This program aims to offer postgraduates the opportunity to complete a Master of Indigenous Studies where the focus is on Indigenous peoples and cultures of Australia and internationally. It also aims to promote intercultural understanding and the development and deepening of students’ understanding of Australian and international Indigenous societies, cultures, histories and contemporary experience.

There are four broad outcomes for the program:

For Indigenous students, the Master of Indigenous Studies by coursework extends the pathways established by winter schools and summer schools and preparatory programs for Indigenous students, for which there is a commitment across faculties stated in the University Strategic Plan, as well as for those undertaking the Aboriginal Studies major program, providing a progressive academic pathway from high school through to postgraduate study, which is a unique undertaking of Nura Gili, not offered by other universities.

The Master of Indigenous Studies program is based on a philosophy of social justice and a methodology of critical analysis. One of the main aims is to situate Indigenous perspectives as central to theoretical frameworks for studies of Indigenous societies, cultures, histories, heritage and arts practice as well as contemporary Indigenous research methodologies and protocols. From this perspective, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking to apply their own analyses of the ways in which Indigenous Australian histories, cultures and societies have been, and continue to be, conceptualised and constructed, and to formulate their own research projects, methodologies and critique.

By the end of the program students can expect to have developed substantial knowledge of Australian history, race politics and Indigenous societies and a range of skills related to the history, cultures, and conceptual constructions of Indigenous identity alongside practical experience in designing, implementing and engaging in culturally appropriate community work, consultation processes and research projects.

The Master of Indigenous Studies is offered full-time and part-time, with a minimum length of one year fulltime.

The program is divided into two components. These are:

Core Courses: 24UOC
Elective Courses: 24UOC

For the Master of Indigenous Studies, students are required to complete the Core Courses listed above plus four of the above listed electives to make up 48 units of credit.

Alternatively, students may choose to take 1 elective from;
Master of Social Development
Master of Social Policy

Each course is worth 6 units of credit and is one session in duration. Class contact hours are 2 per week per course.

Please refer to the Program Structure above and contact the school office for further information.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html