Diploma in Modern Languages (Chinese)

The Diploma in Modern Languages (DML) enables students to gain a diploma in language study while completing an undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne. The diploma consists of a three-year sequence of first-, second- and third-year language study and adds one year to the duration of your degree course. You take language subjects alongside your degree subjects in an integrated sequence. The diploma will only be awarded on the completion of your degree course. Students who do not commence the Diploma concurrently with the first year of their degree studies may not be able to complete the Diploma at the same time as the degree. Students enrolled in the DML must complete the course before, or at the same time as their concurrent degree.

Students wishing to undertake an honours or postgraduate diploma program on completion of the DML (100 points) should note that they are required to complete the equivalent of a BA language major (112.5 points) before being eligible for entry to a fourth year level program.

Diploma graduates with the equivalent of a BA language major must have completed a BA degree to be eligible to apply for the BA (Honours), otherwise they may apply to enter the postgraduate diploma.

At the completion of the Diploma, students should:

• have acquired a mastery of both oral/aural and writing/reading skills comparable to that of a student majoring in a language discipline;

• have gained a basic understanding of selected aspects of the culture (or cultures) and of the society (or societies) associated with the language.

The Diploma consists of a three-year sequence of study in Chinese (Mandarin) language, totalling 100 points. The language subjects will be taken concurrently with an undergraduate degree in an integrated sequence and will normally add one year to the duration of a student's degree course.

It is the student's responsibility to ensure that s/he meets the requirements of the Diploma by enrolling in the correct number of subjects at the appropriate year level and within the rules outlined for the relevant language stream of the DML.

Students wishing to undertake Chinese language study as part of an exchange program may credit their studies towards the DML. However, such students should contact the Chinese Language Program Convenor in their first year of study to ensure that their study plan can accommodate exchange study in their DML.

Beginners Stream

The beginners stream is for students who have little or no knowledge of Chinese. It is available to students at both first and second year, although students intending to complete a major will need to commence their language study in their first year.

Beginners Stream - First Year

Beginners Stream - Second Year

Beginners stream - Third Year

Post-VCE

The post-VCE stream is usually only available to students with no background in Chinese who have obtained a pass in VCE Chinese or its equivalent.

Post-VCE stream - First Year

Post-VCE stream - Second Year

Post-VCE stream - Third Year

Students with a Chinese-speaking background

• minimal literacy
• limited literacy

First Year

Second Year

Chinese 5A

Chinese 5B

and one of

Chinese Cinema

Modern Chinese Literature

Great Chinese Classics

Third Year

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

The Diploma in Modern Languages (DML) is only available to students who are currently enrolled in a non-New Generation undergraduate degree course at the University of Melbourne. The DML must be completed alongside your degree studies and can only be awarded on the completion of your degree.

For continuing students, selection into the Diploma is based upon the weighted average of subjects across your entire course. For first-year students, eligibility is based on your ENTER score. The entry cut-off fluctuates from year-to-year. It is determined by the number of places available and the number of applications received.

For combined degree students and students from faculties other than arts, entry to the Diploma requires the approval of both the Faculty of Arts and the other faculty.

The Diploma will be available to students with no prior knowledge of a language as well as to those who have completed several years of study (for instance, as part of the VCE).

Your stream enrolment depends on your previous language experience and is determined by the relevant School.

The Asia Institute will determine the language stream in which you can enrol, based on VCE results, other language study records and in some cases a placement test.

As a result of attendance at scheduled classes, participation in planned activities and discussion groups, and timely completion of essays and assignments, arts graduates should acquire transferable generic skills in the following areas:

• research

  through competent use of the library, electronic databases, and other information sources, and the definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research;

• critical thinking and analysis

  through recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion, and by determining the strength of an argument;

• thinking in theoretical terms

  through lectures, tutorial discussion, essay writing and engagement in the methodologies of the humanities and social sciences;

• thinking creatively

  through essay writing, creative writing, tutorial discussions and presentations, conceptualising theoretical problems, forming judgements and arguments from conflicting evidence and by critical analysis;

• understanding of social, ethical and cultural context

  through the contextualisation of judgements, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and possibilities and by constructing an argument;

• communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically

  through essay writing and tutorial and seminar discussion;

• written communication

  through essay preparation and assignment writing;

• public speaking

  through tutorial and seminar discussion and class presentations;

• attention to detail

  through essay preparation and writing, and examination revision;

• time management and planning

  through managing and organising workloads for recommended reading, essay and assignment completion and examination revision;

• teamwork

  through joint projects and group discussions.