Faculty of Arts
Welcome to the Faculty of Arts. We aim to deliver outstanding teaching, research and engagement that enriches our arts communities and contributes to an understanding of the social, cultural, environmental and economic challenges of our time.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our community is our number one priority. Our events program is now online. Find out more about the University’s COVID-19 response.
The Faculty of Arts is widely recognised as Australia’s premier Arts faculty, with our high place in the Times Higher Education world rankings reflecting our continuing commitment to excellence. The Faculty teaches over 9500 students, employs over 450 staff and offers more than 600 subjects across 40 fields of study.
Study in the Faculty of Arts
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Undergraduate
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) offers a flexible approach to studying the humanities, social sciences and languages.
Visit the BA web page -
Honours
The Bachelor of Arts (Degree with Honours) is a specialised year of study for students who have achieved academic excellence in their undergraduate degree
Visit the Honours web page -
Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
For graduate coursework, graduate research and executive education in over 40 disciplines across the humanities and social sciences.
Visit the GSHSS web page
The health, safety and wellbeing of our community is our number one priority. Our events program is now online. Find out more about the University’s COVID-19 response.
At the heart of the research which the Faculty of Arts produces and shares is innovative critical reflection, interpretation, prediction, and evaluation of human reactions to events, of human behaviour and psychological states, and of the meaning humans give to experience as a function of culture.
Research Centres and Institutes
University of Melbourne Research Centres and Institutes hosted by the Faculty of Arts.
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ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language
Investigates language as a diverse, dynamic and evolving organism that interacts with our perceptual processes in ingenious ways.
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ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions
Uses historical knowledge from Europe to understand the long history of emotional behaviours.
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Australian Centre
Fosters world-leading research on the settler state, its culture, institutions, sovereignty and identities.
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Centre for Advancing Journalism
Fosters and encourages journalism that is useful to people in being informed and engaged citizens.
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Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies
Furthering our understanding of China's ongoing transformation and the impacts within and beyond China.
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Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation
Develops Australia’s capacity to conserve our continuing cultural record.
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Language Testing Research Centre
An international leader in research and development in language assessment and language program evaluation.
Research Units and Initiatives
Significant collaborative research endeavours hosted by the Faculty of Arts.
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Anti-Racism Hallmark Research Initiative
Solutions-focused research and interventions to combat racism at both the interpersonal and structural levels.
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DeathTech
The team study questions at the intersection of death, technology, and society.
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Enlightenment, Romanticism & Contemporary Culture
Re-envisions the transition from Enlightenment to Romanticism and its legacies in the present.
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Future of Work Lab
Provides innovative understandings of the intersections of inequality, technology and policy to create more equitable work futures.
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Initiative for Peacebuilding
Supporting effective engagement in conflict prevention and peacebuilding in the Indo-Pacific region.
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Korean Studies Research Hub
An inter-disciplinary virtual hub for collaborative research on Korean Studies.
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Myanmar Research Network
Connects researchers and students working on and interested in Myanmar.
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PolicyLink
A ‘one-stop shop’ for policy research and expertise in the Faculty of Arts.
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Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence
Established to ensure that forensic evidence involving language and speech is managed in the best interests of justice.
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Research Unit for Indigenous Language
Working with Indigenous communities to support their efforts to maintain their linguistic and cultural heritage.
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Research Unit for Multilingualism and Cross-Cultural Communication
Undertakes research and engagement activities on multilingualism and cross-cultural communication.
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Research Unit in Public Cultures
Examining transformations in public culture produced by new intersections of knowledge, media, space and mobility.
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Work Futures Hallmark Research Initiative
Fosters our understanding of how the future of work is changing.
Research Groups and Networks
Key Faculty of Arts collaborative research groups and networks.
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CAIDE Art, AI and Digital Ethics
Explores the contribution of art to enquiry about the ethics of artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
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Comparative Network on Refugee Externalisation Policies
Researches the impact and effects of the externalisation of refugee policies.
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National Centre for Contemporary Islamic Studies
Aims to advance knowledge and understanding of the rich traditions and modern complexities of Islam.
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Research Cluster in Asian Civil Society
Based in the Asia Institute.
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Research Cluster in Asian Governance Transformations
Based in the Asia Institute.
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Research Cluster in Gender, Environment and Migration
Based in the Asia Institute.
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Research Cluster in Islam and Politics in Contemporary Asia and the Middle East
Based in the Asia Institute.
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Research Cluster in Language Dynamics in the Asia Pacific
Based in the Asia Institute.
Research Infrastructure and Platforms
Research infrastructure and platforms supported by the Faculty of Arts.
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Australian Women's Register
Building knowledge and recognition of the social, cultural, historical and economic contribution made by Australian women.
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Digital Studio
Leveraging digital technologies to transform research and teaching.
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Find and Connect
Brings together historical resources relating to institutional 'care' in Australia.
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Melbourne Data Analytics Platform
Specialist team enabling data-intensive and collaborative research.
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Phonetics Laboratory
For phonetics teaching, speech science, and laboratory phonology research.
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Visual Cultures Resource Centre
Holds one of the largest collections of art reproductions in the southern hemisphere.
Partnered and Collaborative Initiatives
Collaborative research initiatives connected to the Faculty of Arts.
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African Research and Engagement Initiative in Australia
A community-driven approach to supporting the health, cultural, social, economic and political wellbeing of African Australian communities.
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Centre of Visual Art
Facilitates innovative, cross-disciplinary research that focuses on the significant cultural issues of today.
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Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics
Committed to building cross-disciplinary research on artificial intelligence and digital ethics.
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Melbourne Centre for Cities
Designed to foster responsible and cosmopolitan city leadership, and the information it needs, in an interconnected and increasingly urbanised planet.
Research contact
News and events
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Partnerships
The Faculty of Arts is committed to developing mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships with Australian and international business, government, and non-government organisations.
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International Engagement
International Engagement aims to enhance teaching and research relationships with colleagues around the world. It covers a wide variety of projects embedded in the Indonesia, Latin America and China, as well as key international partnerships and research / commercial international engagement opportunities.
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Alumni and friends
With over 83,000 Faculty of Arts graduates worldwide, our network of alumni and friends make a significant and valuable contribution to the broader community through leadership and excellence.
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Community Education
Traverse the span of human history and culture with our short courses, masterclasses, and on-demand content.
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Work with us
The Faculty of Arts offers casual academic appointments throughout the year. Information on how to apply through the Casual Recruitment Registration System can be found in this section.
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Make a gift
Your generosity makes an enormous difference to the development of our students, providing them with the opportunities to enrich and extend their learning.
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Schools
The Faculty of Arts is comprised of one graduate school and five academic schools.
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Leadership
The Faculty is led by the Dean and supported by the Executive Leadership Team.
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Schools
The Faculty of Arts is home to five academic schools, the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences and many research centres, networks and groups.
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Strategic plans
Shaped and owned by the Faculty, the Faculty of Arts Strategy will guide our efforts as we seek to achieve our aspirations.
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Diversity and inclusion
The Faculty of Arts is home to a dynamic, diverse and inclusive community of staff and students where diversity is celebrated.
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Indigenous strategy
The Faculty of Arts is committed to benefitting the peoples, cultures and economies of Melbourne, Australia, the Region and the world.
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History and vision
For 160 years, the Faculty of Arts has adapted to a changing job market and the changing needs of students.
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Collaborations and partnerships
Continuing to build meaningful relationships is a central tenet of the Faculty’s strategy and one that drives our approach to collaboration.
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Contact us
Contact details for future students, alumni, the media and more