University of Melbourne

This course focuses on the development of the individual and their interaction with their environment and considers what the consequences are, both when this interaction proceeds smoothly and when it does not proceed smoothly. It explores questions concerning human development; gives attention to cognitive and social-emotional aspects; covers some basic issues in human development; and examines the nature and development of personality and human interaction in social groups and cultural settings. Students are introduced to the tools used in psychology to find answers to these questions.

This course examines mythical narratives from the ancient Greek and Roman traditions. Students explore some of the central patterns and themes in classical mythology. These include narratives of birth and creation, war and the warrior, fire and flood, animals, gods and humans. The course examines how these symbolic themes are incorporated into a diverse range of myths, including stories of the birth of the cosmos, Zeus's rule over the world, the foundation of cities and peoples, and hero myths in which men confront monsters. It also reviews the story of Troy, which is the quintessential Greco-Roman myth, and the many classical tales of metamorphosis. The course engages directly with these narratives in the surviving literary sources (especially epic and drama), and in classical art, which is a major source for the Greek and Roman myths.

This course examines what a national literature means, and how it makes itself significant to the nation and beyond. It will think about colonialism and colonial writing in Australia, modes of Australian social realism, the emergence of an Australian modernism, ways of representing region, suburb and city, postcolonialism in Australia, 'multicultural' writing, and Indigenous literature. The focus is on the novel, short stories, poetry and genres such as romance and the Gothic.

This course examines the ubiquity of biological evolution in both natural and human modified environments. It will describe and explain the agents of change— drift, migration and selection, and show their effects on both single and multiple gene traits, and on the phylogenetic relationships of species. The course  will introduce co-evolutionary processes, which are critical for understanding traits that evolve through interactions between species, including humans. Particular topics will include (but not limited to): heritable variation; agents of evolution; artificial, natural and sexual selection; phenotypes and quantitative genetics; phylogeny, speciation and the tree of life; and antagonistic and mutualistic co-evolution. The subject will emphasize both the outcome and process of scientific research leading to our understanding of evolutionary processes, drawing on examples from across the diversity of life.

This course examines the biology of Australia's vertebrate fauna with particular emphasis on frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Students examine the adaptations of the fauna to the unique and uncertain nature of the Australian terrestrial environment. Topics covered include: the diversity of Australian vertebrate groups in comparison to other parts of the world; the impact of human activities and introduced animals on native fauna; wildlife diseases; and the ethics associated with research and experimentation on animals.

This course explores developments in the Hollywood film industry from the 1960s to the present. Students examine some of the key issues of this period, including the focus on modernist strategies, revisionist approaches, allusionism, and the new generation of Hollywood film school "auteurs." The course also examines the interconnection between entertainment industries, and the emergence and significance of "high concept" as a production and marketing strategy.