Open up a world of possibilities: study a language at Deakin!
Are you looking to enhance your communication skills and employability? Do you feel an affinity for a particular culture? You might like to consider studying one (or more!) of some of the world’s most strategically important languages to expand your personal and professional horizons.
Whether you’re brushing up on existing skills or starting from scratch, studying a language diploma at Deakin will sharpen your overall communication and deepen your understanding and appreciation of other cultures. Take a look at some of the exciting languages on offer in 2022.
Arabic
The Arab countries of the Middle East and North Africa form an area of critical global importance with broad strategic, economic, religious and cultural influence. The Middle East comprises the fourth-largest trading block among Australia’s overseas trading partners, with the total value of Australia’s trade with the Middle East more than doubling in the last decade. In Australia, Arabic is the third most common language (1.4% of the total population) spoken in the home (ABS Census data 2016).
Associate Professor Hakeem Kasem introduces you to studying in the Arabic program at Deakin:
Chinese
China is one of Australia’s biggest trading partners. Mandarin Chinese is the official language in the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan and Singapore, and is widely used in community groups across the Asian diaspora. Chinese is also one of the five official languages of the United Nations, and in Australia, Mandarin is the second most common language (2.5% of the total population) spoken in the home (ABS Census data 2016).
Associate Professor Guo-Qiang Liu introduces you to studying Chinese at Deakin:
Indonesian
Indonesia has a very dynamic popular culture and internationally acknowledged traditional art forms that include music, dance, visual arts, architecture, and archaeology. It is also very important in the history of the European nations as the original ‘Spice Islands’. Today, Indonesia is an attractive destination for Western business, with many major corporations operating there. These include Australian companies such as ANZ, Rio Tinto, the Commonwealth Bank, and IAG. As a result, the demand for fluent users of Indonesian is high.
Senior Lecturer in Indonesian Dr Alistair Welsh talks about studying Indonesian at Deakin University:
Spanish
Spanish is a major international language with more than 500 million speakers on five continents. In addition, it is:
- the national language of more than 20 countries and the fourth most widely spoken language in the world (after Mandarin and English)
- an official language of the United Nations and other international organisations
- the second most widely spoken language in the United States and one of the nine most common languages (excluding English) spoken in Australia.
Lecturer Dr Israel Holas introduces Spanish at Deakin:
Interested?
Find out more about each language diploma now via the Deakin website and explore the possibilities!
- Diploma of Arabic: Course, discipline and 2022 Handbook information.
- Diploma of Chinese: Course, discipline and 2022 Handbook information.
- Diploma of Indonesian: Course, discipline and 2022 Handbook information.
- Diploma of Spanish: Course, discipline and 2022 Handbook information.