how many 'free' electives?

[forchina]

Hi I'm enrolling in my classes now for engineering. I have 2 electives and one foundation physics unit. For the electives can they both be from another faculty or does one have to be from the engineering electives list. I want to take Chinese 1 in 1st semester and do Chinese 2 in 2nd semester. Is this possible?

[JinXi]

Unfortunately it has to be from the engineering electives list.

You'll only get to do electives from another faculty in certain degrees, and only when it states "6-point elective from any faculty"

You'll have to overload/do summer school if you want to do chinese.

[forchina]

Yes it does say that:

(ii.) foundation and/or elective units as required (18 points):
6-point foundation unit or level-one elective
6-point foundation unit or level-one elective
6-point level-one elective

But does mean only 1 elective can be picked from any faculty?

[slothpomba]

You'll have to overload/do summer school if you want to do chinese.

Would that even be possible though? If he has no room to do Chinese, overloading won't help that. Say he needs to do X number of engineering units, doing Chinese over summer won't really change that. He may be able to do Chinese on a full-fee single unit basis (but then you gotta pay upfront in cash). Alternatively, just find a private Chinese school.

You could also take up a diploma if languages which allows you to study a major in Chinese if you really wish.

[slothpomba]

Yes it does say that:

(ii.) foundation and/or elective units as required (18 points):
6-point foundation unit or level-one elective
6-point foundation unit or level-one elective
6-point level-one elective

But does mean only 1 elective can be picked from any faculty?

It never says from any faculty. It seems to be implied it's from engineering only. Contact the engineering faculty for more advice and their opinions on your options.

[Professor Polonsky]

Firstly, how many foundation units do you need to do? If two, then you only have room for one elective.

As for whether more than one of your electives (if you are eligible to do more than one) can be from any other faculty, the handbook is somewhat ambiguous but my reading suggests that you can. Contact the faculty to be sure.

[forchina]

Is there a way to study Chinese up to proficiency level without doing a diploma from beginners? Also how does doing a diploma work? Do you have to do extra subjects or is chinese and your degree subjects spread out across 5 years?

[slothpomba]

Is there a way to study Chinese up to proficiency level without doing a diploma from beginners? Also how does doing a diploma work? Do you have to do extra subjects or is chinese and your degree subjects spread out across 5 years?

Not in an Engineering degree there isn't, definitely not to proficiency. You would have to either do Engineering/Arts or Engineering + Diploma of Languages.

The Diploma is an extra year, it is spread out throughout your course though. For instance, year 1 semester 1 you would study Chinese #1, year 1 semester two you would study Chinese #2 and so on. You need the previous unit to study the next one so it kind of limits how many you can do at one time. It adds an extra 8 subjects/1 year to your university career.

Alternatively, as i mentioned, you could do a private Chinese course at a TAFE or private school.

[forchina]

Thanks guys for your help! Just received a reply from monash.. I would have to take a diploma of Languages in my 2nd year as in 1st year you can't take more than 1 elective from a different faculty. I guess that means I'd have to do Chinese 1 in s1 year 1 and Chinese 2 in s1 year 2.

[Professor Polonsky]

Why not take Chinese one in your second semester then, if it's offered?