Whether you want to get ahead in your career faster, or improve your knowledge, a Monash postgraduate degree can give you a distinct advantage. This master's by research degree is available as an alternative to the faculty-based Master of Science (by research) degree and is administered by the Monash Institute of Graduate Research (MIGR). The Master of Philosophy permits students to show independence of thought and demonstrate their ability to carry out research in their chosen discipline. It can be taken in any of the faculty's principal areas of research, including biological sciences, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, environmental sciences, mathematical sciences, astronomical sciences and physics. Study areas Biological Sciences Areas of research specialisation include ecology, evolutionary biology, global change, conservation, biosecurity, disease control and genetics, cellular and developmental genetics. Chemistry Areas of research within Chemistry can be classified under three broad themes: Understanding the world around us: water and environmental chemistry, analytical sciences, chemical biology, coal and soil science and computational chemistry. Preparing for the future: materials science and nanotechnology, green chemistry, synthesis and catalysis, surfaces and surfactants and chemical education. Lighting up our life: crystallography, biospectroscopy, super-resolution/single molecule spectroscopy and solar energy conversion. Earth, Atmosphere and Environment Areas of research specialisation include aerosols, boundary layers, bushfire and fire weather, climate science, clouds, convection, economic geology, environmental geology, fluvial geodynamics, GIS and remote sensing, hydrogeology, hydrology, mesoscale meteorology, palaeoecology, pure and applied geochemistry, soil science and soil chemistry, structural geology and geophysics, tropical meteorology, volcanology and applied palaeontology. Mathematical Sciences Areas of specialisation include applied and computational mathematics; astrophysics; pure mathematics (algebra, analysis, discrete mathematics and geometry), stochastic processes and interdisciplinary mathematical applications. Physics and Astronomy Research specialisations are available in the areas of astronomy and astrophysics, condensed matter physics, imaging physics, particle physics, quantum gases, theoretical physics and computational physics. Career opportunities Science graduates gain employment in genetic engineering, agricultural support and pharmaceutical science, banking and finance, environmental consulting, hospitals, medical institutes, mining, petroleum and engineering, research, and wine and food industries. Opportunities also exist in organisations including the Department of Sustainability and the Environment, CSIRO, the defence forces, road and water authorities, museums, local councils, education and the health sector. Depending on their areas of expertise, graduates can be employed as botanists, chemists, ecologists, astrophysicists, environment consultants, food scientists, palaeontologists, genetic engineers, marine biologists, materials scientists, medical scientists, metallurgists, molecular biologists, museum curators, nuclear physicists, financial analysts, communications specialists, forensic scientists, researchers, science journalists, geotechnical engineers, statisticians, teachers, and weather forecasters.