School of Psychology and Counselling PhD Scholarship 2014 1. BACKGROUND This scholarship will be awarded to a student of exceptional research potential undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) PhD at (QUT). The scholarship is provided to assist with general living costs. An excellent doctoral candidate with a psychology background and a demonstrated interest in language is sought to undertake research as part of an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant project. The project aims to investigate barriers to effective and equitable healthcare that result from linguistic differences between health practitioners and patients. The project is an international collaboration between Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of Queensland, and Concordia University (Montreal, Canada). Miscommunication in the health sector can have serious implications. Such miscommunication may be even more likely between people who do not speak the same language. Increasingly, people using the healthcare system, including health practitioners, do not speak the same language. To minimise the frequency of such miscommunication, it is imperative to understand how it arises. This research examines the nature of communication in healthcare settings where patients and/or health practitioners speak a language other than English as their first language. The successful candidate will focus on one area of research within the broader project, working in collaboration with the project team. The PhD student will be hosted at the, Kelvin Grove. This project will provide the student with an ideal foundation for future research pursuits within psychology, linguistics, communication or health services. 2. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 2.1. Basic Eligibility Requirements 2.1.1 Both domestic and international students are welcome to apply for this PhD Scholarship. 2.1.2 To be eligible for this award, a student must: 2.1.2.1 have completed a Bachelor Degree with Honours 1 or 2A, or meet QUT s requirements for Honours 1 or 2A Equivalence (see Section 2.2 below); and 2.1.2.2 be enrolled or have been accepted into a higher degree research course (PhD) at QUT, with a commencement date no earlier than 1 January 2014; and 2.1.2.3 be enrolled as a full-time student; and 2.1.2.4 not already have completed a degree at the same level or at a higher level as the proposed candidature; and 2.1.2.5 not normally be receiving an equivalent award, scholarship or salary providing a benefit greater that 75% of the scholarship stipend rate. Income earned from sources unrelated to the course of study is not subject to the 75% rule. 1 P age
2.2 Equivalent attainment to bachelor with Honours 1 or 2A Honours 2.2.1 If a student does not hold a Bachelor degree with Honours 1 or 2A, then QUT may determine that the student has demonstrated an equivalent level of academic attainment. In determining that a student has demonstrated an equivalent level of academic attainment, QUT may consider previous study, relevant work experience, research publications, referees reports and other research experience. Please refer to Appendix 1 for a list of criteria considered by QUT to be equivalent to H1 and H2A levels. 3. APPLICATION PROCESS Prospective students are asked to follow a two stage process: 4. SELECTION PROCESS Step 1: Contact Associate Professor Renata Meuter to discuss the proposed research project topic and eligibility before 7 th March 2014. r.meuter@qut.edu.au Phone (61) 7 3138 4641 Step 2: Apply for admission to QUT by 14 th March 2014 (refer to http://www.qut.edu.au/study/applying/phd-and-research-degree-applications). QUT maintains a research scholarship selection policy which accords with these Rules and the fairness requirements in Subdivision 19-D of Part 2-1 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003. The Committee deciding upon this scholarship will select a student in accordance with this policy. 5. VALUE AND PAYMENT OF AWARD 5.1. The PhD Scholarship carries a rate of $AUD 27, 651.00 (full time rate, tax exempt) paid in the form of a fortnightly stipend. QUT reserves the right to review the stipend rate annually. 5.2. This award does not provide a relocation or thesis allowance. 5.3. International recipients of the Scholarship will, subject to approval of the QUT, be awarded a QUT HDR Tuition Fee Sponsorship for the duration of their course. 6. DURATION OF SCHOLARSHIP 6.1. The maximum period of tenure for a PhD Scholarship shall be 3 years full-time. The PhD Scholarship will not be extended. 7. CONDITIONS OF SCHOLARSHIP 7.1. Ongoing Eligibility Satisfactory progress in the course of enrolment is a requirement for ongoing eligibility for the PhD Scholarship. QUT monitor students progress through Annual Progress Reports, timely completion of degree milestones, and performance in coursework requirements. 7.2 Transfer of award The PhD Scholarship is only for study at QUT and cannot be transferred. 2 P age
7.3 Leave Entitlements 7.3.1 Students are entitled to receive up to 20 working days paid recreation leave and 10 working days paid sick leave for each year of the PhD Scholarship. These leave entitlements may be accrued over the life of the PhD Scholarship but will be forfeited when the PhD Scholarship is terminated. These leave entitlements can be taken at any time within the term of the award by agreement with the supervisor and do not require RDC approval or notification. Milestone dates will not be adjusted and satisfactory progress must be maintained. All leave must be managed so that it has no adverse impact on the satisfactory completion of your course. 7.3.2 Paid sick, maternity or partner/carer leave is not provided under this award. 7.4 Employment 7.4.1 Domestic students may undertake work outside their PhD study to the approval of QUT. International students may undertake work consistent with the conditions of their student visa and subject to the approval of QUT prior to undertaking such work. 7.4.2 A full time student in receipt of a PhD Scholarship is required to commit to their course of study not less than 30 hours per week, during the normal working week. With the approval of the supervisory panel and Head of School in which the course of study is being undertaken (following the advice of the principal supervisor), the student may engage in a limited amount of part-time employment provided that such employment does not interfere with the course of study. Students, therefore, are allowed to undertake between 8 to 10 hours during the normal working week. 7.4.3 The supervisory panel will report on the amount of part-time employment during the normal working week in the Annual Progress Report. 