Diploma of Digital Marketing

The Diploma of Digital Marketing at the Australian College of Business Intelligence is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in marketing across search, social, email, content and paid campaigns. You study how buyers behave online, how to plan a campaign from objective to budget, how to write for different platforms, and how to read the numbers that tell you whether any of it worked. Assessment is practical: campaign plans, ad copy, content calendars, analytics reports and client-style briefs rather than closed-book exams.

As a diploma, this sits at the same AQF level as the first year of a bachelor degree, but it is built for employment rather than as a stepping stone. It is delivered over one year, typically across two or three study periods depending on intake. You complete a set of units of study, each carrying credit points, and the college publishes the exact unit list and credit values on its website and in the course entry on the CRICOS register. Credit may be granted for relevant prior study or industry experience, which can shorten the course.

You finish with a portfolio of work you can show an employer: a live or simulated campaign, a set of ads, a landing page, a content plan and a performance report. Some providers arrange an internship or industry project as part of the final study period, and this is common in marketing diplomas because employers want to see what you have actually built. If placement is offered, it is usually unpaid and counts towards your course requirements.

This course suits career changers, school leavers who want a job-ready qualification without a three-year degree, small business owners who handle their own marketing, and people already working in admin, sales or communications who want to move into a digital role. English proficiency is required for international applicants, with IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Student visa has its own separate English requirement set by the Department of Home Affairs. International students can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Confirm unit lists, intake dates and entry requirements on the official page before you apply.

• Digital marketing assistant or coordinator
• Social media coordinator
• Content creator or copywriter
• Email marketing assistant
• SEO assistant
• Paid search or paid social assistant
• Marketing coordinator in a small business
• Community manager

Hiring industries include advertising and marketing agencies, e-commerce and retail, tourism and hospitality, property, education providers, health and fitness, not-for-profits and government communications teams. Many graduates start in assistant or coordinator roles and specialise later in search, social, content or analytics. The qualification also works for people running their own business who need to manage their own campaigns.