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Curtin University
Courses Handbook 2014

This handbook contains information for courses and units at Curtin in 2014.
Information for the previous year's courses and units is available at Courses Handbook 2013.

305851 v.4 Bachelor of Applied Science (Indigenous Australian Research) (Honours)

BAppSc(Hons)(Curtin)

This course is not available to International Onshore Students on Student Visas



Course Overview

Bachelor honours degrees prepare students to develop advanced knowledge and skills for professional work, research and further learning corresponding to AQF level 8 qualifications.


This honours course provides an opportunity for suitably qualified graduate students to undertake a dissertation-based program in the field of Indigenous studies. The course focuses on Indigenous knowledge and research methodologies and emphasises multidisciplinary approaches to analyse topics of relevance to Indigenous people.


Additional Course Expenses

Students may be expected to purchase a number of textbooks and other essential study materials.



Course Entry and Completion Details

Applicants are required to meet University academic and English language entry standards; details are provided at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au and include flexible entry pathways. Admission to Honours is by invitation and follows high achievement in an appropriate bachelor degree.


The following students are eligible to apply for places in the program: those students who have completed the Bachelor of Arts (Indigenous Australian Cultural Studies), the Bachelor of Applied Science (Aboriginal Community Management and Development) or the Bachelor of Applied Science (Indigenous Community Health) at Curtin and have attained a course weighted average of 70 or above in the third year of the course. Students from elsewhere will be eligible if they have similar levels of attainment and meet one or more of the following criteria: are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, or have completed one or more undergraduate units with a substantial Indigenous studies component, or can demonstrate substantial life experience residing with or working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.


Credit for Recognised Learning

Applications for credit towards a course are assessed on an individual basis. Credit reduces the amount of learning required to complete the course and may be granted for formal education qualifications, non-formal learning from non-award programs of study and informal learning through work experiences. Further information can be found at http://futurestudents.curtin.edu.au.


Pathway to Further Study

Graduates may qualify for entry to graduate certificates, graduate diplomas, master by coursework and research degrees and doctorates. For further details, see the University website http://curtin.edu.au.



Course Organisation

Bachelor honours degrees typically comprise an honours course equivalent to one year of full-time study, which is additional to the associated bachelor degree.


Students undertake a semester of coursework, followed by a semester of independent research, fieldwork and dissertation writing.


Course Learning Outcomes

A graduate of this course can:

1. recognise the diversity of systems of Indigenous and other knowledge and ways of knowing, and understand the relationship between power and knowledge

2. know how to critique and deconstruct ideas, arguments and positions; synthesise and critically evaluate information relevant to research

3. access and evaluate information in order to locate and review existing literature related to a research topic

4. develop effective writing and presentation skills; communicate orally in clear, concise and logical ways; negotiate entry into the field with participants in their research

5. utilise appropriate technologies for research and have developed effective electronic literature and library/text-based search strategies in order to locate and review existing literature related to specific research topics

6. apply qualitative research techniques in Indigenous Australian contexts; work in ways that comply with the requirements for the conduct of ethical and culturally sensitive research in Indigenous Australian contexts

7. consider and discuss global Indigenous knowledges and relate them to Indigenous Australian contexts

8. acknowledge and foreground Indigenous ways of knowing and learning, and value and draw upon the lived experience of Indigenous Australian people; recognise diversity in relation to age, gender, country and cultural role in Indigenous contexts; evaluate the representation of Indigenous people in research, and how different representations can produce different narratives, stories and truths

9. conduct research in an appropriate and consultative way that respects cultural protocols and research ethics


Duration and Availability

This honours degree program is one year full-time or equivalent part-time study.



Course Structure Hrs/Wk Credit
Year 1
313901 v.1   Indigenous Australian Cultural Studies Honours Major 200.0
  OR  
313899 v.1   Indigenous Community Management and Development Honours Major 200.0
  OR  
313900 v.1   Indigenous Community Health Honours Major 200.0
  200.0



Further Information

For more information about the course, please contact the Centre for Aboriginal Studies on telephone (08) 9266 7091, email cas.enquiries@curtin.edu.au or visit our website: http://gunada.curtin.edu.au.


Course Structure Disclaimer

Curtin University reserves the right to alter the internal composition of any course to ensure learning outcomes retain maximum relevance. Any changes to the internal composition of a course will protect the right of students to complete the course within the normal timeframe and will not result in additional cost to students through a requirement to undertake additional units.




Handbook Disclaimer

The online handbook is the repository of Curtin University of Technology (“Curtin”) course information. While Curtin makes all reasonable endeavors to keep its online courses handbook up-to-date, information within this website is subject to change from time to time. Curtin reserves the right to change the contents and/or the method of assessment, to change or alter tuition fees of any unit of study, to withdraw/any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program without notification via the website.

For course overviews and enrolment information please visit our future students website.