Finding a Supervisor

How to choose a supervisor

Availability of supervision is another criterion on which we will assess an HDR application.  As a first step, it is important to find out whether there is a potential supervisor in the Faculty with expertise in the field you are interested in. In the first instance prospective research students should visit the Areas of Expertise webpage and descriptions of research groups in the Faculty to see if your interest fits with the areas of research within the Faculty.  

While identifying potential supervisors, look for two main qualities in a supervisor: expertise in the chosen area of study and some indication of personal compatibility. The ideal case is therefore one where a student meets with prospective supervisors and both parties agree to the arrangement.

Contact your potential supervisors to discuss your research area if face to face meetings are not possible. When contacting the Director of Postgraduate Research or your potential supervisor, provide him or her with a research proposal and a brief CV outlining:

• your educational background;
• your work experience;
• your research interest;
• your research experience (eg minor project, major, dissertation, honours degree) with topics of the research projects you were involved in;
• a list of your publications if any

Sometimes supervisors may be allocated to students on the basis of the outline of the research sent with the application for enrolment (UniAdvice application process). The proposal review process allows for a reconsideration of the supervisory relationship as well as its other purposes.