Research Environment

The School of Political Science, Criminology & Sociology provides extenisve resources and facilities for the exclusive use of postgraduates undertaking research in the department:

• Study Space
• Computing Facilities
• Communications
• Office Facilities
• Study Skills
• The Graduate Centre

Study Space

The Postgraduate Room
The Department Postgraduate Room is Room 433, in the East Tower, 4th Floor of the John Medley Building. The room allows postgraduates to undertake study or quiet discussion. Study carrels, networked computers and a printer are available for postgraduate use. The room also has a number of lockers available for postgraduate use.

Common Room
Also in the East Tower, next to the Postgraduate Room, the Department's Common Room is open to both staff and postgraduates. Tea and coffee is available, with morning and afternoon tea breaks served.

After-Hours Access to the John Medley Building
Proximity cards are being introduced to allow 24-hour access to the John Medley Building. It is expected that students allocated desk space in the 6th floor offices will be issued cards. Students wishing to use the Postgraduate Room after hours may hire cards for use overnight or on weekends. All cards liable for a $10 deposit, refundable on the return of the card.

Other Study Space in the University
The Graduate Centre has study carrels available for research students, for use on a time-share or room-share basis. Carrels are booked by the semester. Graduate Centre study rooms are allocated by the Postgraduate Association (UMPA).

The Baillieu Library has a limited number of carrels available to both MA and PhD candidates. There is a waiting list; to apply for one, you will need to leave your name on the waiting list held at the Inter-Library Loans desk. Once you are offered a carrel, you will be required to leave a returnable deposit. You may retain the use of your carrel for the duration of your studies, though you must renew at the end of each year.

Only PhD students may apply for the very limited number (21) of study rooms in the Baillieu. Each study is shared by 2 people. The waiting list is currently approximately 2 years. The application system, deposit and tenure arrangements are the same as for carrels.

Computing Facilities

Computers are being installed on all desks in the postgraduate study offices on the 6th floor. The 4th floor postgraduate room has four computers, including one Macintosh. All computers are equipped with updated versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system, and the latest version of MS-Office, Endnote (an automatic bibliography maker), Eudora (an email program) and web browsers. All postgraduate computers are connected to the printer, the local University network, and the internet.

Creating a network account
Postgraduates can log in to the computer network once they have an account created for them in the Department. For this account to be created they must download and print out a Declaration for Use of Local Computing Facilities (Microsoft Word document, 22 kB). Once completed and signed the form should be returned to the Department office so the account can be authorised and activated. Students are notified by email of their login name and password.

Dial-in Computer Services
Dial-in access is available to PhD and research Masters students, on the approval of the Departmental Manager or the Head of Department. Full time students have an allowance of ten hours of access per month (equal to $6.00); part time students are allowed five hours per month. Students exceeding this quota will have their access denied, but will be advised by the Department beforehand. To apply for dial-in access download and print out a Request for Computing Services Form from ITS. This form is authorised in the Department office. Useful information on how to get the most out of your dial-in access can be found on the ITS Dial-in Networking Index, in particular InfoSheet 190, "Minimising Dialin Costs".

Communications

E-mail
All students at the University are entitled to a University e-mail account. We strongly recommend that all postgraduates activate their University e-mail address, as e-mail is an important source of information and communication in the University community between students, staff and the Department. You can activate your e-mail account through the Information Technology Services website.

If you have an alternative e-mail address, you can configure your University account to automatically forward e-mail to your preferred address.

Postgraduate Bulletins
The majority of information relevant to postgraduates is circulated by e-mail. The Department sends out a weekly Postgraduate Bulletin by e-mail to higher degree students, informing them of upcoming seminars, study or career opportunities, and other news. Other University bodies may also contact you from time to time. If you have an e-mail address but believe you are missing out on bulletin postings, contact the Postgraduate Coordinator at polpgrad-info@unimelb.edu.au.

An archive of previous Bulletins is kept on the web.

Talking Politics
The Departmental newsletter Talking Politics is mailed out every three months or so, and includes news about students and staff in the Department, as well as notice of upcoming events.

Gradflash
Gradflash is an e-mail bulletin advertising current scholarship and fellowship opportunities, conferences and events. You can subscribe to this bulletin at the School of Graduate studies website.

Other news sources
In addition to e-mail, matters of great importance to postgraduates will be posted out by surface mail to all students in the Department. Other notices received about conferences, seminars, grants and academic programs will be posted on the postgraduate noticeboard, opposite the lift in the East Tower, and the main Department noticeboards behind the office in the West Tower.

Office facilities

Photocopying
Postgraduates can have their own PIN-accessed account on the Department office photocopier, which entitles you to 500 free photocopies a year. Reasonably priced photocopying facilities are also offered in the Graduate Centre and the Baillieu Library.

Printing
There is a networked laser printer in the Postgraduate Room for student use. White A4 paper for the printer is available from the Department office.

Inter-Library Loans
The Library charges a $6.00 handling fee for inter-library loan requests. Vouchers to pay for these loan requests are available from the Department Office.

Telephones
Phones in the study offices and postgraduate room are available for internal calls only. If you have an urgent need to use another telephone in the Department, or to make an STD or ISD call, please see either your supervisor or one of the administrative staff in the General Office. There is also a free internal (University-wide) telephone on the ground floor of the Baillieu Library.

Faxes
The Department has only one fax machine, shared by more than 30 staff. Hence, unfortunately, fax facilities are not generally available to postgraduates. In real emergencies, contact your supervisor or the administrative staff in the Department Office. Alternatively, you may use the fax facilities in the Graduate Centre, at a nominal charge.

Lockers
In addition to the lockers in the study offices, 20 small and 6 large lockers are available for storage in the Postgraduate Room. Each locker is signed out to one postgraduate, for a refundable $10 deposit. Please contact the Postgraduate Officer in the Department Office if you want a locker key.

Study Skills

Research Skills Workshops
The Department holds a series of skills workshops for research postgraduates in their first year of candidature. These workshops are followed up by a research paper presented to peers at a seminar day in second semester. The workshops are intended to supplement the School of Graduate Studies skills programs.

Language and Learning Skills Unit
If you are having difficulties with your written English language, or the learning environment at the University, you should in the first instance contact the Language and Learning Skills Unit.

The Graduate Centre

The Graduate Centre is in the attractive 1888 Building, some 3 minutes' walk from the Department on Grattan Street. The Centre houses computing facilities, the Graduate Presentation and Publishing Centre, study and discussion space, and a bar and cafe. It is also home to the School of Graduate Studies and The University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association (UMPA).