The problematic nature of the lack of doctoral coursework in Australasia

Abstract

The formal structure of most Australasian doctoral programs is still thesis-only. This paper presents the perspective that this structure is not ideal for today’s academic environment. The paper makes the argument for the importance of coursework in a student’s doctoral education. The argument is relevant to all thesis-only social science and business doctoral programs, but the case of Marketing in Australasia is highlighted. Students having coursework may develop stronger research skills than thesis-only students, thus thesis-only students would generally be at a disadvantage in terms of achieving publication in higherranking journals.