Languages

As Australia’s closest trading partner and the second-largest economy in the world, China is at the core of what has been dubbed the ‘Asian Century’. And now, more than ever, a keen understanding of Chinese culture and language is an invaluable asset, both in business and the job market.

Whether you want a career in finance, law, tourism or trade, speaking Chinese will arm you with a competitive edge that will help you to capitalise on the wide range of opportunities available both locally and internationally.

At Griffith, you’ll learn from highly experienced teachers about this economic superpower, harnessing their knowledge to become an effective communicator and develop the tools you’ll need to excel, no matter where your career takes you.

Use our language pathways tool to discover where you’re best placed to begin your Chinese studies at Griffith.

From art and architecture to music and literature, Italian culture has had a profound and lasting influence on the world. Immerse yourself in the language of this incredible country, through Queensland’s only tertiary Italian program available both online and face-to-face.

Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate or undertaking an elective or a major, you’ll enjoy engaging, highly interactive learning opportunities, focused around developing your communication skills both in and out of class. These include talking to fellow students, experiencing language and culture in local Italian communities and even living and working in Italy while earning credit towards your degree or diploma.

Use our language pathways tool to discover where you’re best placed to begin your Italian studies at Griffith.

Griffith [offered] the course that was best aligned with my motivations, perspectives, and desire to learn.

After graduating from a Bachelor of Journalism in her home country of Brazil, Lissara moved to Australia to travel and work. It was during this gap year that she decided to return to study, undertaking a Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics at Griffith.

‘After a lot of research, I decided Griffith could offer me the course that was best aligned with my motivations, perspectives, and desire to learn. I think everyone should be able to have time to think about their real-life goals, their passions, the things that move them, and to have an opportunity to go after them. That’s what Griffith means to me.’

Lissara Bergamaschi

Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics

Co-Founder of the Griffith Languages Club (GLANG)

Japan has always been a vital part of Griffith's academic curriculum and international network. Japanese studies were among our first course offerings and have consistently been some of our most popular.

When you choose to study Japanese at Griffith, you’ll gain access to an unparalleled array of exchange and collaborative programs, as well as a team of award-winning, highly experienced teaching staff.

We partner with 17 Japanese institutions, offering you unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to immerse yourself in the language and culture, while also building the in-depth communication skills you’ll need to unlock career paths across Australia, Japan and the globe.

Use our language pathways tool to discover where you’re best placed to begin your Japanese studies at Griffith.

The range of subjects and materials that we were able to study were incredibly varied.

Pursuing a lifelong interest in languages, and with dreams of teaching English overseas, AJ enrolled in a Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics at Griffith. Alongside the broad foundational knowledge needed for a career in languages, this program also offered AJ the opportunity to practice their teaching skills directly in the classroom.

‘I found that the range of subjects and materials that we were able to study within my degree were incredibly varied and yet all still related to my goals in one way or another. I was often spoiled for choice with what to study for the next trimester.’

AJ Mackenzie

Bachelor of Languages and Linguistics

As the second-most spoken language in the world and the official language of 20 countries, Spanish can unlock a wealth of opportunities, culturally, professionally and personally.

Our award-winning teaching staff has developed an innovative, personalised approach to learning, focused on empowering you with the skills needed to communicate in real-life situations. That’s why after two years of focused study, you can look forward to taking your degree abroad in one of our partner universities, either in Spain or Latin America.

Closer to home, Spanish also opens an array of avenues for learning, self-expression, and community-building, including interacting with local Spanish-speaking communities and accessing Hispanic music, theatre, film and literature in its most authentic form.

Use our language pathways tool to discover where you’re best placed to begin your Spanish studies at Griffith.

One of the world’s major diplomatic languages—as well as the official or administrative language of organisations including the European Union, IOC and United Nations—French is spoken by more than 220 million people across the globe, from North America to Africa and Europe.

When you enrol to study French, you’ll be engaging with a rich linguistic and cultural legacy that spans across time and geography, as well as learning a set of highly sought-after and transferable skills, including intercultural understanding, communication and analysis.

With diverse academic interests, including film, cultural studies, philosophy and computer-assisted language learning, our teaching staff offer a broad range of opportunities for you to develop specialist interests and knowledge.

Offered via cross-institutional study at The University of Queensland. Find out more about studying French through the Brisbane Universities Language Alliance (BULA). As a BULA student you will have full access to facilities and resources at your home university and the university that offers your language of choice.

