Higher Degree by Research (2024)

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.

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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

  • Research Philosophy and Design
  • Research Methods and Impact
  • Advanced Seminars in Global Business and Law Research
  • Higher Degree Research Practice

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.

Find a project

Find a scholarship

How to apply for PhDs and research degrees

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

Higher Degree by Research (1)

Step 1

Choose your program

Higher Degree by Research (2)

Step 2

Identify your research project

Higher Degree by Research (3)

Step 3

Costs and scholarships

Higher Degree by Research (4)

Step 4

Prepare your application

How to apply

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

Higher Degree by Research (5)

Sara Todt

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

Sara Todt

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

- So my project started in the context of COVID, where I had originally planned to travel to Myanmar and do field research there. But with COVID-19 restrictions, I had to find a new innovative way to conduct my research. And in that context, I connected with CARE International and their daughter organisation, Aung Myin Hmu, in Myanmar, and we were able to set up a partnership together that enabled us to collect data during COVID, and then later on, the military coup in Myanmar, which is a really fruitful way of conducting field research from afar as a PhD student. By working together with CARE and Aung Myin Hmu, what we were really able to do was collect unique data on women during this very tumultuous time in Myanmar, and when access to women in Myanmar was really difficult, both with COVID-19 and then the military coup on the 1st of February in 2021. So we were able to collect their stories and give a platform for their voices that can also help inform business decisions about how to act and make decisions around their presence in Myanmar, and also other international organisations that's seeking to understand that situation better. So we really hope to bring light to the women's situation in Myanmar. So I think for me, one of the key things that I've learned and gained from working together with CARE and Aung Myin Hmu has been how to manage a project and how to manage a team across an online platform at this time of COVID-19, but also across different countries. And to learn from practitioners in the field who are not academic researchers, but are definitely doing research and working together with garment workers every day. And so learning from them, but also learning how to project manage a research project of that size and scope. So one of the key things that me and my supervisors contributed to the partnership with CARE and Aung Myin Hmu was providing workshops and trainings for them on key academic skills that they identified as something that they wanted to develop. So for example, we ran a set of workshops around feminist interview techniques, and helping them understand sort of key ways to actively listen to participants when doing interviews. And these were things that they were already doing, but we just helped them frame that in a different way and perhaps finetune those skills.

Higher Degree by Research (6)

Md Jahid Hasan

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

Md Jahid Hasan

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

- As you know, Carsales is a online marketplace for selling secondhand cars. So at this moment, Carsales uses a manual evaluation process, to value secondhand cars. And this manual evaluation process actually creates some problems, like for the evaluator, they need to travel over Australia. And Australia is big, so it's like time consuming, expensive, and not easy to travel to evaluate the car. For the seller, it is inconvenient, because they need to set a schedule, or organise a meeting with the evaluator. So my research is totally focused on this, and my research seeks to use AI, which will be done on a mobile phone, to accurately, and automatically, determine the value of the secondhand car. All of the parts on my supervisor team from RMIT, and Carsales, they help me to settle down. How can I balance between my PhD life, as well as life in Carsales. In Carsales, I work on the AI team. And the AI team has some subsections. They have a team like data science. I work on the data science team. And in data science, there is a member who is called the AI Lead. So he is actually my boss at Carsales, and directs me on how to move through a project. Especially when I started, I needed to set up in Carsales. He helped me a lot, how I can set up in a like in a team environment. Then I needed lots of elements, like my data set. I needed to set up my account. Like there are some big accounts, like Amazon Web Services. I never had experience with that, and they help me a lot, how I can work with them, as well as the communication skill between all of the people on the AI team.

HDR Programs

Click on the programs below to find out more:

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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.

Study with us

  • Master of Business (Accountancy)

  • PhD (Accountancy)

Study with us

  • Master of Business (Accountancy)

  • PhD (Accountancy)

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.

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  • Master of Business (Business Information Systems)

  • PhD (Business Information Systems)

Study with us

  • Master of Business (Business Information Systems)

  • PhD (Business Information Systems)

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.

Study with us

Study with us

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

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  • Master of Business (Management)

  • PhD (Management)

Study with us

  • Master of Business (Management)

  • PhD (Management)

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

Study with us

  • PhD (Business)

  • PhD (Law)

Study with us

  • PhD (Business)

  • PhD (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.

Study with us

Study with us

Contact us

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

  • Director of Research Services and Programs
    • Email: director.rspcobl@rmit.edu.au
  • Email: Admissions - sgr.admissions@rmit.edu.au
  • Email: Scholarships - sgr.scholarships@rmit.edu.au
  • Phone: +61 9925 5570

Meet some of our PhD researchers

Higher Degree by Research (7)

Sasimali Attanagoda

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

Sasimali Attanagoda

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

Sasimali Attanagoda:
This PhD will set me up really well for the academic field where I can pursue my research interest in future of work. I'm researching about blended work and its influence on the employee job performance.

Blended work is what the employees are doing mostly at this moment. They are working in the multiple environments, such as in the home office, and the other remote environments as in the combination. My research is important for the managers, employees, and the blended working organizations, as well as the policy makers. When people use information communication technologies, they will feel stress. Working in the different environments will cost the loneliness as well.

