The School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics offers 14 languages
(Ancient Greek, Chinese, French, German, (modern) Greek, Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean, Latin , Polish, Russian, Spanish, Ukranian) and linguistics.
Modern Greek and Polish are only offered at advanced level (post-VCE or
equivalent). All other languages may be commenced at introductory (beginner) or
advanced level, and most at intermediate level (refer to the relevant language
entry). Courses in all languages beyond introductory level contain significant
components of study of the relevant culture or society. Students taking a
language are strongly encouraged to take a major or minor in Asian Studies,
European Studies or Linguistics.
Students studying a language may apply to Monash Abroad for grants to study in
a country where the relevant language is spoken. As many students as possible
are encouraged to study at an overseas university for a semester and credit
that study towards their degree.
Research in the areas covered by the school is supported by the Centre for
European Studies, the Centre for South-East Asian Studies, the Japanese Studies
Centre, the Language and Society Centre, and the Monash Asia Institute.
The Diploma in Languages is available to students whose undergraduate degree is located in a faculty other than Arts or on a stand-alone basis. It can be completed in any of the languages offered at Monash beginning at any level. The requirements for the diploma are identical to those of the major sequence in the relevant language (see below). Application forms are available from the Arts faculty office.
The
School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics offers an interdisciplinary major
sequence in Asian studies. It is available to all students and is of particular
relevance to those studying an Asian language. It enables students to study
issues across a range of Asian countries, cultures and societies and provides a
broad comparative perspective across many Asian countries.
The major in Asian studies will draw on units in the School of Languages,
Cultures and Linguistics, which can be either Asian-focused or relating
exclusively to an individual country or region such as China, Japan, Korea,
Southeast Asia etc. Units include the following:
Units from other schools, such as politics, theatre studies, anthropology and English, can be included if they have a strong Asian component. As the units available will vary each year, a current list of these units is available from the faculty.
The first-year sequence consists of two of the following: ASN1010, HSY1060 and JPS1090. These units form the first-year sequence for major and minor sequences in Asian studies as well as in Chinese, Indonesian, Korean or Japanese studies.
The
Chinese Studies department offers six Chinese language streams (A, B, C, D, E
and F) on the Clayton campus. Students will be placed in different streams
according to their language ability and their previous language studies.
Students who have never studied Chinese should enrol in stream A (beginners
stream). Students who have completed the second language stream of VCE Chinese,
or the equivalent, should enrol in stream B (post-VCE stream). Students who
have completed the first language stream of VCE Chinese, students who have
additional Chinese language background, and native speakers who have completed
a substantial part of their schooling in a Chinese educational system will be
tested by the department and placed in an advanced Chinese stream (streams C, D
and E). Students who speak a Chinese dialect and have completed a substantial
part of their schooling in a Chinese educational system must enrol in stream F
(Chinese for dialect speakers).
The head of school retains the right to determine the proper stream for any
particular student.
Once a student's place is determined, he or she will progress through the core language units in a designated stream. At each level, students have the alternative to enrol in an intensive in-country program as part of their stream component (see 'Intensive In-Country Chinese Program' below). The first-year core language units of each stream include:
Summer
semester
The Chinese Studies department runs an intensive, in-country, fee-paying
Chinese language study program at Shanghai International University in China.
Students can choose from either a three-week or a six-week program and are
eligible to apply for Monash International Study Abroad Grants. The program
offers formal language classes as well as one-on-one tuition, in addition to
immersing students in Chinese culture and society. Intensive In-country Chinese
Program units can be taken as part of any stream within the Department of
Chinese Studies, or as an elective for students from other departments.
Students should consult the web page at
http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/chinese/incountry for detailed information
and must consult with the Department of Chinese Studies before making
application. Classes are offered at six language levels.
All Chinese language students are encouraged to enrol in Chinese studies or Asian studies units. These units have no Chinese language prerequisites and are open to students not studying Chinese language. Chinese and Asian studies units are taught in the school as well as in other schools of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Business and Economics.
The first-year sequence in Asian studies is ASN1010 (Asian civilisations: the cycle of empires) and HSY1060 (Asian civilisations: crisis and transformation). These units have a strong Chinese studies component.
Students interested in studying the classical languages of Ancient Greek and Latin can do so on the Monash Clayton campus due to a collaborative agreement with the Centre for Ancient and Classical Languages at the University of Melbourne. Staff from the University of Melbourne teach a beginners (major) and intermediate (minor) stream in Ancient Greek and Latin at the Monash Clayton campus.
The School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics will offer an interdisciplinary sequence of study in the area of classical studies. Details of the units on offer will be available to students from the Arts faculty office, located on the first floor of the Menzies building or from the general office of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics. For specific unit details, students should refer to the unit listing in this handbook.
The aim of the major in European studies, offered by the Centre for European Studies, is to introduce students to the cultures and societies of modern Europe. Students acquire knowledge and critical awareness of important intellectual, social and political dimensions of contemporary Europe. All students intending to major in European studies are strongly advised to take at least a minor in a European language. Students are encouraged to seek advice on their course and may make an appointment with the director of the Centre, Associate Professor Marko Pavlyshyn (Slavic studies).
A first-year sequence (12 points) in European studies consists of:
An agreement exists between Monash University and Swinburne University of Technology whereby students from each institution may take units from the other institution. Recommended Swinburne units are:
The School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics has contacts with many universities in Europe where Monash students may take units towards their European studies major. Grants for study in Europe are available through Monash Abroad. Students intending to undertake some study in Europe should consult with the centre.
The French studies program is designed to enable students to develop a high level of communicative competence in the French language (including translation skills and specialised registers such as business French), and a critical awareness of fundamental areas of French studies: literature, film, cultural studies and linguistics. Students will develop writing and research skills appropriate to advanced independent study.
The French studies program has four entry points through four first-year unit pairs, each comprising a first and second-semester unit, listed below. These entry points correspond with four proficiency levels, ranging from absolute beginners (level 1/IA/B) to advanced proficiency (level 1/IVA/B). Students who have completed VCE French with a score above 30 or an equivalent qualification will normally enrol in level 1/IIIA/B. Students with some previous study of French at a level below VCE or equivalent, or having completed VCE French with a score of 30 or less, will enrol in level 1/IIA/B. Levels 1/IA/B and 1/IIA/B lead to the French studies (introductory) minor and major sequences. Levels 1/IIIA/B and 1/IVA/B lead to the French studies (advanced) minor and major sequences. Students will be assisted in determining their enrolment in terms of their proficiency and the best outcome they can achieve.
All students have the opportunity to participate in the Language Study Abroad Program in France or the francophone world. The French Studies section has links with the universities of Clermont-Ferrand II, Lyon III and Paris III. Grants for study abroad are available through Monash Abroad, to whom applications should be addressed. Grants can also be made available through Monash Abroad for other approved overseas study (eg the New Caledonia Study Abroad Program). Contact the section for further details.
Please
note that the program structure described below is provisional at time of print
and may be subject to change. Programs in German studies are designed both for
students wishing to specialise in German studies (language, linguistics,
literature and their relation to culture and society), and for those requiring
a broad education in the humanities and social sciences. The level-one units
offer a general introduction to German language and culture. Practical language
study and fundamental training in German culture and history is an integral
part of the core units at every year level. Optional units, offered at second
and third-year levels, offer opportunities for diversification and
specialisation in the fields of German literature and culture, media studies,
German linguistics and vocational German. These options are offered from level
two onwards.
The core units are organised in streams, catering for different stages of
language proficiency. German can be studied from an absolute beginners' stage
up to a stage of near-native language proficiency. Depending on the units taken
at level one, the sequences may lead either to an introductory minor or
major or to an advanced minor or major.
At the Berwick campus, the section offers a vocational two-year sequence of
German for hospitality and tourism at the beginners' and intermediate stages (6
+ 6 points in first year, and another 6 + 6 points in second year). At Berwick
only an introductory minor is available. Berwick students who wish to undertake
a minor (advanced) or a major in German should contact the program coordinator
for further advice.
