Doctor of Philosophy - Agricultural Sciences (DR-PHILAGR) // Attributes, outcomes and skills

Knowledge

Graduates of a Doctoral Degree will have:

• a substantial body of knowledge at the frontier of a field of work or learning, including knowledge that constitutes an original contribution
• substantial knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to the field of work or learning

Skills

Graduates of a Doctoral Degree will have:

• cognitive skills to demonstrate expert understanding of theoretical knowledge and to reflect critically on that theory and practice
• cognitive skills and use of intellectual independence to think critically, evaluate existing knowledge and ideas, undertake systematic investigation and reflect on theory and practice to generate original knowledge
• expert technical and creative skills applicable to the field of work or learning
• communication skills to explain and critique theoretical propositions, methodologies and conclusions
• communication skills to present cogently a complex investigation of originality or original research for external examination against international standards and to communicate results to peers and the community
• expert skills to design, implement, analyse, theorise and communicate research that makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge and/or professional practice

Application of knowledge and skills

Graduates of a Doctoral Degree will demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills:

• with intellectual independence
• with initiative and creativity in new situations and/or for further learning
• with full responsibility and accountability for personal outputs
• to plan and execute original research
• with the ongoing capacity to generate new knowledge, including in the context of professional practice

Doctoral degrees at the University of Melbourne seek to develop graduates who have a capacity for defining and managing a research project characterised by originality and independence. Their training equips them for more sustained and original work at the doctoral level or for applied research positions in a wide variety of contexts. The University expects its doctoral graduates to have the following qualities and skills:

• an ability to initiate research projects and to formulate viable research questions;
• a demonstrated capacity to design, conduct and report independent and original research on a closely-defined project;
• an ability to manage time to maximise the quality of research;
• an understanding of the major contours of international research in the research area;
• a capacity for critical evaluation of relevant scholarly literature;
• well-developed and flexible problem-solving abilities appropriate to the discipline;
• the ability to analyse research data within a changing disciplinary environment;
• the capacity to communicate effectively the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication;
• an understanding of and facility with scholarly conventions in the discipline area;
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
• a capacity to cooperate with other researchers;
• an ability to manage information effectively, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student’s field of study.