Fast Facts
Location
Online study is only available to off-shore students
Commencing
- Online: February, July
Fees
$16,480.00+
+total estimated tuition fee
Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Scholarships and financial aid available if eligible
Duration
1 year part-time
Entry Requirements
Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree; or equivalent
English language requirements
Band 1
If your native language is not English, you must meet the minimum English language requirements for this course.
Course Code
121411
Course detail
Enhance your career opportunities by developing your capacity to work more effectively with Indigenous communities in Northern Australia and globally with the Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies. This certificate is ideal for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous professionals and community members wanting to broaden their skillset with an increased understanding of the complexity of factors that impact Indigenous people today. Professionals looking to return to the workforce after a period away or planning to enter a new field can retrain and reskill to enhance their intercultural competency. This one-year part-time degree prepares graduates to work more effectively with Indigenous individuals and communities, with a view to contributing to Indigenous political and cultural self-determination agendas.
JCU’s Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies is the first postgraduate coursework degree in Australia to explicitly focus on the intersection of Indigenous and Western ideas, priorities and knowledge positions. This degree delves into the cultural interface by exploring both the continuities of Indigenous knowledges and traditions and the impacts of colonisation. Students are encouraged to explore the various responses given by Indigenous communities globally and to delve into the complexity that exists in this space. Your study will guide you to develop the language and dispositions to work more effectively with Indigenous communities and people through lecture, discussion and practical based learning activities.
This graduate certificate consists of four subjects: Indigenous Australians; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as Colonial Subjects; Comparative Indigenous Studies; and Navigating the Cultural Interface. These subjects will deepen your understanding of the complexity of Indigenous experiences today. You will build a foundational basis in traditional knowledges and practices and analyse the impact of colonisation. Next, you will analyse case studies of Indigenous people throughout the world, drawing on the knowledge you have developed in your previous two subjects. Finally, you will put this learning into practice, working with a local Indigenous community to develop a project at the interface of Indigenous and Western ideas.
Experience has no substitute
Spend time on-Country and experience Indigenous knowledge in-situ in the subject Indigenous Australians. You will have the opportunity to partake in an optional field trip led by Traditional Owners while exploring the complexity of Indigenous practices and knowledge traditions. You may also have the chance to participate in an optional overseas field trip.
In the subject Navigating the Cultural Interface, you will work in groups to respond to challenges in real-world contexts and create a project proposal for an Indigenous community that is relevant to Indigenous challenges and cultural requirements. You will then present your proposal to an Indigenous community leader (either virtually or face-to-face) and receive in-depth feedback on your work. This personalised and targeted feedback from an Indigenous professional perspective will give you the tools to improve your knowledge and fine tune your skills throughout the course.
In addition to testing your knowledge application, this project proposal will also sharpen your professional skills. The project proposal provides experience in project management, including skills such as managing timelines and budgetary restraints, engaging stakeholders and pitching ideas to a range of people, particularly those within Indigenous communities. You will be better prepared to work collaboratively with Indigenous people and to develop innovative responses to complex issues.
Ready today for tomorrow
The combination of subjects in this degree will lead you through an exploration of existing perspectives and narratives that represent Indigenous people in government, academic and public spheres and how these can be incomplete or limited by personal positions or agendas. This approach will better situate you as a professional or as a researcher to build your capacity for local leadership, equipping you to bring a more inclusive and informed approach to your work.
Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies, you will have the ability to integrate and apply a specialised body of knowledge of the historical and contemporary position of Australian and international Indigenous communities to both professional and academic settings. You will have valuable experience in navigating the boundaries of Indigenous and non-Indigenous viewpoints and practice in communicating these ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences. This set of knowledge and skills will prepare you to bring advanced intercultural and communication competencies to your work environment, which are in high demand in current professional and academic settings.
You can also pursue further study and research with the Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) and Doctor of Philosophy (Indigenous). This graduate certificate also qualifies you to enrol in the Master of Global Development with a focus on Indigenous Futures.
Professionals with education and experience in navigating the intersection of Indigenous and Western ideas and social models are highly valued in both Australian and international settings. The knowledge and skills you gain through the Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies are applicable to every industry and field of work or academia.
Your ability to generate innovative responses to complex social and cultural challenges can build your capacity within your current role, make you stand out to prospective employers, and assist you to take on roles with greater responsibility and interpersonal requirements.
Graduates with experience in Indigenous studies commonly pursue careers in policy, public service, corporate organisations, not-for-profit sectors, media, research and education.
You can also pursue further study and research. The Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies is a pathway to postgraduate research, giving you a strong foundation to continue into the Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Indigenous). This graduate certificate also qualifies you to enrol in the Master of Global Development with a focus on Indigenous Futures.
Handbook year | Information valid for students commencing in 2023 |
Course code | 121411 |
Course type | Graduate Certificate (AQF Level 8) |
Owner | Indigenous Education and Research Centre (Administered by Academy) |
College | Indigenous Education and Research Centre (Administered by Academy) |
Award Requirements
Admission Requirements
Pre-requisites | Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree; or Other qualifications or practical experience recognised by DVC (Indigenous Education and Strategy) as equivalent to the above. |
Minimum English language proficiency requirements | Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 1– Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy. |
Academic Requirements for Course Completion
Credit points | 12 credit points as per course structure |
Course learning outcomes | On successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Indigenous studies, graduates will be able to:
|
Inherent Requirements
Inherent requirements | Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies |
Reasonable adjustments | All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure |
Course Structure
CORE SUBJECTS
IA5013:03 Indigenous Australians
IA5022:03 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People as Colonial Subjects
IA5029:03 Comparative Indigenous Studies
IA5030:03 Navigating the Cultural Interface
Location
COURSE AVAILABLE AT | NOTES |
External |
Candidature
Expected time to complete | 1 year part-time |
Maximum time to complete | 2 years |
Maximum leave of absence | 1 year Please refer to the Coursework Enrolment Procedure |
Progression
Course progression | Nil |
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s) | No |
Course includes mandatory fieldwork | No |
Special assessment | Nil |
Professional accreditation | Nil |
Supplementary exam for | Not applicable |
Credit
Eligibility | Students may apply for credit for previous tertiary study in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure |
Maximum allowed | 6 credit points |
Currency | Credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course |
Expiry | Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 12 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course. |
Other restrictions | Not applicable |
Award Details
Award title | GRADUATE CERTIFICATE OF INDIGENOUS STUDIES |
Approved abbreviation | GCertIndigStud |
Exit with lesser award | Not applicable |
Course articulation | Students who complete this course are eligible for entry to the Graduate Diploma of Global Development and the Master of Global Development, and may be granted credit for all subjects completed under this course. |
Special awards | Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure |
Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD16,480.00
Course fees are charged per year of full-time study. International course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.
A Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.
Student Visa holders must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their Student Visa (except Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian citizens). Costs depend on the length of study and the number of dependents accompanying the student. For more information see Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).
Scholarships and financial aid are also available for international students.
Consult the admission requirements section in the Handbook for prerequisites and pathways into this course.
Application dates vary between courses, whether they're delivered in semester, trimester or carousel study modes. View our Application due dates page for more information.
Gather the documents you need to apply and submit an application via JCU's online application portal.