Diploma in Languages

Course D-LANG (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Year and Campus:	2010 - Parkville
Fees Information:	Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level:	Undergraduate

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Course Overview:	The Diploma in Languages provides students with the opportunity 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 language study and may add up to one year to the duration of the student’s degree course. In fast track mode both the Degree and Diploma may be completed in three years (see examples of course structure here, PDF 1.2MB) - also see the Diploma in Languages information on the Faculty of Arts pages. Diploma in Languages students enrol in language subjects alongside their degree subjects in an integrated sequence of study. The Diploma may only be awarded on the completion of the degree course. This means that graduation from the Diploma will only occur once the Degree is completed. The final 50 points of the Diploma in Languages is HECS-free. The HECS exemption is available to new generation undergraduate degree students but not to Bachelor of Engineering students. Only the final 50 points of the Diploma in Languages are HECS-free – students must have completed the first 50 points of the Diploma (either through a cross crediting arrangement or in addition to their degree requirements) to be eligible for the HECS-free 50 points. Students wishing to qualify for entry to the BA (Honours) should note that Diploma graduates must have completed a Bachelor of Arts degree to be eligible to apply for the BA (Honours), otherwise they may apply to enter the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts.
Objectives:	On 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.
Course Structure & Available Subjects:	The following languages specialisations and levels are available for DL study: Arabic (beginners and post-VCE) Chinese (beginners, non-dialect speakers with VCE Chinese, and background speakers) French (beginners, intermediate and post-VCE) German (beginners, intermediate and post-VCE) Hebrew (beginners and post-VCE) Indonesian (beginners and post-VCE) Italian (beginners, intermediate and post-VCE) Japanese (beginners, post-VCE and advanced stream) Russian (beginners) Spanish (beginners, intermediate and post-VCE) Swedish (beginners and intermediate) Note that a beginners stream major in Chinese requires 125 points of study. Therefore, it is not possible to complete the equivalent of a beginners stream Chinese major through the DL. The Diploma is available either in sequential mode (completing the Degree and the Diploma concurrently) or in fast-track mode for high achieving students (see fast track structure). Student completing the Degree and Diploma over 7 or 8 semesters need to ensure that they complete a first, second and third year sequence of language study, plus any required elective subjects in the language at the appropriate level. Students that enrol in the Diploma from first year will complete 100 points of study in addition to their degree program. Students that enrol in the Diploma from second year, having completed first year of the language within their degree, will complete a further 75 points of language study within the Diploma. For students that enrol in the Diploma at third year, having completed first and second year of the language within their degree, the final 50 points of language study will be attributed to the Diploma. Students choosing this option will be able to complete a 350 point total program. It is each 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 DL. Please note that depending on the nature of your degree program and specialisation the combination of core and breadth subjects taken at later years may vary slightly from this example. DL enrolment at first year (400 points in total) Year One (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Two (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Three (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Four (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 75 points of core program subjects Enrolment within the DL: 25 points of language subjects DL enrolment at second year (375 points in total) Year One (100 points) Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects * 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth) Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth * 25 points of language study (taken as part of the core program) Year Two (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Three (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Four (75 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects DL enrolment at third year (350 points in total) Year One (100 points) Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects * 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth) Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth * 25 points of language subjects (taken as part of the core program) Year Two (100 points) Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects * 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth) Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth * 25 points of language subjects (taken as part of the core program) Year Three (100 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Year Four (50 points) Enrolment within the degree: * 25 points of core program subjects Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects Fast track program for high achieving students (350 points in total) Please note that depending on the nature of your degree program and specialisation the combination of core and breadth subjects taken at later years may vary slightly from this example. Year One Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects * 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth) Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth * 25 points of language subjects (taken as part of the core program) Year Two * High-achieving students are permitted to overload in preparation for DL entry at level three Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects and 25 points of breadth * and 25 points of language subjects as breadth Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 75 points of core program subjects and 25 points of breadth * and 25 points of language subjects as core program Year Three Enrolment within the Biomedicine, Commerce, Engineering, Environments, or Science degree: * 75 points of core program subjects Enrolment within the Arts degree: * 50 points of core program subjects * 25 points of breadth Enrolment within the DL: * 25 points of language subjects * 25 points of language elective/cultural subjects The Diploma in Languages is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. For detailed information on the language levels taught in each area, see the language stream descriptions.
Majors/ Minors/ Specialisations	Specialisations Specialisations are available in: Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Arabic Chinese French German Hebrew Indonesian Italian Japanese Russian Spanish Swedish
Entry Requirements:	The Diploma in Languages is only available to students who are currently enrolled in a new generation undergraduate degree (or the Bachelor of Engineering) at the University of Melbourne. A place in the Diploma cannot be deferred. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), the pre-2008 Bachelor of Arts, degrees in Health Sciences, Veterinary Science and VCA degrees are not permitted to enrol in the DL. Students enrolled in these degree programs may apply for entry to the Diploma in Modern Languages (DML). Students entering the Diploma at the end of first or second year of their degree must have already completed 25 or 50 points of study in the language of the Diploma as part of their degree. These completed language subjects may be cross credited to the Diploma. The Diploma of Languages may not be available to Bachelor of Commerce students majoring in Actuarial Studies.
Core Participation Requirements:	The Diploma may be available to students with no prior knowledge of a language as well as to those who have completed several years of study. See details of language streams below. The language stream of enrolment is dependent on the student’s previous language experience and is determined by the relevant language program. Refer to the individual language entries below for detailed information about available streams of study, procedures for stream enrolment and language testing, if required. For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/
Further Study:	The DL provides a pathway to graduate level language study. For more information, see the Arts future students webpage.
Graduate Attributes:	See course objectives.
Generic Skills:	Students that successfully complete the Diploma should be capable of communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically through: essay and assignment preparation and writing, tutorial discussion and class presentations; public speaking and confidence in self-expression: through tutorial participation and class presentations.

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