Course Overview

About This Course

Deepen and broaden your knowledge and expertise of Western culture within a structured and integrated humanities masters-level course. Centred on a 'great books' or 'canonical' approach to the study of Western culture, the degree helps you develop a transnational, interdisciplinary and historically grounded perspective on the literature, music, philosophy and works of art that have achieved the status of 'classics' within the Western world.

You will study major works of history, literature, philosophy and art, and be guided in small group seminar-style discussions by academic staff with wide-ranging, interdisciplinary expertise. Specified units include Dialogues with Ancient Thinkers, Medieval Encounters, Tragic Vision, Enlightenment Imagination and Romantic Reason, Slow Reading in Wisdom, Myriad-Minded Shakespeare, Novel Thinking and The Modernist Explosion.

The course requires 120 credit points: 80 credit points of specified Western Civilisation units, 10 credit points of elective units and 30 credit points of research project units, culminating in a Liberal Arts Research Project. It is taught at ACU's North Sydney campus over 1.5 years full-time or the part-time equivalent, and a limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places is available. Through a philanthropic agreement between ACU and the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, up to ten master's scholarships are available each year to eligible students, with recipients selected by a committee comprising senior ACU and Ramsay Centre staff. A student who completes 40 credit points from the schedule of unit offerings may exit with the Graduate Certificate in Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation), and a student who completes 80 credit points may exit with the Graduate Diploma.

Where You Can Study

Available Locations

Melbourne

1200 Mair St, Ballarat, VIC 3350

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Student Information

Fees & Entry by Student Type

Tuition Fee

AUD $18,024

Duration

1.5 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Intakes

Semester 1 intake: Beginning March 2027 (Applications open August 2026) | Midyear (Semester 2) intake: Beginning August 2027 (Applications open April 2027)

Study Mode

Full-time or part-time

Eligibility

Entry Requirements

General Requirements

Domestic students

Applicants must comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites:
1. have completed a bachelor degree in a related liberal arts discipline; OR a Graduate Certificate in a related liberal arts discipline; OR a bachelor degree and relevant work/life experience related to a liberal arts discipline;
1. Demonstrate suitability via a written submission, which includes a Curriculum Vitae, references, recent academic results and essay.
Entry into this course is based on a combination of a written submission (essay), an interview and academic performance. Applicants are assessed on the submitted essay, performance at interview, and demonstrated suitability on the basis of additional requirements for academic excellence.
Additional requirements for Ramsay Scholarship applications: 1. Interview.
Related disciplines are Ancient History, Archaeology, Architecture, Classics, Creative Arts, Drama, Economics, Education, English, Fine Arts, Geography, International Relations, Law/Legal Studies, Media/Communications, Medieval Studies, Modern History, Modern Languages, Music/Musicology, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Study of Religions, Theological Studies and Visual Arts.
Applicants who have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above are assigned a new selection rank reflecting their study level, duration and grade point average, and prior study or relevant work experience may attract credit or recognition of prior learning.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2027 Admission.

International students

Entry into this course is based on a combination of a written submission (essay), an interview and academic performance. Applicants are assessed on the submitted essay, performance at interview, and demonstrated suitability on the basis of additional requirements for academic excellence. ACU states no separate international academic requirement beyond the domestic prerequisites, so international applicants must also meet those prerequisites plus ACU's English Language Proficiency requirements.
IELTS: overall score of 6.5, with an individual score of 6.0 in all tests.

Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2027 Admission.

Career & Study Pathways

Where this takes you

Career Opportunities

The Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation) gives you skills that can be applied in any industry including:
• Secondary and tertiary education
• Commerce and business administration
• Management
• Research assistance
• Journalism
• Politics and public policy
• Public service in government and non-government organisations

Quality & Recognition

Accreditation & Migration

Academic Regulator

TEQSA

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Course Content

Units of Competency

All Units35 units

WCIV500

Dialogues with Ancient Thinkers

WCIV501

Medieval Encounters

WCIV502

Tragic Vision

WCIV503

Enlightenment Imagination and Romantic Reason

WCIV600

Slow Reading in Wisdom: Interpretation and Research Methods

WCIV601

Myriad-Minded Shakespeare

WCIV602

Novel Thinking

WCIV603

The Modernist Explosion

WCIV610

Narrative Transformations: Epic, Romance, Novel

WCIV611

Ulysses' Journeys

WCIV612

After Modernity

WCIV613

Britain and the Making of the Modern West - From the Middle Ages to the Early Enlightenment

PHIL620

God, the Universe and Everything

PHIL622

Truth and Interpretation (Hermeneutics)

PHIL624

The Philosophy of Justice and Community

PHIL625

Virtue in the Ethical Life

PHIL626

Philosophical Contexts for Theology

THBS606

Interpreting Biblical Texts for Contemporary Times

THBS620

Special Study in Biblical Studies

THCT602

Sacraments and Sacramentality

THCT608

Theology of Marriage and Holy Orders

THCT610

Australian Catholic History and Identity

THCT611

Issues in Christian Ethics

THCT612

Catholic Sexual Ethics

THCT613

Foundations of Social Justice

THCT620

Special Study in Christian Thought and Tradition

THEL502

Latin A

THEL503

Latin B

THEL504

Medieval Latin

THEL505

New Testament Greek A

THEL626

New Testament Greek B

THEL628

Special Study in Ancient Languages

THSP611

Medieval Mystics and the Experience of God

WCIV605

Introduction to the Research Task

WCIV607

Liberal Arts Research Project

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the total estimated cost of the Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation)?

The estimated total course cost for international students is AU$54,936 in tuition fees, based on ACU's indicative first-year fee of AU$36,624 over the 1.5-year course, with no additional non-tuition fees listed.

How long does the Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation) take to complete?

The course has a duration of 78 weeks as listed on the CRICOS registry.

Where is the Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation) delivered?

The course is delivered at the Australian Catholic University's North Sydney Campus, a location owned and operated by the provider (CRICOS Provider Code: 00004G).

Is this course eligible for extended Post-Study Work Rights?

No, this course is not eligible for extended Post-Study Work Rights. One of the key criteria for eligibility is that the course duration must be 92 weeks or greater, and this course is only 78 weeks long.

What field of education does this course fall under?

The Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation) falls under the broad field of Society and Culture (09), with a narrow field of Studies in Human Society (0903), and a detailed field classification of Studies in Human Society, not elsewhere classified (090399).

Application

How to Apply

Three simple steps to get enrolled

Step 01

Enquire

Click "Enquire Now" and tell us a little about yourself. It's free and takes 2 minutes.

Step 02

Submit Documents

Our team will guide you on exactly which documents to prepare and submit.

Step 03

Get Enrolled

Receive your offer letter and confirm your enrolment. Welcome to the course!

Course Snapshot

Salary, careers & skills

Typical Salary

Entry-level (0-2 years)AUD $55,000 to $74,000 per year

Early Career (2-5 years)AUD $74,000 to $90,000 per year

Mid-Level (5-10 years)AUD $90,000 to $115,000 per year

Career Paths

Policy Analyst / Policy OfficerCommunications Officer / ManagerPublic Relations SpecialistContent Writer / CopywriterJournalist / Reporter

Key Skills

Critical thinking and analytical reasoningPersuasive written and oral communicationResearch design and qualitative/quantitative research methodsIntercultural awareness and cross-cultural communicationEthical reasoning and moral philosophy

Full Course Overview

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