Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Area of Study

The principal aim of the Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History is to expand students' engagement, through detailed research, with the culture and history of key civilisations of the ancient Mediterranean, especially Egypt. It encourages students to explore and consider the various means by which the ancient past can be approached through a combination of textual sources and material culture, and the ways in which it is both constructed and deconstructed.

The centre offers the only program in Victoria and one of only two in Australia that provides supervision of research degrees in Egyptology, especially Egyptian archaeology from the Predynastic to early Christian Period. It also offers supervision in aspects of the classical world, the Near East and regions extending to the Indian sub-continent.

Postgraduate study can be undertaken by research or a combination of research and coursework. Students are supported by a process of induction, training in methodology and theoretical approaches, and supervised project design. Regular seminars are held by staff, students and visiting academics. All postgraduate students are given the opportunity to participate in fieldwork in Egypt on one of the centre's various projects.

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Students complete 48 points including a 12-point research unit, two core units and one 12-point elective chosen from the list below. Not all electives are available each year. Unless otherwise indicated, all units are taught at Clayton.

Research unit

• APG4697 Research project in archaeology and ancient history

Core units

Students complete a minimum of two core units chosen from the following:

• APG4256 Predynastic and early dynastic Egypt
• APG4257 Reading the ancient past
• APG4345 Research methods in classical antiquity

Elective units

• APG4295 History and the museum
• APG4299 History and heritage
• APG4305 History and memory: Interpreting life stories
• APG4313 Hidden transcripts: Cultural approaches to the past
• one other approved 12 point unit

Course coordinator

Associate Professor Colin Hope

Master of Arts by Research and Coursework

The entry below only details the coursework component of this degree. For all requirements including the research/thesis component refer to the full course entry at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2011handbooks/courses/2846.html.

This course is designed for students wishing to combine coursework with research and for whom a research process of induction, training in methodology and concepts, and supervised project design will be particularly useful.

Units

Students complete:

• APG5257 Reading the ancient past
• APG5256 Predynastic and early dynastic Egypt

unless they have previously completed these units as part of another program, in which case they will complete:

• APG5697 Research topics in archaeology: The New Kingdom
• APG5698 Research topics in archaeology: Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt.

Course coordinator

Associate Professor Colin Hope

Further courses

For a list of units studied or course outlines, refer to the relevant courses.

• 3937 Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)
• 2846 Master of Arts by research and coursework
• 2695 Master of Arts*
• 0020 Doctor of Philosophy*

* By research.