Faculty information

• Introduction
  • Units
  • Faculty structure and contacts
  • Research and coursework areas
  • Where to get help and advice in the faculty
• Schools and centres
• Graduate research
  • The research environment
  • Research support
  • Professional experience
  • Research publishing
  • Research strengths
  • Scholarships
  • Students enrolled in a research degree prior to 2007
  • Masters degree candidature
  • PhD candidature
  • Masters by research degrees with a coursework component
• Postgraduate coursework programs
  • General information about the different course types
  • Coursework scholarships
  • Credit for prior studies

Areas of study

• Areas of study

Course information

• Outline of postgraduate studies
  • Courses offered in 2013
  • Courses with no intake in 2012

Course-related policies and rules

• Government and University legislation

• Introduction
• Graduate research

The Faculty of Arts at Monash University is one of the largest, most diverse and dynamic arts faculties in Australia. We deliver arts programs across six campuses: Berwick, Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland, Malaysia and South Africa. Our courses are increasingly available via off-campus learning over the internet. We also offer intensive units at our Monash Prato Centre in Italy that students can take as part of their degree. Our offerings include the full range of the old and new humanities, from the classics to communications and media studies. Courses offered range from undergraduate diplomas and degrees, faculty certificates, graduate diploma programs through to postgraduate coursework and research degrees. Monash Arts is justly proud of the research capacity of its staff. Lecturers are working at the cutting edge of scholarship in their fields, and they carry their expertise and their enthusiasm into their teaching.

The Faculty of Arts is composed of eight schools as well as a number of centres, including:

• English, Communications and Performance Studies
• Geography and Environmental Science
• Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences
• Journalism and Australian Studies
• Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
• Music – Conservatorium
• Philosophical, Historical and International Studies
• Political and Social Inquiry
• Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies
• Monash European and EU Centre.

Visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au for more information about arts at Monash.

Units

From 2011 all postgraduate arts units moved to the APG generic prefix coding. Prior to this, Arts units had individual prefix codes to identify individual Arts disciplines. For further information and a translation table consult the faculty's 'Unit code conversion utility' at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/current/unit-code-conversion.

Faculty structure and contacts

The chief officers of the faculty are the dean and the faculty manager. The dean is a professor of the faculty and presides over meetings of the faculty, the faculty board and its committees, and is especially concerned with staffing and finance. In addition, the faculty has four associate deans whose areas of responsibility include academic programs, graduate research, research and external affairs.

The faculty manager is responsible for the administration of the faculty, including superintendence over student administration and services, and provision of advice on policy and planning matters.

Students wishing to bring any relevant matters to the attention of the student members of the faculty board should feel free to do so. The student members can be contacted via the office of the faculty manager, Faculty of Arts, first floor, Menzies building, Clayton campus.

Research and coursework areas

The Faculty of Arts has divided its administration of courses into two main areas: the Arts Research Graduate School and the Arts Coursework Office. The course information section is divided into the same two sections: research and coursework.

Where to get help and advice in the faculty

Throughout their university course, students are strongly encouraged to seek advice regarding any problems they experience with studies or workload with their tutors and lecturers, or their supervisor. The faculty also has experienced course advisers who can assist students with administrative inquiries or direct them to the correct service for academic difficulties. Students can make course advice appointments by contacting the Arts faculty office on their home campus. Students are also strongly encouraged to observe the relevant course requirements listed in this handbook to avoid getting into course-related difficulties, which can result in a delay in completing their course.

As well as seeking course advice, students can make use of Language and Learning Services, which assists students with problems concerning study, learning and the use of English. Language and Learning Services is located in the Menzies building, Clayton campus, and can be contacted on +61 3 9905 5069 or +61 3 9905 2263 (or visit the website at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/lls/). In addition, the faculty has a Transition and Student Progress Committee (TaSP), whose members can assist students with academic difficulties arising from a range of personal or academic issues, or refer them to other university support services. TaSP can be contacted on +61 3 9905 2107 or by email at tasp@arts.monash.edu.au.

