This program is not accepting new enrolments.

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 program is divided into two components. These are:

Core Courses: 24UOC
Elective Courses: 24UOC

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

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 normally 2 hours per week per course.

1. The degree of Master of Indigenous Study may be awarded by the Council to a candidate who has satisfactorily completed a program of advanced study.

2. Candidates may proceed to the degree through part-time or full-time study.

2. (1) A candidate for the degree shall have been awarded an appropriate degree of Bachelor from the University of New South Wales or a qualification considered equivalent from another tertiary institution at a level acceptable to the Standing Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Committee).

(2) In exceptional cases, an applicant who submits evidence of such other academic and professional qualifications as may be approved by the Committee may be admitted to candidature for the degree.

(3) If the Committee is not satisfied with the qualifications submitted by an applicant the Committee may require the applicant to undergo such assessment or carry out such work as it may prescribe before permitting enrolment.

3. (1) An application to enrol as a candidate for the degree shall be lodged with the Registrar at least two calendar months before the commencement of the semester in which enrolment is to begin.

(2) To qualify for the award of the degree, candidates must obtain over a period of study of not less than two semesters (full-time) or three semesters (part-time), eight courses within the Master of Arts program. The maximum period of candidature shall be four academic semesters from the date of enrolment for a full-time candidate and eight semesters for a part-time candidate. In special cases an extension of these times may be granted by the Committee.

(3) A student enrolling in a course must satisfy the prerequisite requirements of that course. These requirements may be waived at the discretion of the Head of the School/Unit concerned.

(4) The progress of a candidate shall be reviewed annually by the Committee, and as a result of the review the Committee may cancel enrolment or take such other action as it considers appropriate.

4. The Masters forms part of an approved sequence of articulated programs comprising the Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters degree in the same area of specialisation, A postgraduate student enrolled in an articulated program may progress from Graduate Certificate to Graduate Diploma to Masters level with full credit for courses completed in earlier programs in the sequence.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  UNSW Fee Website.