Graduate Diploma of Information Technology

The Graduate Diploma of Information Technology at Lyons College is a one-year postgraduate qualification for people who want to work in information systems, or who already work in IT and want to formalise and extend their skills. It sits at the graduate diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it is a shorter, more focused qualification than a master's degree but still at postgraduate level.

What you study

You will study information systems as they are actually used in organisations: how systems are analysed, designed, built and maintained, and how they connect to the business problems they are meant to solve. The coursework is postgraduate, so it assumes you can read, write and reason at that level, but it does not assume you already have an IT degree. Units are delivered as part of a structured course, with each unit carrying a set number of credit points. The full course is one year of full-time study, and international students study full-time to meet visa requirements.

How the course is structured

Australian postgraduate coursework qualifications are usually organised into study periods, most commonly semesters or trimesters. You enrol in a set of units each study period and accumulate credit points until you have completed the requirements of the award. Because the Graduate Diploma of Information Technology is a one-year course, the sequence of units is tight, and there is little room to spread it out unless you have a specific reason to study part-time. Some courses of this type include a final project or capstone unit that draws together what you have learned; check the official course page for the exact structure, unit list and any capstone or project requirement before you apply.

Skills you gain

Graduates come out with the ability to gather and document requirements, model business processes, work with databases and information systems, and communicate technical decisions to people who are not technical. You also build the habits employers expect in Australian IT teams: working to deadlines, documenting your work, and collaborating with people from other parts of an organisation. Information systems work sits between technology and the business, so the communication side matters as much as the technical side.

Who it suits

This course suits three groups of people: graduates from other fields who want to move into IT without committing to a two-year master's; IT professionals who want a recognised postgraduate qualification to support promotion or a move into systems and business analysis; and people returning to study after time in the workforce. If you are an international student, note that while you hold a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during your studies, and after you finish you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia. Eligibility rules for that visa are set by the Department of Home Affairs, so check them directly. International applicants also need to meet the college's English requirement, commonly IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate study, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the college's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Student visa itself has a separate English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. Tuition for this course is published on the CRICOS register under course code 117375H. Confirm current fees, intake dates, unit structure and English requirements on the official page before applying.

• ICT support officer, first and second-level support in government, education, health and private organisations.
• Systems analyst, working with users to define requirements and translate them into system designs.
• Business analyst (ICT), bridging business needs and technical delivery in banks, insurers, retailers and consultancies.
• Database administrator, managing and maintaining organisational data in public and private sector settings.
• Network support, keeping networks running in managed service providers and internal IT teams.
• IT project officer, supporting project delivery, documentation and coordination in larger IT programs.
• Web and applications support, maintaining and supporting business applications and web systems.

Australian employers in these areas include federal and state government agencies, banks and insurance companies, hospitals and health services, universities, retailers, and IT consultancies and managed service providers. Information systems roles exist in every industry, because every organisation runs on systems. If you are an international graduate, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may give you time to gain Australian work experience after you finish; check current eligibility with the Department of Home Affairs.