Hi David
Edith Cowan University has two PhD versions. The ŒIntegrated¹ version is
offered if the research coordinator believes that the student needs help
in the form of additional courses .
http://www.ecu.edu.au/handbook/course?id=J42&year=2016
Regards
Alun
Alun Price PhD
Coordinator Environmental and Spatial Design
Edith Cowan University
Western Australia
On 12/28/17, 2:52 AM, "David Durling" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>I sometimes ask PhD students "what is a PhD". I am looking for a reduced
>stripped-down blunt statement that would be unambiguous to relatives,
>neighbours, the person in the street, possibly the cat. Invariably
>answers include something of 'contribution to knowledge' or 'undertaking
>a research project' or perhaps 'investigating a subject deeply'. In
>essence, it seems to me, the PhD is a training in how to do research. Of
>course, there's much more to it than that, but in essence, if I were
>looking to employ a PhD holder I would expect a certain competence in
>undertaking research independently and to a good quality. It might also
>help to have transferable skills, from one project to another.
>
>The notion of a curriculum for PhD students has been mentioned a couple
>of times recently. I note that across institutions and cultures, such a
>curriculum might vary widely, arising from what is expected of the PhD
>award and consequently of the student and their post-study employment.
>This is sometimes referred to as the training component of the PhD. The
>rest may be learning by doing.
>
>I thought it would be helpful to this PhD community to come together with
>sound advice about the training that a design PhD student should undergo,
>or how such a curriculum should be designed to provide the necessary
>skills and understanding that are required post-doctorally. I am looking
>for contributors to such an enterprise, with the intention to provide a
>comprehensive report that can be fed back to all those engaged in PhD
>education.
>
>The term 'training' is here meant to convey those parts of the study that
>are devoted to learning about relevant generic things which may include
>use of the library, literature search/review, appropriate writing,
>ethics, and study skills. Additionally, more specific training may be
>provided including research methods, and various forms of data collection
>and analysis perhaps including statistics.
>
>Mindful of the wide range of possibilities as soon as the term 'design'
>is used on this discussion list, the term 'design' as used here, is less
>concerned with the established fields for example engineering design, and
>is focused more on design arising from design schools in the art and
>design sector (for example industrial design, fashion, crafts, graphics,
>interiors). It is recognised that this is an incomplete description and
>has a fuzzy boundary which may include design in cognate subjects such as
>architecture, interaction, communications etc. This is seen as a focus
>rather than a limiting boundary.
>
>Presumably there should be some generic and/or specific training
>associated with studying for a PhD. The nature of, and requirement for,
>this seems to vary considerably between national traditions, and even
>between educational institutions in the same country.
>
>Generalisms are dangerous, but some suggested generalisms might usefully
>be a starting point for some comparisons, however crude these may prove
>to be. Please correct me if I am way off course.
>
>For example, the USA appears to have a distinct training component early
>on in the PhD, often comprising classes that have to be taken and passed
>before the main research is undertaken. Supervision is often by a
>committee. One American colleague insisted that ALL PhD students should
>undertake a class on statistics.
>
>In Europe - and particularly perhaps the UK - the PhD may be seen as a
>more personalised journey. There may be some generic training that is
>undertaken formally, but specific topic-related training may arise more
>through self-study and the focused priorities of supervisors.
>
>In Asia, perhaps the locus of study is more towards design science, with
>appropriate concentration on scientific method.
>
>Perhaps some disciplines have a body of initial PhD training that is
>concise, unambiguous, and uncontested. This may be so in many of the more
>established research intensive disciplines, sometimes developed over
>centuries. Design, as a younger and less mature field, may not yet have
>such an established body of PhD training.
>
>There are further factors. Design is seen by some as an integrative
>subject that, in research terms, draws upon other major research
>traditions. This makes for a very wide range of design research. It is
>not unusual to see studies utilising for example a number of social
>science techniques, materials science, management studies and the like,
>and explored through a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods.
>Research positions and their assumptions may be manyfold. Design may also
>be seen to be developing its own tools for research. This is perhaps most
>obvious in the development of practice-based investigation in its many
>forms, where design practice is seen as an investigative method. Perhaps
>postdoctoral employment not in the academic world should be considered.
>Additionally, there are challenges to the written word as the only form
>of exposition of research results. Delivery of a training component may
>be best in the first months of PhD study, or may be preferred as drip
>feed throughout the period of enrolment. There may also be issues around
>the ways design students learn, and therefore appropriate or novel forms
>of delivery. The PhD is but one kind of research award - others may
>include masters degrees and professional doctorates - the focus here is
>on the PhD award.
>
>So - given the relative youthfulness of design research, the different
>traditions of PhD across cultures, and the complexities of many different
>research traditions - what should the curriculum look like for a design
>PhD, and what training should be a requirement? This could be expressed
>both generically and specifically, or be suggested as best practice.
>
>If you have:
>
>- examples of best practice
>- case studies of successful application of PhD training programmes
>- an excellent curriculum that you use at the moment
>- a firm philosophical position used in doctoral teaching
>
>please make your suggestions here, or write to me off-list (to
>[log in to unmask] ). I am less interested in hypothetical
>programmes, and more in those programmes that have been tried and worked
>well. However, you may also have experience of teaching/learning that did
>not work. For example, I have heard of some online training that failed,
>either to recruit or to gain student satisfaction. Such examples of what
>to avoid would also be welcomed.
>
>It is accepted that some information may be sensitive. In the final
>report, nothing will be published without the permission of the original
>sender. Links to current publicly available programmes of study, courses
>etc. will be particularly welcome.
>
>This request is not confined to academics who provide PhD education. I am
>also most interested in hearing the highs and lows of PhD training
>experienced by current and recent PhD students. Your actual experiences
>could be illuminating. Whatever you say, you will not be identified
>without permission.
>
>I'd like to think that together, we the members of this unique community,
>can bring together the results of our combined experiences for the
>benefit of the field.
>
>best wishes
>David Durling
>
>
>___________________________________________________________________
>
>David Durling HonFDRS PhD
>Professor of Design Research
>Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Coventry University, UK
>[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>http://durling.tel <http://durling.tel/>
>Vice President IASDR iasdr.org <http://iasdr.org/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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