (2-3 weeks) to allow time for your referees to provide their reports prior to the scholarship deadline.

If you’re currently completing an academic degree and haven’t yet received your final results and transcript, you should still submit all available documents before the deadline, and forward remaining results once you receive them. We won’t make a final decision on your application until we’ve received all the required documents.

The admission requirements for the PhD program in Accounting reflect the advanced knowledge that candidates will need to undertake the coursework component of the degree, and the research experience and skills needed to successfully undertake and complete the research thesis.

The minimum qualification requirement for admission to the PhD program in Accounting is:

• a Bachelor degree with First Class Honours or Second Class Honours Division A in accounting (or a closely related discipline) from an Australian university, or
• another qualification (e.g. a Master degree or equivalent postgraduate qualification) that the Delegated Authority is satisfied is equivalent or superior to a degree mentioned in (a), or
• a combination of qualifications and professional experience that the Delegated Authority is satisfied is equivalent or superior to a degree mentioned in (a).

Admission to the PhD program in Accounting is competitive and we can only admit a limited number of applicants each year. Meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee you a place in the program.

If you don’t have the minimum qualification for entry into the PhD program, you might consider applying to the MPhil program or the  Master of Commerce (Advanced) program . If you’d like to consider these pathways, contact the RSA HDR convenor or Master of Commerce program convenor for more information.

English language requirements

All applicants must satisfy the University’s  English language admission requirements . An international applicant who is not a native English speaker may satisfy these requirements by submitting evidence of an  IELTS  overall score of at least 6.5, and with no component less than 6.0, or a paper-based  TOEFL  score of at least 570, with at least 4.5 in the essay component.

Application and supporting documentation

You must submit your application online via the  ANU Application Manager .

In addition to the standard information required in the online application, you must submit the following supporting documents as part of your application:

• a research proposal – see guidelines on how to  prepare a persuasive research proposal
• example(s) of your written work, e.g. thesis abstract and chapter, research project, or published work
• transcripts from all university degrees (colour scans including grade explanations)
• completion or graduate certificates from all university degrees (colour scans)
• a one-page personal statement or statement of purpose
• official  TOEFL  or  IELTS  results (where applicable) to demonstrate that you satisfy the University’s  English language requirements
• a current resume listing research experience and all previously awarded scholarships
• nomination of three referees. A referee report form will be sent automatically to the referees you list in your online application. Your application will be complete and ready for assessment once we receive all documents, including referee reports.

Offers of admission

The HDR convenor will review all complete applications submitted by the relevant deadline.

If your application is short-listed, you may be required to attend an interview (face to face or online).

We may send you an offer of admission if you satisfy the eligibility criteria and your area of interest matches those of RSA academics with supervisory capacity. However, since admission is competitive and supervisory capacity is limited, we won’t send any offers of admission until  after the relevant application deadline , irrespective of the date when you submit your application.

The PhD program in Accounting consists of two components –  coursework  and  research .

Candidates undertake the research component concurrently with the required coursework.

PhD coursework component

PhD candidates are typically required to undertake up to eight semester-length courses over the first 12 months of the candidature when studying on a full-time basis. These eight courses include five core courses and up to three elective courses. The minimum coursework requirement for candidates who have completed equivalent courses includes four core courses and two elective courses.

The coursework provides training on research in accounting, research methodology and statistics. It also equips candidates with knowledge and skills specific to their PhD topic area, as well as broader research training to foster high-quality research. The required courses are listed below.

Core courses

Candidates must complete the following core courses:

• BUSN8007  Analysis of Financial Reporting
• BUSN8013  Seminar in Research Methods in Commerce
• BUSN8200  Judgement and Decision Making Research in Accounting
• STAT6038  Regression Modelling, or  EMET6007  Econometric Methods, or  EMET8005  Economic Models and Introductory Econometrics; or a higher-level statistics or econometrics course
• BUSN8100  Empirical Research in Financial Accounting

Candidates can select up to three more specialised elective courses – from advanced RSA units when offered – including:

• BUSN8145  Corporate Governance: Research Preparation
• BUSN8056  Advanced Auditing and Assurance Services
• BUSN8111  Seminal Research in Accounting (studying financial accounting, management accounting, public sector accounting, or taxation)
• advanced courses from other disciplines deemed to be at an appropriate level (e.g. finance, econometrics, management, psychology, statistics or sociology).

Electives are determined in consultation with the candidate’s supervisory panel.

Candidates must complete the coursework with at least a 70 per cent average in each semester before they can progress to the thesis stage.

PhD research component

PhD candidates proceed to the thesis component following completion of the coursework at the required standard and the successful defence of their proposals. Candidates are expected to consult widely with their supervisory panel in completing their research thesis.

Research supervisory panel

When a candidate is admitted to the program, a primary supervisor is appointed. The primary supervisor has the responsibility of overseeing the candidate’s progress until a supervisory panel is chosen. During the first year of the program, it is important that candidates start developing their research topic ideas by consulting with their primary supervisor and other academic staff within RSA.

Either in a candidate’s first year of study, or soon after completion of their coursework, a supervisory panel will be chosen. The role of the panel is to assist, advise, and provide support and encouragement to the candidate for a timely and successful completion of the research thesis. The HDR convenor will determine the composition of the supervisory panel in consultation with the candidate.

