Postgraduate Program in Cultural Heritage Management

General Information About the Course Structure of the Course Staff teaching in the Course Course Topic Descriptions Cultural Heritage Management Resources at Flinders University Who to Contact for more information Currently enrolled students Industry Links Scholarships

Cultural heritage management is a significant element of both archaeological professional practice and the tourism experience, whether as part of archaeological consultancy projects or in terms of the demands of a tourism product (e.g. in museums or heritage attractions). The need to balance heritage, developmental pressures and tourism is one of the main tasks of any cultural heritage manager.

The Graduate Program in Cultural Heritage Management is a direct outgrowth of the successful coursework Graduate Programs in Maritime Archaeology and Tourism, and is a natural progression from the core theoretical and applied experience offered by the successful Bachelor of Archaeology and Bachelor of Cultural Tourism degrees at Flinders University. Cultural heritage management is a diverse and rapidly growing field of employment, both in Australia and internationally. Key areas of employment for graduates of cultural heritage management postgraduate degrees include:

• Federal and state government departments responsible for administering heritage legislation (e.g. the SA Department of Environment and Heritage, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, or the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency);
• Other federal, state and local government bodies whose work intersects with heritage matters through Native Title, managing assets, or urban and land-based development issues (e.g. every state department in Australia dealing with mining, agriculture, tourism, management of natural resources, national parks and other environmental matters);
• Archaeological consulting firms;
• Native Title Representative Bodies as defined under the Native Title Act, 1993;
• Other non-government Aboriginal organisations dealing with Native Title and/or cultural heritage matters; and,
• Private sector corporations in industries including mining, pastoralism, farming, tourism and other commercial land uses.

There is also a market demand for heritage managers who understand the dynamics of tourism, and who can work creatively to enhance visitor experience at the same time as managing and presenting their heritage assets in accordance with conservation principles.

Flinders University is one of the few universities in Australia to bring a combination of archaeological and tourism expertise to the issues of cultural heritage management. The course is run jointly by the Department of Archaeology and the Department of Cultural Tourism, with assistance from experts in legal studies, professional studies and environmental management. A key facet of the course is the input from industry partners, such as the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc., the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC), the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH), Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division (SA Government), the South Australian Museum, the History Trust of South Australia, and the South Australian State Branch (as well as local branches) of the National Trust. The program has been specifically designed to offer a creative and relevant pathway to cultural heritage management practice and to provide the best possible combination of theoretical, practical and applied knowledge.

Entry Requirements

The normal minimum entry requirement for all three post-graduate Cultural Heritage Management courses is a three-year undergraduate degree from an approved tertiary institution majoring in archaeology, cultural tourism or another related discipline.  However, applicants with other qualifications may be accepted under certain circumstances, at the discretion of the Course Coordinator. Please contact Dr Lynley Wallis for advice if you are unsure whether you meet the requirements.

Further Information

• Please click here for a PDF version of the 2008 handbook for the Graduate Program in CHM.  This document contains most of the information which is provided on these web pages in a single comprehensive document.
• Please click here to access further information on the Flinders University website about the Graduate Program in CHM.
• Domestic students: Please click here to download a PDF version of the application form for the Graduate Program in CHM.  A paper copy of this form should be completed and mailed to the address indicated on the form.   Alternatively, enrolment can now be done online through SATAC.
• International students: Please click here to download a PDF version of the international application form for the Graduate Program in CHM.  A paper copy of this form should be completed and mailed to the address indicated on the form.