Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies

2024 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2024 course information
Award granted	Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies
Deakin course code	A768
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Campus	Burwood (Melbourne) For students who commenced prior to 2024 only
Online	No
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	The course map for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2024 will be available soon. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	102879G Burwood (Melbourne)
The final intake into this course version was in 2023. Students should contact a Student Adviser in Student Central for course information. For students who commenced prior to 2023, please refer to handbook archive for course structure information.

Course sub-headings

Alternative exits

Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies (A568)
Graduate Diploma of Museum Studies (A668)

Research information

Students will complete a research pathway in 1 of the 3 following options:

Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway
Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^
Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities	Research and critically reflect on the diverse tangible and intangible manifestations of social memory as expressed in places and sites, objects, traditional practices and beliefs on a personal and collective level and evaluate different conceptual and practical approaches to its identification, collection, conservation, interpretation, display, management and use.
Communication	Effectively communicate the findings and analysis of cultural heritage and museum studies concepts, theories and applied knowledge, in written, digital and oral formats to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Digital literacy	Use a range of generic and specialist cultural heritage and museum studies digital technologies and information sources to research, select, analyse, employ, evaluate, and disseminate technical and non-technical information and research outcomes.
Critical thinking	Critically reflect on, research, analyse, evaluate and synthesise key concepts in the identification, collection, conservation, display, interpretation, management, and use of cultural heritage. Apply expert knowledge of, and, technical and creative skills in cultural heritage to evaluate issues and problems in professional practice and scholarship.
Problem solving	Apply expert knowledge to critically analyse, and develop innovative and creative solutions to real-world and ill-defined problems or issues in the identification, collection, conservation, display, interpretation, management and use of cultural heritage.
Self-management	Apply knowledge and skills in creative ways to new situations in professional practice and/or further learning in the field of cultural heritage and museum studies with adaptability, autonomy, responsibility and personal accountability for actions as a critically self-reflexive practitioner and learner.
Teamwork	Apply the principles of effective team work as a reflective team member and/or leader of diverse cultural heritage and museum teams in order to support the team in achieving designated goals.
Global citizenship	Analyse and address cultural heritage issues in the domestic, regional and global context as a critically reflexive scholar and practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards.
Approved by Faculty Board 2020

Course rules

To qualify for the award of Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies, a student must successfully complete 8 credit points as follows:

2 credit points of compulsory core units
6 credit points of study from one of the Minor Thesis, Research Paper, or Professional Experience Pathways. Course Elective units may be used to form a Specialisation.*
DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

*course electives may be used to form a specialisation in either Collections and Curatorship or Heritage Practice of 4 credit points

Specialisations

Course structure

Core units

AIM709

Intangible Cultural Heritage

AIM720

Sustainability and Human Rights in Heritage and Museums

DAI001

Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit)

Course Electives*

AIX706

Research Design

AIM703

Heritage Practice: Conservation and Managing Change

AIM705

Heritage Practice: Fundamentals

AIM708

World Heritage

AIM715

Digital Interpretation

AIM719

Cultural Heritage and Museum Practice

AIM722

Managing Collections

AIM727

Developing Exhibitions

AIM733

Applied Heritage Project

AIM736

Museums, Heritage and Society

APE700

Internship A

* choice of elective units may be used to form a specialisation, students who have previously completed any of these units within the Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies are required to substitute with an alternate unit from the course elective list

2 credit points of the electives may be selected from other Deakin postgraduate units with the approval of the course director.

Pathways

Minor Thesis - PhD Pathway

AIX706

Research Design

Plus 2 credit points of research units:

AIX704

Minor Thesis A

AIX705

Minor Thesis B

Plus 3 credit points chosen from the specialisations and/or course electives

Research Paper – non PhD Pathway^

AIX701

Research Paper

Plus 5 credit points chosen from the specialisations and/or course electives

Professional Experience – non PhD Pathway^

APE701

Internship Capstone (2 credit points)

Plus 4 credit points chosen from the specialisations and/or course electives

^ The Research Paper and Professional Experience options are not PhD Pathways.

Details of specialisations

Collections and Curatorship

Overview

Those who would like to work with objects and collections, create ground-breaking exhibitions, or manage museums and galleries can choose the Collections and Curatorship specialisation. Units in this specialisation include Managing Collections, Developing Exhibitions, and Digital Interpretation.

Career outcomes

Graduates can be found working as a curator, museum or gallery manager, collections manager, exhibition officer, interpretation officer, registrar, public programs officer, researcher.

Unit set code

SP-A78601

Units

AIM715

Digital Interpretation

AIM722

Managing Collections

AIM727

Developing Exhibitions

Plus

AIX706

Research Design

AIX704

Minor Thesis A

and

AIX705

Minor Thesis B

AIX701

Research Paper

APE701

Internship Capstone (2 credit points)

Heritage Practice

Overview

For those whose primary interest lies in looking after significant places such as heritage sites, historic buildings or landscapes, and want to develop practical skills such as heritage assessment/designation, management planning, community engagement or impact assessment can choose the Heritage Practice specialisation. It includes units on Heritage Practice: Fundamentals, Conservation and Managing Change, and World Heritage.

Career outcomes

Graduates can be found working as a cultural heritage advisor, heritage consultant, heritage officer, heritage planner, heritage policy officer, heritage site manager, heritage project manager, researcher.