Examining PhD modes in the Australian landscape architecture academy

Abstract

Australia’s accredited landscape architecture programs shifted from few faculty members holding a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) to where holding this qualification is now essential. For conferral, the Australian Qualifications Framework mandates the PhD qualification demonstrate ‘a significant and original contribution to knowledge’. Examining snapshot periods of 2009 and 2019, we identify, evaluate and discuss the number and distribution of academics obtaining this qualification in accredited Australian landscape architecture university programs. We suggest there are five primary PhD modes of research, by: Dissertation, Publication, Dissertation with Embedded Design Experiment/Creative Inquiry, Creative Practice, and Reflection. Findings demonstrate a 268% growth in employed academics holding a PhD qualification, a dominant yet declining trend for the mode PhD by Dissertation and increasing conferral of modes containing design research components. Our work concludes by discussing the five PhD modes to contribute to the profession's pedagogical approaches.

Keywords:

• Landscape architecture
• Australian qualifications framework
• PhD pedagogy
• design by research
• research approaches
• tertiary education
• reflective learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In Australia, built environment programs such as Landscape Architecture that are taught at the university level can be embedded with a Faculty or School, which is dependent on the hierarchical structure and terminology employed by a respective university. In this paper, the term ‘faculty’ is used to refer to a grouping of undergraduate and postgraduate built environment programs and associated staff contained or housed together at a university.

2 Trove is the National Library of Australia database and has a search function for PhD theses, providing helpful links back to university repositories or copies within the library itself: https://trove.nla.gov.au/

3 Note that this methodology captures non-landscape architecture qualified staff teaching into accredited Australian landscape architecture programs who possess a PhD; such faculty members may typically be from the disciplines of architecture, urban design and/or planning.

4 University profiles offer an up-to-date profile of staff, qualifications and research outputs.

5 ‘Usually’ includes Australian ‘by publication’ PhD university guides canvassed during Zeunert’s PhD candidature (2011–2018) including those outside of the built environment. As per other PhD modes, time pressures for PhD completion are indicating signs that the acceptable minimum number of (standard, i.e. journal article) publications could be reducing to three.

6 This was particularly challenging in several cases, for example Weir, 2008; Simon, 2012; and Ozgun, 2015.

7 Landscape Architecture programs with the AILA accreditation in 2009: University of Western Australia, University of Adelaide, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Canberra, University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology. Landscape Architecture programs with the AILA accreditation and program staff holding a PhD in 2009: University of Adelaide, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Canberra, University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology. Landscape Architecture programs with the AILA accreditation in 2019: University of Western Australia, University of Adelaide, Deakin University, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology. Landscape Architecture programs with the AILA accreditation and program staff holding a PhD in 2019: University of Western Australia, University of Adelaide, Deakin University, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, University of Technology Sydney, University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology.

8 Note that there were two new the AILA accredited programs in 2019, from 2009.

9 An organisation comparable to the USA’s Ivy League or the UK's Russell Group.

10 Kaan Ozgun's PhD (2015), although labelled as a (P), was classified by three authors of this research as a (C)/(P)/(I) hybrid and ultimately positioned as (C) (Zeunert abstained from voting due to his own PhD being by Publication in 2018). Ken Taylor has completed an Australian PhD by Publication, however, he is not employed as a landscape architecture faculty member at an Australian university and possessed completed publications prior to enrolling. Joshua Zeunert is employed at University of New South Wales and obtained his PhD by Publication through Deakin University.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beau B. Beza

Beau B. Beza is Deputy Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Science Engineering and Built environment at Deakin University. He holds an Undergraduate Degree in Landscape Architecture, a Master of Urban Planning and PhD (Architecture and Design). He is a registered landscape architect with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects where he is Chair, Education Committee. His scholarship and teaching aim is to understand the social production of space. This aim is achieved through meaningful knowledge exchanges with communities, academics and students where collaboration and the co-production of projects are key to producing applied and scholarly outcomes. His research impact is: 20% of his publications have been ranked in the top 25% most cited publications worldwide; 50% of his publications have been published in the world’s top 25% journals; 90% of his publications have been cited, and his research has been cited by researchers in 45 countries. Since 2003, when applying his research to real world outcomes, he has realised 16 different infrastructure/development projects and many of his students have used his model of community engagement to design and build their own independent works.

Joshua Zeunert

Joshua Zeunert is a Scientia Associate Professor at UNSW and an AILA Registered Landscape Architect. He specialises in environmental design and strategy and his research focuses on regenerative landscapes and food systems. Joshua has published three multi-award-winning books including Landscape Architecture and Environmental Sustainability (2017) and the Routledge Handbook of Landscape and Food (2018). He has taught in thirteen academic programs at five universities and in over 45 unique courses. Josh became the first landscape architect to receive an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2020–2023) and a UNSW Scientia Fellowship (2020–2024).

Simon Kilbane

Simon Kilbane is an AILA registered landscape architect with diverse experience across public, private and academic sectors in Australia and in the UK, NZ, France, the USA and Peru. Simon currently teaches into Planning, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture at Deakin University where his research focusses upon the intersection of people, place and ecology through design and includes specific responses at large and small scales through Green Infrastructure. In 2017 he was awarded his PhD from the University of Western Australia and in 2018 Simon’s research into a National Green Infrastructure Network was awarded both the AILA National Award of Excellence and the AILA Western Australian Award in the ‘Research Policy and Communications’ category.

Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard

Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard is a Registered Landscape Architect and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), and Lecturer in Landscape Architecture at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. Sara has practiced in Denmark, Europe and Perth, Western Australia and taught design studios, history and theory, and landscape performance courses at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and UNSW Sydney. Sara has held leadership positions with AILA including State President of the WA Chapter and has served two terms as Director and Company Secretary on the National Board. Sara is co-convenor of the ‘Urban-rural linkages’ working group of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Hub based out of the University of Oregon, Eugene. In 2020 Sara and her colleagues were one of only six academic teams awarded a Landscape Architecture Foundation – Case Study Investigation Fellowship. Sara is a strong advocate for Indigenous rights and decolonising built environment education and practice within Australia. Sara was awarded a PhD from the University of Western Australia in 2020.