Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research

The Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research is an interdisciplinary coursework program consisting of one core subject - MULT90022: Indigenous Research.

In this course, ‘Indigenous research’ includes not only research by Indigenous individuals, but also research on Indigenous topics. The course explores research and develops research skills from an Indigenous perspective. The course is taught in a mixed mode of seminars, case studies, and group activities, with an emphasis on collaborative learning. Students engage in a range of activities, including structured reflection, academic writing, and formal verbal presentations. Students’ assessment tasks relate directly to their own research.

Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students are awarded a Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research, which will give them 25 credit points towards the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Research and Leadership.

To provide a cohort experience and supportive learning environment for students engaged in Indigenous research, with the opportunity to establish ongoing professional networks.
To build research capacity within the cohort by means of providing accessible and culturally sensitive Indigenous research training.
To enable RHD candidates to:

• resolve research issues and bring this ability to the solving of research problems from an Indigenous perspective;
• demonstrate an understanding of ethical issues and conduct in Indigenous research;
• demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of principles, practices and milestones in developing and completing their research projects;
• communicate such understanding and skills effectively through oral and written research presentations.

The Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research (GC-IRPRO) is a single-subject 25-point award. At the completion of this compulsory subject students will be awarded a Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research, which will give them 25 credit points towards the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Research and Leadership (GC-IRL).

Students must complete the following CORE subject:

The Selection Committee will evaluate all applicants’ ability to successfully pursue the course using the following criteria:

• Current enrolment in a Research Higher Degree course at Masters level or above. (A Research Higher Degree is defined as requiring at least two-thirds research work and not more than one-third coursework.)

AND

• Written endorsement from the applicant’s principal research project supervisor and the relevant head(s) of department or equivalent.

The Selection Committee will allocate at least three quarters of the available places to applicants from any discipline who are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, and who fulfil the preceding academic criteria. Confirmation of Indigenous status may be sought for such applicants.

The Selection Committee may allocate up to one quarter of the available places to academically qualified applicants not of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, whose research is on Indigenous topics.

The Selection Committee may conduct interviews, call for head of department or supervisor reports, or seek other information in order to elucidate any of the matters referred to above, including an applicant’s ability to contribute appropriately to the cohort experience.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The GC-IRPRO supports graduates’ acquisition of the graduate attributes as listed in The PhD and MPhil Handbooks. In particular,
it provides opportunities for research higher degree candidates to demonstrate and further extend the following qualities and skills:

• highly developed problem-solving abilities and flexibility of approach;
• the capacity to disseminate the results of research and scholarship by oral and written communication to a variety of audiences;
• a capacity to cooperate with and respect the contributions of fellow researchers and scholars;
• a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of research and scholarship;
• an advanced facility in the management of information, including the application of computer systems and software where appropriate to the student’s field of study;
• an understanding of the relevance and value of their research to national and international communities of scholars and collaborators.

Research Higher Degree candidates completing this course will be able to:

• Apply research skills, practices and specialist knowledge in new and different contexts;
• Develop key learning and research strengths, and support their peers’ development as well;
• Communicate research goals, methods and findings effectively to non-specialists, including Indigenous communities;
• Demonstrate a high level of respect for Indigenous knowledge, cultures and values.