Indonesian

Choose a major in Indonesian

Immerse yourself in the culture and language of Australia's biggest neighbour.

Study an Indonesian major to gain invaluable language and intercultural skills to communicate effectively across diverse social and professional contexts. This comprehensive program will equip you with advanced knowledge of the Indonesian language, encompassing vocabulary, grammar and phonetics. In addition, you'll learn about the complex political and social dynamics in modern Indonesia, and the diverse histories, cultures, identities, and ideas that have produced the country we know today.

The Indonesian major is available across two streams:

Beginners (for students with no knowledge of the Indonesian language)
Intermediate (for students with SACE, IB or equivalent proficiency in Indonesian)

Majoring in Indonesian at Flinders also opens a wide array of opportunities to study in Indonesia, with excellent semester abroad programs and intensive summer/winter short courses available. Those completing study in Indonesia also enjoy access to generous financial support in the form of New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarships.

Why study Indonesian?

Indonesian is spoken by a quarter of a billion people, and is the national language of the world’s fourth most-populous country
Indonesia is the largest economy in the Southeast Asian region, and is forecast to rank in the top five global economies by 2040
Experience Indonesia first-hand, with the opportunity to complete a semester or short course abroad with support from a New Colombo Plan scholarship
Flinders is the only university in South Australia to be a member of the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS)
Learn from academics with expertise in the Indonesian language as well as deep knowledge about contemporary political and social issues.

Your career

This major equips you with the skills and knowledge to embrace a wide array of current, and emerging, career opportunities.

The Australian Government considers Indonesian one of a select number of strategically important languages, meaning proficiency in the language is especially in-demand across a wide range of roles in government, diplomacy and defence.

In addition, Indonesia’s emergence as one of the world’s largest and most dynamic markets is making language skills invaluable for young Australians seeking careers in international business, education, media, tourism, research and development.

Potential occupations include:

Teacher (Primary and Secondary)
Translator / Interpreter
Linguistic Researcher
Language Policy Advisor
Language Consultant
ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher
Foreign Language and Intelligence Analyst

Potential employers include:

Education providers
NGOs
Department of Foreign Affairs
Research institutions

Study options

Study this major in the following degrees:

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts and Science
Bachelor of International Relations and Political Science / Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Languages
Bachelor of Languages / Bachelor of International Relations and Political Science
Bachelor of Laws - Legal Practice Entry / Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Laws (Honours) - Legal Practice Entry / Bachelor of Arts
Diploma in Language

How many units?

This major caters for Beginners and Intermediate (post-secondary) students. It is comprised of 36 units, including:

Two Year 1 topics (9 units)
Two Year 2 topics (9 units)
Two Year 3 topics (9 units)
Plus two additional topics (9 units) from the Year 2 or Year 3 topics.

Indonesian can also be taken as a minor for Beginners and Intermediate (post-secondary) students. Your 18 units will include:

Two Year 1 topics (9 units)
Two Year 2 topics (9 units).

Add a year of Honours

Kickstart your career or future in research with one extra year.

By adding just one year full-time to your undergraduate degree, you can graduate with Honours. Enhance your career prospects, delve deeper into knowledge or launch yourself into the world of research.

Explore your honours year

Christina Mathieson, Bachelor of Languages (Indonesian)/Bachelor of International Relations

“

Learning Indonesian at Flinders has been a great experience, the small class sizes helped in providing an engaging and productive language learning environment.

With immersion days which connect students to the local Indonesian community and introduces us to aspects of Indonesian culture such as games and slang, the program is an amazing space to make new friends. I even got to go on exchange to Indonesia!

Christina Mathieson, Bachelor of Languages (Indonesian)/Bachelor of International Relations

”

Meet the experts

Thomas Power

Tom Power is a lecturer in Indonesian, with extensive experience as a teacher and researcher in Indonesia and Australia. In addition to his experience as a language instructor, he is an expert on varied aspects of contemporary Indonesian politics, including political parties, democracy, corruption and political Islam.

Learn More