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Transport & Logistics

Postgraduate Research

With so many exciting and important themes available to research and the general shortage of well-trained researchers in transport and logistics, ITLS always encourages inquiries. The Institute invites individuals with strong interests in higher level research to contact us. ITLS has a large number of research themes which we believe would make an excellent research program. These can range from highly quantitative to highly qualitative research topics with a focus on basic and applied research. ITLS has the largest group of postgraduate students in transport and logistics management in Australia. Our research students become close members of ITLS and have open access to research facilities and internationally renowned academic staff in transport and logistics. Facilities for research students at ITLS are excellent. Each student has an individual work area, with full access to computers, printing, photocopying and fax facilities. Students also have access to the ITLS resource collection including leading transport journals, data and other material.

Research areas

Master / Doctor of Philosophy

Applicants for a PhD will normally be admitted to the MPhil degree in the first instance and be on probation for one year (see below). Direct admission to the PhD will be available only in exceptional circumstances. It is expected that students admitted to the MPhil degree, who wish to pursue a PhD will spend one year as an MPhil student (two years if studying part time), before becoming eligible to have their status changed to PhD. Admission to the MPhil/PhD program is competitive and open to students with excellent academic records. The number of places available for doctoral study is limited. You may apply for admission if you have a Masters degree, or Bachelors degree with Honours. Some students have completed the Master of Transport and/or Logistics Management degree, but this is not a prerequisite.

Probationary period

There is a probationary period of 12 months for full time and 24 months for part time candidates. During this first year, while registered as an MPhil student, the student will be expected to register for up to six units of coursework (three units per year for part time students). These units will include the Research Design unit offered by the Faculty, and will include other units from the postgraduate coursework offerings of ITLS and elsewhere in the University, as determined by the Supervisor and the ITLS Postgraduate Research Coordinator. It is expected that the student will achieve an average of between a Distinction and a High Distinction in the coursework units that are taken in this year. During this year, the student will prepare a thesis research proposal. We require a thesis topic defence at nine months for full time and 18 months for part time students. If the defence is unsatisfactory, there is a second and final defence three months later (six months for part time). Satisfactory completion of the coursework and satisfactory presentation of the thesis proposal are requirements for the ending of probationary study and transfer to PhD enrolment. A student who is unable to meet these requirements will normally be recommended to continue to complete an MPhil degree.

Current students

View the Doctoral Program page

Further information

Contacts

The Research Student Administration Coordinator is the first point of contact for all prospective and current research students. For specialist advice on the scholarly aspects of your intended research please contact the ITLS Postgraduate Research Coordinators, Professor Peter Stopher p.stopher@itls.usyd.edu.au or Dr Ada Suk-Fung Ng a.ng@itls.usyd.edu.au.