Applications are accepted throughout the year from students wishing to do their HDR with the Institute for Positive Psychology & Education.

Higher Degree Research (HDR) at IPPE

We welcome applications from both domestic candidates from Australia and New Zealand, and international candidates. The next round of applications for PhD and MPhil programs closes at 11.59pm 16 October 2022 AEST.

When you study at IPPE you have access to;

  • a world-class research training environment;
  • experienced supervisors who are also leading international academics;
  • high-level supervision to produce a first-rate PhD within minimum time periods;
  • competitive scholarships;
  • financial support for research projects and data collection, publications, conference participation, and research training;
  • technologically advanced facilities and support;
  • grant writing support;
  • the support and training to develop successful publications;
  • an intellectual and social support network of international scholars and postgraduate community; and
  • a lively intellectual environment based on common interests and facilitated by a world-class research program.

View HDR supervisors

View the Thesis Repository for all PhD's completed by IPPE students

View student testimonials

Virtual Open Day

Our Virtual Open Day is designed to answer your questions about the IPPE PhD/MPhil experience. If you are interested in applying for one of our funded places for the PhD or MPhil programs, or would like to hear more about what these courses involve, please join us for one of our sessions. Please Click Here for more information on the Virtual Open Day Sessions and Individual Appointments.

The Virtual Open Day Information Sessions is being offered on:

  • Thursday 15 September, 2022 1-2pm Sydney time
  • 2023 dates to be announced
     

Higher Degree Research Scholarships

Current HDR Scholarships will be posted here when they become available on ACU's HDR website:

Applicants must follow the instructions on the ACU Become a Research Candidate page.

Important when Lodging an Application/Query with IPPE

Please ensure that the research proposal is aligned with the ‘research interests’ of the academic that you intend to carry out your study with and/or the broader ‘Research Institute’ interests/strategic objectives. Please also ensure that prior to lodging an application/query, the ‘English language proficiency’ is duly met.

Please see Appendix C in ‘Higher Degree Research Regulations’ for more detail.

Educational & Developmental Psychology EDP Program

 

Research Project

Researcher

Exploring gender differences in the effect of social capital on university aspirations

Professor Philip Parker

Using archival data to explore social class effects in educational attainment across Australian history (1960 to Today).

Professor Philip Parker

Comparing the effect of gender on psychological skills and academic achievement of urban, farming-Rural, and non-farming-rural children

Professor Philip Parker

Measurement of mindfulness related constructs and testing the efficacy of mindfulness related interventions

Dr Baljinder Sahdra

Social emotional learning skills for promoting educational outcomes

Dr Baljinder Sahdra

Computational methods for analysing idionomic data

Dr Baljinder Sahdra

Process-based approaches to improving the human condition ( e.g. well-being and performance)?

Professor Joseph Ciarrochi

Identifying factors that promote positive development?

Professor Joseph Ciarrochi

Nonattachment: How do we measure it, how do we promote it

Professor Joseph Ciarrochi

Individual and gender differences in academic motivational factors (e.g., task value, self-concept) and educational and career choices particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Associate Professor Jiesi Guo

How multiple ecological systems (e.g., sociocultural, school, individual factors) shape adolescent social-emotional skills

Associate Professor Jiesi Guo

Intervention studies looking into how to promote students’ learning motivation (e.g., value, self-concept, mindset) and alter subsequent decision-making in coursework and major selections

Associate Professor Jiesi Guo

Use of students' evaluations of teachers to evaluate teaching effectiveness

Professor Herb Marsh

Use of publication citation analysis to evaluate research productivity

Professor Herb Marsh

Use of secondary data to evaluate antecedents and consequences of academic self-concept

Professor Herb Marsh

Use of archival data to evaluate bully perpetrators and victims

Professor Herb Marsh

A systemic and holistic approach to school wellbeing:

1)The effects of teacher wellbeing on student motivation and achievement.

2)Fostering principals’ wellbeing in a digital age

Dr Theresa Dicke

Does student achievement really benefit from students attending high achieving groups?
Using archival data to bust educational myths!

Dr Theresa Dicke

How do we teach ethical reasoning?

Dr. Geetanjali Basarkod

How do we teach decision making?

Dr. Geetanjali Basarkod

How do we teach students to be more altruistic?

Dr. Geetanjali Basarkod

The role of context in determining students’ academic outcomes.

Dr. Geetanjali Basarkod

Indigenous Game Changers IGC Program

 

Research Project

Researcher

Enabling Indigenous preschool children’s self-concept, literacy, and numeracy

Professor Rhonda Craven

Enabling Indigenous school children’s self-concept, literacy, and numeracy

Professor Rhonda Craven

Enabling Indigenous youth attending university voice and agency

Professor Rhonda Craven

Factors driving the successful transition, retention, and completion of Indigenous university students

Professor Rhonda Craven

Factors driving the successful transition, retention, and completion of Indigenous preservice teacher education university students

Professor Rhonda Craven

Positive Parenting in Indigenous Communities

Professor Rhonda Craven

Teaching the Teachers Indigenous Studies Professor Rhonda Craven
Research Synthesis/Meta-Analysis in Indigenous Education Professor Rhonda Craven

Improving the Engagement of Indigenous Students through the implementation of an Autonomy-Supportive Intervention Program for Teachers

Dr Anthony Dillon

Envisioning Success for Remote Communities Dr Anthony Dillon

Conceptions and Drivers of Indigenous Youth Wellbeing and Success

Professor Alexander Yeung

Parent-delivered language intervention: Indigenous preschool children

Professor Alexander Yeung

Capitalising on character strengths: A cross-cultural study on Indigenous populations

Professor Alexander Yeung

Providing a nudge towards success: Evaluating an innovative text messaging intervention to increase educational attainment and academic achievement in high school

Professor Joseph Ciarrochi

Motivation & Behaviour M&B Program

 

Research Project

Researcher

The influence of different types of electronic screen exposure on children and adolescents’ health and wellbeing.

Dr Taren Sanders

Building upon a scalable partnership model for physical activity promotion: Adapting the iPLAY program to improve girls' health

Dr Taren Sanders

A school-based intervention to promote physical activity in children with intellectual disabilities.

Dr Taren Sanders

Quantitative and qualitative studies of late-life adults’ well-being and self-determination and how they can be best supported by people and institutions.

Dr Emma Bradshaw

Studies of people’s access to and perceived access to human rights and their associations with well-being.

Dr Emma Bradshaw

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of self-determination theory.

Dr Emma Bradshaw

Autonomy-Supportive Teaching Intervention: Improving teachers’ classroom motivating styles

Professor Johnmarshall Reeve

Understanding Psychological Needs: An exploration of need dissatisfaction

Professor Johnmarshall Reeve

 Student Engagement: What exactly do highly engaged students do that allows them to develop (1) greater capacity and (2) improved performance? Professor Johnmarshall Reeve

Understanding Classroom Instructions: Effect of an intrinsic instructional goal on tone of voice

Dr Hye-Ryen Jang

Exploring teachers' instructional goals

Dr Hye-Ryen Jang

Find out how to apply to study with IPPE

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