Faculty of Arts Indonesian Studies

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Faculty of Arts

Table of Contents

1. Time commitment to study
2. Language study streams
3. Diploma in Modern Languages (Indonesian)
4. Requirements for a language major
5. Structuring a major
    5.1. Beginners stream
    5.2. Post-VCE stream
    5.3. Students with an Indonesian-speaking background
    5.4. Indonesian Studies subjects
6. Honours entry
7. Honours requirements
    7.1. Pure honours
    7.2. Combined honours
8. Studying overseas
9. Further study
10. Career opportunities
11. For more information
Subject Lists
    Language subjects
    Indonesian Studies subjects
        Second/third-year subjects
        Third/fourth-year subjects
        Fourth-year subjects

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country and the largest Muslim country in the world. The geographical proximity and strategic importance of Indonesia to Australian trade make it vital to understand its peoples, politics, languages and cultures. Indonesian language classes cater for a range of competencies, from students who have little or no knowledge of Indonesian to advanced-level speakers from an Indonesian or Malay-speaking background. These targeted levels of language proficiency provide students with the means for a contextualised approach to Indonesian language, society and political development. Students who specialise in Indonesian Studies develop transferable skills that will improve their career options. Alternatively, they are able to expand on their interest and knowledge through an articulated structure of higher degree study options at the University of Melbourne.

Indonesian Studies is principally focused on the study of Indonesian language, however, it also addresses issues such as the political economy of Indonesian development, democratic and feminist movements. Cultural and language knowledge provides a foundation for the exploration of contemporary Indonesian social organisation and strategies for business, trade and international relations in evolving global communities. Indonesian studies is one of a number of programs that constitute the Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies (MIALS). The institute was established in 1998 as a major teaching and research initiative of the University of Melbourne. MIALS serves to strengthen the University's role as a major international centre for the development of studies in Asian languages and societies.

1. Time commitment to study

As well as scheduled contact hours for lectures, tutorial and seminars a considerable additional time commitment is needed to complete the academic requirements of each subject.

A subject-specific time commitment to study will be provided by your lecturer or tutor at the beginning of semester to help you schedule your workload and successfully manage your time during the semester. In addition, general estimates of the total time commitment required to study a 12.5-point single semester subject in the Faculty of Arts can be found on Time commitment to study.

2. Language study streams

The institute offers three streams of Indonesian:

• Beginners

• • The beginners stream is available to students who have little or no knowledge of Indonesian. It is available to students at both first and second year, although students intending to complete a major will need to commence their language study in their first year.

• Post-VCE

• • The post-VCE stream is usually only available to students who have obtained a pass in VCE Indonesian, or its equivalent.

• Students with an Indonesian-speaking background

• • This stream is usually only available to students who have an Indonesian or Malay-speaking background.

The institute determines the language stream in which a student is to enrol. Placement is based on VCE results, other language study record or a placement test. Students who have completed VCE Indonesian should enrol in 110-068 Indonesian Level 2A. Students with any other Indonesian language experience are required to sit a placement test, held during the week prior to the first week of semester.

Stream enrolment remains provisional until confirmed or, alternatively, will be altered according to the student's needs as determined by the institute during the first two weeks of teaching. As far as possible, the institute will notify students of any changes during the first two weeks of the semester. Where a change is made in the third or fourth-week of semester, it will be reported to the Associate Dean (Academic Programs).

Students from other faculties may enrol in Indonesian in any year of their course with the approval of their faculty and the Faculty of Arts.

3. Diploma in Modern Languages (Indonesian)

The Diploma in Modern Languages (DML) enables students to gain a diploma in language study while completing an undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne.

The DML involves a three-year sequence of language study, totalling a minimum of 100 points. It adds one year to the duration of an ordinary undergraduate degree course.

The DML (Indonesian) is offered in the beginners, post-VCE and Indonesian-speaking background streams. Indonesian subjects are taken alongside degree subjects in an integrated sequence of study. This must be approved by the home faculty course adviser. The student may be required to sit a placement test. See Diploma in Modern Languages.

4. Requirements for a language major

A major in Indonesian usually consists of 125 points comprising:

• first-year subjects in Indonesian (37.5 points); and

• second-year subjects in Indonesian (37.5 points); and

• third-year subjects in Indonesian (50 points).

5. Structuring a major

A major in Indonesian usually takes one of the following forms:

5.1. Beginners stream

5.2. Post-VCE stream

5.3. Students with an Indonesian-speaking background

5.4. Indonesian Studies subjects

6. Honours entry

The prerequisites for entry to fourth-year honours in Indonesian are:

• completion of all the requirements for the BA; and

• completion of two or more Indonesian non-language second/third-year subjects with an average grade of H2B or higher;

• completion of a major in Indonesian; and

• an average grade of H2B or higher over the second/third-year subjects within the major.

For information on how to apply see Applying for Honours.

7. Honours requirements

Honours coordinator: Dr C Stevens

7.1. Pure honours

Students undertaking pure honours in Indonesian must complete:

• 110-537 Indonesian Thesis (37.5 points); and

• two advanced Indonesian language subjects at language level 4 or above (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in Indonesian studies (37.5 points).

7.2. Combined honours

Students undertaking combined honours in Indonesian and another area of study must complete:

• 110-537 Indonesian Thesis (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in Indonesian (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in the combined area of study (37.5 points).

or

• honours thesis in the combined area of study (37.5 points); and

• two honours subjects in the combined area of study (25 points); and

• three honours subjects in Indonesian (37.5 points).

In either case, the following two subjects must be included in the Indonesian component of the combined honours year, unless they have been completed earlier:

• 110-079 Indonesian Level 4A; and

• 110-080 Indonesian Level 4B.

8. Studying overseas

Students may be permitted to undertake studies in Indonesia for credit towards their arts course after at least one year of university study. An application for credit must be lodged prior to proceeding overseas. Interested students should contact the Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies (MIALS) or the Faculty of Art Office for more information.

9. Further study

Opportunities for MA and PhD candidature exist for honours graduates with suitable qualifications and research interests for which supervisors with appropriate skills are available. Staff in the Indonesian program have expertise in political economies, sociology, linguistics, literature and aspects of Indonesian cultural studies. Supervision may be concurrently obtained in other areas.

10. Career opportunities

With modern developments in technology and communications, Indonesians and Australians are interacting with increasing frequency through business and tourism, and the two nations are becoming ever more economically interdependent. It is vital for Australia's future to prepare a pool of educated people with knowledge of Indonesia's history and culture, and with the ability to communicate with the Indonesian people. Students from a variety of disciplines will benefit in their future careers from knowledge of the language and culture of this dynamic neighbouring nation, particularly in fields related to business, education, tourism and communications.

11. For more information

Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies (MIALS)
Sidney Myer Asia Centre
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010
Tel: +61 3 8344 5990
Fax: +61 3 9349 4870
Email: mials-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.indonesian.unimelb.edu.au

Language subjects

110-165 Indonesian Level 1A
110-166 Indonesian Conversation A
110-167 Indonesian Level 1B
110-168 Indonesian Conversation B
110-068 Indonesian Level 2A
110-069 Indonesian Level 2B
110-070 Indonesian Media A
110-071 Indonesian Media B
110-072 Indonesian Level 3A
110-073 Indonesian Level 3B
110-079 Indonesian Level 4A
110-080 Indonesian Level 4B
110-420 Indonesian Level 5A
110-421 Indonesian Level 5B

Indonesian Studies subjects

Second/third-year subjects

Third/fourth-year subjects

Fourth-year subjects

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