Australian Indigenous Studies

Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne is an exciting interdisciplinary program that offers students an opportunity to learn about the history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Australian Indigenous Studies in the Faculty of Arts is a value driven program based on the principles of interdisciplinarity, intellectual exchange and social relevance. 

Since 2007, under the guidance of Philip Morrissey, the Australian Indigenous Studies program has undergone rapid and continual development. The program launched the IDF subject Australian Indigenous Studies in 2008, an interdisciplinary major in 2009 and an honours program in 2011.

Australian Indigenous Studies enables students to develop deep and nuanced intellectual positions and critically and analytically engage with historical and contemporary issues in Australian society. Australian Indigenous Studies has an evolving disciplinary identity that incorporates and acknowledges diverse cultural frameworks, allowing students to consider issues from complex and multifaceted perspectives.

Subjects offered reflect the rich diversity of the field of Australian Indigenous studies, themes include:

• Indigenous arts, literature, film and sport
• Key thinkers and concepts
• Historicism
• Australian environmental ethics
• Aboriginal women
• Aboriginal land, law and philosophy

A major in Australian Indigenous Studies is offered for undergraduate students. Students with a degree in any discipline are eligible to complete the Graduate Certificate in Arts (Australian Indigenous Studies) or the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Australian Indigenous Studies). A fourth-year Honours degree is also available to students who have completed a BA. Current subject listings are available via the handbook links.