Progressive, real-world learning. Online.
Key facts
Duration
.5 year full time or 1 year part time equivalent
Campuses
Key dates
Direct applications to Deakin for Trimester 1 2021 have closed
Current Deakin Students
To access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook
Course information
Gain the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to kick-start your career working in the cultural heritage and museum sector. You’ll become familiar with current theory and practice and be ready for further study.
Do you have a passion for the past and conserving it for future generations?
Today’s cultural institutions like galleries, archives, museums and heritage sites are evolving. They’re designed to be much more accessible and interactive. As such, they’re attracting more diverse audiences every day.
The Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies provides you with the range of hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge required to work in all kinds of cultural institutions.
Innovation and new technologies are pushing professionals to think creatively and to engage with audiences in new ways. That’s why this course encourages you to become an independent, innovative and creative thinker who can confidently undertake a range of tasks in a variety of roles.
Your studies at graduate certificate level are the perfect foundation to continue in the cultural heritage and museum studies suite of courses, qualifying you for the one-year Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies.
For those who have just completed their undergraduate degree, already volunteer in museums and heritage sites or are ready for a new and exciting career they’ll love, this course is the ideal way to start professionalising.
The core units you’ll study, focusing on cultural heritage and museum fundamentals, include:
- Cultural Heritage and Museum Practice
- Museums, Heritage and Society
Plus, you’ll have a choice of two elective units, some of which include:
- Heritage Practice: Fundamentals
- World Heritage
- Digital Interpretation
- Managing Collections
Course structure
To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies, a student must successfully complete 4 credit points of study comprising:
- 2 credit points of compulsory core units
- 2 credit points selected from the specified Course Electives List
- Academic Integrity AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
Key information
2021 course information
*This course replaces A529 which ran in 2020
This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework.
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8.
Campuses by intake
Campus availability varies per trimester. This means that a course offered in Trimester 1 may not be offered in the same location for Trimester 2 or 3. Read more to learn where this course will be offered throughout the year.
Trimester 1 - March
- Start date: March
- Available at:
- Burwood (Melbourne)
- Cloud Campus
Trimester 2 - July
- Start date: July
- Available at:
- Burwood (Melbourne)
- Cloud Campus
Additional course information
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
Work experience
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Need help?
Ask a question about studying at Deakin
Entry requirements
Entry information
Entry will be based on performance in:
- Bachelor degree or higher OR
- at least two years of relevant work experience (or part-time equivalent) OR
- Evidence of academic capability judged to be equivalent.
Deakin University offers admission to postgraduate courses through a number of Admission categories.
All applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements.
Please note that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee selection, which is based on merit, likelihood of success and availability of places in the course.
For more information on the Admission Criteria and Selection (Higher Education Courses) Policy visit the Deakin Policy Library
Recognition of prior learning
The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.
You can also refer to the Recognition of Prior Learning System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.
Applications for credit transfer will be considered depending on the quality and subject matter of the student's prior qualifications and professional experience.
The Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies and the Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies comprise a suite of fully articulated courses. Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies allows for articulation into the Graduate Diploma of Museum Studies with up to 4cp of RPL. Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies will lead to entry into the Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies.
Fees and scholarships
Fee information
Learn more about fees and your options for paying.
Estimated tuition fee (CSP): Fee information is available on the short course webpage
Government subsidised short courses 2021
The Australian Government's Job-ready Graduates package is providing a limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) for this course in 2021. It's your chance to upskill or retrain in an area of strong job growth for a fraction of the usual price.
A CSP is a place in a course where Deakin receives some funding from the Australian Government. This means you'll only need to contribute part of the cost of your course – this is referred to as the 'student contribution'. In addition, if you meet the eligibility criteria and would prefer to defer your student contribution, you can apply for HECS-HELP. HECS-HELP provides you with a loan to cover your student contribution.
The tuition fees you pay will depend on the units you choose to study as each unit has its own costs. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking this course.
The available fee places for this course are detailed above. Not all courses at Deakin have Commonwealth supported places available.
The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students completing this course within the same year as they started. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the length of your course and any approved Recognition of Prior Learning.
One year full-time study load is typically represented by four credit points of study for Graduate Certificates. Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together four credit points of a typical combination of units for your course.
You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the Handbook.
Learn more about fees and available payment options.
Scholarship options
A Deakin scholarship might change your life. If you've got something special to offer Deakin – or you just need the financial help to get you here – we may have a scholarship opportunity for you.
Postgraduate bursary
If you’re a Deakin alumnus commencing a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible to receive a 15% reduction per unit on your enrolment fees. Your Immediate Family Members may also be eligible to apply for this bursary.
Apply now
How to apply
Applications can be made directly to the University through the Deakin Application Portal. For information on the application process and closing dates, see the how to apply web page. Please note that closing dates may vary for individual courses.
For more information on the application process and closing dates, see the How to apply webpage. If you're still having problems, please contact us for assistance.
Contact information
Prospective Student Enquiry Centre
1800 693 888
myfuture@deakin.edu.au
Why choose Deakin
Career outcomes
The Graduate Certificate of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies gives you the foundation of knowledge needed to enter the cultural heritage and museum sector ready to thrive.
As a graduate, you may find employment in museums, heritage institutions, government agencies, private corporations, community organisations and in private practice.
Typical job titles include:
- curator
- heritage officer
- registrar
- public programs officer
- researcher
- project officer.
Alternatively, completion of the course qualifies your entry into the one-year Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies or two-year Master of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies (Professional). These programs give you the freedom to focus your studies on a specific area of interest, driving your career in the direction you wish to go.
For more information go to DeakinTALENT
Course learning outcomes
Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities | Investigate and evaluate conceptual and practical approaches to the identification, collection, conservation, display, interpretation, management and use of cultural heritage. |
| Communication | Effectively communicate key theoretical and practical concerns in cultural heritage and museum studies using oral, written, digital formats to specialist and non-specialist audiences. |
| Digital literacy | Use a range of digital technologies and information sources relevant to the museum context to discover, select, analyse, employ, evaluate, and disseminate both technical and non-technical information. |
| Critical thinking | Critically analyse key concepts in the identification, collection, conservation, display, interpretation, management of cultural heritage and employ this knowledge in a professional or scholarly context. |
| Problem solving | Apply advanced theoretical knowledge and technical skills in the identification, collection, conservation, display, interpretation, management and use of cultural heritage and develop solutions to real-world problems or issues in professional contexts. |
| Self-management | Apply relevant professional standards with a high level of responsibility and accountability to colleagues and relevant stakeholders and a consistent commitment to continual professional development. |
| Teamwork | Work effectively and collaboratively, demonstrating advanced level of responsibility and accountability in diverse [museum and cultural heritage multidisciplinary] teams. |
| Global citizenship | Analyse and address issues in the field of cultural heritage and museum studies in the domestic, regional and global context as a critically reflexive reflective practitioner, taking into consideration cultural and socio-economic diversity, social and environmental responsibility and the application of the highest ethical standards. |
| Approved by Faculty Board 2020 | |
Footnotes
* 2019 Student Experience Survey, based on undergraduate students
# ARWU Rankings 2019
~ According to the Voice Project IT Service Quality Support Benchmark Survey
^ Australian Graduate Recruitment Industry Awards, 2017, 2018, 2019 winner
^^ Australian Graduate Survey 2010–2015, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2016–2019 (GOS), Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT)