Master of Research

Enhance your employment opportunities and get international recognition for your qualifications. The Master of Research (MRes) is your main pathway to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or a standalone research degree to help you explore your passion and get ahead in a research career.

The minimum requirement for admission to an MRes degree is:

• Bachelor or higher award from a recognised institution
• MQ Graduates (from 2020 onwards): an overall WAM of 65+ and a WAM of 70+ at or above 3000 level
• All Other Applicants: minimum overall GPA of 4.38 on a 7 point scale and GPA of 5.25 at or above 3000 level
• A research statement outlining your area of interest

Some disciplines may have additional or higher entry requirements. These are listed below:

Faculty of Arts

Educational Studies

Year 1 entry requires a 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) and 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) at or above 3000 level or at the highest level of study (e.g. Masters).

If you do not meet the GPA at or above 3000 level or the highest level of studies, you may also make a case by supplying additional relevant professional experience or other qualifications.

English

You will need a GPA of at least 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) overall, and at least 5.69 on a 7-point scale (=75 WAM*) at or above the 3000-level of the Bachelor degree.

Law

A higher level of English proficiency is required. Please see English language requirements.

Sociology

You will need a GPA of at least 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) overall, and at least 5.69 on a 7-point scale (=75 WAM*) at or above the 3000-level of the Bachelor degree.

Philosophy

Entry requires a degree with GPA of 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*), both overall and at or above 3000 level.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Mathematics

A knowledge of algebra and mathematical analysis at a senior undergraduate level is required. Also, you will need to have completed mathematical study in the last undergraduate year equivalent to at least four 3000-level Macquarie Mathematics units.

Macquarie Business School

Entry requires a GPA of 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) overall at the highest level of study (Bachelor or Masters) in a related discipline; and 5.6 on a 7-point scale (=75 WAM*) at or above the 3000-level of the final year of the degree (if Bachelor only).

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences

Cognitive Science

Year 1 entry requires 5.69 on a 7-point scale (=75 WAM*) overall, with 6.13 on a 7-point scale (=80 WAM*) at or above the 3000-level of the highest degree awarded. Applicants may also make a case via written support from a potential supervisor in the Department of Cognitive Science.

Linguistics

Entry requires a 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) as a general criterion, and 5.25 on a 7-point scale (=70 WAM*) at or above the 3000 level or the highest level of study.

Psychology

Year 1 entry requires a 4.38 on a 7-point scale (=65 WAM*) and at or above the 3000-level of Bachelor degree, a GPA of 5.69 on a 7-point scale (=75 WAM*).

*The WAM equivalency applies to MQ Graduates from 2020 onwards.

You may be eligible for a full 80 credit points of RPL and there direct admission into the second year of the program if:

• You hold an honours degree or,
• A masters degree

If seeking RPL of less than 80 credit points, please contact the relevant MRes Advisor/Director

Macquarie University requires all research candidates (both domestic and international) to have and maintain a high level of English language proficiency. Applicants will need to demonstrate they have met this through one of the following requirements.

1: Five years’ study in selected countries

You have completed a minimum of five years’ study in one or more of the following countries:

• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Republic of Ireland
• United Kingdom
• United States of America

Note: citizens, passport holders and permanent residents of the above listed English speaking countries are not exempt from providing proof of English language proficiency in the form of an acceptable English language test score unless they can show evidence of at least five years’ study in one or more of these countries.

2: Hold a valid English language proficiency test

The test must not be more than two years old at the time of submitting your application to Macquarie University:*

Please note: From 26 July 2023 TOEFL iBT will no longer be offering English language tests for Australian visa purposes until further notice. See English language visa requirements.

Visa applicants should refer to the Document Checklist Tool to find out which documents need to be attached to their visa application and acceptable English language tests to satisfy the visa requirements.

If you are applying for a research degree in English Literature or Law you will need to meet the required levels of English proficiency required by those programs:

• English Literature (in Media, Communications, Culture, Languages, and Literature): IELTS overall score of 7.0, with a minimum of 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other categories.
• Macquarie Law School: IELTS score of 7.0 overall, and a minimum of 6.5 in any category.

*Note: Applicants who wish to seek an exemption to the requirement to provide English Language test scores on the grounds of a minimum of three years’ working experience or equivalent in an English speaking country will be asked to provide a letter from their employer, or equivalent, on an official letterhead which states:

• their position title
• the duties they undertook
• an idea of what level of English was spoken and how English was used in terms of written or verbal communication, for the endorsement of the Associate Dean (RTP) of the Faculty and recommendation to the GRA.

3: Successful qualification

You have successfully completed a bachelor degree in Australia (Australian Qualification Framework AQF7), or higher, within two years of submitting your application for the research degree.

4: Approved for a package offer

If you have sat an approved English Language test as above, but do not meet the minimum band scores in one skill area but are otherwise eligible for a program of study, you may be issued an offer of study that includes an English preparation program at the Macquarie University English Language Centre (ie a packaged offer).

International students with a packaged offer can apply for a single student visa covering both their English preparation program and their course of study at Macquarie University.

If you have previously completed an English language preparation program from Macquarie University, the results must not be more than 12 months old at the time of submitting your application.

Macquarie is the first Australian university to align with international research training qualifications.

Our MRes is consistent with the ‘Bologna model’, which means we follow the European structure and requirements to ensure our degrees are internationally compatible for both our inbound and outbound students.

This program enables students to complete a PhD in three years – well short of the national average.

The Master of Research exchange program provides you with opportunities to undertake international experiences during your studies. If you continue on to a PhD, opportunities include research collaboration with international universities under our global PhD programs.

At Macquarie you research independently but you’re not alone. Try your hand at the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition to develop your communication skills, or participate in your faculty’s conference dedicated to MRes students. The 2022 Arts Research Frontiers 2 conference was a four-day event with two streams and 76 presentations. Watch the video to learn more about the conference.