Postgraduate resources

    Faculty of Graduate Research

    The Faculty of Graduate Research manages all Master's and PhD theses at Victoria University of Wellington. Their website has a wealth of general information for postgraduate students, including timelines for completion, thesis structure and funding.

    PhD proposal

    All PhD students in the School must prepare and present a PhD proposal in their first year to transfer from probationary to full enrolment. Guidelines for the document and a sample document are available to download below.

    Please read the section from the Faculty of Graduate Research’s website as this also has important information on what is expected with your PhD proposal.

    Career and research development

    An integral component of PhD study is developing a track record of independent research and fostering a supportive academic environment around you. The objectives below set out some areas to aim for:

    • Publish—by the time you submit your thesis, aim to have at least one peer-reviewed paper published, one in review and one in preparation.
    • Teach— seek out opportunities for teaching, demonstrating, tutoring and mentoring.
    • Present—present your research to your research group and the School at regular intervals. Aim for more than once a year to keep your presentation skills fresh, and seek valuable feedback from others.
    • Get funded—apply for external as well as internal funding, even if it seems like a long shot.
    • Discuss—organise weekly meetings with your research group or community to present work informally.
    • Collaborate—get to know your international community by using conference attendance as a way to get external specialists familiar with your project. Aim for at least once a year.

    More information

    The following links provide useful information for postgraduate students:

    The Wellington Faculty of Science has information about student administration for postgraduate students.

    Other facilities and resources are listed on the University website postgraduate page.