Study with the Department of Languages and Cultures
The Department of Languages and Cultures offers degrees and majors at La Trobe University’s Melbourne and Bendigo campuses, and online.
Our students develop the knowledge and skills they need to understand, reflect on and transform the world we live in.
Our graduates contribute to the social and cultural fabric of their communities. They often work with cultural institutions, in education, non-governmental organisations and local councils.
Student experience
Our students have diverse backgrounds and identities. Together, we are learning to understand the world in all its complexity, and make a positive difference to the communities we serve.
We are committed to providing a learning environment and workplace where all students and staff feel valued, respected and supported to achieve their full potential.
Find out how we set our students up for success.
At La Trobe University, we have a longstanding commitment to diversity, inclusion and social justice.
Our students are among the most diverse of all Australian universities, and we are committed to providing a learning environment and workplace where all students and staff feel valued, respected and supported to achieve their full potential.
We care about building a connected community that actively champions diversity and inclusion to help people thrive. We achieve this by supporting our people, valuing diverse thinking as a key driver of innovation, and holding ourselves to account in delivering a culture where equity is a way of life.
La Trobe is committed to promoting equal opportunities and support for all students and staff, with a focus on six key pillars: cultural, disability, gender equality, Indigenous, LGBTIQA+ and life stages.
Find out more about our services and events.
We want our students to have an excellent experience with us and hope they return as they progress through their professional careers.
We meet regularly with our student representatives to ensure that we are responsive, problem solve and work together to enhance the student experience.
Many of our language-based disciplines also have student associations that meet regularly to improve language skills, enjoy cultural experiences in informal settings, or volunteer at community events.
La Trobe Student Theatre and Film, for example, gives creative writing students the opportunity to have their contributions workshopped, directed and performed for stage and screen.
And, the Ancient Greek and Roman Organisation meets regularly and supports access to student volunteer experiences at Melbourne cultural venues, including the Hellenic Museum.
We also believe that wellbeing is just as important as success. La Trobe offers extensive support services to optimise the student experience.
Find out more about how we support our students to excel at La Trobe.
Our students can put their theoretical learning into practice by undertaking an industry placement with an organisation of their choice.
Our English students, for example, can apply to undertake a 22-week internship with a Melbourne-based publisher, giving them in-house publishing experience.
And, our Visual Arts students can take ‘Exhibiting Cultures,’ a gallery-based subject taught in partnership with Bendigo Art Gallery. It deepens learning across a range of arts disciplines and creative practices including Art History, Archaeology, Law, Textual Studies, Education and Politics, via the experience of a unique, curated exhibition.
Many of our language students participate in exchange programs, allowing them to improve their skills, learn about the country and make lifelong friends.
Our students also have access to a range of international study tours, where they can immerse themselves in the cultures and languages they are studying.
Students of Italian, for example, can explore the history, art, archaeology and culture of Sicily from antiquity to the modern day, gaining an understanding of the rich transcultural heritage of this Mediterranean island.
Global experiences are also on offer through virtual in-country programs that provide students with opportunities to gain valuable international experience without travelling.
Students of Chinese, for example, can participate in a virtual in-country program with Chongqing University, featuring lectures on the Chinese tea ceremony, Chinese economy and society, and working cultures in China and Australia. Students from both institutions also exchange information on each city’s food culture, housing, transportation, recreation and sports.
Find out more about our exchange programs.