Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2012

Schools within the Faculty

School of Accounting:

Head of School: Professor Kamran Ahmed

The School of Accounting is one of the six schools within the Faculty of Law and Management. La Trobe University began offering an accounting program in the mid-seventies and the creation of a separate school reflects the growth and demand for accounting programs over the last 30 years. Currently, we employ 25 academic staff and provide courses for approximately 2400 students.

The School’s undergraduate students study in the Bachelor of Accounting. Postgraduate (coursework) students are enrolled in the Masters of Professional Accounting and the Masters of Accounting and Financial Management. The courses are reputed for high quality and innovative approaches, and the School has strong links with professional bodies and the business community.

Further, it has a significant number of Master and Ph.D students, and offers an excellent research environment for staff and students, including state-of-the-art databases and other support with both qualitative and quantitative research.

School of Economics and Finance:

Head of School: Professor Gary Magee

The School of Economics and Finance has a proud history of quality teaching and research and is consistently ranked amongst the best Schools in the country. Our courses provide students with a range of highly prized financial and economic skills, skills that enable them to stand out from the pack in an increasingly competitive labour market.

A distinctive feature of all our undergraduate and postgraduate courses is the flexibility and choice they offer. In our School, students have the opportunity to specialise in all the main areas of economics and finance. As a result, our graduates are well-rounded, professionally trained, and keenly sought after by employers. The evidence speaks for itself: among our former students, you will find ambassadors, CEOs of major corporations, as well as senior business leaders, politicians, public servants, trade unionists and academics.

The School enrolls students in undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in economics, finance and Islamic finance.

Graduate School of Management

Head of School: Professor Geoffrey Durden

Graduate School of Management a fast growing international reputation for delivering management courses to students. The programs offered are consistent with our aim to provide courses of high academic standards that are attractive to students, are well taught and relevant to the needs of the market place. The Graduate School of Management provides its students with an education in the essential techniques of management, keeping a balance between academic rigour and exposure to a wide variety of experience in commerce, industry, and government, which is a necessity of modern management. The course content has been designed to develop in sequence core skills and abilities, leading up to a specialist stream if desired. Specialist streams include entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, intellectual property management, international monetary economics, management, management information systems, and marketing.

School of Law

Head of School: Professor Jianfu Chen

The School of Law delivers a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate and professional development programs as well as programs designed for international students. In addition to basic law degrees, we deliver opportunities for students to study in multiple disciplines through a series of double degrees.

We believe that, in the contemporary world, it is important that law graduates have an understanding of legal issues from a global perspective. We emphasise hands-on experiences (such as clinical legal education, internship and placement programs), international exposure (such as exchange and short-term study abroad programs), teaching informed by high quality scholarly research, and fostering of inter-personal skills.

Our highly qualified teaching staff are involved in international scholarly activities at the highest level, and research conducted by members of the School is distinguished by its strong commitment to access to justice and its interdisciplinary, global and comparative outlook.

School of Management

Head of Head of School: Dr Terri Joiner

The School of Management which came into existence on the 1st January 2009 combining the academic disciplines of management, marketing, information management, sports, tourism, and hospitality. With around 47 multicultural academic staff, including an outstanding professoriate, the School offers a dynamic learning-focussed environment that nurtures the development of our students to their full potential by fostering excellence in interdisciplinary research and teaching. A strong network of industry partners, a diverse study abroad program and excellent research training at the Masters and Doctoral levels are also key features of the new School.

The School of Management prepares students for exciting and challenging careers in the fields of marketing, management, sport management, human resource management, business information systems, tourism and hospitality. The School contributes heavily to majors and minors in the Bachelor of Business and enrolls students in Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management), Bachelor of Business (Sports Management), Bachelor of Business (Tourism and Hospitality), and Bachelor of Business (Tourism Management) as postgraduate degrees, Master of Tourism and Master of Business Management Information Systems.

Regional School of Business

Head of School: Professor Malcolm Rimmer

The Regional School of Business offers students high-quality courses that will qualify them to pursue a fulfilling professional career in accounting or business. La Trobe University's regional mission expresses a deep commitment towards higher education in northern and central Victoria.

The Regional School of Business supports this by delivering diploma and undergraduate degree qualifications in accounting and general business at four Victorian campuses: Bendigo, Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton and Mildura.

The Regional School of Busines maintains the same quality standards that La Trobe delivers at its metropolitan (Bundoora) campus; provides the opportunity for university study to students from varied educational and social backgrounds; gives students the level of support that can only be provided by outstanding teaching conducted in small classes; and integrates work-experience into study building professional career paths by offering degrees accredited with professional bodies

The Regional School of Business also values research, and has highly qualified staff with a commitment to building research partnerships in their communities. Particular interests of the School are the management of water resources, environmental accounting, and corporate social responsibility.

The Regional School of Business also manages the delivery of La Trobe qualifications through a number of external and offshore locations. These include Hanoi, Montpellier and Sydney.

Subjects offered by the Faculty

For a full description of these subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, students should access the Subject Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.

Research degree regulations

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy is taken by thesis only. Research may be undertaken in any of the disciplines within the Faculty. The program enables candidates to engage in independent research, which should make an original contribution to knowledge. Information about the areas of research in which supervision is currently available can be obtained from the higher degree coordinator in the relevant School in the Faculty or, in the case of interdisciplinary study, from the appropriate program coordinator.

