Careers & Alumni

Arts Faculty Careers Site

Careers and Employment Unit

A degree with a major in Australian Studies is of relevance to graduates entering the media, the public service, education, politics, librarianship or other roles where an understanding of the complexities of contemporary Australian life is of significance. Such a degree will equip you with essential skills that are applicable to diverse job markets and valued by a range of employers. These include:

• the development of critical thinking and analytical skills
• an understanding of the complex social, ethical and cultural contexts in contemporary Australia
• the development of written and verbal communication skills
• attention to detail
• high level competence in time management and planning
• the ability to collaborate with other students and work effectively as a team.

Find out more about the Australian Centre's undergraduate subjects and postgraduate courses. 

ALUMNI

Amanda Smith is the presenter of "The Sports Factor", broadcast on ABC Radio National (Fridays 8.30am & 8.30pm).

Amanda dreamt up the idea of "The Sports Factor" in 1994, whilst studying for a Graduate Diploma in Australian Studies, at the Australian Centre. Radio National had never run a specialist sports program before. Now in its 7th year of broadcast, "The Sports Factor" is one of the network's most popular programs.
Amanda's studies at the Australian Centre focussed on sports history and cultural theory, which gave her a framework with which to develop a radio program which moved beyond a "scores and groin injuries" approach to sports broadcasting. "The Sports Factor" discusses issues in sport, and its cultural significance.
Amanda's Graduate Diploma thesis was on "Women, Sport and the Media". A subject she knows much more about now than when she wrote it!

Maryanne McCubbin, BA Hons (University of Melbourne); Grad. Dip in Information Management (University of Melbourne); MA, Australian Centre, University of Melbourne.

In 2000, Maryanne completed an MA by Research with the Australian Centre at the University of Melbourne. Her thesis, Objects Lessons: Public History in Melbourne 1887-1935, explored public expressions of history in central Melbourne from the late colonial period to the celebration of the city's centenary in 1935. It drew upon several case studies, including the 1888 Melbourne Centennial International Exhibition, the development and unveiling of monuments to Sir Redmond Barry in 1887 and to the Eight Hours' Day in 1903, and the relocation of Captain Cook's Cottage to Fitzroy Gardens in 1934.

For the past ten years Maryanne has been employed as a curator in Australian social history at Museum Victoria.

"I wished to undertake a thesis that explored some of the antecedents of practices in public history, in order to better understand the historical legacies of my own profession. I chose to do it at the Australian Centre because I was aware that my topic potentially drew upon a range of humanities disciplines, such as history, art and exhibition practices, folklore studies, and urban planning, amongst others." Marianne says that her supervisors at the Australian Centre did indeed encourage a multidisciplinary approach, as well as ensuring integration between theoretical and empirical sources. "They were rich and generous in their time, advice, references to other sources, and suggestions as to how to better define and structure the thesis."

While undertaking the degree, the Australian Centre encourages students to deliver conference papers,and in Maryanne's case, one of these resulted in a publication in the American Journal of Popular Culture.

"I have subsequently reworked parts of the thesis into papers for more recent conferences, and hope to refine them for publication."

"Undertaking the Masters forced the discipline I needed to produce a substantial piece of research and a number of publications while also holding down a full-time job. The degree certainly enhanced my understanding of the historical contexts of current museology, which I have been able to articulate in seeking more senior positions in the Museum."

Maryanne McCubbin
Head, Strategic Collection and Information Management
Museum Victoria