In addition to faculty services, the university offers a wide variety of support services for students. A comprehensive list of faculty and university services for students experiencing difficulty can be found in the Student Resource Guide, also available on the web at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks.

For more contact details visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/contact-us.

Research students can apply for entry to the university to conduct research on a specific area of interest at masters or PhD level. Students select their research topicsin line with the faculty's research strengths. Students then work under the guidance of a trained supervisor or supervisors to produce a thesis which is presented for examination. Coursework and training may also be undertaken to enhance each student’s research training experience.

The research environment

The Faculty of Arts at Monash attracts one of the largest enrolments of higher degree by research candidates of any arts faculty in Australia. The faculty provides a diverse, stimulating and supportive environment for graduate researchers and, in conjunction with the Monash Institute of Graduate Research, offers a range of funded support for higher degree candidates to undertake research. Masters by research and PhD candidates in Arts have access to a full suite of Monash research resources both in Australia and overseas, and to specialist resources within the faculty.

Research support

In addition to expert and attentive supervision in a wide range of specialisations, the faculty provides an impressive range of research induction and research training seminars and special events for both commencing and continuing students. The seminar programs include topics such as the literature review, research resources, getting published, useful software, applications, thesis writing and examination. For more information visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/research/graduate-research/current-students/welcome.php.

Professional experience

The Faculty of Arts also recognises the importance of providing its graduate students with professional experience of various kinds. The faculty has a long tradition of employing its own graduate research candidates as sessional teachers, casual research assistants and in other capacities. In addition to providing candidates with additional income while they pursue their research degrees, this employment also facilitates the acquisition of a range of transferable skills. During their time in the faculty, students will also have the opportunity to develop and extend their research and communication skills in their chosen field, and also to acquire a range of additional skills in other areas.

Research publishing

Graduate researchers in the Faculty of Arts are encouraged and supported to participate in a professional research culture. To further promote publication by research candidates, the faculty runs a special program, Graduate Researchers in Print (GRiP). The GRiP groups are assisted by a facilitator who enables and informs participants in various aspects of publishing including identifying appropriate journals, preparing submissions, responding to reviewers' reports and providing critical feedback on draft material. For more detailed information, refer to the GRiP website at http://arts.monash.edu.au/research/graduate-research/current-students/grip.

Research strengths

Monash University's Faculty of Arts is well known for high quality research in the humanities and social sciences. The Faculty of Arts has identified a number of established research strengths which provide the basis for PhD and master's level research in a range of disciplines. For information on Faculty of Arts research strengths visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/research/research-staff/research-strengths.php.

Scholarships

All research students with a first class honours (H1) degree or the equivalent may apply for a range of research scholarships, including the Australian Postgraduate Award and the Monash Graduate Scholarship. Scholarships close on 31 October each year for students starting in the following year. Information on scholarships may be obtained from the website at http://arts.monash.edu.au/hdr/scholarships/. All potential applicants are asked to first make contact with the Arts faculty school where they wish to undertake their research and obtain their application form from that school.

Teaching and Research Scholarships

Australian citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply for a Teaching and Research Scholarship. Awardees will be able to pursue full-time research towards a research higher degree while receiving induction, mentoring and the opportunity of gaining professional experience in academic teaching (tutoring, lecturing and seminar leadership). They will spend the first four to six months of their awards engaged full-time in their research and, subject to satisfactory progress, will be then offered the opportunity to contribute to the teaching program of their school.

For further information visit http://arts.monash.edu.au/research/graduate-research/future-students/scholarships/.

Faculty of Arts awards and prizes for enrolled candidates

Faculty of Arts Postgraduate Publication Award

Candidates who have submitted their thesis within one month of the application deadline, or are due to submit within two months of the application deadline and aim to prepare a manuscript for publication based on the postgraduate research undertaken for the degree, may apply for a Postgraduate Publication Award (PPA). The Arts PPAs are in addition to the Monash University PPA; both offer a stipend equivalent to the APA/MGS rate for four months.

