Making the case for languages in postgraduate study

Abstract

This chapter discusses recent changes in the philosophy and practice of postgraduate training in Australian universities and explores how language programs can respond to these. It first surveys the changing field of postgraduate education, pointing to the current philosophy of doctoral training that aims to produce independent researchers who are trained in both academic and transferable skills. It then discusses three areas in which language departments can advocate for their importance to postgraduate education. First, it discusses ways to attract students by co-supervising in aligned areas and by contributing to undergraduate courses beyond languages. Second, it explores the contributions language programs can make to students’ transferable skills training. Third, it suggests that language departments are uniquely placed to emphasize the relevance and applicability of their research to a variety of academic and non-academic contexts in a period when the national Engagement and Impact Assessment (EIA) looms large.