UWA Handbook 2025

Major Overview

Description

The Indonesian Studies major enables students to achieve a high level of fluency in the language of Australia's closest neighbour and the world's fourth largest country. Indonesian is a relatively easy language to learn as it uses the Roman script and is simple to spell and pronounce. As well as learning how to speak, read and write Indonesian, students study Indonesia's vibrant culture, ethnically diverse society and never dull politics. There are also short and semester-long opportunities for students to spend time studying at an Indonesian university, a life-changing experience. Students graduate with a portfolio of skills and attributes that are much in demand by employers in both the public and private sectors. This major is taken by beginners. It is incompatible with a pass in WACE Indonesian: Second Language IND2A/2B or higher.

Students should be aware that this major does not provide a pathway to an Honours.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

1. demonstrate a good written and spoken competence in the Indonesian language
2. understand how culturally specific social structures affect interpersonal communication, and determine how to apply this knowledge to their own interactions in a culturally sensitive manner
3. engage effectively in the key debates on Indonesian history, society and culture in a professional manner and produce coherent and well-argued written work
4. demonstrate competence in a set of transferable skills, including (but not limited to) digital literacy, information management, research skills and critical thinking, as well as an ability to manage and take responsibility for their own learning processes with minimum guidance
5. apply their country-specific knowledge in the context of their second major (if applicable).

Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Courses

INDNB Indonesian Studies can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

• BP001 Bachelor of Arts
• BP054 Bachelor of Modern Languages
• BH005 Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Units