Students who have completed the Master of Liberal Arts with an average mark of 70% or higher may apply to the Dean for entry into the Master of Liberal Arts Honours program. With the approval of the program coordinator, students will undertake an independent research project. The aim of the project is to allow students to apply the conceptual and methodological skills they have developed in the program to a particular research question, issue, or case study gained from professional or first-hand experience. Projects will be designed in conjunction with and supervised closely by appropriate experts.

Course aims:

On completing the Master of Liberal Arts (Hons), students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Demonstrate, to an advanced level, independent thought and the ability to identify and construct a coherent research question.

2. Synthesise and articulate key concepts in the various disciplines (sub-plans) that contribute to the general field of liberal arts research, and demonstrate effective interdisciplinary thinking at an advanced level.

3. Apply methodological, conceptual and analytic tools to advanced level research relevant to the Museums and Collections, Visual Culture Research, Cultural and Environmental Heritage, or Writing, World Histories and Lives sub-plans.

4. Conduct data-collection, analysis, and verbal and written presentation at the standard of an advanced postgraduate degree.

5. Model best practice and have a commitment to ethical, reflective practice in relation to the cultural and collecting sectors, the heritage and public history sectors, and /or the field of visual and material culture production and research.

Learning outcomes:

Student skills objectives will be consistent with and contribute to the student skills objectives of the Master of Liberal Arts (Hons) program and will aims to develop:

1.     Advanced skills in written and verbal expression for a variety of relevant academic and / or professional purposes.

2.     Advanced skills in interdisciplinary thinking and the ability to apply theoretical ideas to case studies developed from personal observation.

3.     Advanced skills required in humanities research and related sectoral work. This includes data-collection, analysis, and verbal and written presentation at the standard of a postgraduate degree.

4.     Model best practice and have a commitment to ethical, reflective practice in regard to work and analysis in the relevant field of enquiry.

The nature of the inquiry will be established at the commencement of the teaching period through a written proposal that will be developed in consultation between the student and supervising lecturer and then submitted to the program coordinator for formal approval. There are 2 frameworks that students can select to work within:

• Option A: A written thesis of 15,000 words (100%); OR
• Option B: An applied professional practice/placement/project component and supporting thesis or exigesis (word length to be decided through consultation between student, supervisor, and program coordinator) (100%).

Entry to the course requires the permission of the Course Coordinator