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Research - Major Dissertation or Thesis

1. Admission to Candidature
1.1. Applicants for admission to candidature for the degree of Master of Economics shall have fulfilled the requirements for admission to a degree or qualification of equivalent standing at this or another university or tertiary institution, provided that the degree or qualification:
(a) is accepted by the Higher Degree Research Committee on the advice of the relevant Head of School or nominee as sufficient qualification for admission to the proposed course of study; and
(b) required a minimum of four years of full-time study, or required three years of full-time study and, in addition, the applicant has completed a preliminary program of postgraduate study at a sufficiently high level and in a field of study considered appropriate by the Higher Degree Research Committee on the advice of the relevant Head of School or nominee as being adequate preparation for candidature, or the applicant has provided other evidence to show to the satisfaction of the Higher Degree Research Committee that he or she is adequately prepared for candidature; or
(c) is accepted by the Higher Degree Research Committee on the advice of the relevant Head of School or nominee as having gained a Credit or better in 200-, 300- and 400-level units and a pass or better in 500-level units towards satisfying the requirements of the Qualifying Course for Admission to Candidature for the Degree of Master.

1.2. An applicant for admission to candidature, on an on- or off-campus, full-time or part-time basis shall apply to the Higher Degree Research Committee on the prescribed form, by the prescribed date.

2. Appointment of Supervisor
Upon approval of an application for admission to candidature, the Higher Degree Research Committee shall appoint a supervisor, who shall be a member of the teaching or research staff of the University or an associate of the University (equivalent to the rank of Academic Level B or higher). The supervisor shall advise and supervise the candidate during the period of candidature. The supervisor shall report to the Higher Degree Research Committee bi-annually on the progress of the candidate, if required to do so by the Higher Degree Research Committee and carry out any other duties delegated by the Higher Degree Research Committee. The supervisor may recommend to the Higher Degree Research Committee that the candidate be withdrawn from candidature; in such cases, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to show cause why such action should not be taken.

3. Approval of Course of Study
After admission to candidature candidates shall have a course of study and dissertation or thesis topic approved by the relevant Head of School or nominee on the recommendation of the course coordinator.

4. Requirements for the Master of Economics Degree
4.1. On the approval of the course coordinator, a candidate shall proceed to the degree by completing units, from among units at 300, 400 and 500 level, to the value of at least 72 credit points comprising:
(a) course work to the value of 24 credit points and a major dissertation to the value of 48 credit points; or
(b) thesis only to the value of 72 credit points.

4.2. A candidate enrolled under Rule 4.1.(a) may include units to the value of not more than 12 credit points at 300 level.

4.3. (a) To satisfy examiners, a candidate must achieve a minimum grade of Pass in 500-level units. For all other approved units, a minimum grade of Credit must be achieved.
(b) A candidate may select not more than one unit from the following: ECON 592, 593; NEBS 592, 593.
(c) A candidate who enrols under Rule 4.1.(a) must include a Research Methodology unit in his or her program. In special circumstances and with the approval of the course coordinator, a candidate may substitute another unit for the Research Methodology unit, where it has been deemed that the candidate has completed an equivalent unit in a previous award.

5. Major Dissertation
5.1. A candidate may enrol in one of the units, ECON592 or NEBS592, and submit a dissertation embodying an original investigation of a topic within an approved field of study, provided that the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the recommendation of the relevant Head of School or nominee, is satisfied that the candidate is sufficiently qualified to undertake the dissertation.

5.2. The progress of a candidate in the major dissertation shall be reviewed by the relevant Head of School, or nominee, and the supervisor at the end of the candidate's first semester of study in the dissertation. If the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the advice of the head of school or nominee, considers the student's performance in the first semester of the dissertation insufficient preparation for continuation, the Higher Degree Research Committee may withdraw the student from the dissertation without failure and transfer him or her to the minor dissertation option.

5.3. Except with the permission of the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the recommendation of the candidate's supervisor, the dissertation shall not exceed 35 000 words of text, excluding appendices.

5.4. Except with the permission of the Higher Degree Research Committee, a candidate shall not submit a dissertation until all other course work is complete.

5.5. A full-time candidate shall be required to enrol in and complete the dissertation over two consecutive semesters which shall be the second and third semesters of candidature; in all other cases candidates shall be required to enrol in and complete the dissertation over a minimum of two, and a maximum of four, consecutive semesters, which shall not include the first semester of candidature unless advanced standing has been granted and the period of candidature has been reduced.

6. Thesis
6.1. A candidate may enrol in one of the units, ECON593 or NEBS593, and submit a thesis embodying an original investigation of a topic within an approved field of study, provided that the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the recommendation of the relevant Head of School or nominee, is satisfied that the candidate is sufficiently qualified to undertake a thesis. The Higher Degree Research Committee will normally require such a candidate to have an honours degree of the standard of at least Second Class Honours, Division 1, or its equivalent, with a course program appropriate to his or her thesis topic.

6.2. Except with the permission of the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the recommendation of the candidate's supervisor, the thesis shall not exceed 50 000 words of text, excluding appendices.

6.3. In the thesis the candidate shall demonstrate significant originality and insight into the area of research pertinent to the investigation and the thesis shall be of a higher standard than that required of candidates proceeding according to Rule 5. Major Dissertation.

7. Period of Candidature
7.1. A full-time candidate shall pursue the approved course of study for not more than 18 months; in all other cases the maximum period of candidature shall be four years from the date of commencement of candidature.

7.2. In exceptional circumstances, the Higher Degree Research Committee may vary the requirements of Rule 7.1. by:
(a) extending the period of candidature for a period or periods totalling not more than 12 months; or
(b) granting leave of absence from candidature for a period or periods totalling not more than 12 months and such leave of absence shall not be counted as part of the prescribed time of candidature for candidates enrolled in units ECON 592, 593; NEBS 592 and 593.

