Diploma in Languages

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 Bachelors degree and Diploma may be completed in three years (see examples of course structure) Diploma in Languages information on the Faculty of Arts page and information on the Language Curriculum Reform for 2012.

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 Bachelor 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.

On completion of the Diploma in Languages, 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 following languages specialisations and levels are available for DipLang 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). There will be no first year intake in to Swedish from 2011.

*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 DipLang.

The Diploma is available either in sequential mode (completing the Bachelors degree and the Diploma concurrently) or in fast-track mode for high achieving students (see fast track structure).

Student completing the Bachelor 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 Bachelor degree program.

• Students that enrol in the Diploma from second year, having completed 25 points on languae at Leve 1 in their Bachelor degree will complete a further 75 points of language study within the Diploma.

• Students that enrol in the Diploma at third year, having completed 25 points of Level 1 and 25 points at Level 2 in their Bachelor degree will complete the remaining 100 points of 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 DipLang.

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.

Diploma in Languages 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 DipLang:

* 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 DipLang:

* 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 DipLang:

* 25 points of language subjects

Year Four (100 points)

Enrolment within the degree:

* 75 points of core program subjects

Enrolment within the DipLang:

25 points of language subjects

Diploma in Languages enrolment at second year (375 points in total)

Year One (100 points)

Enrolment within the Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of Science degree:

* 75 points of core program subjects
* 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth)

Enrolment within the Bachelor of 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 DipLang:

* 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 DipLang:

* 25 points of language subjects

Year Four (75 points)

Enrolment within the degree:

* 50 points of core program subjects

Enrolment within the DipLang:

* 25 points of language subjects

Diploma in Languages enrolment at third year (350 points in total)

Year One (100 points)

Enrolment within the Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of 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 Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of Science degree:

* 75 points of core program subjects
* 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth)

Enrolment within the Bachelor of 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 DipLang:

* 25 points of language subjects

Year Four (50 points)

Enrolment within the degree:

* 25 points of core program subjects

Enrolment within the DipLang:

* 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 Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of Science degree:

* 75 points of core program subjects
* 25 points of language subjects (taken as breadth)

Enrolment within the Bachelor of 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 DipLang entry at level three

Enrolment within the Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of Science degree:

* 75 points of core program subjects and 25 points of breadth
* and 25 points of language subjects as breadth

Enrolment within the Bachelor of 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 Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Environments, or Bachelor of 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 DipLang:

* 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 Latin American Studies and Swedish. For detailed information on the language levels taught in each area, see the language stream descriptions.

Specialisations

Specialisations are available in:

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 DipLang. Students enrolled in these degree programs may apply for entry to the Diploma in Modern Languages (Dip MLang).

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 in Languages.

* The Diploma of Languages may not be available to Bachelor of Commerce students majoring in Actuarial Studies.

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.

The language entry points 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 language proficiency levels and language testing, if and where 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/

The DipLang provides a pathway to graduate level language study. For more information, see the Arts future students webpage.

See course objectives.

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.