Aboriginal Studies

Aboriginal Studies is an interdisciplinary major which links together ABST subjects and a number of subjects as well as offered by the Faculties of Arts, Creative Arts, Education, Health and Behavioural Sciences, Law and Science, to provide Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students with a coherent program in the study of Aboriginal Australia.

Major Study

The major consists of three core subjects offered by the Aboriginal Education Centre together with a choice of subjects offered by participating Faculties. Students are advised to consult with the Aboriginal Education Centre about available subjects prior to enrolment.

A major in Aboriginal Studies requires the completion of a minimum of 52 credit points, consisting of at least 12 credit points at 100-level, 16 credit points at 200-level and 24 credit points at 300-level. The major must include ABST150, ABST200 and ABST300.

Double Major

A majority of the Aboriginal Studies subjects are drawn from the offerings of a number of Faculties, and it is possible for students to complete a second major. Students are encouraged to look closely at this option, particularly if they are contemplating postgraduate study.

Minor Study

A minor in Aboriginal Studies will consist of the three core subjects (ABST150, ABST200 and ABST300) and one other subject from the subjects prescribed for the major (see Study Program below). Students may not cross-count any subjects from the minor in any other minor or major study.

Study Program


Subjects	Title	Session	Credit Points
100-level
ABST150	Introduction to Aboriginal Australia	Autumn/Spring	6
ARTS112	People and Place	Autumn	6
AUST102	Narrating the Nation	Spring	6
ENGL113	Contemporary Writing in Australia	N/O 2007	6
HIST109	Living Australia: 1800-2000	Spring	6
EESC104	The Human Environment: Problems and Change	Spring	6
PHIL151	Practical Reasoning A	Spring	6
POL 141	Change and Debate in Contemporary Australian Politics	Summer 07/08	6
POP 101	Population Health-current Issues and their determinants	Autumn	6
SOC 103	Aspects of Australian Society	Autumn	6
VISA123	Introduction to Aboriginal Arts and Society	Autumn	6
200-level
ABST200	Aboriginal Identities: History and Contested	Spring	8
ABST201	Redefining Eden: Indigenous Peoples and the Environment	Autumn	8
ABST202	Indigenous Self-Representation in Contemporary Texts	Autumn	8
EESC214	Discovering Down Under: A Geography of Australia	Spring	8
EESC215	Environmental Impact of Societies	Spring	8
HIST239	A Cultural History of Water	Spring	8
NURS240	Current Services in Aboriginal Health	Autumn	6
NURS242	Functional Community Structures	N/O 2007	6
PHIL206	Practical Ethics	Autumn	8
PHIL232	Political Philosophy	N/O 2007	8
POP 201	Contemporary Population Health Issues	Autumn	6
SOC 231	Social Analysis	Spring	8
300-level
ABST300	Indigenous Theories of Decolonisation	Spring	8
ABST350	Special Topic in Aboriginal Studies	Autumn/Spring	8
ABST361	Issues in Aboriginal Education	Autumn	8
ABST362	Aboriginal Pedagogy	Spring	8
EESC307	Spaces, Places and Identities	Autumn	8
EESC308	Environmental and Heritage Management	Spring	8
ENGL375	Australia Fair: Nation, “Race”, Culture	Spring	8
HIST350	Debates in Australian Cultural History	Autumn	8
LAW 344	Indigenous Peoples and Legal Systems	Spring	6
NURS327	Health and Human Ecology	Spring	6
NURS341	Research in Indigenous Health	Autumn	6
PHIL390	Contemporary Political Philosophy	N/O 2007	8
POP 325	Aboriginal Health Issues	Spring	8
SOC 305	Race and Ethnic Studies	Spring	8
SOC 308	Social Policy and the Neoliberal State	Spring	8
VISA321	Introduction to Indigenous Art and Visual Culture	Autumn	6