In 2022, I won the Three Minute Thesis competition in College of Business, and I was able to participate in the RMIT Three Minute Thesis finals, too. It was a great experience to me in translating my research within three minutes to the general audience. Having my own workspace in the building 13 gives me the calm and peaceful environment for my studies, as well as interacting with the other students and the staff as well. Apart from the academic achievements, RMIT has supported me to improve my leadership skills. I'm the HDR student representative in the Graduate School of Business and Law. I'm surrounded by experts in the field. My supervision team is very supportive and I can access them any time when I have a question related to my research. Doing a PhD in RMIT has enabled me to become an independent researcher. My name is Sasimali Attanagoda. I'm a PhD candidate in the Graduate School of Business and
Law at RMIT University.

Higher Degree by Research (8)

Nadia Egalita

PhD Researcher | College of Business and Law & College of Design and Social Context

Nadia Egalita

PhD Researcher | College of Business and Law & College of Design and Social Context

There are a million ways to order fruit these days but even a small change in how you get your lunch can have profound implications for Supply chains food waste and even the job market.

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Doing research is not just about sitting down all by yourself and reading articles. I love that RMIT is such a fun and collaborative space. PhD candidates we often catch up to explore different ideas practice Milestone presentations and most importantly to support each other in key moments on this journey. Hey we're in this together

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Which looks at on-demand food delivery Platforms in two food capitals Melbourne Australia and Surabaya Indonesia. This new way of ordering food has brought a profound change to household food consumption, people's routinesm finances and sometimes even familyrelationships. My name is Nadia ekalita and I'm doing a PhD at RMIT. My research is focused on food delivery platforms and the impact on culture, households and the world around us.

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Higher Degree by Research (9)

Yvonne Fang

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

Yvonne Fang

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

Yvonne Fang:
With my PhD research, I hope to encourage more corporate openness, and eventually I hope to contribute to a future where every company can perform clean and succinctly.

Angel Zhong:
Yvonne's research highlights the importance of having transparent disclosure about corporate social responsibility. This has then helped the optimal design of disclosure policy, which in turn fosters investor confidence, and facilitated flow of capital market. My name is Angel Zhong. I'm an Associate Professor of Finance at RMIT University.

Yvonne Fang:
Working with Angel was greatly enjoyable. She's very supportive, and provides me very detailed guidance towards my PhD studies.

Angel Zhong:
During the first 18 month of her PhD candidate job, Yvonne undertook an internship program with Frontier Advisor.

Yvonne Fang:
My primary role there was monitoring and assessing the risk linked to the international and Australian Appian Bond market.

Angel Zhong:
The program equipped Yvonne along with a lot of hands-on skills to tackle real business challenges.

Yvonne Fang:
This hands-on experience has been a game changer for me. This enriches my theoretical understanding from my PhD with real world implications.

Angel Zhong:
As Yvonne came back to the university to continue on her PhD research, I can see that there is a dramatic improvement in terms of how she approaches her research. I'm really proud of Yvonne for her exceptional ability to seamlessly integrate industry experience into her research. This unit approach enriches the depth of her research, and also allows her to make a profound impact on the financial market, the finance industry, as well as financial research.

Yvonne Fang:
The internship experience at Frontier to me was like deep dive into the ocean of finance. The knowledge I have gained there makes me more confident, and ready for the challenges I have. My name is Yvonne Fang. I'm a third year PhD student at RMIT University, majoring in finance.

Higher Degree by Research (10)

Eugene Sewera

PhD Researcher | School of Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain, College of Business and Law

Eugene Sewera

PhD Researcher | School of Accounting, Information Systems and Supply Chain, College of Business and Law

Eugene Sewera:

We live in a society that's connected. It's one whole. Even in the business and finance world, we are still one. My research is looking at the accounting and audit professions, and the impact of machine learning and AI. My PhD research is really important. Not only does it help professionals that are handling AI, but it also helps the society to understand. Personally, I would like to impact the world by having every single person that is considering financial data to be able to understand the difference between data created by humans, and data that is coming in from complex algorithms. What the machine learning algorithm provides is quite similar to how a human intelligence would operate.

RMIT has had a significant impact. Being a technology university, it's positioned me in a way that I can understand both business and technology at the same university. The crucial technology I use for my research is available at my desk. It's available in the library, and I can take that technology home to analyze machine learning algorithms. To be honest with you, I would like to be a humble researcher. Being able to scaffold knowledge, being able to share knowledge, and being able to contribute to research that does have a social impact, not only for my community, but for my country, and for the rest of the world. In my research study, I personally don't think human beings are afraid of AI. They embrace AI and machine learning. They create the algorithms. AI and machine learning are here, and they'll probably be here for us to be able to navigate through into the future as well, so why not embrace technology in a way that we all understand it? My name is Eugene Sawera. I'm at RMIT University doing a PhD in accounting and hoping to make a world a great place.

Higher Degree by Research (11)

Stephanie Volcon

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

The best way to learn about people what they like and what they value is to be in the Heart of the City.
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Every purchase decision piece of clothing and status symbol gives us a fuller picture our society I come from an industry background to marketing so I love that rmit is really practical and human centered.
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My research is focused on consumer behavior and why we buy what we buy before coming to RMIT I'd never done qualitative research but now I look at the world as a researcher analyzing status symbols of the past and the present and using them to advise on the better future
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Research that luxury is an indicator of social values. I have conducted extensive interviews to understand what drives modern consumers towards sustainability and how luxury electric cars can tell us more about how our economy and Society evolved. My name is Stephanie Vulcan and I'm doing a PhD at RMIT my research is looking at electric cars and how sustainability is becoming the new status symbol
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Higher Degree by Research (12)

Higher Degree by Research (13)

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 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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Higher Degree by Research (14)

Higher Degree by Research (15)

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.

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