What Is A Doctoral Degree?
The Doctoral Degree (or Ph.D.) is the highest qualification you can achieve. Unlike other qualifications, the Doctoral Degree is more about creating new knowledge, rather than studying existing knowledge. The Doctoral Degree will qualify you to apply a substantial body of knowledge to research, investigate and develop new knowledge, in one or more fields of investigation, scholarship or professional practice. You will be qualified with a systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and or for professional practice. With the Doctoral Degree, you are a pioneer in your field, and after completing this course, you will become Dr. Your Name. Ph.D.
Duration: Generally takes three to four years to complete.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level: 10
About Degree Courses
Degrees are the Australian Higher Education qualifications. Unlike diplomas and certificates, they typically have more emphasis on academic learning, knowledge, theory, personal attributes, the development of professional and transferable skills, rather than industry specific occupational skills.
- Degrees are the highest level post-school qualifications (except for the Bachelor’s Degree, which is a step below the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma, and the Associate Degree, which is the same level as the Advanced Diploma)
- Degrees come in five levels, from lowest to highest, these are the Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree, Master’s Degree and Doctoral Degree
- Degrees generally take between one and four years to complete
- Degrees are internationally recognised qualifications
- Degrees are typically delivered by universities
- Degree quality and overall standards in Australia are specified or ‘put forth’ by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
- Degree quality and overall standards in Australia are regulated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), the national regulatory body for Higher Education
- Degrees cover a huge-range of disciplines including science, mathematics, history, business, arts, law and medicine
As degrees are internationally recognised (accredited) qualifications, their standards are consistently regulated and assured. In Australia, their standards (as specified by the AQF) are accredited, regulated and assured by TEQSA. Furthermore, in order to deliver a degree qualification in Australia, course providers must meet standards maintained by TEQSA called the ‘Higher Education Standards Framework 2015’. These standards are used to ensure consistency of training and assessment for degree courses. This means that degree courses are of the same quality standard, value and assured recognition, regardless of where you earn them in Australia.
Useful Links
- To learn more about nationally recognised (accredited) qualifications, click here.
- To learn more about each accredited post-school qualification, click here.
- To learn more about the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), click here.
- To learn more about the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), click here.
- To learn more about the education providers who can deliver Degrees, click here.
