• Before you enrol
• Communication skills
• Intellectual - conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities 

Committed to equity and diversity

At UniSC, we are committed to facilitating the integration of all students into the University Community.

Reasonable adjustments in teaching and/or assessment methods can be made for students provided those adjustments do not compromise the inherent requirements of the program.

The inherent academic requirements of the Higher Degrees by Research are the fundamental skills and abilities that the student must be able to achieve in order to demonstrate the essential learning outcomes of the Higher Degrees by Research.

This Statement provides realistic information about the inherent academic requirements that you must meet in order to complete your Higher Degree by Research and graduate. Make sure you read and understand the requirements for the Higher Degrees by Research so you can make an informed judgement about your ability to fulfil them.

Skills you need

Higher Degrees by Research have inherent academic requirements in two categories:

• Communication skills
• Intellectual, such as conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities

Before you enrol

If you intend to enrol in a Higher Degrees by Research at UniSC, look carefully at the inherent academic requirements listed in this statement and think about whether you might experience challenges in meeting them.

If you think you might experience challenges related to your disability, health condition or for any other reason, you should discuss your concerns with a University Ability Adviser or School staff.

Reasonable adjustments

Students with disabilities or other special circumstances may be provided with reasonable adjustment to enable them to meet the inherent academic requirements of the a Higher Degree by Research if the adjustment is:

• logistically reasonable
• likely to result in the student being able to perform the skills adequately and in a timely manner.

Support and further information is available from UniSC

• Ability Advisers

• Career Advisers

• Relevant academic contacts

Communication skills 

The capacity to demonstrate high-level written and oral communication skills, enabling effective dissemination of research findings to a variety of audiences.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the Higher Degrees by Research because Higher Degrees by Research require communication skills to design, evaluate, implement, analyse, theorise, and justify theoretical propositions, methodologies, conclusions and professional decisions.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• Communicate a coherent and sustained argument(s) to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• Communicate effectively in the research community to contribute and receive constructive criticism,
• Write a thesis or exegesis

Intellectual – Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative abilities 

The capacity to demonstrate scholarly analysis through application of specialised knowledge and research techniques that demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability, and responsibility as a researcher and scholar.

Justification

These are inherent academic requirements of the Higher Degrees by Research because Higher Degrees by Research use cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level, through critical evaluation of methodology appropriate to your field of study, and in the application of the methodology by conducting a specified program of research under appropriate supervision.

Exemplars

As a student you must:

• locate and critically review published research studies relevant to an identified issue
• design research studies and gather data using qualitative and / or quantitative methods, as appropriate to the research questions
• interpret and report research results as part of the confirmation and thesis submission process