Diploma in Modern Languages

This course enables students to communicate and to become proficient in one language (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese or Spanish) and culture.

This gives graduates a competitive advantage in a variety of workplaces, whether in Australia or overseas.

It is available as a stand-alone award or for students who are concurrently enrolled in a Bachelor course through UNE.

Course Aims

This course enables students to become proficient in one language other than English and to demonstrate a depth of knowledge in one culture (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese or Spanish). This gives graduates a competitive advantage in a variety of workplaces, whether in Australia or overseas. It is available as a stand-alone award for students who are currently enrolled in a Bachelor course through UNE.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate proficiently and effectively oral/aural and writing/reading skills in a language discipline not including English; analyse, comment upon and appropriately interpret a variety of target language usages of varying degrees of complexity; research, plan, design and deliver written and oral presentations in a variety of contexts; and demonstrate some depth of knowledge of specific inter-cultural and cross-cultural issues, practices and ethical values.

Graduate Attributes

Knowledge of a Discipline Students will possess specific theoretical and practical knowledge and skills relevant to their target language and culture(s). This includes graduates becoming global citizens who will aspire to contribute to culturally and linguistically diverse societies in a comprehensive and meaningful way in a multicultural, multilingual and global context. This will be assessed throughout the course through a range of different activities. Communication Skills Graduates will be able to communicate, interact and negotiate with others in their target language and do so effectively, appropriately and confidently both orally and in written forms. This will be assessed through various written, oral and online assessments. Problem Solving Graduates will apply logical, critical and creative thinking to a range of problems in their target language and create new knowledge and understanding. They will demonstrate this through the process of research and by critically and culturally appropriately discussing, evaluating and interpreting a variety of sources using either English or their target language as medium of communication. Information Literacy Graduates will possess a high standard of information literacy which will be demonstrated and, when appropriate, assessed, through tasks that require them to search for and critically assess and evaluate a wide variety of authentic sources composed in their target language. Graduates will also be able to use information to construct new concepts or create new understandings and use this information effectively in a range of contexts. Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility Graduates will be expected to hold ethical values and beliefs that are consistent with their roles as interculturally competent and aware individuals. They will engage with authentic issues of social importance in an ethically valid, culturally appropriate, sensitive and equitable manner. Graduates will understand the international implications of local decisions and the local implications of international decisions. These attributes will be developed and assessed throughout the course through a range of different activities. Lifelong Learning Graduates will have a scholarly attitude to learning and will be committed to acquiring knowledge and understanding through continuous inquiry and reflection upon their own place in the cultures of their target language. Independence and Collaboration Graduates will be able to exercise responsibility and accountability for their own learning as well as work collaboratively through online and/or on-campus interactive activities and network effectively to achieve common goals and to solve authentic problems in an ethical and culturally appropriate and respectful manner.