Graduate Research Committee

The PhD Committee first met in March 1963 as a standing committee of the Professorial Board, responsible under university regulations for ‘the conduct of all matters pertaining to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy’.

In 1967 following a review of the Professorial Board’s standing committees the PhD Committee and the Research Committee were replaced by the PhD and Research Committee. The new committee was to administer PhD regulations, deal with all matters relating to the administration of graduate scholarships and deal with any other matters referred to it by the Professorial Board (later the Academic Board) or the Vice-Chancellor. Membership included representatives of each faculty.

In 1991 the committee was renamed - the PhD and Scholarships Committee - in line with new amendments to statute 2.5 which included responsibility for the EdD and other professional doctorate programs and for all matters relating to scholarships.

The committee was reviewed in June 2001 and two new committees formed - the Research Graduate School Committee and the Scholarships Committee. The RGS Committee was responsible for the conduct of all matters pertaining to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); the conduct of all matters pertaining to any other professional doctorates that may be established; the administration of research scholarships; and any other matters concerning research or higher degrees which may be referred to it by the Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor.

The committee was renamed the Graduate Research Committee in 2012 with the overall aims to ensure excellence in research training and the timely completion of theses and courses of study. GRC is responsible for administering the relevant regulations and for advising the Monash University Academic Board on all matters of policy relating to these degrees. GRC has final responsibility for approving admission to doctoral candidature and for such matters as: amendments to individual study programs; changes to candidature and supervision; student progress; and submission and examination of theses. The Committee is also responsible for the allocation of central scholarships, awards and grants to graduate research students. The role and membership of the committee are defined under the Monash University (Vice-Chancellor) Regulations (2014).