Graduate Diploma in Arts

Anthropology is the study of the many societies and cultures of the world and their complex interaction. Anthropology’s global comparative scope is complemented by a local focus; its unique perspective is made possible by intensive participation in the daily life and language of the communities studied. Contemporary social anthropology asks broad and detailed questions about what it means to be human in a globalising world, as well as providing a critical vantage point from which to reflect on ourselves and others.

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Arabic language subjects are organised in a progressive sequence (of units). Entry and exit points are determined by the student’s background in the language, placement testing, prerequisites, or at the discretion of the language program. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the Convenor of the language program.

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The Art History program is the premier provider of art historical scholarship in Australia. Thematic and interdisciplinary subjects deal with the theories of art history, art and the market, prints, and other issues. Areas of specialisation include late antiquity, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th and 19th century European art, modernism and postmodernism, contemprary art, Indigenous Australian art, and international art.

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Knowledge about Asia is a crucial national asset at a time of rapid globalisation and social change. The Asian Studies program at the University of Melbourne is one of the largest in Australia and comprises a comprehensive range of subjects in the intellectual, cultural, political and religious traditions of Asia, with a focus on China, Indonesia, Japan and South-east Asia. Asian Studies subjects are taught in English and do not require language prerequisites. Study abroad programs are available and Asialink offers a stimulating program of events and activities with an Asian focus.

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Indigenous Studies is a value-driven program guided by the principles of interdisciplinarity, intellectual exchange, and social relevance. Indigenous Studies offers students perspectives on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture. Subjects offered reflect the rich diversity of the field. Themes include contemporary Indigenous cultural production, key thinkers and concepts, Settler and Indigenous environmental ethics, Aboriginal women and coloniality, and issues relating to land, law and philosophy.

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Chinese language subjects are organised in a progressive sequence (of units). Entry and exit points are determined by the student’s background in the language, placement testing, prerequisites, or at the discretion of the language program. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the Convenor of the language program.

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Classical Studies and Archaeology embraces the broad study of Classical Greece and Rome, as well as Egypt and the Near East from 3000 BCE to the 4th century CE. Students can choose a variety of subject streams, which combine the study of ancient languages and/or texts in translation such as myth, literature, history, and philosophy with the study of archaeology, art, and architectural monuments. In addition, students can focus on a particular time period, geographic region, technical specialisation such as myth or ceramics, or thematic area of study. Students will gain insight into and understanding of contemporary society by exploring how ancient cultures have contributed to the development of our modern world, with regard to gender and ethnic identity, warfare, colonialism and imperialism, the propagandistic power of literary and visual imagery, and technology and economy. They will develop skills in research, writing, analysis, and communication that promote career flexibility.

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Classics is the study of the languages Ancient Greek and Latin, which have been taught at the University of Melbourne since its very foundation and have been a core element of higher education for many centuries. The overall objective of the Classics program is to introduce students to key literary texts from classical antiquity (including history, drama, oratory, philosophy, epic, and lyric poetry), and to enable students to discover the many important contributions which reading ancient texts in the original languages can make to understanding both the ancient world and the Western tradition. A knowledge of Ancient Greek and Latin is also very useful for research and training in such related disciplines as biochemistry, medicine, the history and philosophy of science, archaeology, Biblical studies, history, philosophy, art history, Romance language studies, English literary studies, and music. Students who major in Classics may progress through one or both of these languages from beginners level (entry point 1) and are encouraged to take subjects in both languages. Students who have completed one of these languages at VCE may begin studying the language at entry point 3 and are required to commence studying the other classical language at level 1 (entry point 1).

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This Program offers students the opportunity to explore their creative potential and to extend their work to avant-garde, cross-genre and experimental forms of writing. Students are encouraged to critically test the creative potential and the influence of contemporary theoretical and philosophical schools of thought in all forms of writing. Areas of specialisation include fiction, poetry, poetics, non-fiction, autobiography and writing for performance, theatre and screen.

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Criminology draws knowledge and perspectives from a range of disciplines such as law, sociology, psychology, psychiatry and history. Initially, criminology had a strong practical focus: its role was to advise governments on issues such as policing, the management of prisons, sentencing and offender treatment. Concern with policy and practice remains, but criminologists now work in a much wider range of fields including crime prevention, corporate and white-collar crime, business regulation, drug policy and consumer and environmental protection. Criminology doesn’t take crime and criminal law for granted. As an academic discipline it continually questions why different societies define and respond to crime in different ways, and why approaches to punishment and other forms of social control have varied so much from era to era. Increasingly criminologists also study the ways cultures depict crime: whether in newspapers, television and other mass media or in films, novels and art.

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English and Theatre Studies is a combined program and students can specialise in either areas. If offers studies in imaginative writing and dramatic performance, focusing on their form, content, traditions and practices and on the myriad ways they engage with the everyday world. The program offers subjects in a wide range of areas, from the Medieval and Early Modern to Romanticism, Modernism, and contemporary literature and performance. This includes British, Australian, American and postcolonial writing and theatre, and literary, cultural and performance theory. English and Theatre Studies at the University of Melbourne are recognised nationally and internationally for innovative teaching, scholarship and research.

