What is it?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a unique take on the world, and that’s what this major will help you appreciate. You will gain a deep understanding of Indigenous perspectives on everyday life in Australia today as well as on the major social, economic and political events and processes in Australia’s history. You will get your knowledge from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers first-hand as well as from non-Indigenous staff who work closely with Indigenous communities in Australia and other parts of the world. The ABTS major will provide you with culturally appropriate understandings, skills and ways of working with Indigenous Australian peoples and prepares you for future employment in Indigenous Australian affairs, and Indigenous organisations and communities.
What will I study?
The University of Queensland offers a Major in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies as part of the Bachelor of Arts degree in the Faculty of Arts. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies begins with introductions to Indigenous ways of seeing the world and thinking about relationships between people and continues to explore in more detail issues of gender, kinship, politics, the arts and performance. These courses will teach you a lot about yourself and the wider Australian community as well as about Aboriginal and Torres Islander people, and you also have the option of doing independent research projects to follow your own special interests. One of the exciting components of this course is a work placement in your final year of study in an Indigenous organisation which will provide you with practical experience in working appropriately and respectfully with Indigenous Australian peoples. The courses that are available and the rules for combining them to form a major are presented here. Advice is also available from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, the course controllers of individual courses and staff in the Faculty of Arts.
What will I learn?
As a student in the Faculty of Arts you will develop strong research, analytical, and written and oral communication, as well as fundamental practical skills. In addition to this valuable and sought-after expertise, as a student of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies you will learn how Indigenous Australians and other first peoples see the world and understand their own lives, cultures and histories. You will also become familiar with the ethical and practical issues of working in Indigenous communities. The work placement component of this program enables you to put into practice the theories, understandings and knowledges you have learnt in your ABTS major to work alongside Indigenous peoples and for Indigenous organisations. The real-world focus of this program has the potential to open up a wide variety of challenging and exciting career opportunities, ranging from working in Indigenous affairs with community organisations or in national, state or local government agencies, working in sustainable and community development with non-government organisations or private industry, working in Indigenous education or health, and undertaking academic or applied research in a wide variety of fields.