The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Fashion and Textiles is suitable of individuals who want to undertake independent original research aligned to one of the School’s Centre for Materials Innovation and Future Fashion or the School’s research streams.

These research areas reflect the School’s research supervisors’ expertise along with the available resources and collaborative relationships with industry and other research organisations.

The program may be undertaken by project or by thesis mode:

• Project mode is directed towards candidates taking a creative practice research approach to conduct research into fashion design, textile design, curatorial practice, communication, or interdisciplinary design.
• Thesis mode is directed towards candidates taking a scientific approach to conduct research into advanced textiles and material science such as protective, medical and forensic textiles, comfort, performance and sport apparel textiles; OR a social science approach to conduct research into an aspect of the fashion and textiles system such as design practice, curatorial practice, historical or contemporary cultural studies, fashion enterprise, business practices, global supply chain or ethical practice.

The research topic and supervisor’s research approach will determine which mode is suitable. You should discuss these program modes with your potential supervisor/s prior to your application.

As a graduate of the PhD you may pursue an academic career in a university or be employed in the fashion and textiles industry as a textile designer, textile technologist, fashion technologist or fashion designer.