Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The Australian Jewish Community has built an impressive array of community services and institutions including a wide range of schools, museums, old age facilities, social welfare systems and programs for people with disabilities. A significant proportion of the philanthropy of the Jewish community is focused on a wide range of Jewish and Israeli causes. The development and professionalism of people who work for the community is a priority in developing communal structures and keeping them growing with the times. This course provides individuals involved in Jewish communal life in lay and professional capacities with the benefit of a structured academic approach to policy issues in Jewish communal service as well as an analysis of existing communal organisations and structures. By seeing the Australian Jewish community in the context of other ethnic communities in Australia and other Jewish communities around the world students will deepen their understanding of the Australian Jewish community. The course will expose students to a broad range of issues beyond the direct ambit of their own communal involvement. Students undertake a communal organisation placement which will provide an opportunity for them to bring their insights to bear on analysis of a particular question or challenge facing the organisation in which they are working.

Students successfully completing this course will:

• have a thorough understanding of a range of theoretical and practical perspectives of the major policy issues facing the Australian Jewish community in a contemporary context
• have an understanding of these policy issues within the broader Australian context
• have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the richness and diversity of Jewish culture
• have developed the ethos of professionalism in Jewish communal service and leadership
• be able to create dialogue between different sectors of the community and for all parties involved to learn from the experience that this intersection creates.

Students undertake a compulsory placement. This placement involves 80 hours of supervised work in communal organisation (in either a volunteer or professional capacity) as well as a research project which focuses on a particular challenge or question relating to that organisation. Supervision will be carried out jointly by Monash University as well as the organisation. This placement also includes four introductory seminars of two hours each to establish the parameters of the placement and project and to set the context.

This course consists of two 12-point core units and an additional 48 points of units, which will include electives, and for those who qualify can include research and project units.

Students must complete a minimum of 24 points at level five. All units except where indicated are worth 12 points.

Core units

• JWM4050/JWM5050 Rethinking Jewish community in Australia: Policy and praxis
• SHM4010/SHM5010 School of Historical Studies placement

Electives

Students complete 48 points of electives.* Students chose elective units offered by the Australian centre for Jewish civilisation and/or Faculty of Business and Economics or Faculty of Art and Design units.

* As a part of this 48 points, students who achieve a distinction average in their level four units have the option of undertaking a 24-point research project.

Research project

• SHM5000(A) Research project part 1 and SHM5000(B) Research project part 2

Students may apply to exit after successful completion of:

• 24 points with course 4029 Graduate Certificate in Communal Service and Leadership - Jewish community.
• 48 points with course 4030 Graduate Diploma in Communal Service and Leadership - Jewish community.

Master of Communal Service and Leadership - Jewish Community