Bachelor of Research Studies (8083)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BResSt
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 8083
  • AQF Level: 7

 This program applies to students who commenced in 2H 2017 or later.

The Master of Research is an internationally recognised qualification which will allow students to be globally mobile in advancing their research education, employment opportunities and pathways to further study. It is designed to increase students’ preparedness for PhD studies and ultimately for research-orientated careers.

The first year is comprised of advanced Bachelor level studies exposing students to comprehensive research methodology and advanced disciplinary coursework. Students will develop a research proposal, improve their academic literacy skills and engage with issues associated with research ethics and integrity. In the second year students will undertake a supervised year of higher degree research and produce a Masters thesis. The second year also includes a series of workshops and seminars designed to enhance students’ research and professional capabilities.

For domestic students, this program attracts Australian Government funding, packaged as a Bachelor of Research Studies/Master of Research to meet regulations.

In Year 1, domestic students are enrolled in the Bachelor of Research Studies as a Commonwealth supported student and are liable for student contribution amounts which can be deferred through the HECS-HELP scheme if they are eligible. In Year 2, domestic students are enrolled in the Master of Research.

Further information about the Master of Research can be found on the Future Students Research Studies pages.

Master of Research

Study Mode

Two years full-time or four years part-time

Program Advice

Program Advice
 

Prospective students should visit the following websites for general enquiries about this program.

Enquire about this program| Local Admission | International Admission |

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Full Time Internal See above
Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road Part Time Internal See above

Admission

Admission is determined by the following criteria being met

  • A Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree;
  • Achievement of a threshold Admission Average Mark (AAM) equal to or above the minimum of 65;
  • Applicants who do not meet the AAM equal to or above the minimum of 65 will be considered in exceptional circumstances, and applicants whose most recent qualification is 5+ years old shall provide additional evidence of relevant work experience or professional training, or evidence of seniority and standing in an area of endeavor and provide written support from the potential supervisor. Examples of evidence may include; work as a research assistant or laboratory technician, the writing of policy, consultancy involving the writing of reports, production of creative output, and publication of peer-reviewed journal articles. Applications will be reviewed and approved by the relevant HDR Director and the Dean of the GRS;
  • A statement that outlines a tentative research area.

Additionally for International students an English proficiency requirement of IELTS 6.5 overall (minimum 6.0 in each band) or equivalent.

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and the University.

International Office

Program Structure

Year 1 of this program will also be studied by International students enrolled in 8084 Master of Research (High Cost) and 8085 Master of Research (Low Cost).

After completion of Year 1, domestic students will be transferred to either 8084 Master of Research (High Cost) or 8085 Master of Research (Low Cost), depending on their research discipline area.

Qualification for the award of Master of Research requires the successful completion of 160 credit points. All students will complete 80 credit points of coursework subjects and 80 credit points of higher degree by research.

All students must enrol in and complete the 30 credit points of prescribed Core subjects.

Core Subjects

Subject Title Credit Points
HUMN 4001Researcher Development 1: Reading ,Writing, and the Business of Research10
HUMN 4002Researcher Development 2: Proposing and Justifying Research10
HUMN 4003Writing Beyond the Academy: Knowledge Translation and Public Audience Communication10
Total Credit Points30

Equivalent Core Subjects

The core subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subjects in 2019 or earlier.

HUMN 4009 - Research Design 1: Theories of Enquiry, replaced by HUMN 4001 Researcher Development 1: Reading ,Writing, and the Business of Research

HUMN 4010 - Research Design 2: Practices of Research, replaced by HUMN 4002 Researcher Development 2: Proposing and Justifying Research

HUMN 4012 - Research Literacies, replaced by HUMN 4003 Writing Beyond the Academy: Knowledge Translation and Public Audience Communication

Students must also complete

  • 50 credit points of specialisation cluster subjects from the clusters listed below. The three cluster discipline areas are Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Health and Medicine, as shown below.
  • 80 credit points of higher degree research.

Students may exit with the Bachelor of Research Studies (exit only) after Year 1 and the successful completion of 80 credit points, with advanced standing of 160 credit points from their previous undergraduate qualification being granted.

Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) Cluster

Please note: subjects will be offered subject to demand and availability

Subject Title Credit Points
Graduate Research School
BEHV 7036Research Internship and Engagement10
School of Humanities and Communication Arts
Research Methods based Subjects
HUMN 7015Digital Humanities Research Methods (PG)10
Disciplinary Content Subjects
PHIL 7007Philosophy of History and Politics10
PHIL 7014The Image of Thought: Art, Film and Philosophy10
HUMN 7048Understanding Race10
LANG 7014Gender and Genre10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
HUMN 7051How to Write History10
COMM 7010New Genres in Research Writing10
CULT 7004Global Digital Futures10
CULT 7008The Cutting Edge: Advanced Studies in Humanities and Communication Arts10
CULT 7003Environmental Humanities10
COMM 7015Key Concepts in Communication and Media Research10
COMM 7004In the Realms of the Sensory: Ecologies of Word, Sound and Image10
HUMN 7013Debates in Global Interactions10
LANG 7027Literary Theory10
PHIL 7003History of Ideas10
PHIL 7017What is Islam?10
Creative Writing
Disciplinary Content Subjects
CART 7019Writing Process10
CART 7020Writing and Form10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
CART 7021Writing and Ideas10
CART 7018Writing Practice and Tradition10
CART 7022Writing, Sounds, Images, Texts10
Convergent Media
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
COMM 7011Researching Convergent Media10
Continental Philosophy
Disciplinary Content Subjects
PHIL 7002Ethics10
PHIL 7010Political Philosophy10
PHIL 7006Philosophy and Literature10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
PHIL 7005Philosophical Aesthetics10
PHIL 7016Topics in the History of Philosophy20
PHIL 7013Special Topics in Philosophy20
PHIL 7015Theoretical Philosophy20
PHIL 7011Practical Philosophy20
PHIL 7008Philosophy of Nature10
PHIL 7009Philosophy, History and Interpretation10
Creative Arts
Disciplinary Content Subjects
CART 7007Creativity: Theory and Practice20
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
CART 6003Research Methods in the Creative Arts10
REHA 7027Research into Practice: bridging the clinician-researcher divide in applied and creative therapies10
Linquistics and TESOL
Research Methods based Subjects
LANG 7023Language and Linguistics Research Methods10
LANG 7011Formal and Functional Grammar10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
TEAC 7044English Linguistics for TESOL10
TEAC 7005Advanced Academic English Skills10
LANG 7022Investigating Second Language Acquisition10
LANG 7005Bilingualism and Education10
Social Sciences and Psychology
Research Methods based Subjects
BEHV 7016Digital Social Research in Action10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
POLI 7002Translation from Theory and Research to Policy10
HUMN 7044Theories of Difference and Diversity10
HUMN 7041Social Research in the Digital World10
ARCH 7020Cool Green Cities10
Urban Studies
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
ARCH 7003Managing Cities: History and Theory10
ARCH 7002Heritage and Planning10
BLDG 7006Financing Cities in the Global Economy10
ENVL 7002Planning and Environmental Regulation10
Development, Security and Sustainability
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
HUMN 7031Political Economy of Development10
POLI 7001Development and Security10
ARCH 7001Developing Sustainable Places10
HUMN 7024Humanitarian and Development Agendas and Progress10
Criminology
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
HUMN 6001Transnational Crime and Human Security Threat10
HUMN 7022Global Criminology and Human Rights10
HUMN 7049Violence, Culture and Criminal Justice10
Humanitarian and Development Studies
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
POLI 7001Development and Security10
HUMN 7023Global Health, Migration and Development10
HUMN 7024Humanitarian and Development Agendas and Progress10
HUMN 7032Public Health in Complex Emergencies (Advanced)10
HUMN 7019Emergency and Disaster Management10
Arts Therapy and Counselling
HUMN 7009Critical and Creative Enquiry20
WELF 7008Ethics and Diversity in Research and Therapy10
Institute for Culture and Society
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
CULT 7010Researching Post-Capitalist Possibilities (PhD Summer School)10
CULT 7006Rethinking Culture and Society10
School of Education
Research Methods/Disciplinary Content
HUMN 7040Social Ecology10
CEDS 7001Education Policy, Practice and Global Knowledge Co-construction10
TEAC 7084Person-Centred Practice10
TEAC 7068Learning and Teaching in Challenging Contexts10
TEAC 7026Designing Curriculum Futures10
TEAC 7013At the cultural interface - learning two ways10
TEAC 7148Transformative Learning10
TEAC 7063Leadership, Mentoring and Professional Growth10
TEAC 7043Engaging Communities10
TEAC 7029Disability in Context10
TEAC 7018Computational Thinking across the STEM Curriculum10
HUMN 7027Leading Change10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
TEAC 7100Principles and Practices of Evaluation10
School of Business
Business students are required to undertake 30 credit points of research methods electives
Research Methods based Subjects
ECON 4001Advanced Analysis and Interpretation10
BUSM 4002Seminal Papers in Business10
BUSM 4001Business Analysis Seminars10
Business students may then select up to 20 credit points of cluster elective subjects
Disciplinary Content Subjects
BUSM 7040Governance, Ethics and Social Entrepreneurship10
BUSM 7025Diversity, Labour Markets and Workforce Planning10
BUSM 7045Innovation Through Digital Technology10
BUSM 7043Industrial Relations and Workplace Change10
BUSM 7053International Finance10
BUSM 7048Innovation, Creativity and Foresight10
BUSM 7072New Venture Finance10
MKTG 7030Sustainable Property Development10
BUSM 7087Strategic Employment Relations10
ACCT 7005Accounting Theory and Applications10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
FINC 7006Financial Modelling10
BUSM 7083Security Analysis and Portfolio Theory10
BUSM 7092Supply Chain Management10
School of Law
LAWS 7008Bioethics10
LAWS 7020International Environmental Law and Policy10
LAWS 7033Intellectual Property10
LAWS 7014Human Rights in Practice and Theory10
LAWS 7025International Law of Ocean Governance10
LAWS 7022International Human Rights Law10
LAWS 7019International Criminal Law and Justice10
LAWS 7026International Space Law - Commercial Aspects10
LAWS 7030Principles of International Law10

