Why Study / Key Benefits

The Doctor of Philosophy and Graduate Certificate of Research and Innovation Management (Health Sciences) is a research-intensive doctoral programme designed for students seeking to make a significant and original contribution to health-related research. Candidates undertake supervised research that may be pure, exploratory, applied, experimental and/or creative. The integrated Graduate Certificate component provides structured research and career-development training alongside the PhD.

Key benefits include:

• Advanced doctoral-level research training in health-related disciplines.
• Supervised independent research leading to an original contribution to knowledge.
• Formal research and innovation management coursework during the early stage of the PhD.
• Research training covering areas such as thesis writing, publishing and presenting.
• Opportunities for Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students to undertake internships.
• Development of independent thinking, judgement, decision-making, logical thought, communication and project-management skills.
• Access to Swinburne's research ecosystem, including research schools, institutes, centres and research groups.
• The programme is specifically available to international students.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The programme combines doctoral research with a Graduate Certificate of Research and Innovation Management.

Graduate Certificate component:

• 2 core research-management units, totalling 25 credit points.
• 2 elective units, totalling 25 credit points.
• The two core units must be completed during the first 12 months of candidature and before Confirmation of Candidature.
• Core units are delivered by Swinburne Research through a combination of online learning and face-to-face workshops at Hawthorn.
• Elective units are selected in consultation with the supervisory team and may be delivered online, multimodally or on campus.

PhD component:

• Selection and development of an approved research topic.
• Appointment of a suitable supervisory team.
• Independent and supervised research.
• Research training and professional development.
• Confirmation of Candidature.
• Development of the final research output.
• Submission and examination of a doctoral thesis, thesis with associated papers, or an artefact with accompanying exegesis where appropriate.
• The research outcome normally represents a substantial original contribution to the chosen discipline.

Disciplines / Specialisations

The Health Sciences research programme currently identifies these research areas:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Health Sciences
• Data Sciences
• Health Professions

Examples of research directions within the broader Health Sciences research environment can include areas such as:

• Health research
• Digital health
• Health analytics
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Neuroscience and cognitive research
• Psychology
• Health professions research

Programme Highlights

• CRICOS: 096282B.
• International-student-only programme.
• Four-year maximum/full-time doctoral pathway.
• Integrated Graduate Certificate of Research and Innovation Management.
• 50 credit points of formal research-management coursework.
• Two core units must be completed within the first 12 months before Confirmation of Candidature.
• Individual research project supervised by an appropriate research team.
• Thesis/research outcome representing an original contribution to the discipline.
• Research training includes areas such as thesis writing, publishing and presenting.
• Internship opportunities are available for Higher Degree by Research students.
• Research areas span Psychology, Neuroscience, Health Sciences, Data Sciences and Health Professions.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies potential career opportunities including:

• Academic
• Researcher
• Consultant
• Entrepreneur
• Business development professional
• Policy analyst
• Market analyst
• Quantitative analyst

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The most important current requirements for prospective international applicants are:

• This course is only available to international students.
• A suitable and willing research supervisor must be secured before application.
• The proposed research must align with a Swinburne research area.
• The Graduate Certificate is not available as a standalone direct-entry qualification.
• The two Graduate Certificate core units must be completed during the first 12 months and before Confirmation of Candidature.
• International students in Australia on a Student visa must study full-time and on campus.
• Research internship opportunities may be available, subject to the applicable requirements.
• Applicants should prepare a research proposal and evidence of previous research experience where relevant.
• Scholarship applicants have additional research-proposal, academic-transcript, referee and supporting-document requirements.

International Student Visa Requirements

The relevant Australian visa is the Student visa (subclass 500).

Swinburne states specifically for this programme that international students in Australia holding Student visas must study full-time and on campus.

Key visa requirements include:

• Valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Meeting the Genuine Student requirement.
• Meeting applicable health and character requirements.
• Financial-capacity evidence where required.
• Compliance with all Student visa conditions.
• Students under 18 must meet the applicable welfare-arrangement requirements.

Work rights are particularly important for this programme:

• Student visa holders studying a doctoral degree have no 48-hour-per-fortnight work limit while their course is in session.
• The Department of Home Affairs specifically confirms that students studying a master's by research or doctoral degree, and their family members, have no work limit while the course is in session.
• Students cannot work before their course begins.
• Students must continue to comply with the conditions shown on their visa grant and in VEVO.

Visa duration:

• A Student visa can allow a stay of up to six years, depending on the course and enrolment period.

Visa application charge:

• The Department confirms that Student visa application charges increased from 1 July 2026.
• The current Home Affairs page does not expose a single fixed charge in the accessible course information; applicants should use the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator for the applicable amount.
• Exact charge for an individual Indian applicant: Not publicly specified – please confirm with IPU / Australian Department of Home Affairs.