Program Requirements

The Masters of Pacific Studies requires completion of 48 units which must consist of:

24 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

PASI8002 Pacific Foundations: From Maritime Societies to Global Cultures

PASI8004 Human Security and Well-being in the Pacific Region

PASI8005 The Politics of Aid and Development in the Pacific

PASI8011 Critical Approaches to Pacific and Inclusive Research Methodologies

A maximum of 24 units from the following Pacific-focused elective courses

ARCH6005 Archaeology of the Pacific Islanders

ASIA6022 Special Topics in Asian and Pacific Studies (topic must be Pacific Studies related)

ASIA6220 Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Field Schools

ASIA8048 Disaster and Epidemics in Asia and the Pacific

ASIA8051 Language and Power in Asia and the Pacific

ASIA8500 Thesis (24 units, requires a grade of 75 in PASI8011) (topic must be Pacific Studies related)

DIPL8013 Pacific Diplomacy

ENVS6205 Island Sustainable Development: Fiji Field School

IDEC8037 Pacific Economies and Politics

INTR8043 Changing Geopolitics and International Relations in the Pacific

LAWS8006 Law and Development in the Contemporary South Pacific

PASI6001 Pacific Studies in a Globalising World

PASI6002 Australia in Oceania in the 19th and 20th Centuries

PASI6008 Gender and Sexuality in the Pacific

PASI6030 Study Tour: Regional Policymaking for Pacific Development

A maximum of 12 units from the following language codes

TOKP, FREN, TETM

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present one of the following:

• a cognate Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5/7
• a cognate Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7 and a Graduate Certificate or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7
• a cognate Bachelor or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7 and a minimum of 3 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program
• a cognate Graduate Certificate or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7 and a minimum of 3 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program
• a cognate Graduate Diploma or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 4/7
• a minimum of 10 years full-time equivalent work experience at ANZSCO Skill Level 1 in a field related to the program

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

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 5.0/7.0. 

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.

Further information: English Language Requirements for Admission 

Diversity factors

As Australia’s national university, ANU is a global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, the competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.

Assessment of qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.

Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base the assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Credit Granted

Applicants who have completed a degree in a cognate discipline from a recognised university may be eligible to receive coursework credit towards this degree, in line with the ANU Recognition of prior and external learning policy

Cognate Disciplines

Political Science, International Relations, Diplomacy, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, History

Pathways

Students may commence with the Graduate Certificate of Pacific Studies if they wish. CAP and GLGP also offer a range of Pacific focused microcredentials that have been reviewed to enable crediting if appropriate to this master program.

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

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.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

This award is designed for two particular markets. The first is those seeking to work in the field of Pacific policy and development, whether that is in Australia, the Pacific, or elsewhere. The award suits people looking to join or up skill within the Public Service, and is also directly relevant for those in the not-for-profit sectors. Second, the award trains you to think and act across disciplinary boundaries. To appreciate the Pacific requires appreciating how our disciplines are constructed, how they view, understand, and label the region, and how transdisciplinary perspectives, especially from the thinkers and agents in the region, enhance our ability to act in sensitive ways.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the contemporary Pacific, its place in the world, its diversity and the opportunities that come from studying the region
2. Identify and critically analyse the dynamics of the Pacific region, and situate that analysis in historical and global context
3. Understand and critically deploy different disciplinary perspectives to studying the Pacific
4. To view the Pacific in transdiscplinary ways, foregrounding the experiences and perspectives of the people of the region
5. Be able to contribute to policy and program formulation that addresses the opportunities and challenges of the contemporary Pacific
6. Communicate findings effectively, through advanced written and verbal skills, to influence diverse stakeholders in applied and academic contexts.