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Cluster

Please note: subjects will be offered subject to demand and availability

Subject Title Credit Points
School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences
Research Methods/Disciplinary Content - Computing
COMP 7018Advanced Cloud Computing10
INFO 7002Advanced Topics in Artificial Intelligence10
INFS 7003Advanced Topics in ICT10
COMP 7002Advanced Topics in Networking10
COMP 7004Cloud Computing10
COMP 7008Internet of Things10
MECH 7005Advanced Robotics10
COMP 7015Programming Proficiency10
COMP 7019Applied Machine Learning10
Research Methods/Disciplinary Content - Data Science
COMP 7006Data Science10
Research Methods/Disciplinary Content - Mathematics
MATH 7009Mathematical Proof and Reasoning10
MATH 7008Mathematical Investigations10
MATH 7001Advanced Mathematical Investigations20
Research Methods based Subjects
NATS 7057Research Preparation in Post Graduate Studies10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
INFO 7014Advanced Topics in Cybersecurity10
MATH 7017Probabilistic Graphical Models10
School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment
Disciplinary Content Subjects
ENGR 7019Specialised Software Applications10
CIVL 7014Sustainable Systems10
ELEC 7010Power System Planning and Economics10
CIVL 7005Advanced Numerical Methods in Engineering10
CIVL 7006Advanced Structural Analysis10
CIVL 7009Advanced Water Engineering10
CIVL 7003Advanced Geotechnical Engineering10
ENGR 7020Sustainability and Risk Engineering (PG)10
CIVL 7002Advanced Composite Structures10
CIVL 7007Advanced Timber Structures10
CIVL 7001Advanced Applied Mechanics10
CIVL 7004Advanced Highway Infrastructure10
CIVL 7015Water Resources Systems Analysis10
ELEC 7008Instrumentation and Measurement (PG)10
EART 7002Advanced Statistical Hydrology10
CIVL 7013Deep Foundations10
MECH 7007Mechanical System Design10
CIVL 7008Advanced Waste Management10
MECH 7005Advanced Robotics10
MECH 7003Advanced Dynamic Systems10
MECH 7008Mechatronic System Design10
MECH 7004Advanced Mobile Robotics10
MECH 7006Advanced Thermal and Fluid Engineering10
MECH 7002Advanced Computer Aided Engineering10
MECH 7001Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics10
ELEC 7009Personal Communication Systems10
ELEC 7004Advanced Power Quality10
ELEC 7006Advanced Smart Grids and Distributed Generation10
ELEC 7003Advanced Electrical Machines and Drives10
ELEC 7005Advanced Signal Processing10
ELEC 7001Advanced Control Systems10
ELEC 7002Advanced Data Networks10
School of Science
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
NATS 7011Experimental Design and Analysis PG A20
NATS 7012Experimental Design and Analysis PG B20
MEDI 7004Applications of Magnetic Resonance from Cancer to Neuroanatomy10
PHYS 7001A Cosmic Perspective10
PHYS 7002Space Instrumentation, Technology and Communication10
PHYS 7003Space Science, Planetary Science and Meteorology10
The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
BEHV 7021Neuroscience Methods10
BEHV 7013Cognitive Science: Research and Application10
BEHV 7020Learning and Processing Human Language10
Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
Research Methods based Subjects
BIOS 7001Emerging Technologies for Biological Science10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
AGEN 7002Ecosystems in a Changing World10
AGEN 4001Researching our Changing Environment10

