Postgraduate Research Training

The School of Science and Health provides a rich and dynamic research environment for students to complete higher degree research. The higher degree research programs provide research training that fosters the development of independent research practice.

What postgraduate degrees are available?

What sort of facilities are available to higher degree research students?

The higher degree research students enrolled in the School of Science and Health can access a wide range of research facilities including: 

• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Imaging and Spectroscopy (e.g. 300- 500 Mhz NMR)
• Biological Sciences research facilities (e.g. real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), electroporator, southern and western blotting equipment, Cyano bacteria culture room, Inverted Fluorescence microscope, protein electrophoresis equipment, mammalian cell culture facilities, immunostaining facilities, Bioanalyser, yeast fermentation facilities, etc.)
• Chemical Sciences facilities (e.g. High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), DNA synthesizer, ultra violet spectrophotometers, Fourier transform spectrophotometers, circular dichroism instrument with ability to also do linear dichroism, fluorescence spectrometer, rotary evaporator suite etc)
• Sport and Exercise Science facilities (e.g. weight training gym, general Sport and Exercise Science research laboratories, Biochemistry laboratory, cool room for thermoregulation research, Isokinetic muscle function testing room etc)
• UniClinic (clinical trial facilities)
• CompleMED Herbal Analysis and Pharmacological facilities (e.g. HPLC-PDA (Photo Diode Array), HPLC-MS/MS (Tandem Mass Spectrometry), UV spectrophotometers, GC-MS, high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC), RT-PCR, patch clamp facility, 96-well plate reader etc)
• CompleMED clinical research laboratory (e.g. Neuroscan system, Cardiovascular function system)

The School of Science and Health provides the following services to the Higher Degree Research (HDR)candidates:

• Student research project funds
• Student conference travel support
• General laboratory inductions, as well as OH&S inductions
• Workshops on a range of topics
• Research seminar series
• Writing for research classes
• Office accommodation in a specially allocated HDR precinct
• Software and Online resources

How do I choose a supervisor?

Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their application with an academic advisor. All UWS research candidates have a panel of at least two supervisors. It is recommended that you contact a Research Coordinator in the relevant area in the first instance. A Research Coordinator may be able to recommend a suitable supervisor for your proposed project. Contact details for Reserach Coordinators are accessible from the Future Research Students page.

Students choose a relevant project and then it is a matter of individual negotiation between student and supervisor of his/her chosen program. You should make your choice with great care, as the effectiveness of the student/supervisor relationship has a major effect on your experience.

• Visit the school's website and search the Academic Staff Directory to view details of individual staff and their areas of research and publications
• Speak with your prospective supervisors’ current and former students about their experiences
• Speak to your prospective supervisor about their current projects and potential research project for your study
• Liaise with your prospective supervisor to prepare a draft research proposal to be submitted together with your enrolment application

For information about applying, fees and the degrees available, refer to the Future Research Students page.