The course trains higher degree research (HDR) students to appropriately prepare for fieldwork in the Pacific region. The course assists students in developing both the practical skills and the professional knowledge required for field research in Pacific island societies.
Specifically, practical skills relate to safeguarding personal health and safety during fieldwork, including through development of a comprehensive risk management matrix. The course also encourages students to consider other practical skills necessary for their distinctive research fieldwork, such as language skills.
Professional knowledge addresses the complexities of ethical conduct of human research in societies characterised by close knit and overlapping familial and social relationships. Also important is understanding of scholarly debates on indigenous research methodologies.
The course aims to develop skills in managing research in a part of the world where projects of all kinds must of necessity be agile and responsive to the local social, cultural and political environment. Thus, the course intends to develop skills to creatively respond to fieldwork challenges in iterative ways.
On completion of the course, students will have the skills and the knowledge to safely and successfully conduct ethical field research in the Pacific.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of issues relating to health, safety and risk management in fieldwork and how to address them in the context of HDR study
- Reflect on various practical skills required to undertake research in different Pacific environments, including cross-cultural communication, language competency and budgeting
- Identify issues relating to human research ethics and consider how to address them in the context of HDR study
- Demonstrate an understanding of the socio-political context of research in the Pacific, including Pacific ways of talking, indigenous research methods and appropriate research protocols. Students will also be able to critically reflect on methodological choices and practices relevant to the Pacific context
Indicative Assessment
- Seminar attendance and course participation (5) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Risk matrix (20) [LO 1,2,3]
- Draft ethics application (30) [LO 3,4]
- Written response to case studies (20) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Paper on Pacific research methodologies (25) [LO 4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
This course comprises some 130 hours of activity over 12 weeks, both interactive/seminar based and independent research. The course comprises a maximum of 6k words of assessment or the equivalent
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
To be advised.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4680 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6720 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Winter Session
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6552 | 01 Jul 2025 | 25 Jul 2025 | 25 Jul 2025 | 30 Sep 2025 | In Person | N/A |
| 6553 | 01 Jul 2025 | 25 Jul 2025 | 25 Jul 2025 | 30 Sep 2025 | Online | N/A |