Master of Applied Information Technology

This master's degree is for people who want to work in IT but didn't necessarily study it at undergraduate level. It's a two-year course at Victoria University, and it assumes you're coming in with a degree in something else — business, science, arts, whatever — and you want to add serious technical skills on top. You'll cover the core ground: programming, databases, networking, systems analysis, and how IT projects actually get run inside organisations. The later part of the degree lets you specialise, so you can push further into areas like software development, network security, data management, or enterprise systems depending on what the university is offering that year.

How the degree is structured

Like most Australian master's degrees, this one runs on a semester basis. You'll enrol in units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you need to accumulate the required total to graduate. A full-time load is usually four units per semester, though the exact sequence depends on your starting point and whether you're studying full-time or part-time. The two-year duration reflects the fact that this is a conversion-style master's — it includes the foundational material that a student with an IT bachelor's would already have.

Most Australian coursework master's degrees of this kind include a capstone unit or a final-semester project where you pull together what you've learned and apply it to a real problem. Some versions include an industry placement or work-integrated learning component, which means spending time in an organisation and doing actual IT work under supervision. The exact shape of the final year — whether it's a project, a placement, or a research-oriented unit — varies, so check the current course structure on the Victoria University page and the CRICOS register entry (course code 083015F).

What you'll actually learn

The skills you walk away with are practical. You'll learn to write code, design and query databases, understand how networks are put together and secured, gather requirements from users, and manage IT projects from scoping through to delivery. You'll also get exposure to the professional and ethical side of working in IT — privacy, security, working in teams, communicating with people who aren't technical. Group work is common, because that's how IT jobs work in reality.

Who this suits

This is a good fit if you've finished a bachelor's degree in another field and decided you want a career in IT, or if you're already working in a tech-adjacent role and want a formal qualification to move into a more technical or senior position. It's also suitable for international students who want an Australian qualification and the post-study work options that come with it. While you're studying, a student visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight during teaching periods. After you graduate, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which gives you time to gain Australian work experience — check the Department of Home Affairs for current rules.

English requirements for international applicants are set out on the university's admissions page. The common standard for coursework postgraduate degrees is IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, though some fields require higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced, and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, which is separate from the university's requirement. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register — confirm the exact amount and any fee changes there or with Victoria University directly.

• Software developer or programmer — building and maintaining applications for banks, government agencies, consultancies, and software companies across Australia.
• Systems analyst — working with business users to work out what an IT system needs to do, then translating that into technical specifications.
• Network administrator or support engineer — keeping networks running and secure in organisations of all sizes, from hospitals to mining companies.
• Database administrator or data analyst — managing and querying data in sectors like finance, retail, health, and telecommunications.
• IT project coordinator or manager — running technology projects, often after a few years in a technical role.
• Cybersecurity analyst — monitoring and protecting systems, a growing area in Australian banking, government, and defence-adjacent industries.
• Business analyst with an IT focus — sitting between the business and the tech team, common in consulting firms and large enterprises.
• Web or mobile developer — working in agencies, startups, or as part of an in-house digital team.