Research Progress and Candidature

Your candidature is the time you spend enrolled in your research degree. During your candidature you will complete a number of progress milestones on your way to submitting your thesis.

Candiature includes:

1. Enrolment and induction
2. Coursework (if required)
3. Confirmation
4. Mid-candidature review (Doctorate only)
5. Pre-submission review
6. Submission and Examiniation
7. Award of Degree

During your time as a graduate researcher, there will be set points in candidature where you meet with your Progress Committee to assess your research progress. These moments are known as Progress Milestones.

There are two Milestones for Master’s by Research degrees (Confirmation and Pre-submission review), while for doctoral degrees there is also a mid-candidature review . These Milestones are governed by the Graduate Research Progress Policy.

Oral presentation

For all milestones an oral presentation is required. Giving an oral presentation is a great way to develop presentation skills and get feedback from a wider audience on your research. Your oral presentation must

• be 20 to 40 minutes in length
• take place at an appropriate La Trobe University forum
• be attended by at least one member of your Progress Committee.

Milestone: Confirmation (Masters and Doctoral Candidates)

Confirmation of Candidature is an important milestone where your Progress Committee meets with you to review

• your Progress Report
• your research proposal or plan (or similar description of your research if proposals are not usual in your discipline e.g. some creative arts), including your goals to be achieved by the Mid-Candidature review
• an update on your progress regarding any required coursework or clinical placements
• written work appropriate to your research project that demonstrates your ability to write at an appropriate level for the degree, for example a literature review, draft methodology chapter, or draft publication
• any additional disciplinary requirements.

Milestone: Mid-Candidature Review (Doctoral Candidates only)

Your Mid-Candidature Review is a milestone where you present your research progress to date and receive formal feedback from your Progress Committee to ensure your research is on track. You will need to submit

• a Progress Report outlining your progress against the goals you have previously set with your Progress Committee
• an updated research plan which includes a summary of the intended outline of your thesis or in the case of a practice-led thesis, the creative component and exegesis or critical component
• drafts of thesis, exegesis, or critical component chapters or publications, and, for practice-based research, a visual, creative or other record of your progress with any artefacts
• any additional disciplinary requirements.

Milestone: Pre-Submission Review (Masters and Doctoral Candidates)

Your Pre-Submission Review is an important milestone where your Progress Committee assesses your research progress to see whether you are on track for submission. You will need to submit

• a final Progress Report

• a substantial draft of your thesis or in the case of a practice-led thesis, the creative component and exegesis or critical component

• a visual, creative or other record of progress with any artefacts for practice-based research.

Progress Milestones are powerful tools to help shape your research plan. They can help you

• set achievable goals throughout your candidature
• identify achievements against recommendations from a previous milestone
• be clear on your research integrity and compliance requirements.

At a Milestone, you will meet with your Progress Committee to formally assess your research progress in a milestone meeting. These meetings will help you to

• get feedback on your research progress
• ensure that you are on the right track to success
• discuss appropriate support early if you are experiencing difficulties.

After a milestone meeting, your Progress Committee complete will assess whether your progress is ‘satisfactory’ or ‘at risk’.

If your project is at risk, you and your Progress Committee will determine what support you will need to get your research back on track and have a second attempt at completing the milestone.

When your milestones are due depends on your degree and on your individual trajectory. You can access the relevant information related to milestone meetings in MyOverview at any time. Log in via our MyOverview login page.

Three months before your milestone is due, you will receive a reminder email containing a link to your Progress Report form. You will need to outline your research progress to date in your Progress Report and arrange a time to meet with your Progress Committee.

You are able to postpone milestones under certain conditions.

Your Expected Work Submission Date (EWSD) is the date by which your thesis must be submitted. Your maximum completion date typically corresponds with your maximum period of funded candidature and it is the date that your EWSD may be extended to, such as following any postponement to your milestones.

As part of your induction, you and your supervisor will design a research plan that makes submitting your thesis by the Expected Work Submission Date an achievable goal.

If you fail to submit your work by the Maximum Completion Date, your candidature will be lapsed.

Make sure to meet regularly with your supervisor and your Progress Committee to ensure that you have all the support you need to complete your degree on time.

Throughout your candidature you will have regular milestone meetings with your Progress Committee where you will report on your research progress. Your Progress Committee is there to:

• support your work, provide feedback and help solve problems
• comment on progress reports and written work
• offer other forms of advice and support.

Who is on my Progress Committee?

Your Progress Committee will consist of all members of your supervisory team and a committee chair. Your Progress Committee chair must be independent, meaning that they cannot have any direct involvement in your research.

An additional independent member, who may be external to your department, school or University can also be appointed if appropriate.

How and when is my Progress Committee appointed?

Your Progress Committee should be established within the first three months after your enrolment and the details entered on your induction checklist.

As you complete your induction checklist, discuss the membership of your Progress Committee with your supervisor and Graduate Research Coordinator. Before confirming the members of your Progress Committee’s members, your Graduate Research Coordinator will consult with you, your supervisors and your nominated chair to see if:

• you want to nominate anyone as an independent member
• there are any known or potential conflicts of interest.

Once you submit your checklist, your progress committee membership will be approved by your Graduate Research Coordinator and then their details entered in the system by the Graduate Research School.

If you have any concerns about the membership of your Progress Committee, speak with your Graduate Research Coordinator or your School's Director of Graduate Research.

During your research candidature, there will be set points in candidature where your Progress Committee will meet with you to assess your research progress. These meetings are known as milestone meetings. After you complete your milestone meeting, your Progress Committee Chair will send a report to the GRS detailing your research progress.

What do I need to do before a milestone meeting?

Three months before the due date of a Progress Report, you will receive an email with a link to your Progress Report, information on the requirements for your upcoming milestone and what to do if you have concerns about your progress.

If you feel ready for your milestone meeting, you are expected to

• get in touch with your supervisor and progress committee and organise a time for the meeting
• give an oral presentation of your research at an appropriate La Trobe University forum
• complete a Progress Report through the online agreements system.

A Progress Report is an online form that you will need to complete before your milestone meeting. The form content will outline what work you have completed towards your thesis since your last milestone and give you the opportunity to highlight any achievements and raise any concerns you may have in advance, as well as flag anything specific you want to talk to your Progress Committee about. You will also need to attach supporting documents to demonstrate you meet the milestone requirements, including your research plan and appropriate written work for the stage of your degree.

What happens at a milestone meeting?

At the meeting your Progress Committee will meet with you to discuss your progress, then discuss your submission and agree on a recommendation. Before this, you will also have an opportunity to have a private discussion with your Committee Chair to raise any concerns you may have.

Ideally all members of your Progress Committee should attend the meeting, if this is not possible, at a minimum your Chair and Principal Supervisor must normally attend. If it’s not possible for all members to physically attend the meeting, you can use software like Zoom to make it easier for participants to attend.

You are also entitled to bring a support person to your milestone meeting. However, this person cannot

• be a legal practitioner or have a law degree
• speak, unless they are there to provide disability support.

There are two possible recommendations the progress committee can make after the milestone meeting:

• your progress is satisfactory: you have met the milestone requirements, and your Progress Committee is satisfied with your progress.
• your progress is at-risk: you have not met the milestone requirements and will be required to make another attempt at the milestone.

If your progress is satisfactory, your Progress Committee Chair will submit a Progress Report to the Graduate Research School (GRS) for processing. Once GRS has processed this, you will receive an email confirming that you have completed your milestone.

Between milestones, you and your supervisors should meet on a regular basis. This will give you an opportunity to receive feedback from your supervisor, be guided on your research progress, and addressing problems quickly.

Where possible, progress meetings should be arranged so that the report can be submitted by the due date. We do however, understand that sometimes life gets in the way and despite the best intentions your report hasn’t quite reached us by the due date. You can therefore submit your report within the following grace periods with the agreement of your principal supervisor:

• 8 weeks for Masters by research degrees
• 12 weeks for Doctoral degrees

Keep in mind that if you postpone a milestone in this way the dates of any subsequent milestones or your expected work submission date (EWSD) will not change.

Please note:

• If your progress has been marked at-risk and you are on a Progress Support Plan, you must still hold your attempt at the milestone by the planned date; this cannot be postponed.
• If you wish to postpone a milestone or your EWSD outside of the grace period you must obtain approval by submitting a Graduate Research Extension or Postponement form via StudentOnLine.
• The grace period window is calendar time, i.e. it is the same for full-time and part-time candidates.

We recommend that if there are unresolved issues affecting your progress, or if you need additional support, you proceed with your Progress Committee milestone meeting as planned or hold an ad hoc progress review meeting to address any problems (you can request an ad hoc review form by emailing GRS@latrobe.edu.au with the date you wish to hold it). It is important not to defer the resolution of any issues! If you wish to still meet the set milestone dates you can of course still do so.

If your report is delayed for reasons unrelated to your progress – such as illness, carer responsibilities, or difficulties with supervision – you should consider other variations to candidature such as a leave of absence or change in supervision. More information on candidature variations is available in the Graduate Research Candidature Policy and you can find all the relevant forms via StudentOnLine. Help guides are available – please expand ‘Graduate Research Candidates’.

If you take leave of change from full-time to part-time candidature, your milestone due dates, expected work submission date and maximum completion date will be adjusted accordingly without needing to apply separately to postpone.

If you make no attempt to meet milestone requirements by conclusion of your maximum postponement period, you will be asked to Show Cause.

Between milestones, you and your supervisors should meet on a regular basis. This will give you an opportunity to receive feedback from your supervisor, be guided on your research progress, and address problems quickly.

You, your supervisor, or your Graduate Research Coordinator can also contact the GRS to request an ad-hoc progress committee meeting at any time to review your progress.

An ad hoc meeting of your Progress Committee can determine that your progress is either satisfactory or at-risk . If your project is at-risk you will then need to discuss and agree a Progress Support Plan with your Progress Committee to get your research back on track.

Dealing with slow progress

Research doesn’t always go to plan. If you experience difficulties, seek help early and speak to your supervisor or Progress Committee. The university also offers other services that can help, including

• Free and confidential Wellbeing Support Services
• Student Advocacy Services

If you are an international student, make sure to get in touch with La Trobe International to discuss your situation.

If illness, carer or other responsibilities have prevented you from working on your research, you should consider a leave of absence or other variations to candidature. If you take leave of change from full-time to part-time candidature, your milestone due dates, expected work submission date and maximum completion date will be adjusted accordingly without needing to apply separately to postpone.

Things can change during your candidature.

If your circumstances change and you would like to revise any of your enrolment details, talk with your supervisor in the first instance and  notify the Graduate Research School through the appropriate form.

How long can my candidature be?

Expected Work Submission Date and Maximum Completion Date (MCD)

Your Expected Work Submission Date (EWSD) is the date by which your thesis must be submitted.¹ Your Maximum Completion Date typically corresponds with your maximum period of funded candidature and it is the date that your EWSD may be extended to with approval..

If you take approved leave of absence or change your study rate, your Expected Work Submission Date, Maximum Completion Date and any future milestone due dates will be adjusted without the need for a formal extension or postponement. Read more about how to make changes to your candidature

If you do not submit your work by the Expected Work Submission Date and have not applied formally to extend or postpone this date, your candidature will be lapsed.

You can access all data related to your Expected Work Submission Date via MyOverview.

What does it mean if my candidature is lapsed?

If you haven’t submitted your thesis by your Expected Work Submission Date, and if you have not received an approved extension, your candidature will lapse for a period of 12 months.

If your candidature has lapsed, it means that

• you will no longer be enrolled
• you are no longer formally entitled to supervision
• you can’t carry out any lab or field work, because you’re not covered by University insurance.

If you are an international student, a lapsed candidature may impact your visa. You should seek advice from the La Trobe International Compliance team immediately.

When your candidature lapses, you will still have access to your email address and library services. During these 12 months, you can submit your thesis any time. Read more about the submission and examination process here: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/researchers/grs/hdr/thesis-submission

If you don’t submit your thesis by the end of the lapsed period you will be withdrawn from your degree.

Can I re-enrol after my candidature after my candidature has been lapsed?

You can apply to revive your candidature within three years of withdrawal. You will need to detail any change of research project and supervision arrangements when you apply.

To revive your candidature, you will need to submit a Revive Candidature Application form.

If more than three years have passed since you were withdrawn from your candidature, you will need to apply for a new admission to the degree.

If you have not met your milestone requirements or at an ad hoc meeting of your Progress Committee, the Committee can determine that your progress is at risk of not concluding on time. This means that you and your Committee will discuss and detail what support you need to get your research back on track for on-time completion.

Progress Support Plan

If your Progress Committee assesses your progress to be at-risk, you will need to meet with your Progress Committee to discuss and agree on a Progress Support Plan.

There are many reasons you may experience difficulties throughout your candidature and the focus of a Progress Support Plan is to get your progress back on track. A Progress Support Plan is tailored to your individual needs and will give you

• the opportunity to receive formal support
• clear expectations on agreed actions and timeframes to recover your progress.

When you agree on the Progress Support Plan, you will need to set a date for you to meet with your Committee at the end of the Progress Support Plan to review the status of agreed tasks and determine if progress is back on track. If the at-risk status was applied at a milestone, this meeting will occur at your second attempt at the milestone.

Your Progress Support Plan will be recorded as part of the progress report form through the agreements module.

Second Milestone Attempts

If you do not meet your milestone requirements at the first attempt, you will have a second opportunity to attempt the milestone again. When you prepare for a second milestone attempt, the Graduate Research School will generate a new progress report form to repeat the same process again where

• you need to fill out a progress report
• you need to organise a meeting with your Progress Committee

You do not normally need to do another oral presentation, unless this was a requirement of your Progress Support Plan.

At the second milestone attempt, you will need to go through your Progress Support Plan with your Progress Committee to address the progress you have made.

At a second attempt of your milestone, the Progress Committee can assess your progress as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

What happens if I fail the second milestone attempt?

If after your second milestone attempt, your Progress Committee assesses your progress as unsatisfactory, you may be asked to show cause as to why your candidature should not be terminated.

Before asking any candidates to Show Cause, the Chair of the Board of Graduate Research will review a candidate’s case to ensure all appropriate support strategies have been exhausted.

When you are invited to show cause, you have the option to

• accept the Unsatisfactory Progress finding and withdraw from your candidature
• agree to transfer to another higher degree by research if your Progress Committee recommended this to you
• go ahead with the Show Cause Procedure, through a written submission and/or a submission in person before a Show Cause Sub-Committee.

Find out more about the Show Cause Procedure.

Who can I contact for help?

You are encouraged to contact Student Advocacy, a free and confidential service available to all La Trobe candidates no matter where you are located.  A Student Advocate can provide independent advice and help when you need it.

Further information regarding the support provided by the Student Advocates can be found on the Advocacy Services website including FAQs. You can contact Student Advocacy Services via studentadvocacy@latrobe.edu.au.  Their working hours are Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.

All students are also eligible for free and confidential Wellbeing Support Services.

If you are asked to ‘show cause’, you will be asked to illustrate why your candidature should not be terminated by the university once all support strategies have been exhausted.

You may be asked to show cause only

• if you have not made an attempt to meet milestone requirements within the maximum allowable postponement period without approval, or
• if your Progress Committee determines that your progress is unsatisfactory after a second attempt at a milestone, or
• if your Progress Committee determines that your progress is unsatisfactory when they meet to formally review your progress at the end of a Progress Support Plan

The University’s rules about academic progress monitoring and intervention, including the appeals process are governed by

• the La Trobe University Academic Progress Statute 2010
• the Graduate Research Progress Policy and Graduate Research Show Cause Procedure.

Who can I contact for help?

You are encouraged to contact the Student Advocates on your campus who can provide advice and help on your situation. As a La Trobe student, you are entitled to receive free personal and private support from a Student Advocate who can help you to:

• understand your individual situation and discuss available options;
• understand University Policy and Procedures; and
• prepare your show cause submission
• attend meetings with you as a support person

Further information regarding the support provided by the Student Advocates can be found on the Student Union website. You can find the details of your Student Advocates by emailing the Student Union directly, calling +61 (03) 9479 2314, or visiting the Student Union Office on your campus.

All students are also eligible for free and confidential Wellbeing Support Services.

If you are an international student, the outcome may change the duration of your course, which could impact on your student visa and Confirmation of Enrolment. If you are a sponsored student this may also have implications for your sponsorship. Please seek advice from International Student Services to discuss your options.

What is the Agreements System?

The Agreements System is the online system that supports the University’s graduate research policies and procedures.

The Agreements System is designed to provide you with:

• timely advice on milestone due dates and candidature details
• a secure and central system to access relevant data regarding your research progress
• access to previously completed progress reports (if submitted online in the system).

How do I access the Agreements System?

Once you are enrolled as a graduate research candidate, you will receive email reminders from the Agreements System. These emails will contain secure links giving you access to the relevant form and will be sent to your La Trobe University student email address. If you don’t check this address regularly, you need to set it to forward to an address that you do use.

You must be logged in to your La Trobe student account to access your forms. If you are also a La Trobe University staff member and are logged into your computer using your staff account, you will not be able to access the form. You will need to log out of your staff account and then log in to your student account to access the link to the form. This is a security measure that prevents anyone else from accessing your personal information.

If you are not logged into a device using a La Trobe ID (when using a computer at home for example), the system will ask you to enter your La Trobe log in details when you click on the link.

You can access your forms at any time (including once they are completed) by using the link in the original email, so make sure you keep a copy of it for your records. If you no longer have the email, you can contact the GRS to have the email re-sent.

Need help using the Agreements System?

Our user guides below will guide you through using the Agreements System.

GRC's Quick Start Guide to the Agreements System Supervisors Guide to Downloading a Progress Report