Spoken by more than 195 million people across the world, either as a first or second language, German has countless applications, both career-wise and culturally.

Germany is one of Australia’s most important trading partners, and German-speaking countries account for a substantial percentage of our inbound tourist market. That makes a knowledge of German an asset in a number of professional fields, including trade and manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, diplomacy, the media, teaching, the arts and the public service.

Choose from the most diverse and comprehensive range of university-level German subjects available in Queensland, informed by a broad base of academic interests including film studies, contemporary society and literature.

Offered via cross-institutional study at The University of Queensland. Find out more about studying German through the Brisbane Universities Language Alliance (BULA). As a BULA student you will have full access to facilities and resources at your home university and the university that offers your language of choice.

With more than 250 million speakers, Indonesian is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. And as one of Australia’s closest neighbours, joined by strong strategic and cultural ties, its importance to our and the region’s economy cannot be overstated.

When you enrol to study Indonesian, you’re positioning yourself to capitalise on a wide range of career opportunities in diverse fields including business management, mining, environment, research, diplomacy, government, law, commerce and tourism.

As a Malay-based language, Indonesian will also open doors in three other South East Asian countries: Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, offering further possibilities for both work and independent travel.

Offered via cross-institutional study at The University of Queensland. Find out more about studying Indonesian through the Brisbane Universities Language Alliance (BULA). As a BULA student you will have full access to facilities and resources at your home university and the university that offers your language of choice.

With the third-largest economy in Asia and 11th-largest in the world, Korea is a major player on the regional and world stages. It’s also the third-largest destination market for Australian exports, making it a close economic and strategic partner too.

By choosing to earn a qualification in Korean, you’ll be opening up a wide range of career opportunities with prospective employers, including airlines, hotel chains, resorts, sporting and cultural facilities and tourist agencies. Graduates with knowledge of Korean are also highly sought after in public sector roles, particularly in foreign affairs and trade.

Offered via cross-institutional study at The University of Queensland. Find out more about studying Korean through the Brisbane Universities Language Alliance (BULA). As a BULA student you will have full access to facilities and resources at your home university and the university that offers your language of choice.

There’s a real sense of community at Griffith.

An interest in all things Asian led Bachelor of Arts in Languages and Linguistics honours student Matthew Sue Yek to major in the Korean language. It was working as a pastry chef with Korean co-workers that sparked his interest in the language. In his second year of study Matthew travelled to Seoul, Korea where he spent a summer semester immersing himself in the country’s language and culture.

‘Being able to meet and interact with Korean students and teachers was a fantastic experience and inspired to me to continue with my studies. Seeing the language in action helped me learn very quickly. There’s a real sense of community at Griffith. The lecturers are passionate about the language and helping students do their best.’

Matthew Sue Yek

Bachelor of Arts

From artistic, architectural and philosophical masterpieces to the foundational myths that have inspired centuries of human storytelling, the Greek language has an inescapable influence that still resonates today.

When you study Modern Greek, you’re engaging with a rich linguistic tradition that traces back to the very source of much of the Western world’s cultural heritage. Beyond the historical, Modern Greek is equally relevant in a variety of professional contexts.

Graduates with a knowledge of Modern Greek will have a competitive edge in a range of career paths, including government and social services, education telecommunications, international relations and information technology.

Offered via cross-institutional study at Flinders University.

You can study the Diploma of Languages along with any bachelor degree. With this option, you’ll be able to continue learning a language taken at school, or start a new language as a beginner, while also gaining a degree in another area. If you choose the Diploma of Languages in addition to your bachelor degree, you’ll enhance your employment opportunities throughout the world. Alternatively, if you are not enrolled in a degree at Griffith University, you can study just the Diploma of Languages.

The opportunities I’ve had through Griffith and the support I received from lecturers has been life-changing.

Diploma of Languages graduate Phoebe Atkinson ignited her passion for languages at Griffith. Making the most of opportunities presented during her studies, Phoebe completed several internships in Japan and was awarded a New Colombo Plan Scholarship. She went on to secure an internship with the public diplomacy department of the Australian Embassy in Tokyo.

‘The opportunities I’ve had through Griffith, and the support I received from lecturers, has been life-changing. It was really exciting to use my Japanese language skills in a professional capacity.’ she says. ‘I really liked the flexibility of my degree and I would absolutely recommend studying a language at Griffith—it has opened up a whole new world for me.’

Phoebe Atkinson

Diploma of Languages