Milestones

Why milestones?

Milestones are important because they:

1. Support student progress
2. Provide an opportunity for structured feedback
3. Develop skills in presenting your research
4. Provide an opportunity to address issues before they become a problem

Milestone requirements

Your milestone panel will be made up of a convenor (usually the department Graduate Coordinator) and at least two independent academic staff. Your supervisors will also attend. You should discuss potential panel members with your supervisor well in advance of your milestones.

Candidates in the Department of Fine Art should also discuss with their supervisor if they wish to invite guests to their milestone, or to record a milestone conducted on Zoom. These requests will need to be sent to the panel chair in advance who will discuss the requests with the panel members.

There are two elements for each milestone:

1. Verbal presentation of research progress to an academic panel. You will need to make a 20-minute oral presentation (open to academia and the public) on the research project, with emphasis on a discussion of the research question and methodology. The oral presentation should explore the research undertaken to date and anticipated future research program directions.
2. Documentation – draft chapter & summary progress report, images of visual work. Documentation includes:

• 1000-word (approx.) summary report including:
  1. project title & abstract;
  2. brief chapter outline or project plan;
  3. discussion of the research question;
  4. concise summary of project progress and/or issues to date including an overview studio work (completed or in progress, for studio-based candidates);
  5. bibliography; and
  6. time-line to completion
• Draft Exegesis chapter (3000 words approx. for practice-based, 5000 words for thesis-only mode candidates)
• Images of studio work (practice-based mode only)
• Evidence of progress towards completing coursework requirements or Monash Doctoral Program professional development activities (as applicable to the mode of enrolment)
• Any other specific requirements identified and communicated to the candidate by the Department in which the candidate is enrolled

Both oral and written components should incorporate:

• Title of research report/thesis
• Statement of the research question:
  1. research question or hypothesis
  2. subsidiary questions
  3. review of relevant research and theory
• Method of Inquiry
  1. theoretical and conceptual framework
  2. analytical techniques and research design
  3. the relationship between practical and critical components within the overall project

Milestone Timeline

• Masters visual timeline
• PhD visual timeline

If you are studying part-time, dates are adjusted pro-rata. The MADA Graduate Research Office schedules milestone presentations.