Different types of postgraduate study
From diplomas to doctorates, get your head around the different postgraduate options and what they involve.
At a glance
| Qualification | Time frame (fulltime*) |
Specialisations | How much research is involved? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate diploma |
1 year
|
All taught courses. (May be able to include a small research |
|
| Honours | 1 year
|
Arts (choose one of 39 subjects) | Mixture of taught courses and a small research project. |
| Masters (taught and research options) |
1 – 1.5 years
|
Arts (choose one of over 38 subjects) Conflict and Terrorism Studies TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Theology |
Mixture of taught courses and a research project.
Different masters vary on the size of the research project. |
| Doctorate (PhD) |
3 - 4 years
|
Choose one area of specialisation | Research. |
*All programmes can be studied part-time except for the Master of Creative Writing
What’s right for me?
Postgraduate diploma
A Postgraduate Diploma in Arts is a good choice if: You want to do further study in an area you’re interested in without doing a research project; honours degrees aren’t recognised in your country; you’d like to study part-time over a longer period; or you want a more flexible route to enrol in the one-year Master of Arts.
The Postgraduate Diplomas in Language Teaching is a career-orientated and practice-based study option designed to provide a foundation for entering the professional field or to upgrade your existing skills and knowledge if you’re already working in the industry.
Honours
A Bachelor of Arts (Hons) is usually studied after completing your BA degree and is a good choice if you want to further explore an academic area you’re passionate about, deepen your specialist knowledge, or hone your research and analytical skills. It’s also a pathway to enrol in the Master of Arts.
Masters
A Masters degree offers a range of options and is a good choice if you want to dive deep into a specialist area, contribute to knowledge in your field, or upgrade your skills and expertise.
The majority of our Masters programmes – including the Master of Arts – offer both a taught pathway (more classes, smaller dissertation research project) and a research pathway (larger thesis research project).
The Masters of Conflict and Terrorism Studies, Heritage Conservation, Indigenous Studies, Public Policy, and TESOL are specialised qualifications, providing the skills for you to enter these industries or accelerate your career if you’re already working.
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)
A PhD gives you the opportunity to take on independent and original research, supervised by academic experts and research leaders. You’ll network and collaborate with a wide range of figures in your field, and it can be the beginning of an academic research career path.