8. Period of Attendance at the University
Except with the permission of the course coordinator, on the recommendation of the course coordinator, a candidate shall be in full-time attendance at the University or arrange other forms of personal contact with the supervisor for:
(a) a minimum of 10 days during the period of enrolment in the relevant 593 unit for a candidate undertaking a thesis; or
(b) a minimum of five days during the period of enrolment in the relevant 592 unit for a candidate undertaking a dissertation.

9. Restrictions
A candidate who has failed to satisfy examiners in one of the units in Rule 4.3.(b) may be readmitted to candidature after a period of at least three years. Except with the permission of the Higher Degree Research Committee, a candidate who is so readmitted and who intends to present a thesis or dissertation must undertake a research topic substantially different from that of the original thesis or dissertation.

10. Advanced Standing
10.1. At the discretion of the course coordinator, on the recommendation of the relevant Head of School or nominee, a candidate may be granted advanced standing for course work units only passed prior to admission to candidature, provided that such units have reasonable correspondence with units offered by the school for the degree and at a level judged to satisfy the requirements of Rule 4.3.(a) for up to 12 credit points, except as prescribed by Rule 3.4.(d) on the basis of units that have been successfully completed towards a postgraduate qualification at this or another university or through other significant learning that the school considers equivalent.

10.2. A candidate who is re-admitted to candidature following exclusion may be granted advanced standing by the school for units in which he or she previously satisfied examiners in terms of Rule 4.3.(a).

11. Submission of Thesis or Major Dissertation
11.1. The candidate shall:
(a) not present as a thesis or dissertation any work that has been submitted for the award of a degree or Graduate Diploma at this University or another institution, but the candidate will not be precluded from incorporating such work in the thesis or dissertation provided that, in presenting the thesis or dissertation, the part of the work that has been so incorporated is indicated;
(b) state specifically on the title page whether the work is a thesis or major dissertation;
(c) state generally in a preface to the thesis or dissertation and specifically in notes the source of information and the extent to which the candidate has availed himself or herself of the work of others (candidates are referred to the University Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct);
(d) incorporate in the thesis or dissertation immediately following the title page an abstract of approximately 300 words.

11.2. For the thesis or major dissertation submit three soft bound copies and one unbound copy of the thesis or dissertation (printed or typewritten), together with a statement from the supervisor certifying that the thesis or dissertation is in a form suitable for examination, to the Higher Degree Research Committee.

11.3. (a) At least one month prior to the date of submission candidates shall inform the Higher Degree Research Committee of their intention to submit a thesis or dissertation.
(b) The Higher Degree Research Committee of Academic Board shall, on the recommendation of the relevant Head of School, appoint two examiners. Normally, in the case of a thesis, at least one examiner shall be external to the University.
(c) Each examiner shall be informed of the name of the other examiner.

12. Examination of Thesis and Major Dissertation
12.1.(a) Within one month of the examiners receiving the thesis, they shall inform the Higher Degree Research Committee whether or not they require an oral examination of the thesis.
(b) In the event of an oral examination being required it shall:
(i) be arranged by the candidate's supervisor;
(ii) be conducted by the two examiners who may, if they so wish, consult with the supervisor prior to making their recommendation.

12.2. (a) Each examiner shall make a separate written report to the Higher Degree Research Committee of Academic Board.
(b) The examiners' reports shall be sent to the candidate's supervisor who may, if he or she wishes, submit comments to the Higher Degree Research Committee. The Higher Degree Research Committee may request comments from the supervisor.

12.3. (a) In the event of a disagreement between the examiners, they may be asked to consult and report to the Higher Degree Research Committee.
(b) If the examiners are unable to reach an agreement, following their consultation under sub-section (a), the Higher Degree Research Committee, on the recommendation of the Head of School, shall refer their reports to an Examining Committee, appointed by the Higher Degree Research Committee, for a recommendation.

12.4. (a) After considering the examiners' reports and any comments from the supervisor and any recommendation from the Examining Committee, the Higher Degree Research Committee may either:
(i) Thesis
(1) recommend that the thesis be passed; or
(2) appoint an additional examiner or examiners; or
(3) allow the candidate to amend the thesis to the satisfaction of the relevant Head of School, or supervisor; or
(4) allow the candidate to revise the thesis for re-examination; or
(5) recommend to the Academic Board that the thesis be failed.

(ii) Major Dissertation
(1) recommend that the dissertation be given the grade of Fail, Pass, Credit, Distinction or High Distinction; or
(2) allow the candidate to revise the dissertation for re-examination; or
(3) appoint an additional examiner or examiners.

(b) The candidate, the candidate's supervisor and examiners shall be informed of the decision and the candidate shall be provided with a copy of the examiners' reports.

12.5. After the Higher Degree Research Committee has recommended that the thesis be passed, one electronic copy of the thesis shall be deposited in the Dixson Library.

13. Award of the Degree
When the Higher Degree Research Committee is satisfied that the candidate has met all of the requirements for the degree, it shall recommend to the Academic Board that the candidate be admitted to the degree.

14. Appeals
If the Higher Degree Research Committee is of the opinion that a dissertation or thesis should be failed, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to make a case to Standing Committee of Academic Board against being failed. Any such appeal must be confined to questions of fact or interpretation arising from the examiners' reports and shall be lodged with the Chair of Standing Committee of Academic Board within one month of the notification to the candidate of the Higher Degree Research Committee's decision. When the Standing Committee has considered such an appeal, it shall act in terms of Rules 12.3. and 12.4.