Colin Arrowsmith RMIT University School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences Melbourne, Australia Ali Demirci Fatih University, Department of Geography, İstanbul-Turkey
The aim The content Material and Method Challenges Literature Rapidly changing structure of geography departments and programs Research team What have we achieved so far? What will we do next? What will be presented today? Canberra, the capital of Australia
The world's sixth-largest country by (7,617,930 km2 ) The federation, established in 1901, comprises six states The population of 22.9 million is heavily concentrated in the eastern states and is highly urbanized. It is a highly developed country, with the world s 13th largest economy It has the world s fifth-highest per capita income (40 thousands US dollar)
Education in Australia includes primary education (primary schools), secondary education (secondary schools/high schools) and tertiary education (universities and/or TAFE colleges). The Australian education system was ranked as 6th for reading, 7th for science, and 9th for mathematics in 2010 among 56 countries (PISA, Program for International Student Assessment). There are 41 universities, of which 37 are public institutions, 2 are private, and 2 are Australian branches of overseas universities. University of Sydney, the first university, established in Australia in 1850
Higher education includes the following groups Certificate, Diploma, and Associate Degrees: takes 1 or 2 years, primarily offered by TAFEs and include coursework Bachelors degrees: Takes 3 to 4 years, primarily coursework Masters degrees: takes 1 or 2 years, consist either of research, coursework, or a mixture of the two. Doctorates (Ph.D.), admission generally requires either a Bachelor s degree with good honours (First Class or Second Class Division), or a Masters degree with a research component. Most Australian universities offer several different named degrees per a faculty for mainly marketing purposes. http://www.qut.edu.au/study/phds-and-research-degrees/professional-doctorates
The PhD was introduced in 1948 in Australia The dominant approach to PhD education adopted in Australia (and New Zealand) was similar to that which emerged in the United Kingdom in the early twentieth century. Responding to the rapid growth in doctoral education in Australia, Australian scholars in particular have shown a strengthening interest in its research and scholarship, especially since the early 1990s. Government-funded reports on doctoral education Conferences on doctoral education (for example, the Quality in Postgraduate Research conferences, the Professional Doctorate conferences, etc.) Special issues of journals (for example, the Australian Universities' Review (38, 2 & 43, 2) (Terry et. al., 2003) Winner Hossein Mokhtarzadeh 3 minute thesis/phd research excellence Melbourne School of Graduate Research The competition challenged PhD, Masters by Research, Professional Doctorate and Masters of Philosophy candidates to explain their thesis project to a lay audience in just three minutes. (Terry et. al., 2003)
Currently (2003) there are 31,140 students enrolled in doctorates by research. PhD graduates have varying employment outcomes so that the PhD is no longer seen only as an apprenticeship for being a university academic (Thomson, and others 2001). A total of 131 professional doctorate programs are offered by 35 of the forty Australian universities. Professional doctorates are rapidly emerging in the fields of education, health, psychology and business (McWilliam & others, 2002). The total number of PhD awarded in 1950 was only eight, the number reached 97 in 1960, 584 in 1970, 836 in 1980, 1367 in 1990, and 3247 in 2000. (Terry et. al., 2003) (Terry et. al., 2003)
Australian higher education has experienced substantial change since the early1980s, with a transition to mass higher education, closer alignment to national political objectives, increasing Federal Government control, a growing emphasis on 'quality' and 'value for money', and organisational restructuring with manifestations ranging from the creation of the Unified National System to the merger or closure of individual departments. Geography has already been much affected by restructuring pressures, including above-average growth in teaching loads and threats to its disciplinary identity because of internal reorganisation of many universities. (Rich, et al., 1997)
Geography as a discipline has a long and well documented history in Australia. Geography emerged more than 75 years ago with the first Professor of Geography in Australia, Griffith Taylor, being appointed at Sydney University in 1925. (Harvey et al., 2002) Geography has already been much affected by restructuring pressures, including above-average growth in teaching loads and threats to its disciplinary identity because of internal reorganisation of many universities. (Rich, et al., 1997) Restructuring of geography departments began in the late 1980s. The nature of the linkage varied and included full mergers (an amalgamation of distinct units which had formal status), transfers (relocation of a group comprising only part of a unit or a unit which has been downgraded or disbanded), or initiatives (an initiative undertaken within an existing unit). (Harvey et al., 2002) Thomas Griffith Taylor, (1880-1963) The controversial issue of Geography mergers has been discussed at several national Geography conferences and in many journals.
Departments of Geography in the pre-1987 universities have generally moved into science or built environment-based units where funding levels per student are more generous. The situation is starkly different in the post-1987 universities. Geography failed to establish a significant disciplinary presence and identity in these institutions. Only five of the universities opened after 1987 offering minor or major courses in geography. it would appear that Geography programs in post-1987 universities have been closing at the approximate rate of one per year. I would therefore contend that Geographers are now, if anything, even more invisible than Geography, certainly in the post-1987 universities and quite possibly throughout the Australian university system. (Jones, 2002). While there have been mergers and collaborations with a number of disciplines (Planning, Geology, Geographic Information Systems, etc.), the most prevalent and strongest linkages have been with Environmental departments, many of which were created in the 1970s to meet a perceived demand for a broader approach to environmental education which was not being provided by departments of Geography. (Terry et. al., 2003) By the late 1990s a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and course programs was taught within the merged schools or departments. (Harvey et al., 2002) Geography has generally been offered as part of a general degree program, rather than as a named disciplinary course.
