Diploma of Performing Arts (Comedy)

The Diploma of Performing Arts (Comedy) is a one-year course for people who want to write and perform comedy, not just study it. You spend the year making work: writing sketches, developing stand-up sets, improvising scenes, and putting those pieces in front of an audience. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is practical and industry-facing rather than academic. Collarts delivers it from its Melbourne campus, in a city with a dense live comedy and festival circuit.

How the course is structured

As a diploma, this is a full-time course of one year, usually split into two or three study periods depending on how the institution timetables its calendar. You enrol in units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you need to pass the required units to graduate. The units cover the craft of comedy from several angles: writing for performance, improvisation, character work, voice and physical performance, and the business side of being a working performer. Assessment is mostly practical, performances, written scripts, recorded material, and group projects. There is no research thesis at diploma level; the final work is a performance or a body of comedic material you have written and staged.

What you actually do

Expect to perform regularly. Comedy is learned in front of people, so the course builds in showings, class performances, and public-facing work where you test material and learn to handle a room. You will write constantly, edit your own scripts, and give and take feedback in workshops. Improvisation units train you to think on your feet and to collaborate with other performers. Some units look at the industry itself: how to get gigs, how to pitch a show, how to manage the practical side of a freelance career. Work-integrated learning takes the form of performances and industry projects rather than a traditional placement, which is how performing arts training usually works in Australia.

Who it suits

This course suits school leavers who want a practical start in comedy, people changing careers into performance, and working creatives who want structured training and regular stage time. It also works as a pathway: diploma graduates can often get credit towards a bachelor degree in performing arts at Collarts or another institution, though you should confirm the exact credit arrangements with the receiving institution. English proficiency is required for international applicants, typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. International students on a Student visa 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 under course code 104456C. Check the official page for current unit lists, intake dates, and fees.

• Stand-up comedian, performing at comedy clubs, pubs, festivals, and corporate events across Australia.
• Sketch and improv performer, working with comedy troupes, theatre companies, and live venues.
• Comedy writer, writing for television, radio, podcasts, online video, and live shows.
• Content creator and performer, building an audience through digital platforms and live appearances.
• Presenter or host, MC work, event hosting, and broadcast presenting.
• Production and behind-the-scenes roles, producing, directing, or stage-managing comedy shows and festivals.
• Community arts and teaching, running workshops and comedy programmes in schools, community centres, and arts organisations.

Comedy work in Australia is largely freelance and project-based. Many graduates combine performing with writing, teaching, or production work, and build careers through the festival circuit, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Comedy Festival, and Adelaide Fringe, as well as television, streaming, and online platforms.