Students with little or no knowledge of German are offered the following sequence:
A range of first-year sequences is offered. A first-year sequence consists of one core unit in each semester. The section offers six different entry points. They fall into two groups: introductory and advanced. Stage 1 and stage 2 lead to the introductory minor or major; stages 3 to 6 lead to the advanced minor or major. The first-year unit sequences leading to the introductory minor/major sequence are:
The level-one unit sequences leading to the advanced minor/major sequence are:
Students undertaking any of the latter three unit sequences must have reached at least high distinction standard in German at Year 12 or its equivalent. Students wishing to undertake these units must obtain the permission of the convenor prior to enrolment.
All students have the opportunity to participate in the Language Study Abroad Program in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. The German studies section has links with more than a dozen universities in German-speaking countries. Grants for study abroad are available through Monash Abroad, to whom applications should be addressed. There are also a number of German government scholarship schemes. For more detailed information, contact Dr Heinz Kreutz, German studies (building 11, room 311, email heinz.kreutz@arts.monash.edu.au).
The
Greek studies section of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics
offers programs in Ancient Greek studies and in Modern Greek.
Modern Greek is available at all levels for students who have passed VCE Modern
Greek or have an equivalent linguistic competence. Arrangements for the
teaching of Modern Greek at first-year level are currently under review.
Ancient Greek studies is available as a minor sequence only. Knowledge of
Ancient Greek language is not a prerequisite. Students interested in acquiring
knowledge of the language should consult the 'Classical languages' section of
the handbook, above.
The
aim of language courses is to facilitate students' progress toward a high level
of proficiency in the skills of written and oral comprehension, speaking and
writing, on the basis of a good knowledge of the grammar of correct, standard
Indonesian as well as an understanding of the social and cultural context of
language-use. Students are encouraged to take available studies units and/or
Javanese as options in order to complete their major. There are three
streams in Indonesian language: (a) beginners, for those who have no previous
knowledge of Indonesian; (b) intermediate, for those who have completed the
second language stream of VCE Indonesian or its equivalent; and (c) advanced,
for those with first language stream VCE Indonesian or other comparable
background.
Please note that the school reserves the right to place a student in the
appropriate stream and that speakers of Malay are considered as being of
comparable status to background speakers of Indonesian.
Students who wish to fast track their language major in Indonesian, and gain valuable, in-country experience, may make use of the facility to take any one level (two six-point units) at Gadjah Mada University, in Yogyakarta, in intensive mode. Such courses take approximately six weeks, and are held during the summer. These courses are only available on a fee-paying basis.
All Indonesian language students are encouraged to enrol in Indonesian studies or Asian studies units. These units have no Indonesian language prerequisites. Indonesian and Asian studies units are taught in the school as well as in other schools of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Business and Economics. Units can be taken as part of the Indonesian language major, or as a separate major or minor in Asian studies.
The Italian studies program aims to assist and guide students as they (a) gradually develop their linguistic competence, both passive (understanding and reading) and active (speaking and writing) (b) gradually expand their knowledge of important issues and periods in Italian culture: history, society, language, literature, film and theatre.
Introductory Italian is a beginner's program designed for students with little or no knowledge of the language.
Grants are available to second and third-year students who intend to study in Italy for eight weeks. There is an existing agreement with the University of Perugia, and there will soon be the opportunity to attend courses at the Monash Centre in Prato, near Florence. Honours students are strongly encouraged to study for one semester in an Italian university (usually the university in Florence) as part of their honours degree. They can apply for a Monash Abroad grant.
The
program currently provides instruction in the Japanese language at six levels,
from level A (beginners) to level F (advanced). Students will be placed in
classes appropriate to their ability, which will vary according to their
previous study (at school and at other institutions) and their experience in
Japan. Beginning students commence their study at level A, while those with
VCE-level Japanese proficiency go into levels B or C (dependent on placement
test results).
Background speakers of Japanese may be able to enrol in a new sequence in
Japanese for background speakers. The head of school retains the right to
determine the proper level for any particular student.
Once
a student's starting point is determined, he or she will progress through the
core language units in a designated stream. Those starting in level A will be
in the beginners' stream, and will proceed through levels A (first year), B
(second year) and C (third year). Those starting in level B will be in the
lower intermediate stream and will proceed through levels B (first year), C
(second year) and D (third year). Those starting at level C will be in the
advanced intermediate stream and will proceed through levels C (first year), D
(second year), and E (third year). Those starting at level D will be in the
advanced stream and will proceed through levels D (first year), E (second year)
and F (third year).
