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Doctor of Health Sciences

Doctorate (PhD)

The Doctor of Health Sciences at Notre Dame combines coursework and research, offering collaboration with industry and professional mentors. It aims to develop academic excellence and leadership in health sciences.

Key details

Degree Type

Doctorate (PhD)

Duration

3 - 4 semesters full-time, 6 - 8 semesters part-time

Course Code

6305, 074300J

Study Mode

In person, Online

Intake Months

Feb, Jul

About this course

Doctor of Health Sciences

The University of Notre Dame Australia is dedicated to building a solid and innovative research culture. The Doctor of Health Science is a specialised degree that combines coursework and research with reliable workplace connections. You will be required to complete four research training and writing courses in your first semester before commencing the research program under the supervision of leading health academics. Your research may be undertaken in collaboration with industry or a professional mentor connected to your field of study.

Entry requirements

The following criteria apply to students seeking admission to the Professional Doctorate program:

The Pro Vice-Chancellor-Research, on the advice of the Dean of the School, determines admission to the Doctor of Health Sciences Award.
Applicants to the Doctor of Health Sciences Award are expected to satisfy the following criteria:

Possession of a research Masters degree by thesis or dissertation appropriate to the professional field of the applicant; or
Possession of a Masters degree by coursework appropriate to the professional field of the applicant completed at a superior standard; or
Possession of a Bachelor's degree with Honours (typically 1st Class or Class 2A Honours level or equivalent); or
Possession of a Master of Philosophy; or
In exceptional circumstances, an equivalent academic or professional background that is considered by the Dean of the School to be an appropriate preparation for independent study and research work at Doctoral level.

In addition to the academic criteria listed above, applicants are normally expected to satisfy the following:

have a minimum of 3 years of relevant professional practice;
have the support of an industry or professional mentor.

You may be required to demonstrate an ability to understand and communicate in both written and spoken English at a level adequate for the purpose of pursuing the program of study.

Study locations

Fremantle

Online

What you will learn

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Health Sciences graduates will be able to:

Apply expert, specialised cognitive and technical skills in the design and execution of a substantial research project that makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge, professional practice and/or creative practice
Synthesise, evaluate, and critically analyse a substantial and complex body of knowledge and/or practice at the frontier of a field/s of research
Communicate research findings clearly and fluently, to both peers and the community
Apply knowledge of research integrity, ethics and the rights and safety of others in the conduct of research and dissemination of research findings; and
Conduct research with intellectual independence, creativity, adaptability, responsibility, and accountability.

Career pathways

A doctorate in Education will allow you to achieve academic excellence through exploration and research while preparing you for a leadership role in your chosen field.

Course structure

Program summary

RSCH7000 Quantitative Research Methods
RSCH7001 Qualitative Research Methods
RSCH7002 Scholarly Reading and Writing
RSCH7003 Developing a Research Proposal
RSCH7007 Supervised Research - Biological Studies OR
RSCH7011 Supervised Research - Biomedical Science OR
RSCH7035 Supervised Research - Human Movement

The Professional Doctorate comprises coursework and a substantial research component leading to the submission of a thesis. The coursework component includes four compulsory research training courses to be completed as a prerequisite to your individual research project. The coursework will provide opportunities for you to formulate substantial elements of your planned research (e.g. topic refinement, identification and justification of the preferred research method(s), preparation of a draft proposal), and to develop personal competencies in critical analysis and scholarly writing relevant to your profession.

The completion of the coursework is facilitated by a course delivery schedule which takes into consideration that you may also be in employment during your candidature.

Credit for prior study or work

Students who have been enrolled in a Masters degree and have completed the four Research Methods courses (RSCH7000, RSCH7001, RSCH7002, RSCH7003) with a credit average in each course may be eligible to gain Units of Credit for the courses in the Doctor of Health Sciences degree.