The Master of Museum and Heritage Studies will help you gain knowledge and develop skills to tackle complex challenges and become an expert in this field.

It draws on our strong connections with Canberra’s leading cultural and collecting institutions to prepare you for an innovative career in this field. Our local and national links mean you’ll regularly hear from senior institutional staff in classes and can learn on the ground through our internship program.

If you opt for specialisation, you’ll learn about traditional curatorship and collections management, social inclusion, Indigenous curation and collection and innovative visitor studies.

This knowledge will enable you to analytically address and assess policy and practices that explore the political and social phenomenon and impacts of heritage and its management and conservation.



 

Quick facts

  • ANU ranks #1 in Australia and top 25 in the world for disciplines across humanities, arts and social sciences*
  • 96% ANU research rated above world standard**
  • 1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent
  • Classes will be delivered in-person and online
  • July 2022 intake for Semester 2
  • Choose from a range of specialisations
*QS 2021 ranking; **Worldpopulationreview.com

Why study MASTER OF MUSEUM AND HERITAGE STUDIES at ANU?

  • Learn from the best – Work alongside colleagues from the fields of history, archaeology, anthropology and art history and gain knowledge. You will also have the opportunity to study in Canberra’s cultural hub – home to over 20 cultural and collecting institutions including galleries, museums, libraries and archives.
  • Be at the forefront – Utilise our national and international connections and learn from leading academics who have area expertise in diverse geographic regions including Australia, Europe, Malaysia, China, Thailand, North and South America and the Pacific.
  • Enhance your employability – Gain hands-on practical experience through internships where you will learn about exhibition design and delivery, museum curation, conservation efforts, interpretation and draft heritage management plans. There is also an advanced course option to extend your practical experience through an independent research project.

What you’ll learn

As a graduate of the Master of Museum and Heritage Studies, you will learn how to:

  • analyse, research, reflect on and synthesise complex approaches to museums and collecting agencies and their relationships to societies
  • evaluate significant debates, problems, controversies, concepts and theories pertinent to museums and collections
  • develop critical engagement with, and a working knowledge of, museums and collecting agencies
  • communicate and interpret knowledge and ideas to general and specialists museum audiences.

Equipped with knowledge in recent developments in case law, legislation, policy and legal research, you’ll graduate with the advanced legal knowledge and critical thinking skills essential to meeting the demands of a rapidly changing world and profession.

Specialisations

The Master of Museum and Heritage Studies offers three specialisations within the program:

  • Cultural Heritage Management
  • Intangible Cultural Heritage
  • Museums and Collections

Careers

Students have the unique opportunity to work with:

  • Museums
  • National cultural and collecting agencies
  • Leading national and international heritage groups

Students link with existing museum and heritage projects within:

  • Government departments
  • Heritage consultancy firms
  • Cultural institutions
  • Leading heritage bodies
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Testimonials

When I was thinking about my graduate study, I chose museum and heritage studies because I really wanted to know how I can create interesting exhibitions. At ANU, I was trained to observe, recognise and understand the world and people's behaviour. Without ANU, I would not have been able to find such a good job.

Jiani Li
Master of Museum and Heritage Studies

My internship with the Museum of Old Democracy (MoAD) helped me understand that my interest lies in heritage management and interpretation. You can’t really know what a role involves until you actually do the job and give it a go. So I felt glad that I was able to do it at an early point in my degree.

Nicole O’Dowd
Master of Museum and Heritage Studies

UPSKILL OR RETRAIN IN JUST SIX MONTHS WITH A SHORT COURSE

Our short course offers a postgraduate pathway into the Master of Museum and Heritage Studies and can be completed within six months:

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