Units in Japanese studies are also available (see below).
On-campus mode is offered at the Clayton, Peninsula and Berwick campuses. Students attend weekly lectures and tutorials, and learn through interacting with teachers and Japanese people in and out of the classroom. Most of the language units offered by Japanese are in this mode. At the Clayton campus, language units are offered at six levels (A --F), catering for students ranging from beginners to semi-native speakers. More advanced postgraduate courses are also available. At the Peninsula campus, a two-year sequence (levels A and B) is offered. Students may take levels C and above by attending classes at the Clayton campus. Students at the Berwick campus will be able to commence Japanese at either level A or B in 2002. Availability of Japanese units in 2003 cannot be guaranteed at this stage.
The school has been active in developing exchanges and there are now agreements with approximately 10 Japanese institutions. While each exchange has its own features, collectively they provide a wide range of opportunities for students to study in Japan. The credit arrangements vary and need to be clearly verified with the Japanese exchange program coordinator before a student can be assured of receiving credit. The units JPL2991/JPL3991/JPL3992 (Language study in Japan) and JPS2991/JPS3991/JPS3992 (Japanese studies in Japan) can be taken in Japan as a substitute for core courses in the Japanese language or in Japanese studies. The first semester of the honours year can also be spent in Japan. Students wishing to study in Japan are encouraged to take both Japanese language and Japanese studies units at the first-year level. A range of scholarships is available from the university and from outside bodies. For further information, students should consult the exchange program coordinator within Japanese.
The School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics currently runs a unique 10-week, fee-paying, in-country language study program with Ishikawa Prefecture. Students can complete two semesters of study (12 points) on an intensive basis. Students are eligible to apply for Monash International Study Abroad Grants. The program allows students to understand more about Japanese culture and society, as well as language. Students should consult the department for further information. The following level C units can be taken as part of this program.
It is anticipated that level D Japanese may be offered at Kanazawa in the future.
The following pairs of first-year units are offered as acceptable first-year sequences and satisfy the prerequisites for admission to second-year level units in Japanese language. Placement tests are required for all but beginners level.
Japanese
studies are taught in English and most require no language prerequisites (with
the exception of units in the linguistics stream). They are open to all
students and may be taken as part of a major or minor in Japanese language or
studies, as part of a major in Asian studies, or on their own.
Two units form the first-year sequence in Japanese studies: JPS1090
(Understanding contemporary Japan) and HSY1060 (Asian civilisations: an
introduction 2). Together, these units provide a broad introduction to a number
of aspects of Japanese culture and society, and the broader Asian context.
After the first-year sequence, a variety of units are available in two areas:
(a) society and culture, and (b) linguistics and communication.
The following pairs of first-year units are offered as acceptable first-year sequences and satisfy the prerequisites for admission to second-year level in Japanese studies:
The Korean language and studies program offers a major and minor sequence in Korean language. Majors in Korean may be completed at both the Clayton and Berwick campuses. There are two streams in Korean language: (a) for those who have no previous knowledge of Korean; and (b) for those who have completed VCE Korean or its equivalent. Stream A (beginners stream) consists of KOR1110 and KOR1120 in the first year. Stream B (post-VCE or equivalent) consists of KOR1210 and KOR1220 in the first year. Placement tests are required for those students who intend to enrol in stream B. The Korean language program will conduct the test.
All students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Language Study Abroad Program in Korea. The Korean Studies department has exchange agreements with four prominent universities (Korea University, Pukyong National University, Pusan National University and Yonsei University) in Korea. Grants for study are available through Monash Abroad, to whom applications should be addressed. Third and fourth-year students may also apply for a Korean government scholarship. Contact the department as early as possible for further details on study abroad possibilities.
All Korean language students are encouraged to enrol in Korean studies or Asian studies units. These units have no Korean language prerequisites. Korean and Asian studies units are taught in the school as well as in other schools of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Business and Economics. Units can be taken as part of the Korean language major, or of a separate major or minor in Asian studies.
