Are you looking at furthering your education in Data Science by getting a PhD in any of the Australian universities or schools in Australia?
Do you want to know if getting a PhD in Data Science is worth it?
Do you want to know if Australia is a good study abroad destination for data science?
Data Science is a field that is probably producing the greatest number of lucrative jobs in the world at the moment.
And more jobs means more increase in knowledge to work on the tasks the job extensions have provided.
This led to a need for Data Scientists to start going for a PhD degree.
Knowing how important a PhD degree can be to any field of labour, it’s not out of place to want one for yourself even as a data scientist.
First, a PhD degree in Data Science means more knowledge, more career opportunities and of course a huge addition to your monthly salary or services.
Therefore, getting such a degree in Australia where some of the best universities are located is not a bad idea.
So, if you’re wondering if a PhD in Data Science is needed, that’s a huge yes in the bag.
In this guide, we have come with a list of the seven best Australian universities for a PhD in Data science programs.
Categorically, we have explained in detail what you need to know about these universities and the requirements you need to get in.
If that’s what you intend to find, this is your one-stop article.
Welcome aboard, Scholar!!!
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Is a PhD Worth It For Data Science?
Not to burst your bubbles but trust me a PhD in Data Science is not necessarily worth it.
If you intend to become a data scientist or machine learning engineer/researcher, a PhD might be a good move.
Also, a bachelor’s degree and lots of training can suffice for a PhD degree.
However, if you really want to get a PhD for the degree’s sake, getting it from any of the Australian universities that offer Data Science programs will be a great idea.
Also, keep in mind that a “right” PhD from the “right” supervisor is all that makes the difference.
Is PhD Free in Australia?
If you’re an Australian student or permanent Australian visa holder, or a New Zealand citizen, you won’t need to pay tuition fees for your research degree.
To enjoy this, you must complete your degree within a maximum of 4 years full-time for doctoral students.
Else you pay your tuition bills yourself.
Is Australia Good For Data Science?
Absolutely.
Australia is a good place to get a PhD degree in Data Science because there are many Australian universities that offer such programs.
Below you will find a list of the top 7.
In fact, the University of Melbourne is number one in Australia for Computer Science and Statistics.
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7 Universities Offering PhD in Data Science in Australia
Here’s a list of the Australian universities that offer PhD in Data Science;
#1. Monash University
- Location: Melbourne
- Year of Establishment: 1958
- Number of Students: 78,000
- Duration of Program: 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time
Monash University is among the leading universities in the world.
There’s hardly any world university ranking that Monash University doesn’t rank among the top 100.
It’s one of the public research universities that has one of the largest student populations in Australia.
These students study in each of its two very large campuses located in the suburbs of Clayton and Caulfield.
The other campus extensions lie across the state of Victoria.
At Monash, students both undergraduates and graduate students have a handful, of course, options to choose from, Data Science inclusive.
Monash university is one of the universities where students can attain a PhD in Data Science in Australia.
To do that doesn’t come all that fanciful.
First, prospective students will have to come up with a research problem within the field.
If this gets approved by the Faculty of Information Technology, the student can go ahead and independently investigate it.
While at that, the students will undertake compulsory coursework that covers advanced training in IT research methods.
#2. University of Sydney
- Location: Sydney
- Year of Establishment: 1850
- Number of Students: 61,000
- Duration of Program: 3 years full-time
When you want to count the number of oldest universities in Australia, the University of Sydney is number 1.
It is not just the oldest but also one of the largest, occupying about 178 acres of land in the inner-west Sydney suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington.
As a reputable institution with a track record of excellence, the University of Sydney ranks No. 1 in the Land Down Under in the QS World Rankings.
It also ranks 5th in the world for graduate employability.
Via its Faculty of Engineering, students can learn and get a PhD degree in Data Science.
However, prospective students have to submit a thesis that is an original contribution to the field of Data Science.
If approved, the student will have access to two research centres: UBTECH Sydney Artificial Intelligence Centre and Centre for Distributed and High-Performance Computing.
This makes it one of the universities in Australia where you can get a PhD in Data Science.
However, know that it’s only available to full-time students.
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#3. RMIT University
- Location: Melbourne
- Year of Establishment: 1887
- Number of Students: 87,000
- Duration of Program: 3-4 years full-time, 6-8 years part-time
RMIT University is a public research university that was first founded as a night school in 1887.