Faculty of Arts Postgraduate Publication Prize

Postgraduate students who have had a prestigious publication in a DIISRTE HERS(C) publication category in the previous year which was included in the school's research publication collection can be nominated for a Postgraduate Publication Prize of $1000. The winner will also receive an award certificate from the faculty.

For further information visit http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/research/graduate-research/current-students/grants-prizes/.

Commonwealth-supported RTS places (course fees)

Commonwealth-supported Research Training Scheme (RTS) places are currently available to all Australian citizens and permanent resident students for the duration of their research candidature. No course fees are payable by such students and no course fee debts are incurred.

Students enrolled in a research degree prior to 2007

There have been a number of changes to the requirements for research degrees over the years in respect to duration, thesis length and any coursework unit requirements. To find out the requirements for their research degree, students who commenced prior to 2007 are referred to the handbook of the first year of enrolment in the course. Past copies of the Handbooks are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks.

Research degree candidature

All matters concerning the PhD and Masters by Research degrees are handled by the Graduate Research Committee of the Univerity's Academic Board. The Arts Graduate Research Committee transmits its recommendations regarding the higher degree by research candidature of arts students to this committee.

The doctoral and research masters handbooks provide comprehensive information about these degrees and are available on the Monash Institute of Graduate Research website at www.mrgs.monash.edu.au.

Refer to relevant entries under 'Areas of study' to obtain details of research interests for postgraduate supervision.

The faculty offers a wide range of postgraduate coursework degrees designed to add to, or build on, knowledge acquired in a bachelors degree. 'Coursework' is used to describe all arts courses in which the bulk of work completed is selected from a list of offered units. There are currently more than 700 students undertaking coursework postgraduate programs in the Faculty of Arts.

Prospective coursework students can choose from a variety of courses. These range from graduate certificates developed for students with professional experience at senior level but no formal university degree and postgraduate diplomas for those with bachelors degrees to master's courses, many of which enable some students with a bachelors degree direct entry into master's candidature.

Students enrolled in postgraduate coursework programs normally have set classes and an outline for each unit. Most courses allow students to enrol in a research project, where they can specialise in their own area of interest, under supervision.

General information about the different course types

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research) program is similar to an honours degree and designed to prepare students for a master's or PhD. Students normally complete the program in one year of full-time or two years of part-time study and undertake level 4 units to the value of 48 points.

For further information on research disciplines, see the 'Research programs' entry.

Students that achieve a distinction result in the research project and a distinction average overall are eligible to proceed to a research degree.

Master's by coursework

A master's degree by coursework is a unit-based program that provides graduates with the opportunity to enhance their career prospects, update or add to their skills, or simply follow their interest in an area of the arts.

1.5-year (72-point) programs

The Faculty of Arts currently offers 72-point master's by coursework programs in twenty nine different disciplines. Candidates normally complete their master's program in 18 months of full-time study or three years of part-time study, including a 12 or 24-point research project.

Students can exit from these programs with a graduate diploma after successful completion of 48 points, or with a graduate certificate after completing 24 points.

One-year (48-point) programs

These one-year, master's by coursework programs are offered in three disciplines - bioethics, history and visual culture. Students undertake 48 points of coursework units at level 5 and normally complete the course in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. In some cases, a research project of 12 or more points may be included.

Coursework scholarships

For information on scholarships available to postgraduate coursework students at Monash, refer to the Monash website at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/scholarships/.

Credit for prior studies

The faculty may award credit for postgraduate work completed at Monash University or at another tertiary institution, including overseas universities. Applicants may be granted specific credit in equivalent units or unspecified credit towards electives. A maximum of 50 per cent credit may be granted in line with course requirements and structure. Credit will not normally be granted for units undertaken in a course where the student has subsequently taken out a degree or an award of any kind. Irrespective of credit granted, students will normally be required to complete any core units specified for their program. In all cases, the granting of credit is at the final discretion of the course coordinator.

Application forms are available from the Arts faculty office on any campus or from the website at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/service-centre/forms/credit.pdf

Additional course-specific criteria regarding credit

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Students undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research) will not normally be granted credit for, or exemption from, the research component.

