Our new Graduate Diploma and Master of Arts in Military History will be offered from 2011 by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is the only specialist degree program in military history offered by an Australian university.
History teachers and postgraduate scholars who wish to gain a comprehensive understanding of the major themes and issues in the field of military history will find this program valuable. It draws upon the widely-acknowledged and single greatest concentration of academic historians in the field within Australia.
The Military History program covers a range of national military experiences as well as thematic courses taught by a group of leading military historians with significant national and international reputations in the field.
Only available by Distance, with capacity both for self-paced learning and some deeper, research-based work (subject to application and approval) for those interested, the program is a bridge between a generalist bachelors degree and more specialised, focused work at the graduate level.
Applications and Information
Student Administrative Services
Tel: +61 2 6268 6000
Fax: +61 2 6268 8666
Email: sas@adfa.edu.au
or
Presented by the people that brought you "Zombie Myths"
Professor Jeffrey Grey
Dr Craig Stockings
Craig?s research focuses on Australian military history. More particularly and more recently, he has concentrated on operational analysis and uncovering the battlefield ?truth?, too often obscured by the distorting effect of Anzac mythology. His recent ?Bardia? research project, for example, was a critical evaluation of the battle with two objectives. It investigated the first serious Australian land battle of WWII, seen then and now as a test of the Anzac legacy. Despite its importance, at present the historiography of the battle is scant with few published accounts focusing specifically on this key action. The project?s second and more important objective, however, was the issue of why the Australians were so successful beyond time-honoured Anzac mythology or ethnic slurs against the Italian enemy. This project aimed to do what no equivalent had done - provide a balanced, analytical account of success and failure from Australian, British and Italian perspectives. It investigated the real factors behind victory and defeat beyond too often uncritical accounts of the ?innate? qualities of the Australian infantryman. The wider aim of the project was therefore to challenge the pervasive and warping effect of the Anzac legend.
Beyond these particular projects Craig has a wider interest in issues surrounding Australian and international military history. His focus tends to be towards the operational or ?battlefield? end of the spectrum, but he is also interested in political/strategic issues connected to conflict.
Craig is the author of six books and monographs, including the recently published and critically acclaimed Zombie Myths of Australian Military History. He is also a member of Editorial Board for International Refereed Journal, War & Society.
Dr John Connor
A graduate of UNSW, ANU and the University of Canberra, John?s doctoral thesis was a study of Senator George Pearce, Australia?s longest-serving defence minister.
John?s book, The Australian frontier wars, 1788?1838 (2002) received a Special Mention in the 2002 Centre for Australian Cultural Studies Awards, was short-listed for the UK Royal United Service?s Institute?s Westminster Medal for Military Literature in 2003, and was highly commended in the Australian Historical Association?s W.K. Hancock Prize Award for the best book published in Australia in any field of history by a first-time author in 2004. It has been reprinted twice.
In 2003?04 John taught Australian history at the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King?s College London. In 2004 he returned to Australia to take up the position of senior historian at the Australian War Memorial and began work on writing the third volume of the Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations. In 2007 he commenced his current appointment at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
John has published widely in the fields of Australian peacekeeping operations, Australian military history, British Empire and Commonwealth military history, and frontier warfare. He has made many media appearances on Australian, British, and international radio and television networks, ranging from Indigenous service in the Australian military to the Bougainville peace process.
Entry requirement
Master (8175)
48 UOC, full time 1 year, part time equivalent
One of the following qualifications in the same or related discipline from a recognised institution:
- four-year pass degree or Honours degree, or
- three-year pass degree with a major in a related field of study plus relevant full time work experience, or
- a graduate diploma, or qualifications considered equivalent by UNSW or minimum three years of relevant experience.
Graduate Diploma (5855)
36 UOC, full time 1 year, part time equivalent
Three-year degree or graduate certificate in the same or related discipline from a recognised institution or qualifications considered equivalent.
Program structure
Students undertaking the Master of Arts in Military History are required to take 8 courses (48UoC) in any combination from course options as set out below.
Session 1, 2011
- ZHSS8221 Development of the Art of War
Distance only - ZHSS8225 Australian Military History
Distance only - ZHSS8210 Genocide: Perception and Intervention
On-campus and Distance - ZHSS8217 Amphibious Warfare
On-campus and Distance
Session 2, 2011
- ZHSS8224 Small Wars of Empire
Distance only - ZHSS8220 Fighting the Second World War
Distance only - ZHSS8219 The Great Game: Geopolitics and Inner Eurasia
On-campus and Distance