A PhD in the School of Cybernetics begins with finding a supervisor whose research connects with yours and developing a research proposal together. This page explains how to find a supervisor, how the School’s annual application round works, and how applications are assessed.
Our candidates come from many disciplines, including law, robotics, management consulting, theatre, software engineering, the social sciences, computational sciences, literary studies, physics, economics and architecture. There is no single expected background. Completing our Master of Applied Cybernetics is one path into the PhD, but it is not a requirement for applying.
At a glance#
| Length & location | Up to 4 years full-time, on ANU’s Canberra campus |
| Who can apply | A strong honours or master’s degree, or equivalent research experience, in any relevant discipline (see the ANU entry requirements) |
| When to apply | Main scholarship round for the following year’s intake: international applicants by 31 August, domestic by 31 October. If you have alternative funding (e.g. another scholarship), you can apply at any time. |
| Funding | Most offers are linked to a competitive scholarship such as the Australian Government Research Training Program |
| First step | Find and contact a potential supervisor, well before the deadline |
| Contact | phdconvenor.cybernetics@anu.edu.au |
Finding a supervisor#
Finding a supervisor before you apply is essential. The School does not run a separate expression-of-interest or pre-screening process, and applications submitted without a supervisor’s support are not progressed.
Read through our potential HDR supervisors, their research interests and their current availability. You do not need a supervisor working on your exact topic; look for overlapping or adjacent concepts, methods and domain areas, then contact those whose work aligns with yours.
If there is mutual interest, you will develop your research proposal with your prospective supervisor, who will help you submit a complete application before the deadline. Developing a proposal can take some months, so it is best to begin early.
Forms the PhD can take#
As you develop the proposal, you and your supervisor will also decide what form the PhD will take. An ANU PhD thesis can take several forms: a written thesis, a thesis by publication, a thesis by creative works, or a thesis by artefact (see the ANU thesis format options). You do not need to settle on a form when you apply, and it can change as the project develops.
Writing your research proposal#
Your research proposal is an important part of the application. It does not need to be long or final, and you will develop it with your supervisor, so think of it as a strong starting point rather than a finished plan.
Because our candidates come from many disciplines, there is no single correct shape for a proposal. A computational project, a piece of design or creative practice, and a study grounded in the social sciences will each emphasise different things. The elements below are what a good proposal usually covers; adapt them to your project and your field rather than treating them as a rigid template.
- Title and summary: a working title and a short paragraph or two on what you want to investigate, make, or argue, and why.
- Background and context: the field, debate, practice, or problem your work responds to, and the key existing work it builds on. This can be scholarly literature, but also relevant practice, prior art, or industry context.
- Aims and questions: what you are trying to find out, build, or establish. Depending on your field this might take the form of research questions, aims, a hypothesis, or a design or creative provocation.
- Significance: why the project matters, and who it would benefit, whether in your field, in practice, or more widely.
- Approach: how you intend to go about the work. This varies widely: experiments, fieldwork, modelling, archival or textual analysis, design, and creative practice are all valid. Describe the methods or practice that fit your project.
- Fit and feasibility: why the School of Cybernetics, and which potential supervisor(s) your work connects with; the form you expect the thesis to take (see Forms the PhD can take); and a rough sense of how it fits into three to four years.
- References: the sources, works, or prior art you have drawn on.
As a rough guide, aim for around four pages. If you are unsure how any of this applies to your project, that is exactly what an early conversation with a prospective supervisor is for.
How the application works#
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Develop your proposal with a supervisor. Agree on a project and prepare your application (research proposal, academic transcripts, CV, and the names of academic referees), then submit it through ANU’s postgraduate research application before the deadline. International applicants must also meet the University’s English language requirements.
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Referee reports and a statement of support. After applications close, ANU contacts your nominated referees for their reports. Your proposed primary supervisor writes a statement of support addressing your academic record, research potential, technical readiness, and the strength and fit of your proposal.
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School assessment and ranking. A School of Cybernetics committee reviews every complete application and ranks them against a consistent set of criteria, set out below.
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College scholarship allocation. The School’s ranked list goes to the College of Systems and Society, which allocates the available competitive scholarships across its schools.
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Offers. Once the School knows its allocation, offers are made in ranked order. Applicants who miss the main round can sometimes be considered in a later scholarship round.
How applications are assessed#
Complete applications are ranked against five criteria:
- Previous research: the quality of your earlier thesis or substantial research work.
- Prizes and awards: academic recognition you have received.
- Publications and research experience: your record of research output and activity, and any professional experience in an area relevant to the PhD.
- Referee reports: your referees’ assessment of your potential.
- Research proposal: the quality of the proposed project, and how well it fits the School and your supervisor’s expertise.
Strong academic results and a supervisor with the capacity to take you on both matter, which is a further reason to make contact early. Admission is competitive and scholarships are limited, so meeting the ANU entry requirements for higher degree research does not by itself guarantee a place.
Scholarships and funding#
Most PhD offers are linked to, and depend on, a scholarship such as the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP). You do not apply for these separately; your application is automatically considered for the scholarships available to the School. Full details are on the ANU scholarships pages.
The application deadlines above are scholarship deadlines: to be considered for one of the School’s scholarships, apply by the relevant date. If you have alternative funding (for example, another scholarship), you can apply at any time.
Questions?#
For any question about PhD study in the School, including help identifying a supervisor, contact us at phdconvenor.cybernetics@anu.edu.au. You can also read more about life as a PhD candidate in the School.
