Internet Studies
Research degrees (Honours, MPhil and PhD)
Internet Studies warmly welcomes applications from students wanting to complete a research degree in the broad field of Internet scholarship. Students who have already completed honours, or masters degrees, can apply for entry directly to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program with us. Students without this qualification can consider various other pathways, including doing a one-year honours degree first, or moving straight into a research or creative production Masters of Philosophy (MPhil).
Internet Studies offers all its research degrees externally. We have several students, both in Australia and elsewhere in the world, who do not attend campus, study part-time and are successfully completing their doctorates or other degrees. Time and distance become factors in how you study, not whether you can study at all. Students from overseas are welcome, with particular emphasis on the fact that you can study for your degree without visiting Australia.
Internet Studies is transdisciplinary - students come to us with a variety of skills, interests and knowledge and we help craft your specific project to meet the exacting standards of research study. We have students working on diverse topics - the meaning of interactive design, the history of online news, internet security disclosure, game theory, the use of the internet in regional Australia, privacy, feminist online art exploration and more.
As a research student, you are one of the most valued members of the broader Internet Studies community at Curtin University. Your work is setting new research agendas and discovering new ways for us to think about and use the Internet. You are also, in many cases, experiencing for the first time the life of an independent researcher. Even though you will work closely with your supervisor(s), as a research student you must also prepare for and practice and, in time, become independent scholars, setting your own priorities and being self-reliant in your skills and activities. There are three ways in which you can conduct research studies with us, as explained below.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
A PhD requires an intensive, original long-term (three or more year) investigation of a specific problem, resulting in production of a 100,000 word thesis. Like most other Australian and British doctorates, this degree has no coursework. These degrees do not involve coursework and it is assumed you will move quickly to formulate your formal research proposal (no later than 6 months into your degree) and then carry out the necessary research and writing. These qualifications, especially at doctoral level, are very highly regarded and are clear evidence of a successful candidate's capacity for high-level academic and applied research. There are several ways in which students can gain scholarships for their studies. In most cases, for Australian students, there is no fee to do a doctorate.
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Look, for more information, at the Curtin Handbook details for Doctor of Philosopy
Master of Philosopy (MPhil)
An MPhil degree involves a less intensive research program than a PhD, and is available to students with lesser qualifications. The MPhil is particularly suited to applied research projects undertaken in the context of ongoing employment. It also provides an opportunity to develop research methods abilities. A creative MPhil is also available, enabling students to undertake expressive and exploratory work in aesthetics concerning digital networked media. As with the PhD, there is no coursework, unless you are taking the creative arts degree in which case you may be required to undertake a semester of coursework if you do not have a prior research qualification.
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Look for more information at the Curtin Handbook details for our department's Master of Philosophy or Master of Philosophy - Creative Arts
Honours
Students with a three-year bachelor's degree in Internet Studies or a similar discipline within the social sciences, media, or humanities are eligible to apply for entry to the BA (Internet Studies) Honours degree. This one-year degree comprises advanced coursework and a major research project, or a creative or professional project. The subject matter of your project must be concerned with the use, aesthetics, or meanings of the Internet or related networked technologies. An honours degree is an excellent qualification by which to gain entry to a doctoral program or as a more advanced, career enhancing move at the end of your undergraduate degree.
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Look for more information at BA (Media, Culture and Creative Arts) (Honours) and select the Internet Studies major
See also Fact Files on Internet Studies courses
Contact Internet Studies: internetstudies@curtin.edu.au Follow @netstudies on Twitter (http://twitter.com/netstudies)