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French is one of the world's major international languages: it is spoken by over 200 million people in 43 countries, on five continents. A knowledge of French may increase access to careers in international relations, development studies, business, science and the arts.

The overall objective of the French Studies program is to teach students to process information from a wide variety of materials in French, both written and spoken, and to produce accounts and discussions of that information in a variety of forms. In subjects at all levels, you will be guided towards undertaking independent research projects into areas including language, literature, politics, cinema, theatre, travel writing, food and wine, immigration and identity.

The core subjects in French are organised in a progressive sequence from French 1 through to French 8. Entry and exit points are determined by the French Program based on the student’s background in the language, placement testing or prerequisites. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the head of the French program. Accelerated progression is possible on advice from the French Program.

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Gender Studies considers the significance of gender and sexuality across a broad range of cultural contexts, identities and histories. The program analyses how gender intersects with crucial issues such as ageing, class, disability, ethnicity and globalisation. Subjects consider ideas about femininity, masculinity and sexuality through close engagement with an extensive variety of theorists, case studies and media. Gender Studies is transdisciplinary and draws on the diverse interests of specialists located throughout the Faculty. This enables its students to develop a unique combination of research skills drawn from both the Arts and Social Sciences.

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German has more than 100 million native speakers and is the third most popular foreign language world-wide. Knowledge of German opens up the rich culture of German-speaking Europe as well as its history, philosophy, literature, music and scientific traditions. The German Studies Program has a proud history of more than half a century at the University of Melbourne and provides students with the opportunity to complete part of their studies overseas through scholarships and exchange programs.

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The Hebrew and Jewish Studies program offers an unparalleled opportunity to study the development of Jewish civilization, Israeli history and culture, and the study of the Hebrew language. Hebrew and Jewish Studies investigate the history, literature, archaeology, philosophy, ethnography and social theory of Jewish society and culture. Students are encouraged to engage in contemporary debates about ethnicity and identity, assimilation, exile and Diaspora cultures. Students benefit from the interdisciplinary breadth and the opportunity to combine this with options in Hebrew language study which is taught from beginners to advanced level. Students explore topics that draw on extensive archival resources available in Australia and internationally.

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The History curriculum offers students the opportunity to understand the worlds of the past, to reflect on the making of the present, and to develop the capacities to locate information, analyse evidence, think critically, and communicate effectively. The discipline offers both great range and detailed attention to particular places, times, and themes. Courses extend from the medieval world to the great empires to our most immediate past; all offerings reflect the latest developments in historical research and vocational practice.

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The aim of History and Philosophy of Science is to understand science: how is works, its historical development and its function in modern society. History and Philosophy of Science thus integrates philosophical, historical and sociological approaches to the study of science. It thus provides students with an insight into scientific methods and objectives without actually having to do science. Students will gain analytical skills in evaluating scientific (and non-scientific) knowledge as well as a broad understanding of the historical development of science in its interactions with philosophy, religion and society.

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Indonesian language subjects are organised in a progressive sequence (of units). Entry and exit points are determined by the student’s background in the language, placement testing, prerequisites, or at the discretion of the language program. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the Convenor of the language program.

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Italian is one of the world’s most important languages strongly influencing languages and cultures around the world. A knowledge of Italian opens up access to a wide range of areas, including history, art, music, as well as to other languages, such as French and Spanish. I The overall objective of the Italian Studies program is to teach students to process information from a wide variety of materials in Italian, both written and spoken, and to produce accounts and discussions of that information in a variety of forms. In subjects at all levels, you will be guided towards undertaking independent research projects into areas including language, literature, politics, cinema, theatre, travel writing, food and wine, immigration and identity.

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Japanese language subjects are organised in a progressive sequence (of units). Entry and exit points are determined by the student’s background in the language, placement testing, prerequisites, or at the discretion of the language program. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the Convenor of the language program.

Please refer to the following link for further information on placement testing:

http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asiainstitute/students/placement-tests

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Linguistics is the study of language in all its aspects including its structure, its diversity, how it changes and evolves, how people learn and make use of it to communicate, and how we can preserve and revive endangered languages. Applied Linguistics focuses on areas such as second or foreign language learning and use, language policy, multilingualism, language education, and the assessment of language. The Graduate Diploma in Arts – Linguistics and Applied Linguistics provides students with an insight into the most fundamental of all human faculties, develops strong analytical skills and a foundation for work in diverse areas. It is similar to an undergraduate major and suited as an introduction to Linguistics and Applied Linguistics. This course is suitable for professional development and also a preparatory program if you intend to study at a higher level in this area.

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Philosophy is the study of the most fundamental aspects of reality and value. Every area of inquiry and endeavour—from art and history through politics and economics to biology and mathematics—generates philosophical issues about our world and our place in it. Philosophers debate the meaning of life and the meaning of adverbs, the analysis of Divine foreknowledge and the analysis of colour, the nature of mathematics and the nature of terrorism.

