History, Religion and Theology
Australian Studies
This course offers an advanced level of study on contemporary Australia. It aims to develop an understanding of the diversity and extent of indigenous and non-indigenous Australian experience together with Australian cultural and social forms in a global context.
As a flexible and interdisciplinary program, the master of Australian studies will appeal to students with backgrounds in humanities subjects, such as literary and cultural studies, or in social science subjects, such as journalism, politics and international studies.
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Australian Indigenous Studies
This course is designed for practitioners employed with indigenous communities or associated work (such as public record offices, libraries, museums, keeping places, native title) and for students who wish to gain further academic knowledge and credentials in the field of Australian indigenous studies.
The course challenges students to evaluate and critique the effectiveness and efficiency of their workplaces in terms of performance, transparency and ethical standards and enables a sensitive response when involved in important decisions about indigenous knowledge and the maintenance of cultural heritage.
The course explores some continuing problems in indigenous studies but also focuses on change and development. It critically assesses changing contours of cultural knowledge amidst the rampant processes of globalisation and technological advances. The course addresses issues of local and international importance within the framework for maintenance and control. Various regional, bilateral and international structures for reclamation of cultural heritage are discussed.
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Asian Studies
The course aims to equip students with the basic knowledge and sensitivities to be able to interact with people from a variety of Asian societies and make an initial assessment of current events in Asia. Students develop an understanding of the notions of Asia and Asian values and why they have become so problematic in recent times. Students can also elect to study a language specific to their area of interest.
Graduates of this program will have gained an understanding of the issues shaping contemporary Asia, grasped the specifics of one specialised area of concern with regard to Asia, and demonstrated capacity for research on one or more Asian countries.
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Civil Ceremonies
This course acknowledges both the complex nature of the role of community celebrant and the significance of ritual and celebration in the private and public spheres. Students develop research skills relating to civil ceremonies within a workplace as well as an academic environment.
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Holocaust and Genocide Studies
This course provides advanced knowledge about the holocaust and many other cases of genocide across the world. It explores the holocaust as a turning point in human history, the causes and effects of modern genocides, and what is now being done to prevent it.
The program enables students to consider the complex issues of genocidal violence, ideology, displaced persons and refugees, human rights, international law, ethics, cultural memory, and community regeneration. Overseas internships offer professional development - students may work in NGOs, museums, courts, and memorial centres. The program highlights the importance of oral history and eyewitness accounts of genocide. A key component is access to the Shoah Visual History Archive held by Monash University, a prime resource for student engagement and scholarly research. Leading international scholars contribute each year to the master of holocaust and genocide studies. The program also offers two winter intensive units during July: students can explore the theme of reconciliation in South Africa and Rwanda in 'After Atrocity'; or follow the 'Final Journey of European Jews' through Berlin, Prague and Krakow.
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Islamic Studies
This course offers a broad and comparative introduction to the social, historical and political aspects of Islam. It will cover a range of areas and disciplines, such as international relations theories and practice, human rights, international business, and concepts of nationalism and post-colonialism.
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Journalism / Australian Studies
This double Masters provides a comprehensive introduction to Australian society and culture, an entry-level qualification for a professional journalism career, and a mid-career course for working journalists seeking to extend their expertise and refresh the intellectual basis of their practice.
It has a national and international orientation designed to optimise the contribution graduates will make to their profession using a full range of media technologies.
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Oral History and Historical Memory
Oral history illuminates the lived experience of hidden histories and produces riveting historical documentary in books, radio and television, museum exhibitions and multi-media production.
It is also a powerful tool for exploring historical memory -‘how people make sense of their past, how they connect individual experience and its social context, how the past becomes part of the present, and how people use it to interpret their lives and the world around them’. Historical memory has become central to the contemporary cultural politics of witnessing, commemoration and reconciliation. This innovative course, taught by international leaders in the field, integrates the study of oral history and historical memory. It develops high-level skills and understandings in the theory and practice of oral history, and in inter-disciplinary approaches to the creation and use of historical memory by individuals, communities and nations.
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Public History
This course offers a vocational program for historians and related professionals.
Graduates may go on to work in the fields of commissioned history, heritage conservation and management, oral history, community history, museums and related areas. The program has excellent links with the heritage industry and professional historians working in these fields. The public history program draws on teaching strengths across the faculty, and students have a number of opportunities to build professional networks through assessment tasks.
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