Macquarie Graduate Research Academy
Full lifecycle support for PhD, MPhil, and MRes researchers
Connect with the GRAGraduate research development
Build advanced research skills with the GRA Development Team
Advanced research skillsAcademic advice
Find an expert advisor in your discipline
Seek adviceApply for PhD or MPhil candidature
What are the big questions that inspire you?
With our world-leading experts in a wide range of humanities, arts, and social science disciplines, the Faculty of Arts PhD and MPhil programs can help you follow your passion and generate new knowledge and insights that will have an impact on the world.
The real strength of humanities and social science researchers is that we ask not just 'how', but 'why'.
- Does your need to understand human societies of the past and present spur you to develop new approaches to the big issues in history, education, and human societies?
- Do problems at the intersection of ethics, social justice, and law inspire you to produce insights that will make the world a better place?
- Could your unique perspective on how we communicate, through literature, art, language, or media change the ways we understand ourselves?
PhD and MPhil candidates in the Faculty of Arts have the opportunity to ask – and answer – these types of questions about the burning issues of our time.
Options to suit you
By doing your PhD or MPhil with the Faculty of Arts, you can:
- write a traditional thesis or increase your impact with a thesis by publication
- generate new knowledge through your creative practice
- collaborate with professional, community or government partners.
PhD and MPhil degrees
PhD candidature provides you with a unique opportunity to work with an expert supervision team, to answer your burning research questions, while the MPhil program allows you to engage in a smaller – but still substantial – research project that may lead to doctoral research:
- PhD: Three years (full time equivalent); 75,000 – 100,000 words.
- MPhil: Two years (full time equivalent); 50,000 words.
- Please see Macquarie's Entry Requirements for PhD and MPhil degrees.
You can choose to study full time or part time, offsite, or onsite. You can undertake a cotutelle/Joint PhD candidature in partnership with a world-class international University, or work with an organisation outside of academia.
You may also be eligible to apply for a competitive scholarship to support your studies.
Learn how to apply now.
Funding to support research activities
PhD and MPhil candidates in the Faculty of Arts are supported to apply for a range of faculty, university and external funding schemes.
- Faculty of Arts Graduate Research Student Essential Funding Scholarship: At confirmation of candidature, Faculty of Arts PhD and MPhil students can apply for up to $5,000 to support essential research costs, which are critical to the completion of their research project.
- Postgraduate Research Fund (PGRF): All Macquarie University PhD and MPhil candidates may apply for up to $5,000 once in their candidature to support a value-add (non-essential) research activity. Graduate researchers may use this fund to support activities such as presenting at an international conference, visits to other academic institutions, and other projects that enhance the value of the PhD/MPhil research.
- External research grants and scholarships: PhD and MPhil candidates enrolled in Australian universities are eligible to apply for a range of research grants and scholarships. Some of these include:
- Parliamentary Library Summer Research Scholarship – an annual $1,800 scholarship which supports researchers to conduct research within the Parliamentary Library. Previous winners have produced reports on domestic and international politics, education, gender equity, and environmental policy.
- The Freilich Project: Early Career Research Small Grants Scheme – a grant of up to $5,000 open to Australian PhD candidates and ECRs conducting research into the causes, the histories and the effects of ethnic, cultural, religious and sexual bigotry and animosity.
- Australian Population Association Grant Schemes – three grants of up to $2,500 open to Australian masters and PhD researchers studying Australian populations.
- These are only a few examples of the many external grants and scholarships available to PhD candidates in Australian unviersities. Our team in the Faculty of Arts will work with graduate researchers to find opportunities to apply for grants that align with your research.
Engage with professional, community and government partners
As a PhD or MPhil candidate with the Faculty of Arts you will have the chance to engage in research internships with professional research partners, to help you expand the impact of your research and build your professional networks.
No matter what you are interested in researching, there are opportunities for you to engage with a range of organisations from NGOs and community groups, to private industry and government offices.
To learn more about how this could work for you, visit the GRA's graduate research industry engagement page, or contact gr.industry@mq.edu.au.
International collaboration: cotutelle and joint PhD
We have a vibrant community of cotutelle/Joint PhD researchers. Cotutelle and Joint PhD programs give PhD candidates the opportunity to expand their research and academic networks by enrolling with both Macquarie and an international partner university simultaneously.
The Faculty of Arts supports cotutelle/Joint PhD candidates with a range of prominent universities, such as The University of Groningen in the Netherlands, Hamburg University in Germany, Bristol University in the UK and Fudan University in China.
To learn more about these opportunities, visit Macquarie’s Cotutelle/Joint PhD page, and contact gr.international@mq.edu.au.
Join a supportive research community
The Faculty of Arts fosters a community of research excellence for graduate researchers. As a researcher, you will find many opportunities to receive mentorship, support and guidance from both academic staff and your fellow candidates.
In turn, you will contribute to this community by playing an integral role in faculty seminars, workshops and conferences. You will have the opportunity to both share your expertise and benefit from the expertise of others.
Graduate researchers are also encouraged to engage with the Faculty's eleven research centres, which can enhance opportunities to engage with both academic and professional partners. You will also have the opportunity to cross disciplinary boundaries, by working with fellow researchers across key themes and streams common to humanities, arts and the social sciences.
However you engage, your graduate research experience will be enhanced by our vibrant research community.
Our research expertise
In addition to benefiting from our research centres and research themes, you will also work closely with your own expert supervision team within one of our three schools and five departments, who will guide you through research, publication, and other ways to make an impact in your chosen disciplinary area(s). Follow the links below to learn more about the research experts in your area.
Looking for academic advice about how your potential research topic fits in with the Faculty of Arts areas of expertise? You can find a list of Academic Advisors on our website, or search for a potential supervisor.