It took over 100 years for it to get its stance or status of a full-fledged university.
Following the QS World Rankings, RMIT University ranks second in Australia and 15th in the world for graduate employability.
One of the major graduate programs in RMIT is a PhD in Computer Science program, Data Science and Analytics.
Therefore, if you’re a prospective PhD student seeking to study in any of the universities in Australia, all you have to do is apply to RMIT if their academic offerings fit your educational needs.
First, you have to submit a topic in a particular research area.
If you’re accepted, you are allowed to use the RMIT Data Analytics Lab as their research incubator.
#4. University of Melbourne
- Location: Melbourne
- Year of Establishment: 1853
- Number of Students: 50,000
- Duration of Program: 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time
The primary campus of the University of Melbourne is located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville.
However, its other campuses are positioned across the state of Victoria.
Following the ranking records of Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019, the University of Melbourne is ranked as the best university in Australia and 32nd in the world.
This is a huge attraction for international students which makes the foreign student number around 36% of the student population.
Through the UniMelb’s Doctor of Philosophy (Science) program, students can specialize in Data Science.
All Data Science PhD students study at the Parkville campus.
The UniMelb PhD data science program does not involve any compulsory coursework.
However, students may be allowed to take coursework subjects if they request them.
#5. University of Technology Sydney
- Location: Sydney
- Year of Establishment: 1988
- Number of Students: 46,000
- Duration of Program: 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is recognized as one of the top 10 young universities in the world by QS World Rankings.
You can find its main campus is sited in the Sydney suburb of Ultimo.
Though its student population is not quite on the high side, international students number around 15,000.
At UTS, graduate students can pursue a PhD degree in Analytics and Data Science under the Faculty of Transdisciplinary Innovation.
UTS data science degrees are undertaken entirely by thesis.
Your work must range between 80,000 to 100,000 words.
This program is structured in three phases.
First, the students and their supervisor negotiate a study plan that reports the details on the kinds of support that the student will require.
Secondly, the graduate students will develop their individual programs of research.
And lastly, the students will work, prepare and submit the thesis.
This outstanding curriculum makes it one of the universities in Australia that’s ideal for a PhD in Data Science.
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#6. University of Queensland
- Location: St Lucia, Queensland
- Year of Establishment: 1909
- Number of Students: 53,000
- Duration of Program: 3-4 years full-time
The University of Queensland (UQ) has its main campus on the bank of Brisbane River occupying more than 281 acres of land.
Following the multiple international university rankings, the University of Queensland has a spot among the top 50 universities in the world.
18,000 students among the student population are foreign students.
A graduate student can earn a PhD degree in the field of Data Science under UQ’s School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE).
If you’re accepted into the University of Queensland, each of the PhD students is overseen by two or more supervisors throughout the program.
Kindly note that there is no part-time program for this course at the University of Queensland.
#7. University of Western Australia
- Location: Perth
- Year of Establishment: 1911
- Number of Students: 24,000
- Duration of Program: 4 years full-time, 8 years part-time
The University of Western Australia was the 6th university to be established in Australia: the land of kangaroos.
It has its main campus in the suburb of Crawley in Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
However, two other campuses are in the Perth suburb of Claremont and in the port city of Albany.
As a public research university of repute, the University of Western Australia has earned the 86th spot in the QS World University Rankings 2020.
Like the Australian universities mentioned above, UWA is one of the universities that offer a PhD in Data Science in Australia.
UWA offers this program through an independent, supervised research program.
Also, students can only undertake this program after a research topic has been mutually agreed upon by the student, their supervisor, head of the Faculty of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, and the Board of the Graduate Research School.
You can do a full-time and part-time study depending on your plan and schedule.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Universities in Australia with PhD in Data Science
Below are some of the questions students ask about the list of universities in Australia that offer valuable programs in Data Science at the postdoctoral level of study.
Do PhD Students Get Paid in Australia?
The Australian Government does offer a stipend to PhD students while they research.
Students who earn this opportunity are usually the ones whose research qualifies for the RTP.
Also, you must come from a qualifying country or be considered a domestic student.
How Much Do PhD Data Scientists Make?
Data scientists with a PhD earn about $102,000 while Master’s degree holders earn $92,500.
From research, data scientists earn 36% higher than other predictive analytics professionals.
Summary
We hope you found this piece worth your time.
Do visit the school website for details on the requirements to apply to your preferred choice of university.
