Graduate Diploma in Information Technology

The Graduate Diploma in Information Technology at Ozford Institute of Higher Education is a one-year qualification for people who want a foothold in IT, or who already work in the field and need a formal credential to move up. It sits at graduate diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which puts it above a bachelor degree in depth but below a master's. You do not need to commit to a full master's to get started, and if you decide to keep going, the graduate diploma is often a stepping stone into one.

How the course is structured

Australian graduate diplomas are usually made up of eight units of study spread across two semesters, or sometimes three trimesters. Each unit carries a set number of credit points, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. The exact unit list and credit point values are set by Ozford and published on the official course page. Expect core units in programming, database design, networking, systems analysis and project management, with electives that let you lean towards software development, cybersecurity or IT support depending on what the institute offers that semester. Some graduate diplomas include a capstone unit where you pull everything together into one project. Work-integrated learning, such as an industry placement or a live client project, is common in IT qualifications at this level because employers want to see that you can apply what you know.

What you actually learn

You come out able to write and debug code in at least one language, design and query a relational database, explain how networks and operating systems fit together, and manage a small IT project from brief to delivery. You also pick up the professional habits that Australian IT teams expect: documenting your work, working in a group under deadline, and talking to non-technical people about technical problems. If you have never studied IT before, this is where you learn the fundamentals properly rather than teaching yourself from YouTube.

Who it suits

This course suits three groups. First, graduates from other fields who want to switch into IT without starting a three-year bachelor degree. Second, people already working in IT support or a related role who need a qualification to be considered for more senior jobs. Third, international students who want an Australian qualification and post-study work rights. The Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream is available to eligible graduates of Australian qualifications, and while you study, a student visa generally lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight. English entry for international applicants is typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate study, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and Ozford's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets its own separate English threshold for the student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 115640A. Check the official page for current unit lists, intake dates and entry requirements before you apply.

• IT support officer, help desk and desktop support roles in banks, hospitals, government departments and managed service providers.
• Junior software developer, building and maintaining applications for software companies, consultancies and in-house IT teams.
• Database administrator, managing and querying data for organisations that run large customer or operational systems.
• Network administrator, keeping networks running for schools, councils, retailers and small to medium businesses.
• Systems analyst, working between business users and developers to define what a system needs to do.
• Cybersecurity analyst, monitoring and responding to security incidents in finance, government and healthcare.
• Project coordinator, supporting IT project delivery in consultancies, agencies and enterprise technology teams.

Australian employers in these roles include the major banks, telecommunications companies, government agencies, healthcare providers, universities, and the large number of IT consultancies and managed service providers across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and beyond. The graduate diploma also gives you a pathway into a master's degree if you want to specialise further.