Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

This graduate certificate is for graduates of any discipline to undertake the study of European languages (French, German or Italian) or Asian languages (Chinese, Indonesian or Japanese).

No prior knowledge of the language is required. Study is undertaken on a part-time basis due to the sequencing of the language units.

The Graduate Certificate in Modern Languages articulates with the Graduate Diploma in Modern Languages.

The graduate certificate is intended for people who already hold a degree but who wish to undertake further study, or to obtain advanced qualifications in a specific area of expertise.

Graduates may be able to apply credit from this course towards further study at graduate diploma or master's level.

Course outline

The course consists of units to a total value of 24 points. Study is undertaken part-time due to the sequencing of language units.

Asian Languages Structure

Beginners:

• TWO Beginners level language units (12 points)
• TWO Intermediate level language units (12 points)

Post-secondary:

• TWO Intermediate level language units (12 points)
• TWO Advanced level language units (12 points)

European Languages structure

Selection of six language units (6 points each to a total of 24 points) from Beginners, Post-TEE or Native Speaker, depending on level of prior knowledge.

Career prospects

Chinese (Mandarin) is the most widely used language in the world. It is the national language of the People's Republic of China, and is linked with a rich cultural heritage going back thousands of years. Chinese is also spoken by Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia and elsewhere. With China's extremely rapid economic expansion in recent years, proficiency in Mandarin will be an advantage for many job seekers.

Bahasa Indonesia is the national language of Australia's nearest Asian neighbour. With various cooperative forums being established between Indonesia and Australia, more students are recognising the usefulness of their knowledge and skills in Indonesian.

Japanese has for many years been very important for economic and cultural relationships within the Asian region. The Japanese language also provides valuable insights into a diverse culture and society. A proficiency in Japanese, especially when combined with other fields such as business, science, technology, humanities or social sciences, will help build a strong foundation for future careers of graduates.

German is rising in popularity as a skill when combined with other degrees such as business, engineering or sciences. This is mainly due to the fact that "Made in Germany" has gained enormous importance in commerce, industry and research, with German speaking countries being Australia's fifth most important international trading partner. Germany is the fourth largest economy in the world and the powerhouse of the European Union. German speaking tourists to Australia are the second largest and most financially viable group.

French is a language that can be useful throughout the world and is a global language along with English. It is the second most frequently taught language in the world after English. It is the only language other than English that is spoken in five continents. French is also the official working language of many international organisations and committees, such as the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO and the International Olympic Committee.

Italian is almost indispensable to those studying Music, Architecture or Fine Arts, and to those who have a keen interest in Italian literary history. Knowledge of Italian language and culture is advantageous for many people engaged in work requiring cross-cultural communication, such as medical practitioners, lawyers and social workers.

Admission requirements

Applicants are usually required to possess a three-year bachelor's degree in any area (not necessarily in Arts), or equivalent status; or have completed a three-year teaching qualification from a recognised tertiary institution, or equivalent status.

This course is not available to international students.

Domestic students

All UWA coursework programs: English Language Competence

Course enquiries

Faculty Student Office
Telephone: (+61 8) 6488 2091
Email: arts.faculty@uwa.edu.au