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Studies & Degrees in Australian Studies

Australian studies is an area studies subject: it looks at one country, Australia, through several disciplines at once. History, politics, literature, film, sociology and the study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples all contribute. The aim is to understand how Australian society was formed, how it sees itself and how it relates to Asia, the Pacific, Britain and the rest of the world.

Few universities award a degree with this exact name today. Most students meet the subject in one of three ways: as courses inside an arts degree in Australia, as modules or research at a specialist centre abroad, or as a study abroad semester in Australia.

What students learn

The content depends on the disciplines a university brings together. The Australia Studies Institute at King's College London describes its research fields as history, politics and cultural studies, including film. At the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in Queensland, Australian content runs through several parts of the Bachelor of Arts:

  • history courses such as History of Australian popular culture: The nineteenth century and beyond, and Heritage: Australian and Global Contexts
  • a Sociology major that takes a closer look at Australian and global society
  • an Indigenous Studies minor on the factors that shape the lives of First Nations peoples, families, cultures and communities, with courses such as Reading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writing

Students learn to read historical sources, literature and film critically, to write research essays and to compare Australia with other societies.

Qualifications and levels

  • Major or minor in a bachelor's degree. The Bachelor of Arts at UniSC lasts 3 years and has 24 courses and 288 units. A major takes 96 units and a minor 48; the History major, for example, consists of 8 courses. International students on a Student visa can only study full-time.
  • Modules inside a degree abroad. At King's College London, the institute's undergraduate modules include Great Southern Land: The History of Australia, taught in the BA History, and Making the Indo-Pacific, taught in the BA International Politics and Technology.
  • Master's degree and PhD. The institute teaches at postgraduate level through the Global Affairs MSc. It also supervises doctoral research and supports postgraduate students with the Richard Gunter Scholarships.
  • Study abroad. According to Study Australia, the government portal, study abroad programmes let students spend one or two semesters at an Australian university and gain academic credit towards the degree of their home university. It gives on-country Australian Indigenous studies as an example of a course that students could not take at home.

Where to study it

The SpainExchange directory lists 2 schools for Australian studies: the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia and the University of London in the United Kingdom. Teaching is in English at both.

UniSC is a public university in Queensland whose arts degree lets students combine majors and minors with Australian content. In London, the Australia Studies Institute was established as part of the University of London in 1982 and is now one of the global institutes of King's College London. It is located on the Strand, close to Australia House, and it presents itself as the United Kingdom's leading centre for the academic study of Australia and its global relations.

When comparing options, check how many courses actually deal with Australia, which disciplines are covered and whether the credits count towards the degree at home. For a study abroad semester, tuition fees are paid directly to the Australian university for the study period, and credit arrangements have to be agreed individually with the home university.

Careers

Australian studies is rarely a professional qualification on its own. It gives regional knowledge and research, writing and analytical skills that graduates use in teaching, journalism and media, publishing, museums and heritage, tourism, diplomacy, international organisations and companies that work with Australia. A research career requires a master's degree and a PhD. No official employment statistics are published for this field, so ask each university for the outcomes of its graduates.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a bachelor's degree in Australian studies?

Rarely under that name. At the universities listed here the subject is taken as courses, majors or minors inside a broader degree, such as the 3-year Bachelor of Arts at UniSC or the BA History at King's College London.

Can I study Australian studies outside Australia?

Yes. The Australia Studies Institute at King's College London, founded within the University of London in 1982, teaches at bachelor's, master's and PhD levels.

Can I take Australian studies courses for one semester?

Yes. Study Australia explains that study abroad programmes last one or two semesters and give academic credit towards the home degree, subject to the agreement of the home university.

In which language are the courses taught?

In English. Each university sets the English level that international students must prove.