Admission requirements

Students should have:

  • (a) graduated with or qualified for the degree of Master with a dissertation demonstrating an ability to undertake research at doctoral level or
  • (b) graduated with or qualified for an Honours degree at first class or upper second class division with a dissertation demonstrating the ability to undertake research at doctoral level or
  • (c) hold qualifications and/or have demonstrated skills, experience, research, or publications, which in the opinion of the Higher Degrees Committee are considered at least equivalent to, or are a satisfactory substitute for, any of the qualifications described in (a) and (b) above.

A candidate for the degree of Master is eligible to apply for PhD candidature if he or she holds one of the qualifications described above; has completed a substantial proportion of the Masters research (e.g. two thesis chapters), which has been assessed by an independent person as demonstrating the capacity to undertake research at the PhD level; and has been enrolled for the degree of Master for not less than eight months or, if part-time, not less than 12 months and no more than 18 months full-time equivalent.

Further information regarding candidature regulations may be obtained from Research Services, Level 2, David Myers Building, email rgs@latrobe.edu.au or phone (03) 9479 3892.

Masters degrees

The Masters degrees are designed to achieve two ends. As stand-alone degrees they provide the opportunity for well qualified graduates to deepen their knowledge of their discipline area in the process of exploring a substantial research question. The Masters degrees also serve as entry into the PhD program. At that higher level, students will not just be required to demonstrate mastery of their subject matter but also make an original contribution to knowledge. It is possible for students admitted to a Masters degree to transfer directly into the PhD program if they demonstrate the appropriate skills.

Admission requirements

An Honours degree or an equivalent qualification is required.

Course structure

These research degree programs require the submission of a thesis of approximately 50,000 words. A successful thesis might draw on theories and practice related to economics, business, accounting, finance, or cognate disciplines. Prospective candidates should contact the postgraduate coordinator for a list of research topics and the names of prospective supervisors.

Courses and programs offered by the Faculty of Law and Management

Postgraduate Coursework Programs Bundoora
Masters with Honours Bundoora
Research Qualifications Bundoora
Albury-Wodonga
Bendigo
Mildura
Shepparton

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  • Master of Arts (Research)(THMAR)
  • Master of Business (Research)(LMBR)
  • Master of Commerce by Research (LMCR)
  • Master of Economics by Research (LMER)
  • Master of Laws (by research)(LMLR)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (LDPH) (Graduate School of Management)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (LMPHD) (School of Law)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (THPHD)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (LDBA)

Doctor of Juridical Science (LDJDS)

The Doctor of Juridical Science is a research doctorate with a coursework prerequisite that facilitates a higher degree research opportunity for those who hold a Master of Laws by coursework.

Admission requirements

The applicant must have completed the Master of Laws, or equivalent. Those without a completed Masters may be eligible for admission or articulation.

Course structure

The Doctor of Juridical Science is a research doctorate with a required thesis length of 55,000–60,000 words. All coursework must be completed before the thesis is commenced.

Master of Arts (by Research) (THMAR)

Admission requirements

Applicants should have qualified for a Bachelor degree with Honours. Applicants may be accepted with lesser qualifications but with appropriate educational and work experience, though they may be required to undertake some preliminary studies.

Course structure

To qualify for the degree, a candidate must submit a satisfactory thesis of approximately 35,000 to 40,000 words (maximum of 50,000) which (a) shows ability to conduct a research program, (b) demonstrates a command of the knowledge and skills pertinent to the area of investigation, and (c) where appropriate, demonstrates a critical appreciation and understanding of the relationship of his/her own work to that of others.

The period of candidature is normally two years with a maximum of three years full-time, or a maximum of five years part-time.

See University course rules for masters degrees.

Master of Business (Research) – Melbourne (Bundoora) (LMBR)

Admission requirements

A Bachelor degree with at least upper second-class Honours in an appropriate discipline (or equivalent) is required. Admission to the program also depends on the availability of a supervisor who has expertise in the candidate’s chosen area of study.

Course structure

Candidates for this degree undertake a supervised research program leading to the submission of a thesis for examination. This degree can be undertaken in any of the following disciplines: human resource management, management, management information systems, marketing and organisational behaviour.

The length of a Masters thesis is usually 50,000 words, written under the supervision of a qualified academic who is skilled in the area of the study. The course may be taken over one to two years full-time, or 18 months to four years part-time.

See University course rules for masters degrees.

Master of Commerce (Research) – Melbourne (Bundoora) (LMCR)

Admission requirements

Proposal pending University approval.

A Bachelor degree with Honours (or equivalent) in an accounting or cognate area. With consent of the postgraduate coordinator, applicants may be accepted with a Bachelor degree (or equivalent) but with a professional qualification in accounting or two years accounting related work experience, though there may be requirement for some preliminary studies. Admission to the program also depends on the availability of a supervisor who has expertise in the candidate’s chosen area.

Course structure

Candidates for this degree undertake a supervised research program leading to the submission of a thesis for examination. This degree can be undertaken in accounting and finance.

The length of a Masters thesis is usually 50,000 words, written under the supervision of a qualified academic who is skilled in the area of the study. The course may be taken over one to three years full-time.

See University course rules for masters degrees.

Master of Economics (Research) – Melbourne (Bundoora) (LMER)

Admission requirements

A Bachelor degree with at least upper second-class Honours in an appropriate discipline (or equivalent) is required. Admission to the program also depends on the availability of a supervisor who has expertise in the candidate’s chosen area.

Course structure

Candidates for this degree undertake a supervised research program leading to the submission of a thesis for examination. Areas of study include any area of economics and finance.

The length of a Masters thesis is usually 50,000 words, written under the supervision of a qualified academic who is skilled in the area of the study. The course may be taken over one to three years full-time.

See University course rules for masters degrees.

Master of Laws (LMLR)

See University course rules for masters degrees.