A comparison of Australian and North American PhDs

Abstract

The question posed by Ray Spear, which is presented in parenthesis after my re-worded title, is difficult to answer. When I was doing my PhD in the late 1960s, a member of my supervisory committee—a psychologist—emphasized that researchers in the social sciences don’t answer questions, they address them. I have never forgotten that admonition! So I will address rather than answer the question as to how the Australian PhD stacks up against the North American PhD by concisely presenting some data and opinions and leaving maximum time for discussion. <P> Initially the linkage of bachelor's-master's-doctoral programs on the two continents should be described, especially with respect to requirements to enter a PhD program. Some students progress directly from a bachelor's program to a PhD program, others will first begin a master's program and then bypass completion in order to begin the PhD, while some will complete the master's before commencing the PhD.