Health and Medicine Cluster

Please note: subjects will be offered subject to demand and availability

Subject Title Credit Points
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Nursing and Midwifery
Research Methods based Subjects
NURS 7023Evidence Based Health Care10
NURS 7043Scholarship for Practice Change in Health Care10
NURS 7045Writing for Publication10
Disciplinary Content Subjects
NURS 7018Contemporary Professional Practice in Mental Health Nursing10
PUBH 7020Policy, Power and Politics in Health Care Provision10
PUBH 7018Leadership for Quality and Safety in Health Care10
NURS 7040Perspectives on Nursing10
NURS 7025Health Promotion and the Nurse10
School of Health Sciences
Research Methods based Subjects
HLTH 7008Introduction to Biostatistics10
Disciplinary Content Subjects
HLTH 7023Advanced Sport and Exercise Science20
PUBH 7033The Social Determinants of Health10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
PUBH 7016Introduction to Epidemiology10
School of Medicine
Research Methods based Subjects
HLTH 3009Major Incident Management10
Disciplinary Content Subjects
PUBH 7002Analytic Approaches in Epidemiology10
PUBH 7010Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases10
PUBH 7015Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology10
PUBH 7006Data Management and Programming for Epidemiology10
Hybrid - Disciplinary Content and Research Methods
PUBH 7025Statistical Methods in Epidemiology10
PUBH 7005Controversies in Epidemiology10
Translational Health Research Institute (THRI)
Research Methods
NATS 7051Applied research with marginalised populations and sensitive health topics10
NICM Health Research Institute
NATS 7056Clinical Research in Health Science10

Specialisation/Cluster Subjects

The specialisation subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subjects in 2021 or earlier.

ARCH 7013 - Green Urbanscapes: Bio-Physical Functions and Services
BEHV 7019 - Internship and Community Engagement (PG)
CART 7001 - Applied Methods in Literary Studies and Creative Writing
CART 7002 - Applied Practice in Literary Studies and Creative Writing
CIVL 7010 - Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment
HLTH 7021 - Advanced Sport and Exercise Science
HUMN 7008 - Contemporary Theories of Religion and Society
HUMN 7014 - Development for Equality
HUMN 7021 - Fieldwork in Complex and Hostile Places
HUMN 7030 - Nation, Power and Difference
HUMN 7033 - Religion and Law in Contemporary Public Discourse
HUMN 7042 - Space, Place and the Field
LANG 7012 - Functional Grammar
LAWS 7017 - International Climate Change Law
MATH 7007 - Genomic Data Science
MATH 7013 - Scientific Informatics
NURS 7004 - Applied Research in Health Care
NURS 7022 - Ethics in Health Research
NATS 7010 - Experimental Design and Analysis (PG)
NATS 7050 - Transferable Research Skills

The cluster subjects listed below count towards completion of this program for students who passed these subject in 2022 or earlier.

CART 7014 - Research Methods in the Creative Arts 
LAWS 7016 - International Banking and Finance Law

Equivalent Subjects

The equivalent subjects listed below counts toward completion of this program for students who passed these subjects in 2022 or earlier.

CULT 7002 - Engaging Discursive Fields, replaced by COMM 7015 Key Concepts in Communication and Media Research from 2H 2022.

HUMN 7047 Transnational Crime, replaced by HUMN 6001 Transnational Crime and Human Security Threat