RSA research seminar program

The RSA research seminar program consists of weekly seminars presented by national and international researchers. PhD candidates are expected to attend and participate in the seminars throughout their candidature.

Research integrity training

Within three to six months of enrolment, all PhD candidates must complete the  Research Integrity Training  and pass the exam. Completion of this course and exam is a compulsory milestone for all PhD candidates.

Thesis proposal review

In addition to the coursework component, each PhD candidate must develop and defend a detailed thesis proposal in consultation with their supervisory panel. The purpose of the review is to assess the originality, significance, adequacy and achievability of the candidate’s thesis plan.

To proceed with the thesis, the candidate must successfully defend the proposal. The candidate defends their proposal 12 or 18 months after commencement (or 24 months if part-time), and a review panel formally assesses the proposal.

Annual progress review

It is University policy that each candidate’s progress be reviewed periodically. In each year of their program, PhD candidates are required to submit an  annual plan and report  as a basis for periodic progress review. This document provides details on work completed by the candidate since the previous review, current progress, and any problems that may impact their research. It also outlines the coursework and research the candidate intends to undertake in the following 12 months.

Oral presentation

In their final year, candidates are required to give a final  oral presentation  on their research, usually three months before submitting their thesis.

Read more about  research candidate milestones .

Thesis submission and examination

The culmination of the PhD in Accounting is a written thesis which, upon completion, is submitted for examination. The thesis is examined by experts in the relevant field.

For more information on the process, visit our page on  submitting a thesis .

For information about scholarships available to HDR candidates, visit our page on  scholarships and fees .

Read details of some of our alumni’s recent  job placements .

A list of current PhD candidates in Accounting is available on the  RSA staff directory .

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Graduate research degrees, how to apply, find a supervisor.

To undertake a graduate PhD research degree in the School of History the first step is to contact the HDR Convenor and a potential supervisor.

Please see our people for each staff member's research fields .

Prepare a thesis research proposal according to the template provided

The second step is to prepare a PhD thesis research proposal. It should provide a clear sense of your research project, its aims, its viability and its originality. Proposals should be a maximum of 1,000 words (exclusive of your bibliography).* Please use the Bold  words and phrases as the template for your proposal:

Your full name

A short descriptive title for your project

The object of inquiry (i.e. the aim and key questions that focuses the research)

A clear indication of your project’s scope (e.g. time period to cover, sites to consider, objects to document and analyse, populations to study etc.)

A description of your key sources  (e.g. the number and nature of subjects to analyse; the location and accessibility of data)

A review of the methodologies to be deployed, and a rationale for their use in light of the object of inquiry, your project’s scope and the data to be analysed

A review of your project’s historiographical approach and contribution (in light of existing contributions to your field)

An indication of your project’s originality (in terms of the nature of the inquiry, and/or the project’s scope, and/or its empirical base, and/or its selected methodologies, and/or its theoretical perspective)

A select Bibliography (highlighting key works that inform your study).

*Note: the University's generic on-line application form calls for a one-page proposal. However, to be considered for the graduate research programme in the School of History you must follow these guidelines and submit this proposal with your application.

Apply for admission

Australian and new zealand citizens.

To apply for admission into the PhD graduate research program as a domestic student and follow this link:

http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply

For more information on PhD and MPhil applications in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, please visit http://cass.anu.edu.au/study/higher-degree-research/applications .

Applications to the School of History's PhD program must be submitted with the program code: 9520XPHD

Reports from three referees are essential and applications without them will not be considered for admission.

Your referees must use the form accessible at the bottom of this page ('resources'): http://www.anu.edu.au/study/apply/anu-postgraduate-research-domestic-and...

It is best to contact prospective referees well in advance of application deadlines, and to ensure that they can comment on your proposed research as well as your academic background. Ideally, referees should be academics familiar with your qualifications; however, past supervisors from industry, who can comment on your independent research and writing capacity, may also serve as referees. Please check with your prospective supervisor or the HDR Convenor if you are unsure about the qualifications of your referees.

• Scholarships

The University deadline for Domestic Scholarship applications is 31 October. However, application files should be completed by mid-October in order to be processed by the School of History's rankings and admissions committee

RSSS Director's special top-up scholarship for the top-ranked applicant in the Research School -- $20,000 per annum ( details here )

International Applicants

The University deadline for International Scholarships is 31 August. However, application files should be completed by the beginning of August in order to be processed by the School of History's rankings and admissions committee. Information for international applicants, including fees, living expenses, and scholarship advice is available here.

To be eligible for admission, applicants should hold a BA (Hons.) in History at an H2A level or equivalent. However, applicants with prior training in related disciplines or a master's degree that includes a significant research component may also qualify for admission if they have the appropriate training to undertake a thesis and the appropriate project and supervision.

Further information

For further information on graduate research degree study in the School of History please contact Professor Martin Thomas , the HDR Convenor.

For further information on the Coursework graduate research students must complete in the School of History see http://history.cass.anu.edu.au/current-students/current-phd-and-mphil-students

Additional Resources

• Programs and Courses
• College of Arts and Social Sciences student pages
• Additional Funding: Hokari Scholarship
• Accommodation

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Updated:   23 September 2022 / Responsible Officer:   Head of School / Page Contact:   CASS Marketing & Communications

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