Faculty of Arts

Humphrey Clegg

Assistant Curator, Australian Art, National Gallery of Victoria

Master of Art Curatorship (Coursework) 2007

I have always been interested in forms of communication, how an idea is passed from one person to another, how it is formed and how it changes in this process. My current role is mostly concerned with the National Gallery of Victoria's permanent collection of 19th century Australian Art. My postgraduate studies in Arts helped me to develop my communication and research skills, and also gave me a thorough understanding of how a major cultural institution functions and its role in our community. The industry links in the Master of Art Curatorship were of great benefit, as were the teaching staff who were very actively engaged with their students. I believe complementing your studies with diverse volunteer work is the best and easiest way to get access to experience, meet people in your desired profession and hear about job opportunities. People do remember you and that can help down the track when you’re looking for employment.

Siow Hui Mei

Malaysia - TV presenter, writer and radio DJ, Chinese Channel ASTRO

Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) 2003

When I was in high school, I always wanted to further my studies at the University of Melbourne due to its high reputation and beautiful campus. When I began my undergraduate studies, I was exposed to the full range of media and communication subjects, all of which tended to reinforce and solidify my intense interest in the media field. Apart from the academic accomplishment, I also had the chance to participate in other extra-curricular activities. I joined the Melbourne University Overseas Student Services and the Chinese Cultural Society during my studies. In 2002, I was appointed as the team leader of the Chinese Debating Team. Our team represented the University of Melbourne in the International Varsity Debate Competition that was held on CCTV, Beijing in 2003.

Marika Kocsis

Paper Conservator, State Library of New South Wales

Master of Arts (Cultural Material Conservation) (2005)

Marika Kocsis is an alumnus of the first student cohort to graduate from the newly-established Masters of Arts (Cultural Materials Conservation) course in 2005, and winner the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) Student Conservator of the Year Award.

Working as a paper conservator at the State Library of New South Wales since her graduation, Marika turned her love of books (she once ran a publishing company) into a new career in paper conservation. Her masters thesis, the basis for her AICCM award, was on the subject of the conservation of contemporary artists books - their history, exhibition, storage and handling.

Marika found the collegial atmosphere at the Centre an integral part of her success, with the teachers and lecturers supportive and easy to contact, and a great rapport between the students.

So what's next for Marika? She believes that research is extremely important and would love to return to study to complete a PhD at some stage. "If you want to be heard and taken seriously, you must invest in research", she asserts.

Gary Simmons

Education Programmer, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)

BA 1969
DipEd 1970, Monash University
Post GradDip, Cinema Studies 1997
Masters, Cinema Studies 2003

Since completing his Arts degree, Gary gained 20 years of experience teaching in secondary schools. He completed a post-graduate diploma in 1997 and says, 'My love of cinema was the main motivation for returning to full-time study after such a long break.'

He now works as an Education Programmer for Australia Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) at Federation Square. Combining his passion for film and teaching, his job entails giving lectures to students and teachers who are exploring the moving image in all its forms in their classrooms.

He also writes film related articles for Australian Screen Education and is currently writing study guides on Victorian Certificate of Education English film texts. Gary found that, 'the rigor of research and writing during study has helped in the preparation of lectures and articles. My study encouraged me to find different ways of looking at films (eg: feminist, psychoanalytic, Marxist readings of the same film)'.

David Vivian Russell

Actor/Singer, LATT Children’s Theatre, Seoul, Korea

BA 1984

My current position seems light years from the pubs on Grattan Street. I'm a singer/actor in Korea's only English language theatre company! The past decade has seen the great rise in vocational training and skill acquisition – but nothing is so adaptable and 'useful' as an Arts degree.

Ideas. Visions. That's the stuff of Arts ... take it from a music journalist, conductor, singer, teacher and actor. 'Write. Talk. Think. Dream. Act. It's what an Arts degree affords you - a vigorously growing mind and options you can't yet expect!'

What do Employers Want?

A well-crafted intellect and writing style still counts enormously. I've been on selection panels for arts administration jobs in the past five years and no amount of slick marketing jargon can disguise that the applicant didn't know how to use the spell and grammar check on their computer.