Of the 15 former stand-alone Geography Departments in the pre-1987 universities, only two, at the Universities of New South Wales and Western Australia continue with the single-title of Geography; and their status was changing in 2001. Mergers and transfers have been occurring persistently since 1987, but with some increase in tempo since 1994, 3 actions per year between 1994 and 2000. In its new multidisciplinary format within Australian universities, Geography faces an uncertain future. (Holmes, 2002) It is true that there is no longer an independent, united school of geography at any university in Australia. Whether a help or a hindrance, some universities (10 in all) have retained geography in amalgamated unit names. There is a simple but important point to remember: that geography still exists in a formal manner in at least 23 of Australia s 30-old universities. (Gibson, 2007). As John Connell, Professor of Geography at University of Sydney wryly commented, the world has discovered geography, but apparently not geographers (personal communication,15 September 2006). (Gibson, 2007).
The Geography Departments Worldwide website provides links to twenty-one geography sites in Australia (the current situation) Only seven of these sites have a working link. See the programs below. James Cook Univ. (Earth and Environmental Sciences) Mohash Unv. (School of Geography and Environmental Science) University of Adelaide (Geography, Environmen and Population) The University of Gueensland (School of Geography and Environmental Management) University of Tasmania (School of Geography and Environmental Studies) University of Wollongong (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences) Human Geography is in the Social Sciences, Law, Education, Politics, Sociology and Indigenous Studies category: this covers 20 named disciplines/interdisciplinary research areas Physical geography is mainly included in Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences which covers Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Oceanography, Hydrology, Atmospheric Sciences, Other Earth Sciences. (Johnston, 2006)
Postgraduate education in Geography in Australia is at two levels. There are research degrees calling only for a thesis to be written (at master s level but mostly PhD) or coursework programmes awarding a master s degree which require 1 2 years of full-time study following a 3-year bachelor s degree. For research degree students (mostly PhDs), Geography programmes themselves provide no formal training or sessions for students about future careers or approaching either the academic or non-academic job markets. Rather, the apprenticeship model prevails with students working under the primary tutelage of a single advisor or in some cases co-advisors the idea being that research students will probably be interested in academic employment, even though it is hard to find, so they should emulate their supervisors research practice, whilst focusing on their own research. For students in master s coursework programmes some vocational sessions or more likely organized internships may be offered in which students spend time working in employment placements. However, they are not run for or by geographers but rather are centrally offered and designed. (Fincher, 2012).
Geography programmes for postgraduates are not growing in Australian universities. Indeed, the preparation of postgraduate geographers is as likely to be occurring under the banner of Environmental Studies as it is in the name of Geography, especially in coursework master s or certificate programmes such as the Master of Sustainability (Monash University) or in other collaborations, such as the one with anthropologists at Macquarie University (Master in Development Studies and Cultural Change). Certificate programmes have also been introduced in some institutions, for example, the Graduate Certificate in Applied Population Studies and Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems at Flinders University). (Fincher, 2012)
How many postgraduate geography programs are available in Australia? We have been checking all the postgraduate programs in all the Australian universities through their webpages. The programs having the word geography in their names were taken into account in this study. We have checked 23 universities out of 41 so far and found out that: 5 Ph.D. programs are available in four universities 8 Masters (Research) in 5 universities, 1 Masters (Coursework) in 1 university, 2 Graduate Diploma in 2 universities, and 1 certificate in 1 program. The list of Australian Universities http://www.australian-universities.com/list/
Since there are frequent structural changes, universities usually publish handbooks every year to inform students about all the programs undergraduate and postgraduate. Handbooks, which are mainly available online, include all the programs offered in universities and give details such as requirements for admission. Requirements for admission in postgraduate programs may change from program to program. Masters Research Programs usually seek honours degree in an appropriate field or equivalent performance in a Higher Degree Qualifying Program or Graduate Diploma by research. Australian Defence Force Academy Faculty of Science Masters Research Program in Geography Program Description Applicants should contact the School before applying for admission in order to identify a research field and a potential academic supervisor. Details of the research interests of academic staff and research fields within the School can be found under Staff and Research. The regulations governing Masters (Research) degrees are available in the Science Handbook, Conditions for the Award of Degrees. Entrance Requirements: Honours degree (Class 2/1 or first class) in an appropriate field or equivalent performance in a Higher Degree Qualifying Program or Graduate Diploma by research. Duration of Course: The normal enrolment period is 2 years (4 academic sessions) for full time students..
Monash University Faculty of Arts School of Geography & Environmental Science Doctor of Philosophy The minimum qualifications for admission to PhD candidature are: 1. A four year Australian or New Zealand bachelors degree with an overall result of H2A or above (normally with a research component in the fourth year) or 2. An Australian or New Zealand masters preliminary qualification with a significant research component and with an overall result of H2A or above or 3. etc. Ph.D. Programs do not usually offer courses. Ph.Ds usually last for 4 to 5 years. Many universities accept online applications. However, personal contact is necessary at faculties to make sure there is a place and possibility of acceptance at academic units. Every six month candidates should present their findings and take acceptance. The minimum entrance requirements to the university a) Identifying an appropriate faculty contact. b) An official certified transcript of academic record, c) Details of published papers, if any d) Details of any experience since graduation e) Evidence of any financial or scholarship support already offered to you f) Brief research proposal g) Having an agreeming with your prospective academic unit that there is a place for you in the department s research program. Later an invitation will be sent to candidate to complete the application. h) Special conditions my be put forward by the academic unit. i) It is an 100% research program and last for four years.
The study is still going on. The final paper is going to be prepared with more examples and statistical data. New contents will also be added. Although geography programs have been affected from the structural changes within universities, postgraduate studies are still strong in many universities although they are offered under different names in different faculties or schools. Postgraduate geography programs are mainly research oriented so the programs do not offer courses, but require students to prepare a thesis or dissertation. Many good lessons can be derived from Australian examples to discuss about the Turkish system with a focus on how students apply to and accepted by the programs, how students work with their supervisor(s) and defend their thesis/dissertation.
Questions? Comments? Øæ?