Graduate Diploma of Project Management

The Graduate Diploma of Project Management at Asia Pacific International College is a one-year qualification for people who want to run projects properly, scope, schedule, budget, risk, stakeholders, procurement and close-out. You will work through the project life cycle from initiation to delivery, look at how cost and time are estimated and controlled, and study the human side of projects: leading teams, negotiating with sponsors, and keeping clients informed when things change. Assessment is typically a mix of assignments, case studies, exams and group work rather than one final test.

How the qualification is structured

As a graduate diploma at AQF level 8, this sits between a bachelor degree and a master's. It is normally made up of units of study, each with a set credit point value, delivered across trimesters or semesters over one year of full-time study. You may be able to study part-time, and some institutions let you step up to a master's later with credit for the units you have already passed. Check the official course page and the CRICOS register for the current unit list, credit point totals, entry requirements and fees, the CRICOS entry for this course is 066177G.

Skills you build

You learn to write a project charter, build a work breakdown structure, run a risk register, manage a budget and report progress to a steering committee. There is usually scope to apply these to a real or simulated project, and some providers include workplace-based assessment or an industry project. The point is to finish with artefacts you can talk about in an interview, not just theory.

Who it suits

This suits people already working in engineering, construction, IT, health, government or business who have drifted into project work and want a formal qualification. It also suits graduates from other fields who want to move into project roles, and overseas-trained professionals who need an Australian qualification to back up their experience. If you want to go on to a master's or a doctorate later, a graduate diploma can be a stepping stone, though you should confirm credit arrangements with the receiving institution.

Studying in Australia

International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while their course is in session. After finishing, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available depending on your circumstances, check the Department of Home Affairs for current rules. English proficiency is required for entry; IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common coursework-postgraduate standard, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the college's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own separate English threshold set by Home Affairs.

• Project coordinator or project officer, supporting a project manager on scheduling, reporting and documentation in construction, IT, government or consulting firms.
• Project manager, running smaller projects or workstreams in sectors such as infrastructure, health, education, mining and financial services.
• Program or portfolio support officer, helping a program office track multiple projects, budgets and risks.
• PMO analyst, maintaining project standards, templates and reporting in a project management office.
• Contract or procurement officer, managing tenders, suppliers and contract administration on capital projects.
• Business or change analyst, working on process improvement and organisational change projects.
• Australian employers in these roles include federal, state and local government agencies, engineering and construction contractors, IT services firms, banks, insurers, hospitals and universities.