PhD (Chemical Engineering)

Doctorate (PhD)

Immerse yourself in industry-focused research projects and learn to identify real-world chemical engineering solutions.

Key details

Degree Type

Doctorate (PhD)

Duration

4 - 8 years full-time

Course Code

DR217, 079816G

Study Mode

In person

International Fees

$36,480 per year / $145,920 total

About this course

Apply your advanced engineering skills to industry-focused research projects and identify real-world solutions to existing and emerging chemical engineering problems.

You can select from existing applied research projects that are well supported by industry. These projects will deliver fundamental research leading to innovative new products, processes and knowledge.

Research opportunities are in the fields of rheology, advanced and functional materials, water and wastewater, energy, complex liquid flow, microfluidics, and surface science.

You will be expertly supervised while you work on a project in one of the following areas:

anaerobic digester hydrodynamics
biochemical engineering
biodegradable polymer nanocomposites
biomass utilisation and conversion
chaos and mixing
colloids science
corrosion and materials degradation
drinking water treatment
flow process and mixer analysis of complex fluids and multiphase mixtures
life cycle analysis of processes
microfluidics
nanodroplets, nanobubbles and nanocatalysts
polymer processing
rheology of polymers and sludge
surface science
water quality and wastewater treatment

This PhD may be undertaken in a project, thesis with publication or thesis mode. Prospective candidates should discuss these modes of submission with their potential supervisor.

Our primary research activities are conducted within these related research centres:

Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials (CISM)
Water: Effective Technologies and Tools (WETT) Research Centre
MicroNanomedical Research Centre

The School of Engineering has excellent laboratory facilities for rheology, materials characterisation, polymer processing, and water quality and treatment. We also have facilities for the conduct of lab and pilot scale investigations which are complemented by a comprehensive range of general and specialist analytical equipment. You will also have the opportunity to use RMIT's state-of-the-art, multi-million dollar MicroNano Research Facility.

Chemical engineering at RMIT has received recognition for world class research that is well supported by competitive grants, Australian Research Council grants, and industry funding. In the 2015 QS World University Rankings, chemical engineering at RMIT was ranked among the top 100-150 universities in the world based on academic reputation, research citations and employer satisfaction.

Entry requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to a PhD program are:

a bachelor degree requiring at least four years of full-time study in a relevant discipline awarded with honours. The degree should include a research component comprised of a thesis, other research projects or research methodology courses that constitute at least 25% of a full-time academic year (or part-time equivalent). The applicant must have achieved at least a distinction average in the final year; or
a master degree that includes a research component comprised of at least 25% of a full-time academic year (or part-time equivalent) with an overall distinction average or a master degree without a research component with at least a high distinction average; or
evidence of appropriate academic qualifications and/or experience that satisfies the Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Training and Development or nominee that the applicant has developed knowledge of the field of study or cognate field and the potential for research sufficient to undertake the proposed program.

At RMIT a grade of distinction represents academic achievement of 70% or higher and a high distinction is 80% or higher.

If you are a current master by research candidate, you are able to apply for a transfer to a doctor of philosophy program through the process prescribed in the RMIT Higher Degree by Research policy and processes.

Study locations

Melbourne City

Career pathways

You will be able to pursue an academic career in a university or be employed in senior leadership and management positions in government, scientific and industrial research laboratories.

RMIT University