Thai-Lao Program
This page is intended to be a brief introduction to the Thai-Lao
program at ANU only. For more detailed information please refer to the
Thai-Lao
studies entry in the online handbook.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Australia's need for expertise in Thai studies is on the increase.
Recent ANU graduates majoring in Thai have found rewarding jobs in
business and industry, international law, teaching and research, media,
tourism-hospitality, and in many branches of the
Australian Public
Service. Several are now in the
diplomatic corps. Former
students of Thai have also found work in international organizations
such as the
International Red Cross,
World Health Organization
and the
Asian Development Bank.
Apart from good job prospects, Australian students find the study of
Thai rewarding for other reasons. Many are struck by the richness and
complexity of Thai culture and find it interesting and enjoyable (![[Thai script]](sanuk.GIF)
'sanuk' in Thai) to get to know Thai people on their own terms and to
learn more about Thai ways of living and thinking.
The ANU is a world-class centre
for the study of Thailand. Staff and resources at the ANU
Libraries and nearby National
Library of Australia are impressive and students have many
opportunities to join in academic and social activities with a Thai
focus.
The Thai
Program, Southeast
Asia Centre in the Faculty
of Asian Studies offers specialist three- and four-year bachelor
degrees. Our aim is to equip students with the linguistic and cultural
competence needed to function effectively in Thailand.
The Lao
language is closely related to Thai. ANU students majoring in
Thai have the opportunity to pick up the ability to communicate in this
language also. Lao is becoming an increasingly important community
language in Australia.
DEGREES
Thai may be studied in the three-year
Bachelor
of Asian Studies degree sequence. Also, a four-year degree with
in-country study
Bachelor of Asian Studies (Thai) is offered.
Qualified students may switch between the three-year and the four-year
degree during the first two years, which are shared.
If you qualify to enrol in the degree Bachelor of Asian
Studies (Thai), you'll complete the units Thai 1A-B, 2A-B and 3A
at the ANU and then depart overseas to study in a Thai university. (The
Thai academic year begins in mid-June.) You'll study subjects in your
area of interest, taught in Thai, and participate fully in Thai
university life with your Thai classmates. After your Year in Thailand,
you'll return to ANU for the final semester of year four, taking a Year
in Thailand Project along with other advanced units. Information
regarding each of these degrees in the Southeast Asian section of the University
Handbook.
The first group of Year In Thailand students at Thammasat University,
1993
The Bachelor of Asian Studies and the Bachelor of Asian Studies
(Thai) are available as part of
combined degrees in commerce, engineering, economics, law,
science and visual arts. Combined degrees, while requiring extra study,
open up a number of career opportunities. Honours degrees are
available in conjunction with the programs mentioned above.
THAI LANGUAGE
The six-point undergraduate Thai language major consists of:
- Thai 1A - Thai 1B (elementary)
- Thai 2A - Thai 2B (intermediate) and
- Thai 3A (advanced)
plus one additional unit from among:
- Thai 3B (traditional literature)
- Thai 3C (modern prose)
- Thai 3D (reading Thai sources)
The major sequence is a practical course designed to enable you to
communicate effectively and confidently in spoken Thai and to comprehend
modern texts such as newspapers.
Classroom activities include extensive conversation practice. Video
and computer-assisted learning modules are utilised in language study.
Anyone who tries can learn Thai. The language is written in an
alphabetic system learned in the first year along with basic
construction patterns.
STUDENTS WITH SOME EXISTING KNOWLEDGE OF THAI
First-year Thai is taught on the assumption that students are starting
from scratch. Those who have learned some Thai previously for example,
as exchange students may enter at the intermediate level if they qualify
through a placement test. Native speakers of Thai or Lao are not allowed
to enrol in elementary or intermediate units, although they may be
eligible to enrol in Thai 3B or 3D by special arrangement.
LAO AND ADVANCED UNITS
A Lao language unit is available to students with an intermediate
ability in Thai. For qualified students with interests in linguistics or
language teaching, advanced units in Thai linguistics and
comparative-historical study of the Tai language family are offered.
POSTGRADUATE WORK
Postgraduates wishing to focus in Thai studies are admitted
through the
Southeast
Asia Graduate Program of the ANU Graduate School. Graduate
supervision in a wide range of fields is available.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information, please contact the
Southeast
Asia Centre, Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National
University.