Linguistics
is the study of the structure and function of language and the uses of language
in communication including written, spoken and 'cyber' contexts. Linguistics
explores how languages differ, what they all share, and provides the techniques
and principles to be adopted in the analysis and description of any given
language. In addition, the linguistic study of language and language use in
socio-cultural contexts contributes to our understanding of identities, social
and cultural organisation, multiculturalism and multilingualism, institutions
and power, as well as the creative functions of language in texts and
discourses. Knowledge of linguistics is central to the study of languages (eg
English, Australian Aboriginal languages, Chinese, French, German, Greek,
Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish). Linguistics also
offers students of anthropology, mathematics, philosophy, sociology,
engineering, psychology, law, and computer science, useful insights into the
nature of language in their particular area of interest. Examples of the
practical applications of linguistics include communications within
organisations, communications interfaces with electronic systems, the
preparation of materials for language teaching, the development of language
policies in government and in education, and in the areas of business,
professional and technical communication, tourism and intercultural
communication and speech therapy.
The first year provides students with an introduction to the nature of
language, including the manner in which sounds are produced and represented
(phonetics), the organisation and relationship of sounds in language
(phonology), the grammatical forms of words (morphology), the organisation of
words in sentences (syntax), the analysis of meaning (semantics), language
change (historical linguistics) and language variation and the uses of language
in social contexts (sociolinguistics).
In the second and third years, the areas of syntax, semantics, pragmatics,
phonetics, phonology, and sociolinguistics are developed on a general and
comparative basis and there are also units exploring varieties of English,
historical and comparative linguistics, Aboriginal languages, discourse
analysis, applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, first and second language
acquisition, language and gender, intercultural communication, multiliteracies
in English and the structure of English.
First-year normally comprises LIN1010 and LIN1020. However, a student may start linguistics in second semester by taking LIN1020 followed by LIN1010 the next year.
Several linguistics units are offered by off-campus distributed learning or by a combination of online resources and face-to-face teaching contact. These units are usually available in the same semester as the on-campus delivery of the unit. The access to online resources and off campus distributed learning allows for flexibility and face-to-face class commitments are kept to a minimum. Alternative arrangements include the use of the Monash Portal and electronic group discussion programs. In addition to the online or print resources, students can access tutorial support by telephone, fax and email. These basic resources are supplemented by optional one-day workshops, usually held on a Saturday. The intention is that the flexible learning program should make linguistics units available to students whose work or other commitments make it difficult for them to attend regular classes on campus. The following units can be undertaken on-campus, by off-campus distributed learning or through flexible mode using online resources:
For more details on flexible learning units, contact the Linguistics section or visit its website at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ling/
Within Slavic studies, students may take programs that develop competence in Polish, Russian and Ukrainian, as well as a range of units in literary and cultural studies and in Slavic linguistics. Majors in Slavic are available in Russian and Ukrainian both to beginners and to students with a VCE pass in the corresponding languages. Students may also take a minor in Russian studies independently of, or in combination with, language-based studies.
Students must have a pass in VCE Polish, or must demonstrate an equivalent level of competence, to enrol in SLA1040. A first-year sequence comprises SLA1040 and SLA1050.
In addition to its majors in Russian and Ukrainian, Slavic studies offers a minor sequence in Russian studies comprising units on Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet literature, culture and society, which have no language prerequisite or corequisite.
As well as first-year units described under Russian, Russian studies and Ukrainian, students may take the following:
Programs in Hispanic studies are suitable for students wishing to specialise in the discipline, and for those requiring a broad education in the humanities. Language study is a compulsory part of Spanish/Hispanic studies and is designed to enable students to develop a high level of communicative competence (including specialised registers and translation skills). Optional units, covering Spain and Spanish America, are introduced from the second year, and aim to develop a critical awareness of fundamental areas of Hispanic studies: linguistics, literature, cultural theory and civilisation. All programs develop writing and research skills appropriate to advanced independent study.
SPN1010
(Introductory Spanish IA) and SPN1020 (Introductory Spanish IB) are beginner's
units, for those with little or no knowledge of the language.
SPN1070 (Spanish language IA) and SPN1080 (Spanish language IB) are for
students with at least a pass in VCE Spanish or equivalent knowledge of the
language.
Students will be required to take a placement test, which will be arranged by
the course coordinator.
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