Diploma of Screen and Media

The Diploma of Screen and Media at Melbourne Polytechnic is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in film, television, or digital media production. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it's a shorter, hands-on qualification below a bachelor degree. You'll spend your time on practical production work, planning, shooting, and editing, rather than long essays on film theory.

Australian diplomas are usually delivered over one year of full-time study, split into two semesters. You'll enrol in units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you need to pass them all to graduate. The course is built around production work: you'll learn camera operation, lighting, sound recording, and editing using industry-standard software. Assessment is mostly practical, you make things and get feedback on them. There's no big research thesis at this level, but you'll likely finish with a major production project where you take on a crew role and see it through from start to finish. Melbourne Polytechnic has strong industry connections, and work-integrated learning is common in this field, you may get the chance to work on a real production or complete a placement with a production company.

You'll come out with a showreel and a set of practical skills: how to set up a shot, how to record clean audio, how to cut a sequence together, and how to work as part of a crew. You'll also pick up the basics of production planning, safety on set, and working to a brief. These are the skills that get you hired as a runner, camera assistant, or editor's assistant.

This course suits school leavers who know they want to work in media, career changers who want to get into production, and people already working in the industry who want formal recognition of their skills. International students should note that you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. English requirements for international applicants are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, though you should check the official page for the exact requirement. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register, see the link below.

• Production assistant or runner on film and TV sets
• Camera assistant or lighting technician
• Editor's assistant or junior editor
• Sound recordist or boom operator
• Content creator for online platforms
• Roles in Australian production companies, television networks, advertising agencies, and freelance crews