7.4.4 There is no limit on how much income an award holder can receive from part-time work which is not related to the research topic. 7.4.5 QUT reserves the right to terminate the award of any recipient whose progress, as a result of additional work undertaken, is not satisfactory. 7.4.6 QUT will not approve a student undertaking work unless it is satisfied that the work will not interfere with the student s PhD study. 7.5 Termination of award 7.5.1 QUT may terminate an award if: 7.5.1.1 after due enquiry, it concludes that the candidate has not satisfied the eligibility criteria; or 7.5.1.2 after consulting a candidate s supervisors and having taken account of all relevant circumstances, the Committee is of the opinion that: 7.5.1.3 the candidate has effectively discontinued his/her studies or has changed course or project and is no longer aligned to the specific ARC Discovery grant research priorities; or 7.5.1.4 the candidate is making unsatisfactory progress in the course of study; or 7.5.1.5 the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the offer of the award and no suitable alternative arrangements can be made for continuation of the postgraduate degree; or 3 P age
7.5.1.6 the candidate has committed serious misconduct including, but not limited to, the provision of false or misleading information (see section 7.6); or 7.5.1.7 the student ceases to be a full-time student 7.5.1.8 the scholarship recipient accepts another equivalent award, scholarship or salary to undertake their research higher degree. 7.5.2 If an award is terminated it cannot be re-activated unless the termination occurred in error. 7.5.3 The award shall terminate when the soft-bound thesis is lodged with the Research Students Centre for external examination, or at the end of the scholarship, whichever is earlier, or upon the death, incapacity, resignation or withdrawal of the student. 7.6 Provision of False or Misleading Information If QUT knows or has reason to believe that a student in receipt of a PhD Scholarship has provided false or misleading information to QUT in relation to the PhD Scholarship, QUT will immediately re-assess the student s entitlement to the PhD Scholarship. 8 MISCELLANEOUS 8.1 Overpayment of a scholarship If, in the opinion of QUT, a student has been overpaid any part of a PhD Scholarship entitlement (either through the failure of the student to comply with these Rules or for any other reason), the student will be required to repay the full amount of the overpayment, without deduction within thirty days of being requested to do so by QUT. 8.2 Appeals Students have the right to appeal against decisions made by QUT in relation to this PhD Scholarship. In the event of a dispute arising, the student should first approach his or her supervisor who will then direct the student through the appropriate channels within QUT. The Research Degrees Committee has the authority to hear appeals from applicants who consider that their application has been incorrectly assessed. Appeals can only be heard against process issues and not against committee decisions or assessor ratings and comments. 8.3 Contacts For enquiries about the project and to submit an expression of interest, please contact Assoc. Prof Renata Meuter: Assoc. Prof Renata Meuter Head of School, School of Psychology and Counselling, Kelvin Grove Campus Ph: (61) 7-3138 4641 Email: r.meuter@qut.edu.au For enquiries related to the application process and entry requirements, please contact the Faculty of Health Research Services: Dr Jessica Harriden Senior Research Services Officer Tel: +61 7 3138 8290 Email: health.research@qut.edu.au 4 P age
Appendix 1: Criteria for achieving H2A or H1 equivalence Equivalent Honours Level Criteria First Class Honours (H1) Upper Second Class (H2A) A completed degree comparable to the educational level of an Australian Honours degree in the First Class (H1) 1 A completed degree comparable to the educational level of an Australian Research Master 2 A current doctoral enrolment with a timely 3 Confirmation of Candidature or a timely 3 Articulation from a Research Master At least one: (i) Sole or first authored: o refereed 4 article in a scholarly journal (HERDC C1); or o refereed 4, full written conference publication (HERDC E1); or o authored or scholarly research book or book chapter (HERDC A1, A2 or B); or o commissioned and peer reviewed 4 creative works, or refereed exhibition of creative artefacts (HERDC J1 or J2); OR (ii) Refereed creative or design work that has received respected public/industry reviews in state or national/international media; OR (iii) Creative or design work that is the recipient of a grant from authorised philanthropic trusts and/or state and federal arts funding body. A completed degree comparable to the educational level of an Australian Honours degree in the Upper Second Class (H2A) 1 A completed Coursework Master with greater than 25% research and an overall GPA of at least 5.0 on a 7-point scale A current doctoral enrolment with a non-timely 3 Confirmation of Candidature or Articulation from Research Master A current doctoral enrolment with a completed Stage 2 milestone 1 For the purpose of QUT s admission and scholarship assessment process, the degree being awarded the honours level must be assessed as comparable to an AQF Bachelor Honours Degree. QUT uses Australian Education international s National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) and the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK-NARIC) to assist in determining comparability to Australian qualifications. 2 AQF definition of a research degree requires it to contain a minimum of 2/3 (two thirds) research. 3 For the purpose of QUT s admission and scholarship assessment process, a timely doctoral confirmation of candidature and articulation is one that is completed within one month of the due date as stipulated within QUT doctoral policy). 4 An acceptable peer review or referee process is one that involves an assessment or review of the research publication in its entirety by independent, qualified experts before publication. Independent in this context means independent of the author. (2012 Higher Education Research Data Collection Specifications, C/9.6, www.innovation.gov.au/research/researchblockgrants/documents/2012herdcspecifications.pdf) Where QUT believes an applicant demonstrates higher research capability than their Honours Equivalence score allocates, an Honours Equivalence or Incomplete Degree Argument form can be submitted for consideration by the Research Degrees Committee Chair. 5 P age