Master of Culture Health and Medicine (Advanced)

at Australian National University

Program Structure

The Master of Culture, Health and Medicine (Advanced) requires completion of 96 units, of which:

72 units must come from completion of the coursework component

24 units must come from completion of the research component

A minimum of 48 units must come from completion of 8000-level courses

The 96 units must consist of:

18 units from completion of the following compulsory courses

• CHMD8004 Qualitative Methodologies for Health Research (6 units)

• CHMD8009 Anthropological Approaches to Health Interventions (6 units)

• CHMD8014 Perspectives on Culture, Health and Medicine (6 units)

24 units from completion of introductory graduate culture, health and medicine courses from the following list:

• ANTH6005 Traditional Australian Indigenous Cultures, Societies and Environment (6 units)

• ANTH6009 Culture and Development (6 units)

• ANTH6017 Culture, Social Justice and Aboriginal Society Today (6 units)

• ANTH6025 Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (6 units)

• ANTH6026 Medicine, Healing and the Body (6 units)

• ANTH6064 Anthropology of Environmental Disasters (6 units)

• ANTH6515 Crossing Borders: Migration, Identity and Livelihood (6 units)

• ANTH6518 Food for Thought: Anthropological Theories of Food and Eating (6 units)

• BIAN6013 Human Evolution (6 units)

• BIAN6512 Ancient Health and Disease (6 units)

• BIAN6519 Ancient Medicine (6 units)

• BIOL6141 Infection and Immunity (6 units)

• BIOL6144 Advanced and Applied Immunology (6 units)

• BIOL6191 Bioethics and Society (6 units)

• CRIM6005 Alcohol, Drugs and Crime: Promoting Health and Preventing Consequences (6 units)

• ENVS6013 Society and Environmental Change (6 units)

• ENVS6025 Complex Environmental Problems in Action (6 units)

• ENVS6108 Sustainable Development(6 units)

• GEND6501 Posthuman Bodies (6 units)

• HIST6133 Race and Racism in Western Culture, c. 1450-1950 (6 units)

• LING6034 Communication in Health Care (6 units)

A minimum of 30 units from completion of applied culture, health and medicine courses from any of the following lists:

Global Health and Development Focus

• CHMD8006 Global Health and Development (6 units)

• CHMD8011 Refugee Health: From Displacement to Resettlement (6 units)

• NSPO8013 Disease, Security and Biological Weapons (6 units)

• PASI8004 Pacific Health Development Post-Covid (6 units)

• POPH8108 Social and Cultural Determinants of Health (6 units)

• POPH8918 Life Course Approaches to Human Ageing (6 units)

Health and Environment Focus

• ASIA8048 Disasters and Epidemics in Asia and the Pacific (6 units)

• BIOL8021 Health and Disease in a Changing World (6 units)

• POPH8318 Human Health, Environment and Climate Change (6 units)

Health Theory and Practice Focus

• CHMD8005 Representing Medicine: Performance, Drama and Identity (6 units)

• CHMD8022 Anthropology of Biomedical Technologies in Practice (6 units)

• LAWS8237 Health Law and Bioethics (6 units)

• POPH8103 Introduction to Health Services Research and Policy (6 units)

• POPM8001 Research, Treatment, Policy: Current Issues in Mental Health (6 units)

Indigenous Health Focus

• CHMD8021 Indigenous Medicines, Health and Healing (6 units)

• INDG8001 Indigenous Peoples and Development in Australia: Principals and Practices for Indigenous-led Change (6 units)

• INDG8003 Understanding Indigenous Wellbeing: Demographic and Socioeconomic Change (6 units)

General (individually designed on a case by case basis)

• CHMD8001 Directed Readings in Culture, Health and Medicine (6 units)

24 units from completion of the following research component

• SCNC8021 Science Research Project (which can be taken over consecutive semesters if taken part-time)

Students must achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the first 48 units of coursework and have the approval of an identified supervisor for the research project to remain enrolled in the Master of Culture, Health & Medicine (Advanced). A condition of supervisor approval is that the research project is feasible and it should be noted that the majority of research projects will require on campus attendance.

Students who do not achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark or do not have approval of an identified supervisor will be transferred to the Master of Culture, Health and Medicine or a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Master Research

This degree has been accredited at AQF Level 9 with a significant component of Research. 

Master Research Training

This degree has been accredited at AQF Level 9 with a significant component of Research. 

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 6.0/7.0

Academic achievement & English language proficiency

The minimum academic requirement for full entry and enrolment is a Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 6.0/7.0.

However, applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes.

If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:

• a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or

• demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

Annual indicative fee for international students

$47,489

Employment Opportunities

The VCHAM may advance your career in health-related fields in development, policy and education, in government, non-government, and international organisations, and can lead to further PhD research.