Higher Degree by Research

Why you should do research with us

Innovation is at the heart of so many RMIT courses and none more so than the University’s Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) programs. To open doors to diverse career opportunities, PhD and Masters by Research degree candidates should be seeking tailored experiences built on impact-led learning, co-curricular collaboration, and life-changing study.

Curriculum structure

RMIT’s HDR curriculum sees PhD and Masters by Research candidates graduate with the skills to embark on enriching and diverse careers in research.

The curriculum has been designed with the candidate’s journey in mind and aims to enhance the quality of experience as you progress through the key milestones that are part of RMIT’s HDR journey. Through innovative, modularised curriculum design, the courses will provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning activities that will provide you with a cohort experience, as well as enabling peer-to-peer learning.

You will also have access to an increased suite of optional courses from across the University, and an enhanced co-curricular program (Research Plus), that will allow you to:

  • Develop your cross-disciplinary knowledge and build your networks while learning with candidates and researchers from a wide range of research areas
  • Complete your degree with a strong, highly sought-after skill set, readying you for careers in both academia and industry
  • Select a diverse combination of coursework and co-curricular offerings that will complement and assist you on a successful HDR journey.

Overview of coursework

A suite of core and optional coursework courses has been introduced across all HDR programs. You can view the core and optional courses in the drop-down accordian below.

Core courses – College of Business and Law

HDR Admissions

The College of Business and Law is dedicated to both knowledge creation (through research) and knowledge dissemination (through industry engagement and teaching). This extends to our Higher Degree by Research (HDR) programs.

How to apply for PhDs and research degrees

Find more about how to prepare your expression of interest and application for research at RMIT.

Step 1

Choose your program

Step 2

Identify your research project

Step 3

Costs and scholarships

Step 4

Prepare your application

HDR Internships

Higher Degree by Research Internships are valuable opportunities to fast-track research and development with Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates. We welcome you to co-design bespoke projects with us.
Bridging the gap between academia and industry, PhD and Masters by Research candidates in RMIT’s College of Business and Law are equipped with specialised research skills and knowledge to help your business pursue opportunities and solve problems.

With a focus on partnering with industry, business, government and community, our research candidates apply their expertise and theoretical knowledge through hands-on internships tackling specific business challenges. Our candidates provide the latest insights and innovations from frontiers of business, technology, digital economies and law, and are committed to doing research with impact.

What does it look like?

A HDR internship can take various forms depending on the specific business challenge to be solved and can be co-designed with expert academics at RMIT to frame the project. It can be undertaken at any stage of the candidate’s PhD or Masters by Research degree and they have the flexibility to be based at RMIT or a partner organisation’s workplace. Generally, the most common forms are:

  • 3 - 6 month placements focused on a specific deliverable
  • 2 - 4 year industry embedded project as part of the research thesis. Note: Masters by Research degree is 2 years and PhD degree is 4 years.

What is the value of HDR internships?

Meet our candidates

Text And Media Video

Sara Todt

Partnership with CARE International and Aung Myin Hmu (AMH) in Myanmar to support garment workers during COVID-19 and military coup

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Md Jahid Hasan

Partnership with Carsales to develop new AI technology for valuation of cars

HDR Programs

Click on the programs below to find out more:

In these programs you will develop advanced skills in order to critically analyse information, synthesise knowledge, and communicate your research findings effectively for a variety of career settings in which systematic and critical analytical skills are required. You can specialise in:

  • accounting education
  • auditing, accountability and regulation
  • financial accounting
  • social and environmental accountability
  • corporate governance.

In these programs you will develop advanced skills in order to critically analyse information, synthesise knowledge, and communicate your research findings effectively for a variety of career settings. You can specialise in:

  • Business analytics
  • IT policy
  • knowledge management
  • mobile technologies
  • digital economy
  • e-health
  • green IT
  • human-computer interaction
  • systems evaluation and modeling.

In these programs you will develop advanced skills in order to critically analyse information, synthesise knowledge, and communicate your research findings effectively for a variety of career settings. You can specialise in:

Economics
  • empirical microeconomics
  • innovation economics
  • development economics
  • health economics
  • cultural economics
  • applied economic modelling
  • behavioural economics
  • experimental economics
  • corporate governance/social responsibility.
Finance
  • capital markets and financial institutions
  • financial instruments
  • international finance
  • macroeconomics.
Marketing
  • branding
  • product innovation
  • social marketing
  • electronic marketing
  • services marketing
  • macro marketing
  • integrated marketing communications
  • sponsorship
  • business-to-business marketing
  • consumer behaviour
  • buyer behaviour
  • word of mouth
  • customer relationship management
  • consumer psychology
  • service quality.

In these programs you will develop advanced research skills that will prepare you for a career in academia and other settings in which systematic and critical analytical skills are required. You can specialise in:

  • employment relations
  • entrepreneurship and innovation
  • global business
  • organisational behaviour and theory

In these programs you will develop advanced skills in order to critically analyse information, synthesise knowledge, and communicate your research findings effectively for a variety of career settings. We offer a Master of Business (Business & Law), PhD (Business), and PhD (Law). You can specialise in:

  • business ethics
  • modelling
  • strategy and leadership
  • organisational change
  • innovation
  • computer law
  • entrepreneurship
  • corporate governance
  • corporate regulation
  • corporation law
  • computer and privacy law
  • commercial law
  • tax law

In these programs you will develop advanced skills in order to critically analyse information, synthesise knowledge, and communicate your research findings effectively for a variety of career settings. You can specialise in:

  • e-supply chain solution and collaboration
  • freight logistics and warehousing
  • global supply chain design and optimisation
  • lean logistics
  • lean Six Sigma and quality management
  • port management and maritime logistics
  • retail logistics and supply chain simulation
  • reverse logistics and green supply chain
  • supply chain complexity and risk
  • supply chain and sustainability
  • strategic procurement and low-cost country sourcing
  • tourism and humanitarian logistics
  • transport planning and spatial modelling.

Contact us

The College of Business and Law welcomes discussions on HDR applications and internships. please contact:

Meet some of our PhD researchers

Sasimali Attanagoda

PhD Researcher | Graduate School of Business and Law, College of Business and Law

Yvonne Fang

PhD Researcher | School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, College of Business and Law

Stephanie Volcon

PhD Researcher | School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, College of Business and Law

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.