History

Formal study of local and applied history was pioneered by Dr Lionel Gilbert at the Armidale College of Advanced Education. It was arguably the first time a tertiary education institution in Australia dared to introduce these popular history areas as a part of its teaching and research profile.

In 1982 Lionel Gilbert commenced a course of studies for graduates and, the following year, after urging from a number of history organizations, he devised and offered courses to people working in community history but who had never been to a tertiary education institution. From those beginnings the courses have grown and maintained unbroken delivery for over two decades.

In 1990, with amalgamation of tertiary education institutions the awards and their staff transferred to the University of New England and are now located within the School of Classics, History and Religion. Students can study specialised awards in local, family and applied history at undergraduate or postgraduate level. They can also elect to do local, family and applied history units within their Bachelor of Arts and other undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, and they can pursue research higher degrees in the area.
Despite many changes to the courses, the principles laid down by Lionel Gilbert in the early 1980s are still fundamental. Study is done externally. Students draw on their own communities and family histories for many of their assignments. Developing skills in oral history, critical reading, good writing, interpreting historical sources, and understanding buildings, cemeteries and landscapes are still of central importance. Moreover, local and family histories are placed in the context of wider Australian history and of historical developments throughout the western world.

Over the years and currently, lecturers in the courses are prominent in the fields in which they teach. They research, publish, provide workshops, initiate community projects, develop exhibitions and websites, give public lectures and talks, contribute to historical associations and much more. A sample of their activities, projects and publications is available through the Projects and Staff sections of this website.

Similarly, graduates from UNE local, family and applied history awards have gone on to work in a variety of related fields and to produce a range of history related products. A sample of their activities is available on the Projects section of this website.