Heritage Studies@UWS

What is Heritage Studies?

Heritage Studies is a field of research that seeks to understand how the past is utilised in the present. The aim of any undergraduate programme that focuses upon the study of 'heritage' is thus to get students thinking critically about history and the past. To do this, the UWS Major in Heritage and Tourism has been designed around units that ask students to question and problematise their own assumptions, rethink what is and is not heritage, and consider why, in fact, we even care at all. Throughout the Major, students will discuss and debate concepts such as 'national identity', 'ethics', 'memorialisation', 'belonging', 'nostalgia', 'status', 'control' and 'repatriation'. Over the course of these discussions, students will be encouraged to realise that heritage is caught up in a far more complicated process than simply conserving, protecting and managing the past. Indeed, understanding heritage is much more to do with acknowledging and mitigating social, cultural, political and economic conflicts that have a range of consequences for societies, groups and individuals in the present.

The Major covers a range of case studies that vary from year to year, but are likely to cover the topics of slavery, the Holocaust and its museumification, the memorialisation and exhibition of difficult histories, such as the Enola Gay in Washington, and the repatriation of heritage items and human remains in post-colonial contexts. However, these sorts of challenges occur not only in relation to the "big" events in history – such as the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, slavery and the Holocaust – they also occur because we have for many years misunderstood and underplayed the role heritage plays in our everyday lives. Particular attention throughout the Major will therefore also be devoted to examining a range of case studies from local community heritage groups in Australia.

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What can I do with Heritage Studies?

Completing a Major in Heritage and Tourism provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary for employment as professional heritage managers, as well as in a variety of other areas and/or further postgraduate study. Students enrolled in the Major will develop both intellectually and personally as they engage with critical understandings of the nature of heritage and the various uses it is put to in our society. By providing students with a solid intellectual framework, the Major also assists them in developing strong skills in written expression, research, analysis, and critical thinking.

Undertaking a Major in Heritage and Tourism offers graduates a very broad mix of opportunities. Indeed, the heritage sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, creating diverse opportunities for employment in museums, local authorities, consultancies and agencies. As such, graduates from degrees with a focus upon 'heritage' find themselves working in wide variety of areas—from working with international development agencies to national museums to researching government policies. Indeed, Heritage Studies graduates have been known to work with:

Federal, State and Local Governments
Local and national museums
Voluntary Institutions
Cultural Tourism providers
Community and Non-profit organisations
The public service
Tertiary education

Why Heritage?

The Major in Heritage and Tourism provides relevant and vital training for professional roles across the heritage sector within and outside of Australia. By combining academic studies with practical applications and placement opportunities, the Major provides an informed and up-to-date overview of the nature of heritage and its uses within society.

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Studying Heritage at UWS

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Science will undertake a series of social science core units. These have been designed to provide students with an introduction to the social sciences and provide a thorough training in research methods and social theory, much of which is congruent with the field of heritage studies. The Social Science units are as follows: