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3 Years
On campus, Online, Blended
Full time / Part time / On campus / Online / Blended · 10 hours of study per week; three hours facilitated and seven self-directed
01 Jun 2026 | 14 Sep 2026
Course Overview
Where You Can Study
Sydney
1 Chambers Rd, Leura, NSW 2780
Eligibility
Applicants with formal study – Direct Entry:
Applicants with work and life experience:
International students – English Language Proficiency:
Career & Study Pathways
Quality & Recognition
Academic Regulator
TEQSA
Accreditation Status
AccreditedCourse Content
Critical Literature Review
Students learn practical planning, searching, recording, analysing, interrogating and writing skills for conducting a literature review. Develops mastery in identifying research gaps from the literature to establish future research directions, culminating in a project statement.
Developing the Research Proposal
Develops foundations of research, critical problem solving and evidence-based decision-making skills. Students understand the core structure of the research proposal and gain skills to communicate in a structured project proposal capturing emergent propositions.
Methodology and Research Design
Builds methodological literacy for higher degree research. Covers advanced topics in qualitative and quantitative research methodology and research design, resulting in the project research design.
Preliminary Research Thesis
Provides students with skills for planning, conducting, analysing and reporting for a research project, including responsible conduct of research and ethical review. Students report their project in a preliminary independent short thesis.
Research Communication
Provides essential skills and conventions of academic writing, authorship, research communication and dissemination of research outcomes. Develops skills in constructing arguments and different types of publication formats.
Leading Research Innovation and Commercialisation
Develops a business case for commercialisation of an idea resulting from the student's own research. Focuses on building traits of entrepreneurial leadership for research and innovation and translating knowledge into commercial products or services.
Qualitative Research Methods
Students develop core knowledge and skills for designing qualitative research including collecting, analysing, interpreting, and presenting qualitative data. Topics include ethnography, observation, case studies, focus groups, interviews, and participatory action research.
Qualitative Research Methods for Public Health
Designed to make students conceptually clear about the need for and importance of qualitative research in public health and capable of conducting qualitative research projects in real-life settings.
Biostatistics
Addresses the application and interpretation of statistics in public health research and practice, including descriptive methodologies, statistical inference and probability, analysis of variance, and simple linear regression.
Statistics and Applied Analytics
Covers essential techniques such as descriptive statistics, distributions, machine learning, and recommendation systems. Students apply statistical techniques to different datasets using various tools to perform analysis and reporting.
Thesis Unit 1
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 2
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 3
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 4
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 5
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 6
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 7
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 8
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 9
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 10
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 11
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 12
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 13
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 14
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 15
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Thesis Unit 16
Focuses on substantial writing for thesis and analysis for the thesis project. Students demonstrate high-level skills in independent research and written expression with original input into the thesis project.
Common Questions
The Professional Doctorate (Research) comprises eight subjects and 16 thesis units, requiring 10 hours of study per week (three hours facilitated and seven self-directed). It is delivered both on campus and online, and there are no formal exams — assessments may include activity-based assignments or online quizzes.
The course streams include leadership, innovation, technology, policy and governance, and change management applied in your chosen professional sector. Students are required to provide an Expression of Interest including professional experience and their stream of interest as part of the initial application.
The first step is to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to HDR@torrens.edu.au along with supporting documentation including official certified copies of all academic transcripts, proof of citizenship, and evidence of English Language Proficiency if applicable. If the EOI is approved, a two-page Research Proposal will be requested. The Research Proposal should further develop the research idea and proposed methodology.
Yes, Torrens University Australia offers partial scholarships for both international and domestic students undertaking HDR. Prospective students are encouraged to discuss these options with admissions on application or email HDR@torrens.edu.au for more information.
International applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency with an IELTS 7.0 (Academic) with skills band no less than 6.5, or an equivalent score in TOEFL, CAE, or PTE.
Application
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Step 03
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