1.5-year (72-point) master's degrees

Applicants who hold an honours degree with a minimum H2B result, a graduate diploma with a minimum of a credit average, or extensive professional experience at a senior level, are normally eligible to apply for up to 36 points of credit (those in the latter category will need to supply a CV, a 1000-word statement and the names of two professional referees). The specific amount of credit granted will depend on the relevance of previous study and/or experience and is determined by the course coordinator.

Master of Bioethics

Applicants for the Master of Bioethics who have already completed a unit in ethics equivalent to APG5393 (Ethics), with at least a distinction result, may apply for exemption with credit for that unit. Normally, the equivalent unit cannot have been part of a degree on the basis of which the entry requirement for the course are met; if this is the case, an exemption without credit may be given for APG5393.

When to apply for credit and details of documentation required

Credit must normally be applied for at the time of entry into the program and will not normally be granted retrospectively. Applicants must provide certified copies of academic transcripts for all previous studies to be considered as well as unit/course syllabuses which indicate the number of points each unit is worth, the total number of points for the whole course and what percentage the unit in question was of the total course.

 NOTE: The course details provided in the entries below are for those students who began their studies in 2013 - students who commenced their studies prior to this date should consult the Handbook edition for the year in which they started their course. Archived Handbooks are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks.

Research

• 3937 Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)*
• 2695 Master of Arts
• 3773 Master of Arts (Creative Writing)
• 3063 Master of Arts (Music Composition)
• 3059 Master of Arts (Music Performance)
• 3939 Master of Arts (Theatre Performance)
• 2846 Master of Arts by research and coursework
• 2704 Master of Bioethics
• 2702 Master of Environmental Science by research and coursework
• 3902 Master of Environmental Science
• 0020 Doctor of Philosophy
• 3940 Doctor of Philosophy (Creative Writing)
• 4067 Doctor of Philosophy (Music Composition)
• 4088 Doctor of Philosophy (Music Performance)
• 4066 Doctor of Philosophy (Theatre Performance)
• 4080 Doctor of Philosophy (Translation Studies)

 *By research and coursework

Coursework

Graduate certificates

• 3767 Graduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics

Graduate diplomas

• 0010 Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics

Postgraduate diplomas

• 3937 Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)*

Masters

Single degrees

• 3077 Master of Applied History
• 3769 Master of Applied Linguistics
• 2846 Master of Arts by research and coursework
• 3059 Master of Arts (Music Performance)*
• 0122 Master of Bioethics
• 3064 Master of Communications and Media Studies
• 3758 Master of Counter-Terrorism Studies
• 4048 Master of Cultural Arts
• 3772 Master of Criminal Justice and Criminology
• 2702 Master of Environmental Science by research and coursework
• 3924 Master of European and International Studies
• 3790 Master of Human Services Management
• 4051 Master of International Crisis Management
• 3093 Master of International Relations
• 3921 Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies
• 4003 Master of Islamic Studies
• 3932 Master of Journalism
• 3069 Master of Music
• 4071 Master of Philosophy
• 2183 Master of Publishing and Editing
• 3783 Master of Sustainability
• 4107 Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management
• 3067 Master of Tourism

Double degrees

• 4054 Master of Journalism and Master of Business
• 4092 Master of Journalism and Master of European and International Studies
• 4063 Master of Journalism and Master of International Relations
• 4057 Master of Journalism and Master of Sustainability

*By research and coursework

Courses with no intake in 2013

Students enrolled in the following courses should refer to the handbook entry for the year in which they commenced the course, available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks:

