Successful completion of the course will equip the graduate to take a leading role in the development of research investigations into current and future problems of industrial and community concern within their area of expertise. The program will give candidates the skills and experience to act as independent researchers or group leaders for investigations of practical importance in their professional area over their professional life.

The doctorate will run over three years (with 2 semesters per year). The first year consists of four academic coursework units and a research project proposal, which allows candidates to demonstrate their aptitude for research by undertaking a state-of-the-art literature review. This extends knowledge and skills attained in their undergraduate program and the four foundation doctoral units.

The second year of the DEng will require the candidate to successfully complete a further four units (two course work and two research units) that will address deeper concepts in their discipline area. Each of these units will have a significant research component as required by AQF Level 9/10. Complex theory will be applied to current industry problems. The synergies and importance of theoretical constructs to professional practice will be explored in detail. The second year has the important objective of providing the candidate with appropriate skills and expert knowledge to undertake a doctoral-level dissertation in the final year with the requisite rigor. This includes identifying a suitable research problem and undertaking an introductory literature review relative to the chosen topic.

The third year of the Doctorate of Engineering is the dissertation year. Here the candidate will be expected to extend their work on the project that they have developed over the first and second year. The candidate will draw upon the research training, course learning, and research undertaken during the second year, to support this substantive body of work at AQF Level 10. This must make a significant and original contribution to knowledge in the context of professional practice. In other words, the doctoral candidate must create new knowledge that can be applied in an industrial context. Academic supervision, coupled with guidance from an industry advisor, will be an integral part of this program.