MASTERS PROGRAM

The Masters program in the School of Human Movement and Exercise Science is intended for students wishing to undertake advanced study and/or research majoring in Human Movement and Exercise Science. Students must choose a sub-discipline area as a major when enrolling in the MSc program. Please refer to the Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences Regulations.

MASTERS REGULATIONS

The Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences may, on the recommendation of the Head of School, accept as a candidate for the degree of Master in that Faculty any one of the following:

1. an applicant who holds a degree of Bachelor with Honours in that Faculty or who has been granted equivalent status;

2. an applicant who either holds a degree of Bachelor with Honours in another Faculty or has been granted equivalent status, and who proves to the Faculty, by passing such written or oral examination as the Faculty may require, fitness to be a candidate;

3. an applicant who either holds the degree of Bachelor whether in that Faculty or any other, or has been granted equivalent status, and who has since graduation passed a Preliminary examination (for admission to Masters candidature);

4. an applicant who either holds a degree of Bachelor, whether in that Faculty or any other, or who has been granted equivalent status, and who satisfies the Head of the School that adequate research preparation has occurred since graduation. Adequate research preparation may be gained in the course of an occupation after graduation.

Candidates will not be permitted to continue with their studies should they fail to make satisfactory progress in any year and cannot withdraw from a unit after the mid-point of the timetabled period without incurring a ‘fail’ in that unit.

All requirements for any unit must be completed within that period of a year in which the unit is timetabled. Extensions of time to complete unit requirements will only be granted in extenuating circumstances and only with written approval from the Head of School.

HMES7691 Research Practicum I, HMES7692 Research Practicum II and HMES8694 Research Colloquium may only be taken during the Masters Preliminary by candidates intending to complete the degree year by research thesis or dissertation.

A candidate wishing to progress to the Master of Science by way of research (thesis or dissertation) will be required to complete the following two core units as part of the Honours, Masters Preliminary or Graduate Diploma of Science program.

Core units (12 points)

• HMES7602 Research Methods in HMES
• HMES7603 Data Analysis in HMES

All units have a 6 point value during each of the Preliminary and Degree stages.

Students should ensure that they have the necessary pre-requisites (or equivalent), before enrolling in a particular unit. Pre-requisites are listed as part of the unit descriptions. Students who do not have the necessary undergraduate preparation in areas that they wish to pursue at a postgraduate level, can enrol in HMES7606 Special Topics of HMES7607 Special Topics unit in either semester, with special approval, in order to gain the necessary background.

MSc DEGREE STRUCTURE

Masters by Coursework (Course Code 51550)

To qualify for the degree of MSc by Coursework, a candidate shall complete 8 x 6 point units not previously completed from one of the sub-discipline groups.

Students need to enrol in the two core units:

• HMES7602 Research Methods in HMES
• HMES7603 Data Analysis in HMES

Students should take this into consideration if undertaking an MSc Preliminary year.

Masters by Coursework and Dissertation (Course Code 51530)

To complete a Masters by Coursework and Dissertation, candidates must enrol in 3 x 6 point units and complete a dissertation.

Students need to enrol in the two core units:

• HMES7602 Research Methods in HMES
• HMES7603 Data Analysis in HMES

plus one other 6 point unit, preferably in the discipline area of the dissertation.

A dissertation is a scholarly research report, which is examined through the Graduate Research and Scholarship Office.

Credit may also be granted for up to 3 units at Masters level completed as part of another incomplete course in this University or at another recognised institution. This regulation applies to MSc and MEd coursework degrees, or to students doing coursework plus dissertation degrees for the MSc.

Masters by Research Thesis Degree (Course Code 50710)

Research projects leading to a research thesis are conducted under the guidance of a supervisor(s) determined by mutual agreement between the student and the staff member(s), and endorsed by the School’s Higher Degree and Ethics Committee and the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office. It is the duty of the candidate and supervisor to keep in regular contact (fortnightly meetings are recommended). The candidate is required to complete an Annual Report on the anniversary of enrolment and the supervisor(s) is/are also required to report on the candidate’s progress.

Candidates are expected to present a detailed research proposal to the School Higher Degree and Ethics Committee within four (4) months of acceptance into the Masters Program. Once the proposal has been presented and approved by the Committee it is then forwarded to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office for approval. Candidates must also complete an Ethics application at this time. A student cannot commence any research until both the Research Proposal and Ethics Application have been approved.

Candidates completing a degree by research must make progress to the satisfaction of their supervisor(s) and the Head of School each year. Thesis students will be required to conform to the standard Graduate Research School timelines.

Thesis candidates may, with the approval of the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office, complete part of the degree as an external student. As part of the approval process, the candidate must submit the name of the Institution where the thesis will be completed and the name of a possible co-supervisor in that Institution when making application for this change in candidature.

A program of seminars is organised within the School on alternate weeks to provide an opportunity for each thesis, and coursework plus dissertation candidate to present a proposal on their research topic. These seminars are intended to generate an exchange of constructive comments for the assistance of the candidate and assist others in the conduct of their research. All Honours, Masters and PhD degree candidates are expected to attend these seminars.

Candidates preparing research proposals should provide one electronic version of the full proposal in a Word document to the School Executive Assistant one week before the seminar is to be held. The proposal should be a brief synopsis of the research plan, which follows the guidelines found in the Graduate Program Handbook prepared by the School.

All proposals must be approved in the first instance by the candidate’s supervisor(s). In preparing this proposal, consideration must be given to the University rules relating to Research Conduct and Human Rights.

Prior to the submission of the thesis it is the responsibility of the supervisor(s) to prepare a list of examiners, plus an abstract in consultation with the candidate. The proposed examiners should be presented to the School Higher Degree and Ethics Committee three months prior to the expected date of submission for approval and forwarding to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office. Approval of the initial research proposal does not mean that the actual title of the thesis has been approved. However, once approved, that title must be adhered to unless a formal request for change is communicated to the School Higher Degree and Ethics Committee prior to submission of the thesis.