Higher Degree Research (PhD and Mphil)

Graduate Research in Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Research (ICCR) - overview

The Research School of the Humanities and the Arts (RSHA) offers HDR students a unique interdisciplinary program Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Research (ICCR) in which to pursue thesis research and coursework as well as professional development. Through its supportive environment and programs the RSHA encourages new modes of research while it also supports traditional scholarly methods of inquiry. This program, based on clear requirements and transparent principles, is designed to maximise the quality and impact of research and to produce graduates whose work meets international standards for excellence. The program has been highly successful in this aim.

The program is led by internationally renowned scholars from the centres within RSHA such as the Humanities Research CentreFreilich Foundation  the Institute for Professional Practice in Heritage and the Arts the Centre for European Studies the Rock Art Research Centre and the Digital Humanities Hub the School of Archaeology & Anthropology the School of Cultural Inquiry the School of Art the School of Language Studies the School of Music and other departments within the University.

Students are offered expert supervision within and across a range of disciplines, including anthropology, visual anthropology, history, art history, literature, heritage and museum studies and the visual arts. We encourage students to adopt an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective in their research. (See the list of current staff and adjunct faculty).

In addition, expert advisers are available from a range of national cultural institutions located in Canberra, including the National Museum of Australia, the National Library of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

The program provides unique opportunities for research training in the context of collaborative team research, in partnership with cultural institutions, government and industry.

Students are able to take advantage of intellectual and multimedia collaborations already instituted in the Research School and will have opportunities to be involved in the production of exhibitions, conferences, colloquia and multi-media projects.

For a PhD or MPhil, candidates are required to submit a thesis of not more than 100,000 and 60,000 words respectively. However, it may be possible with prior approval for students in Interdisciplinary and Cross-Cultural Research to submit a combined body of work comprising a written thesis and one or more of the following: a multimedia or digital work, a film, an exhibition, creative art work or another product.

Canberra and ANU offer postgraduate students a very stimulating and rewarding cultural life. Canberra is the national capital of Australia and is set in a beautiful cityscape surrounded by bushland. The city is within two hours drive of the coast and has well established rail and air links to major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. ANU is regarded as one of the world's great research institutions and offers an extremely attractive and well-resourced environment in which to conduct innovative research. For more information, browse the Discover ANU website.

The program also caters for students who wish to based off-campus. For Melbourne-based students regular seminars are held at ANU House.

In terms of resources the ICCR (RSHA) program offers:

  • The opportunity to work with staff members, adjunct faculty, post-doctoral fellows and visiting academics – all with international reputations in a range of disciplines. The RSHA has very active Visiting Fellows and Conference programs, both of which attract significant numbers of international scholars annually.
  • Opportunities to present work-in-progress in a number of forms, including conferences, seminar series, and workshops
  • Involvement in a structured programme of education in humanities research, including an introductory seminar program, a conference preparation program, a proposal writing workshop, and a thesis writing group
  • Participation in occasional visiting scholars’ programs and master classes
  • The opportunities to work on some of the most extensive library and archival holdings in Australia and in some of the best cultural institutions in Australia. ANU has extensive library holdings and is in close proximity to the National Library of Australia and specialist collections in the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, National Film and Sound Archives, the National Museum of Australia, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the Australian War Memorial and the National Archives of Australia.
  • Students are eligible for fieldwork support and scholarship holders receive an allowance for thesis preparation.
  • First class facilities. All students have access to computers, either in their own areas or in the Library buildings. Microfilm/microfiche reader/printers and photocopiers are available. Specialist equipment, including access to editing suites, is also available in the area of visual culture.
  • The opportunity to work with academic staff, adjunct faculty, post-doctoral fellows and visiting academics – all with international reputations in a range of disciplines

More details of the program on the link
/graduate-research