Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences is Australia's largest biomedical research faculty. Our long-standing reputation for research excellence is based on outstanding graduates and world leading researchers. Our partnerships with leading medical research institutes and teaching hospitals and extensive community based projects provide students and staff with unrivalled opportunities for collaboration and research.

Students applying for a research higher degree with the faculty have the opportunity to work with leading researchers in areas from clinical and population science to biotechnology and genetics. The area of biomedical research provides students and graduates with the opportunity to work at the forefront of scientific knowledge and contribute to solutions for some of the world's most pressing scientific and human problems. Learn more about the faculty's research; visit our research domains.

Graduate scholarships

The university and faculty offer an extensive range of scholarships to international and local students applying for graduate research study. Find out more about graduate scholarships.

Doctoral programs (PhD and DMedSc)

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree enables you to undertake a substantial piece of independent and sustained research on an original topic under academic supervision. Assessment for the degree is via a thesis which is examined externally. In scope, the thesis differs from a research Masters thesis chiefly by its deeper and more comprehensive treatment of its subject. The length of the thesis varies between 80,000 and 100,000 words. The research on which the thesis is based is expected to make a new and innovative contribution to knowledge in your discipline. Learn more about the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the faculty's research.

The Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc) program enables medical graduates to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research. The DMedSc, formerly known as the Doctor of Medicine (MD), may be undertaken via two streams:

• The enrolled candidature stream is similar to the PhD however candidature is undertaken over two years full-time or four years part-time. Assessment for the degree is via a thesis which is examined externally. The DMedSc thesis differs from a PhD thesis chiefly by its treatment of its subject over an intense period of research. The length of the thesis varies between 50,000 and 100,000 words. The research on which the thesis is based is expected to make a new and innovative contribution to knowledge in your discipline
• The DMedSc may alternatively be awarded based on the submission of a compilation of published works which are examined externally

Learn more about the DMedSc and the faculty's research.

Masters by research

Masters by research degrees allow students to study a specific subject area in great depth. Students undertake sustained independent enquiry, carried out under the direction of a supervising academic. A research masters degree in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences usually takes up to two years of full-time study or less; many research masters can be taken part time. Masters students can sometimes convert to PhD candidature after a specified period of enrolment. Such a transfer follows evidence of satisfactory progress and the agreement of supervisors. The transfer is administered by the Melbourne School of Graduate Research.

The Master of Philosophy degree is administered by the Melbourne School of Graduate Research. Students develop advanced skills in conducting independent and sustained research resulting in a thesis which is submitted for external examination. The thesis should demonstrate a critical application of specialist knowledge and make an independent contribution to existing scholarship. The thesis is generally between 30,000-35,000 words in length. Candidates in the Master of Philosophy apply for entry via departments and schools of the Faculty whilst for administration and candidature, students are referred to the Melbourne School of Graduate Research. Learn more about the Master of Philosophy.

The Schools of the faculty offer a wide range of Masters programs. Specific information on the wide range of Masters by research available may be found via the Faculty's Schools.

How to apply for a research higher degree

Prospective research students are encouraged to seek advice concerning prospective supervisors and available research projects via the relevant research domain. Check both the Faculty scholarships website and the University scholarship website for scholarship opportunities.  The University's Future Students website provides information on application procedures, university scholarships, fees, entry requirements, services and facilities and more.

If you have already made contact with a research supervisor and the researcher has asked you to submit a formal application, please refer to the PhD, DMedSc or the relevant School for Masters by Research application procedures.

The faculty has more than 1000 Research Higher Degree students. Students are located in the faculty's schools, departments and centres or in one of the faculty's affiliated research organisations.