Work in philosophy involves the creative, critical task of constructing, clarifying and comparing ideas. We dig into the fundamental assumptions beneath our everyday views, to see how they hang together, how they can be improved, or how we might have reason to prefer one over another. We learn to take conflicting views seriously, to clarify imprecise concepts, and to synthesize new positions.

You learn both traditional and contemporary approaches to individual topics in Philosophy. In tutorials and written work you practice the important skill of advancing cogent and informed arguments of your own.

Students go on to apply their philosophical skills in a wide range of different careers where creative and analytic thinking is useful, such as law, education, analysis, advocacy and policy development.

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The Graduate Diploma in Arts - Politics and International Studies enables students to gain an understanding of the major political issues, institutions, ideas and actors that dominate the local, national and international agenda.

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Russian is one of the world's major international languages: it is spoken by over 140 million people and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. A knowledge of Russian may increase access to careers in international relations, development studies, business, science and the arts.

The overall objective of the Russian Studies program is to teach students to process information from a wide variety of materials in Russian, both written and spoken, and to produce accounts and discussions of that information in a variety of forms.

The core subjects in Russian are organised in a progressive sequence from Russian 1 through to Russian 6. Entry and exit points are determined by the Russian Program based on the student’s background in the language, placement testing or prerequisites. Students normally progress through the subjects in consecutive order. Mid-year entry is also possible into subjects with even numbers, subject to appropriate prior experience and approval from the head of the Russian program. Accelerated progression is possible on advice from the Russian Program.

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Screen and Cultural Studies embraces a range of theories, methodologies and areas formerly taught by Cinema Studies and Cultural Studies. The combined program covers the fields of film and popular media; screen histories; Australian, Hollywood, Art House and Asian cinemas; everyday life; television and entertainment; ethnographic and documentary cinema; computer games; the internet and representation of global cultures. Theories include film and screen aesthetics; identity and gender; sexuality and spectatorship; narrative structures and class ideologies. Students encounter a variety of screen media, net-based and popular cultures in order to consider their histories, significance and theories that help make sense of how they relate to power, commerce and lived culture today. Through innovative teaching, students in Screen and Cultural Studies encounter new ways of interpreting and analysing contemporary screen media and culture. Academic staff in the discipline are specialists in screen cultures and media histories; entertainment cultures; gender and sexuality; postcolonialism; European and Asian cinemas; cultural policy; and media archaeology.

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Sociology tackles pressing social problems and addresses key social issues such as changes in the life course, gender relations, ethnic, racial and sexual identities, health and illness, the future of work, new technologies, and environmental crises. It engages with social inequalities and explores how people and societies confront these new challenges – from social movements to subcultures to policy reform. Students studying sociology will learn crucial skills in sociological thinking and research to address real world problems facing our society today.

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The Spanish and Latin American studies program at The University of Melbourne offers language options at all levels together with a variety of cultural studies subjects in fields as diverse as literature, cinema, popular culture, food studies and gender studies in Spain and Latin America.

The Spanish and Latin American studies program will provide you with a wide range of opportunities to develop your Spanish language skills while increasing your awareness of Spanish and Latin American cultures through authentic written, spoken and audiovisual materials. You will also cultivate your intercultural competency interacting with the Spanish-speaking communities in Australia and abroad.

Our program offers opportunities to undertake independent research projects with innovative scholars working in areas such as Hispanic food studies, Spanish and Latin American cinema, Latin American popular culture studies and translation. Beyond sound disciplinary skills students will be able to develop and enhance critical workplace skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork, clear communication, self-evaluation, mentoring, information literacy, professionalism and digital competency. You will be able to demonstrate your skills through a range of meaningful tasks developed along innovative assessment methods such as object-based learning, curation, process writing and project work in a variety of media (video, podcasts, etc.). A selection of your assessment tasks is housed in an ePortfolio, a valuable platform to showcase workplace skills, language level and intercultural competency achieved during your studies.

The Spanish and Latin American studies program has agreements with universities in Spain and Latin America. They allow students to undertake exchange and study abroad options as part of their Spanish studies.

Spanish language core subjects are organised in a progressive sequence from Spanish 1 to 7. The program also offers a range of Spanish electives in a variety of delivery modes, including our overseas intensives such as Tales of Muslim Spain, and the online winter intensive Realities and Fictions of Argentina. Our innovative elective Languages at Work offers students an additional opportunity to engage with industry collaborators in target-language communities in Australia.

Students may enter at any point, subject to placement testing and/or prerequisites, and normally progress through the sequence in consecutive order. Accelerated progression and mid-year entry are also possible in special cases with the permission of the course convenor. However, mid-year entry is only possible into Spanish 2, 4 and 6. Students also have the opportunity to fast track their studies opting for the summer Intensive Spanish 3 & 4 subject.

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