Institutions

Medieval studies are organised differently within each Australian university. In this section, the reader will find links to the homepages of the main universities where medieval research is pursued, and a series of suggested links to individual faculties or schools of particular relevance. This section also offers a selection of links to specialist centres, national academies, and networks interested in medieval research.

The list of Australian universities below has been organised according to state or territory (or, in the case of those universities with several campuses, according to the state where the principal campus is located). All of the sites below are in English.

Australian Capital Territory

 Australian National University (ANU)

• College of Arts and Social Sciences
• College of Asia and the Pacific

Although the ANU no longer has a dedicated centre for medieval studies, it is home to specialists in the areas of art history, classical and Byzantine history, and Asian Studies.

New South Wales

 Macquarie University

• Faculty of Arts
• Department of Ancient History

Macquarie University has a particularly strong classical studies program.

 University of New England (UNE)

• School of Humanities, History

UNE is a long-standing regional university with expertise in the areas of classical and Byzantine studies, the history of the later medieval and early modern periods, and witchcraft.

 University of New South Wales (UNSW)

• School of Humanities and Languages, History

 University of Newcastle

• School of Humanities and Social Science, History
• History Studies Handbook, Medieval and Early Modern Europe HIST1050

 University of Sydney

• School of Letters, Arts and Media
• The Medieval and Early Modern Centre (MEMC)
• Celtic Studies
• School of Philosophical and Historical Enquiry (SOPHI)
• School of Languages and Cultures

The University of Sydney is a node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

The University of Sydney is the oldest university in Australia. Medieval studies courses are offered in several disciplines, and experts are located in the fields of classical and Celtic studies, the crusades, literature and languages, art, music, and history. The Medieval and Early Modern Centre, the link for which can be found above, provides a good starting point for exploring medieval research at Sydney University.

 University of Wollongong

• School of the Arts, English and Media

Wollongong offers expertise in medieval literature and medievalism.

Queensland

 Australian Catholic University (ACU)

• Faculty of Arts and Humanities

The ACU is spread across several campuses, the largest of which are found in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. The university is very strong in theological and patristic studies, and philosophy.

 University of Queensland (UQ)

• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

The University of Queensland is a node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

South Australia

 Flinders University

• Faculty of Education, Humanities, and the Law
• Centre for Theology, Science and Culture

 University of Adelaide

• Department of History
• School of Humanities

Medieval research at Adelaide is concentrated in the disciplines of history and literature. The University of Adelaide is a node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

Tasmania

 University of Tasmania (UTAS)

• School of History and Classics
• School of English, Journalism and European Languages

UTAS is home to specialists in classical studies as well as in the history of medieval England, Cistercian culture, medieval literature, and manuscripts.

Victoria

 La Trobe University

• School of European and Historical Studies

 Monash University

• Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies

Monash University is an important Australian centre for medieval research across several disciplines. It is home to specialists in intellectual and religious history, philosophy, women’s history, and literature. Monash also has a strong reputation in Renaissance studies, and scholars and students enjoy access to its European campus in Prato, Italy.

 University of Melbourne

• Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Studies
• Faculty of Arts
• Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

The University of Melbourne is a node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

Medieval and Renaissance studies feature strongly in several faculties at the University of Melbourne, where one can find experts in the fields of literature and language, especially French and Italian, intellectual, cultural, and social history, music, archaeology, and art. The French Department at the University of Melbourne hosts the Old French Reading Group.

Western Australia

 University of Western Australia (UWA)

• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• School of Humanities (this site contains several useful links)
• Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies

UWA administers the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions.

The University is home to the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies which draws together the university’s specialists from such diverse disciplines as archaeology, music, literature and languages, history, art history, and women’s studies. The Centre coordinates the Perth Medieval and Renaissance Group, which hosts an annual symposium and supports a diverse postgraduate body.

(article first published by Tania Colwell in 2009 and continued by Stephanie Downes by 2014)

The research centres listed below, some of which belong to tertiary institutions, offer useful points of departure for exploring medieval research in Australia.

 Centre for Early Christian Studies, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane

This is an important centre for study of the early Christian world. Members pursue research in areas such as biblical studies, Church history, theology, art history, and philosophy.

 Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, University of Western Australia, Perth

Recently opened, this centre provides a collective home for scholars and students of the Middle Ages and the early modern period at the University of Western Australia. It welcomes visiting scholars, and runs a seminar program with Australian and international speakers.

 Centre for Medieval Studies,
University of Sydney, Sydney

This centre supports research into all aspects of the Middle Ages. It welcomes undergraduate and postgraduate students as members, as well as scholars from outside the University of Sydney. The centre also runs a seminar program with visiting scholars and students from within Australia and abroad.

 Centre for Thomistic Studies, Sydney

As its title suggests, this body specialises in the study of the life, philosophy, and teachings of St Thomas Aquinas.

 Medieval Manuscript Resource Unit, University of Melbourne, Melbourne

The Unit supports interdisciplinary and collaborative research focused upon manuscripts. It welcomes students, scholars, conservators, and professionals from the private sector as well as interested members of the public. The Unit offers researchers a specialised collection of books concerned with manuscript culture, and disseminates updates on useful resources available in Australia for manuscript studies.

 Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia

Non-governmental organisation promoting research in the social sciences.

 Australian Academy of the Humanities

Non-governmental organisation which supports research in all areas of the humanities. The Academy fosters both individual and collaborative research, and offers financial assistance in support of the publication of scholarly research. It also contributes to the development of resources for studying the humanities in Australia.

 Australian Research Council (ARC)

Governmental body which is concerned with all aspects of theoretical and practical science (in its broadest sense). The ARC is the principal Australian organisation administering financial programs for individual scholars and teams of researchers. It actively fosters collaboration between researchers and private industry.

 ARC Network for Early European Research (ARC NEER)

For details on ARC NEER, see the introductory page to the section on Australia.