Doctor of Chemistry

A PhD in chemistry is an excellent way to gain the pinnacle of knowledge in any given relevant topic. Students are expected to research and write a thesis of roughly 80,000 words on the topic of their choice under the guidance of one or more supervisors. These programs are offered by RMIT and similar institutions, taking as little as three years of full time study to complete, or up to eight years part time.

Employment options

The list of conventional employment options listed here is quite viable for PhD graduates. Working in nanotechnology for companies like Micronisers is a fantastic way to use this qualification, as it is the furtherance of a field that may one day shape the future of medicine, mining, agriculture and all manner of systems. Working as a toxicologist for companies like ToxConsult can also be highly rewarding, as all manner of companies, governments and individuals require the ability to assess the legality, potency or any number of attributes accompanying a chemical compound.

Scholarships and funding

There are a great deal of scholarships available to students of chemistry, with an exceptional amount for PhDs. Some of these include:

• The Dean’s Scholarship for Scientific Excellence, a $20,000 opportunity for international students. A high level distinction GPA (79-84%) achieved in prior study is mandatory to be successful for this opportunity. Australian citizens are not allowed to apply.
• Eric Booth Memorial Grants in Chemistry, providing up to $8,000 to Australian or New Zealand citizens. Students must attach their birth certificate, citizenship documents, a CV, up to three written references and a copy of their academic record to their application.
• The AQW PhD Scholarship, which is designed for students of science willing to undergo a project on, “composition and leaching of aluminosilicates formed in caustic solutions.” Successful applicants will be rewarded with an enormous $30,000 pa, which adds up to $90,000 over the course of a full time program. Applicants must have a first class honours degree in chemistry or related science to be successful.

Prerequisites and selection process

Students are expected to hold an honours degree in chemistry with a minimum credit GPA (65%) or a master degree on the subject to enter. In both these cases, students also need to have proven that their degrees consisted of a ‘reasonable’ research component, where ‘reasonable’ is up to the discretion of the faculty in question.

This barrier to entry can be circumvented in rare circumstances so long as a few criteria are met. In the case of RMIT, this constitutes the nebulous requirement of “appropriate academic qualifications and/ or experience,” which is defined entirely by the faculty on a case-by-case basis.