Outcomes of the proposal

Find out about the proposal outcome options.

Your proposal will be evaluated by a committee within your school, generally the School Research Committee, to establish that:

  • you have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the topic
  • your proposal outlines an appropriate theoretical framework which will lead to an original and defensible thesis
  • your proposal has been developed following consideration of debates in the relevant literature (you must include a literature review)
  • your proposed research aims to add value to existing knowledge.

Your proposal may be run through the University’s plagiarism detection software.

Having assessed your research proposal and determined whether you have met any additional school requirements for full registration, the SRC (or equivalent committee) will report to the Associate Dean (PGR) of your faculty. Copies of the report will be sent to you, your Head of School and your supervisors.

Possible recommendations

The SRC may recommend one of four things as an outcome for your research proposal:

  • your transfer to full registration
  • that you revise and resubmit your research proposal
  • your transfer to a Master’s degree (conditions apply)
  • the termination of your enrolment.

Transfer to full registration

Full registration will be confirmed by the Associate Dean (PGR) on receipt of the recommendation from the SRC. Your progress during full registration will continue to be monitored through the Candidate Development Plans.

Revision and resubmission

Where you are asked to revise and resubmit, the SRC must:

  • provide you and your supervisors with clear and constructive guidelines on the steps required to gain full registration
  • specify a date by which all revisions must be completed and the revised proposal resubmitted.

The SRC will also ask you to include a cover letter upon resubmission of your research proposal indicating what changes you have made. If you decide not to follow all the SRC’s suggestions, you must outline your reasons.

The SRC must consider you capable of revising within a suitable timeframe. If revisions will mean that your provisional registration exceeds 12 months (24 months for half-time candidates), the SRC must recommend to the Associate Dean (PGR) that the period of provisional registration be formally extended. The maximum extension permitted is three months (six for half-time candidates).

Transfer to a Master’s degree

The SRC may recommend your transfer to a Master’s degree if it believes that you have not demonstrated the aptitude and level of competence required for PhD study but that your research, with modifications, could form the basis of a Master’s thesis. For more information see the Procedure for converting from a PhD to a Master’s thesis.

Termination of registration

If the SRC recommends termination of your registration, it should arrange to meet with you and explain face-to-face why it considers termination necessary. The decision to terminate your candidature requires final approval from the Dean WFGR.