Australian residents
International students
Duration: 
4 years full time or longer for part time
Location: 
City Campus
Footscray Park
St Albans
Werribee
Delivery mode: 
In person
Start date:
1 July 2025
Register your interest

Overview

Undertake your PhD at a world-leading research institute. Victoria University provides expert supervision in a wide range of disciplines.

Studying within our Institute for Health and Sport (IHES), you'll discover extraordinary opportunities to conduct research into the health, fitness and wellbeing of communities and individuals.

You'll develop best-practice research methods, and complete an original doctoral thesis at the forefront of its field. You'll also acquire the advanced skills needed to present your findings in publications and at conferences.

Victoria University conducts highly-ranked research:

Our cross-disciplinary approach allows for broad research opportunities, aligned with our focus areas. Within IHES you may study towards a qualification in a range of disciplines, including business, medical sciences, nursing, psychology, society and culture, and sport.

Specialise in your area of passion and personal interest within our research programs, which incorporate:

  • mechanisms and interventions in health and disease
  • clinical and community health and wellbeing
  • inclusive and healthy communities - sport, physical activity and culture
  • sport performance.

Further opportunities exist to complete your PhD in our sister research centre, the Institute for Sustainable Industries & Liveable Cities.

Sport & fitness

Our $68 million high-technology sport and exercise science research facilities include:

Health & wellbeing

This $51.6 million five-level Western Centre for Health Research and Education building at Sunshine Hospital provides cutting-edge education, research and training facilities. Clinical trials area include:

  • consulting rooms
  • gait and balance gym
  • falls and fracture clinic
  • bone and muscle imaging (DXA and pQCT)
  • metabolic testing.

Science labs

Our research centre at Werribee campus offers the latest technology for food analysis and scientific research.

We have labs dedicated the full range of science topics, including:

  • cell culture and PC2 facilities
  • biotechnology
  • biochemistry
  • biomedicine
  • small-animal testing
  • imaging research
  • novel therapeutics testing.

Libraries & special collections

The VU Library holds several special collections and archives that are available to assist graduate students and staff in their research.

VU has partnerships and collaborations with dozens of public institutions, health organisations and private sporting bodies.

We also work with other universities to provide the highest-level expertise and resources for our students.

Our partners include the following, among many others:

View the full list of partnerships on the Institute for Health & Sport page.

We offer various research scholarships for our PhD students. Victoria University has several generous research scholarships for successful applicants.

There are also externally funded scholarships from dozens of organisations, some of which are aimed at postgraduate students.

VU Research gives you opportunities to:

  • connect with other researchers
  • participate in research festivals and competitions
  • develop your research skills
  • get funding for your research
  • publish and promote your findings.

We offer support for graduate researchers including:

  • an orientation program
  • a specialised Graduate Research School
  • study spaces
  • units to help you conceptualise and contextualise your research
  • research ambassadors and student association.

Find out more about graduate opportunities at VU.

 Within IHES you may study towards a qualification in your chosen area:

  • business
  • human movement
  • medical and biological sciences
  • nursing and midwifery
  • psychology
  • science
  • social work
  • society and culture
  • sport and recreation.
Study a sports industry embedded PhD or Masters at VU - Transcript

Careers in academia, government and private sector

Following your PhD, you’ll be ready for a research or management career in the private or public sectors, or to become an academic. These are usually high-level roles, and paid accordingly.

Visit Labour Market Insights (government website) for more information about potential salaries as:

Shooting for gold

Shooting for gold

Now working as a research fellow with the Western Bulldogs, Alice Sweeting’s PhD research is helping to give the Australian netball team the edge.

assets/arrow-long Created with Sketch.

Course structure

To attain the Doctor of Philosophy students will be required to complete the below mentioned components consisting of:
-
Required coursework units to a minimum of an average standard of 70% or have approved advanced standing for the unit(s)
- A Research Thesis unit and have had their thesis classified by a Victoria University Academic Review Panel
- Two elective units (ROP8003, ROP8004) are available to post Confirmation of Candidature students to provide doctoral industry internships.

Coursework Units

Thesis Units

Business

Creative Arts

Education

Engineering

Food Science

Human Movement

Information Technology

Law and Justice

Medical and Biological Sciences

Nursing and Midwifery

Psychology

Science

Society and Culture

Sport and Recreation

Elective Units

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. engage in critical reflection, synthesis and evaluation;  
  2. develop, adapt and implement research methodologies to extend and redefine existing knowledge or professional practice;  
  3. disseminate and promote new insights to peers and the community; and  
  4. generate original knowledge and understanding to make a substantial contribution to a discipline or area of professional practice.  

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take and optional elective units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

Admission & pathways

Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.

If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs. We also encourage you to explore our study pathways to help you reach your goal.

Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.

Entry requirements

Completion of an Australian Bachelor Honours Degree (AQF8), or equivalent, in a similar discipline to the proposed research with average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (70% or above on the Victoria University grading scale) for the final year
OR
Completion of an Australian Masters degree (AQF9), or equivalent, in a similar discipline and undertaken by a combination of coursework and a thesis with average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (70% or above on the Victoria University grading scale). The output produced from the thesis must have been undertaken solely by the applicant and examined externally to the supervisory/advisory team, but this need not be external to the University where they completed the degree.
OR
Completion of an Australian Masters research degree (AQF9), or equivalent in a similar discipline with average grades of at least H2A/Distinction (70% or above on the Victoria University grading scale)
OR
Completion of an equivalent combination of academic and research achievements such as relevant industry experience, research experience evidenced by peer review publications or the completion of a high-level research project in a similar discipline to the proposed research deemed to be equivalent to any of the above entry requirements.

There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

Additional information

Coursework is undertaken on the Footscray Park campus.

Credit Calculator

Find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

CALCULATE YOUR CREDIT

How to apply

Available start dates:
  • 1 July 2025

Before you apply

Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:

  • Special admission programs: Depending on your life circumstances you may be eligible for special consideration of your application.
  • Advanced standing: If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.

Find out more about applying for our courses.

Apply direct to VU

Direct applications open 10 February 2025.

Already a VU student?

If you are already a VU student, apply direct to VU using our Admissions centre to transfer into this course. Remember it’s best to be accepted into your new course before withdrawing from your current one.

After you apply

  • It’s important to check for emails from us (which may go to your spam/junk folder).
  • Complete any requests for information by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered

You will need to follow the six steps to becoming a research student.

Contact the Office for Researcher Training, Quality & Integrity on +61 3 9919 4522 or email apply.research@vu.edu.au if you require further information.

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Get help

At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.