Graduate Diploma in Creative and Cultural Futures at University of Canberra

Futureproof your creative cultural career

Whether you are currently working or studying in the creative and cultural sector, or wish to develop an increased understanding of its contemporary issues and challenges, the interdisciplinary Graduate Diploma in Creative and Cultural Futures gives you the opportunity to futureproof your career in the rapidly changing cultural sector. Based in Canberra, with access to the city’s major cultural institutions and vibrant creative community, your experiential learning will be enriched and enlivened thanks to these close links and through research-led teaching from the Faculty’s internationally recognised Centre for Creative and Cultural Research.

Rather than focusing solely on current workplace needs, this diploma will expand your thinking around critical issues, such as access, audiences, impact, innovation and leadership, meaning you’ll be well-placed to take up positions of influence across a range of fields, including digital media arts, film production, community arts, creative writing, global studies, cultural policy and planning, heritage and conservation, and the galleries, libraries, archives, museums and records (GLAMR) sector. Progression from this course to the Master of Arts in Creative and Cultural Futures is available by enrolling in additional units.

Study a Graduate Diploma in Creative and Cultural Futures at UC and you will:

• reflect critically on contemporary issues for the cultural and creative sectors
• apply professional knowledge and skills, and key techniques and approaches, relevant to a specific area of creative and cultural practice
• work independently and collaboratively to develop creative solutions to real-world problems and develop entrepreneurial approaches to implement these solutions
• evaluate and apply strategies for cultural leadership and communication across a range of professional and community contexts.

Work Integrated Learning

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is a prominent feature of this course, with units containing team-based problem solving in real-life industry contexts, analysis of real-world case studies, and professional mentoring from industry and sector leaders. If you are already employed in the sector, you will be encouraged to use your past experiences to reflect on current industry practice, problems and issues.

Throughout your study, you will have unique behind-the-scenes access to cultural collections at Canberra-based institutions, with experiential learning of Indigenous cultural issues and creative and cultural practice. If you wish to access them, there will also be opportunities to partake in overseas study and international field trips during your time at UC.

Career opportunities

• Arts administrator
• Gallery/Museum director
• Digital collections strategist
• Arts/cultural policy analyst
• Experience manager
• Cultural content developer
• Writer
• Filmmaker
• Multimedia developer
• Cultural entrepreneur
• Interpretation specialist
• Conservator
• Head of heritage
• Heritage consultant
• Curator
• Gallery manager
• Indigenous heritage officer
• Collections manager
• Heritage manager
• Engineering heritage consultant
• Historic buildings conservation officer
• Culture and heritage officer
• Heritage site manager
• Heritage and cultural policy adviser

Course-specific information

A clear pathway of study exists between this degree, the undergraduate Bachelor of Arts (Culture and Heritage), and the postgraduate Graduate Certificate in Creative and Cultural Futures, Graduate Certificate in Heritage Materials Conservation, and the Master of Arts in Creative and Cultural Futures courses. Students who have completed this course may apply and receive credit for units within the Master of Arts in Creative and Cultural Futures.