• 3757 Doctor of Philosophy
• 2529 Faculty Certificate in Corporate Environmental Management
• 2056 Faculty Certificate in History
• 2161 Faculty Certificate in Civil Ceremonies
• 4006 Graduate Certificate in Australian Indigenous Studies
• 3761 Graduate Certificate in Bioethics
• 2158 Graduate Certificate in Civil Ceremonies
• 3065 Graduate Certificate in Communications and Media Studies
• 2527 Graduate Certificate in Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management
• 3782 Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice and Criminology
• 3938 Graduate Certificate in English as an International Language
• 3765 Graduate Certificate in International Relations
• 4011 Graduate Certificate in Professional Editing
• 3752 Graduate Certificate in Publishing and Editing
• 3763 Graduate Certificate in Tourism
• 4041 Graduate Certificate in Translation Studies
• 3798 Graduate Certificate in Australian Studies
• 3929 Graduate Certificate in English (International)
• 3759 Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
• 4021 Graduate Certificate in Interreligious Studies
• 4024 Graduate Certificate in Judaic Studies
• 3795 Graduate Certificate in Linguistics in Language Endangerment Studies
• 3766 Graduate Certificate in Visual Culture
• 0108 Graduate Diploma in Applied Japanese Linguistics
• 4007 Graduate Diploma in Australian Indigenous Studies
• 1158 Graduate Diploma in Bioethics
• 3074 Graduate Diploma in Biography and Life Writing
• 2158 Graduate Diploma in Civil Ceremonies
• 3916 Graduate Diploma in Communications
• 4030 Graduate Diploma in Communal Service and Leadership – Jewish community
• 3097 Graduate Diploma in European Studies
• 3947 Graduate Diploma in Holocaust and Genocide Studies
• 4022 Graduate Diploma in Interreligious Studies
• 4025 Graduate Diploma in Judaic Studies
• 3768 Graduate Diploma in Linguistics
• 4036 Graduate Diploma in Modern Israel Studies
• 3923 Graduate Diploma in Philosophy
• 3776 Graduate Diploma in Theatre
• 1398 Graduate Diploma in Communications and Media Studies
• 2528 Graduate Diploma in Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management
• 3781 Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice and Criminology
• 3931 Graduate Diploma in English as an International Language
• 0095 Graduate Diploma in Environment and Sustainability
• 3925 Graduate Diploma in European and International Studies
• 3789 Graduate Diploma in Human Services Management
• 3754 Graduate Diploma in International Development and Environmental Analysis
• 3935 Graduate Diploma in Journalism  
• 3058Graduate Diploma in Languages
• 3071 Graduate Diploma in Music Studies
• 3076 Graduate Diploma in Public History
• 1357 Graduate Diploma in Publishing and Editing
• 0114 Graduate Diploma in Tourism
• 3082 Graduate Diploma in Translation Studies
• 2845 Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Social Research
• 3052 Postgraduate Diploma in Geographic Information Systems
• 0876 Postgraduate Diploma in History
• 3796 Postgraduate Diploma in Linguistics in Language Endangerment Studies
• 3791 Postgraduate Diploma in Renaissance Studies
• 0166 Postgraduate Diploma in Visual Culture
• 1400 Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations
• 2545 Postgraduate Diploma in Japanese Language
• 3073 Master of Applied Japanese Linguistics
• 3098 Master of Applied Social Research
• 3084 Master of Asian Studies
• 3800 Master of Australian Studies
• 3075 Master of Biography and Life Writing
• 2158 Master of Civil Ceremonies
• 3905 Master of Communications
• 4031 Master of Communal Service and Leadership – Jewish community
• 3090 Master of Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Management
• 4015 Master of Criminal Justice
• 3930 Master of English as an International Language
• 3783Master of Environment and Sustainability
• 3092 Master of History
• 3946 Master of Holocaust and Genocide Studies
• 3086 Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis
• 4023 Master of Interreligious Studies
• 3072 Master of Japanese Interpreting and Translation
• 4039 Master of Journalism and Master of Australian Studies
• 4026 Master of Judaic Studies
• 3777 Master of Letters
• 3797 Master of Linguistics in Language Endangerment Studies
• 3908 Master of Mind and Society
• 4035 Master of Modern Israel Studies
• 3070 Master of Music Studies
• 4032 Master of Oral History and Historical Memory
• 3792 Master of Renaissance Studies
• 3753 Master of Theatre
• 3094 Master of Visual Culture 
• 4057 Master of Journalism and Master of Environment and Sustainability
• 4060 Master of Journalism and Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis