Diploma in Modern Languages (Japanese)

This course is no longer taking applications. The Diploma in Modern Languages (DML) is currently being phased out and only available to students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree pre-2008. Students wishing to apply for a Diploma in Languages will need to refer to the following website: Diploma in Languages.

Students currently enrolled in the DML gain a diploma in language study while completing an undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne. The Japanese program at the Asia Institute is one of the largest Japanese programs in Australia. The language subjects (taught at a range of levels, from beginner to advanced) are designed to maximise acquisition of the language and to develop communication skills in various types of texts, interactional contexts and strategic aspects of meaning making. The curriculum also allows students to develop a broad understanding of cultural, social and historical aspects of Japan. Our language and culture integrated curriculum helps students understand the complexity and diversity of the society, and challenge stereotypes. Teaching staff create a meeting place where students from a variety of cultural backgrounds can explore intercultural language activities to promote intercultural as well as communicative competence. Japanese language subjects are organised in a progressive sequence (of units) from Japanese 1 through to Japanese 8. Entry and exit points are determined by the student’s background in the language, placement testing, prerequisites, or at the discretion of the Japanese program. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order.

The DML consists of a three-year sequence of first, second and third-year language study adds one year to the duration of your degree course. Language subjects are taken alongside your degree subjects in an integrated sequence. The diploma will only be awarded on the completion of your degree course.

Students wishing to undertake an honours or postgraduate diploma program on completion of the DML (100 points) should note that they may be required to complete the equivalent of a BA language major. Students must follow structure and point requirements for the year they commenced, please refer to the relevant handbook available online at https://psc.unimelb.edu.au/. Students may be required to complete additional language subjects within their degree or through the Community Access Program (CAP) if the major exceeds 100 points. 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.

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 one 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.

The entry points for the DML are as follows:

• Japanese 1 entry point: Students who have never studied Japanese before or have only rudimentary knowledge of the language usually enter the progression at Japanese 1.
• Japanese 3 entry point: Students who have completed VCE Japanese (Second language), IB or have an equivalent language level usually enter the progression at Japanese 3.
• Japanese 5 entry point: Students who perform at an intermediate level in Japanese, for example those who have completed VCE or IB with excellent results or have an equivalent language level usually enter the progression at Japanese 5.
• Japanese 7 entry point: Students who perform at a advanced level in Japanese, for example those who hold N3 of JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) or have lived or studied in Japan usually enter the progression at Japanese 7.

Students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Japanese program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required.Please refer the following link for further information: http://www.asiainstitute.unimelb.edu.au/help/undergraduate_students/placement

JAPANESE 1 ENTRY POINT (formerly Beginners stream)

Students who have never studied Japanese before or have only rudimentary knowledge of the language usually enter the progression at Japanese 1 entry point. Students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Japanese Program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required.

Students completing Japanese in the DML must do so through a progression of six language subjects and two electives consisting of 100 points (12.5 points x 8 subjects) as follows:

Japanese 1 Entry Point - Level 1

Japanese 1 Entry Point - Level 2

Japanese 1 Entry Point - Level 3

Japanese 1 Entry Point - Electives

Students completing a Diploma in Japanese 1 entry point are required to take two of the following electives (one at level 2 and one at level 3) to meet course requirements. Please note certain electives can only be taken concurrently and are co-requisites* and/or may have prerequisites**.

JAPN20002 Introduction to Japanese Communication* (concurrently with Japanese 4)
JAPN20005 Contemporary Japan
JAPN30010 Signs and Symbols in Japanese* (concurrently with Japanese 5)
JAPN30005 Japanese 7** (prerequisite Japanese 6)
JAPN30006 Japanese 8** (prerequisite Japanese 7)

JAPANESE 3 ENTRY POINT (formerly Post-VCE stream)

Students who have completed VCE Japanese (Second language), IB or have an equivalent language level usually enter the progression at Japanese 3 entry point. Students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Japanese Program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required.

Students completing Japanese in the DML must do so through a progression of six language subjects and two electives consisting of 100 points (12.5 points x 8 subjects) totalling 100 points as follows:

Japanese 3 Entry Point - Level 1

Japanese 3 Entry Point - Level 2

Japanese 3 Entry Point - Level 3

Japanese 3 Entry Point - Electives

Students completing a Diploma at Japanese entry point 3 are required to take two of the following electives (one at each level, two and three) to meet course requirements.

Please note certain electives available at level two and three can only be taken concurrently and are co-requisites* and/or may have prerequisites**.

JAPN20010/30013 Japanese Grammar in Action* (concurrently with Japanese 8)
JAPN20018/30004 Japanese Through the Media**(prerequisite Japanese 8)
JAPN20016/30003 Japanese Through Translation** (prerequisite Japanese Through the Media)
JAPN20009 Signs and Symbols in Japanese
JAPN20012/JAPN30012 Variation in Japanese Language
JAPN20011/JAPN30011 Reading Japanese Literature

JAPANESE 5 ENTRY POINT (formerly Advanced Post-VCE stream)

Students who perform at an intermediate level in Japanese, for example those who have completed VCE or IB with excellent results or have an equivalent language level usually enter the progression at Japanese 5. Students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Japanese program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required.

Students completing Japanese in the Diploma must do so through a progression of six language subjects and two electives consisting of 100 points (12.5 points x 8 subjects) as follows:

Japanese 5 Entry Point - Level 1

Japanese 5 Entry Point - Level 2

Japanese 5 Entry Point - Level 3

Japanese 5 Entry Point - Electives

Students completing a Diploma at Japanese entry point 5 are required to take two of the following electives (one at each level, two and three) to meet course requirements. Please note certain electives available at level two and three can only be taken concurrently and are co-requisites* and/or may have prerequisites**.

JAPN20010/Japanese Grammar in Action* (concurrently with Japanese 8)
JAPN20018/30004 Japanese Through the Media**(prerequisite Japanese 8)
JAPN20016/30003 Japanese Through Translation** (prerequisite Japanese Through the Media)
JAPN20005 Contemporary Japan (delivered in English)
JAPN30002 Social Problems in Japan (delivered in English)

JAPANESE 7 ENTRY POINT (formerly Super-Advanced stream)

Students who perform at advanced level in Japanese, for example those who hold N3 of JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) or have lived or studied in Japan usually enter the progression at Japanese 7. Students will have their appropriate entry point determined by the Japanese program, based on evidence of prior learning and/or results of a placement test as required.

Students completing a Diploma in Japanese will usually undertake 25 points at level one, 37.5 points at level two and 37.5 points at level three (12.5 points x 8 subjects) totalling 100 points as follows:

NOTE: In Entry Point 7 it is not possible to complete the DL in 3.5 years unless one of the electives are completed within the first 3 years.

Japanese 7 Entry Point - Level 1

Japanese 7 Entry Point - Level 2

Japanese 7 Entry Point - Level 3

This course is no longer taking applications. The Diploma in Modern Languages (DML) is currently being phased out and only available to students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree pre-2008. Students wishing to apply for a Diploma in Languages will need to refer to the following website: Diploma in Languages.

The Diploma is 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.

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/

Students wishing to undertake an honours or postgraduate diploma program on completion of the DML (100 points) should note that they may be required to complete the equivalent of a BA language major if they commenced prior to 2008. Students must follow structure and point requirements for the year they commenced, please refer to the relevant handbook available online at https://psc.unimelb.edu.au/.

Coursework Masters

If you wish to continue your professional studies at postgraduate level, the studies you undertake in your major can provide a direct pathway to Coursework Masters Degrees in the areas of humanities and social sciences, management, international studies, arts management, development studies and many more. Entry is based on academic merit and in most cases requires a Bachelors degree or equivalent in the relevant study area.

For more information on entry into a coursework masters degree, please refer to the The Graduate School of Humanities & Social Sciences:

Research Higher Degrees

If you wish to undertake advanced research and explore particular study areas in more depth, there will be opportunities to proceed to a range of Research Higher Degrees at masters and doctoral level. For more information about research higher degree study in Arts, see the Faculty of Arts Graduate Research Programs.

See course objectives

All arts subjects provide students with transferable generic skills that prepare them for further study and the workplace.

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.