Key facts
Duration
0.5 years full-time
This course is suspended (no intake in 2026)
Course overview
In an ever-evolving technological landscape, leadership and adaptability are essential for career progression. The Graduate Certificate of Technology offers you foundational knowledge and essential skills to navigate the complexities of technology-driven industries. Designed for professionals seeking to upskill or diversify their expertise, this program will prepare you to approach challenges with a strategic and interdisciplinary mindset.
This course is designed to equip innovators and entrepreneurs with the specialised knowledge to push the boundaries of technology. Through three core units and one course elective, you will bolster your industry experience with a recognised academic qualification, enhancing your ability to make high-level, independent decisions and lead in specialised technical or management roles.
Is it time to advance your technical skills and take the next step in your career?
Gain in-depth knowledge of leadership theories and future IT trends through core units, before exploring a topic that interests you most via an elective. Choose from topics like machine learning, climate change adaptation and mitigation, spatial analysis and GIS, infrastructure engineering, and engineering sustainability, to name a few. You will also gain practical experience through real-world projects, ensuring you graduate ready to apply your skills in diverse professional settings.
Current Deakin students
To access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook
- Award granted
- Graduate Certificate of Technology
- Year
2026 course information
- Deakin code
- S517
- Level
- Postgraduate (Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
ACHIEVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE AT THE #1 VICTORIAN UNI FOR COURSE SATISFACTION
Course structure
To complete the Graduate Certificate of Technology, you must pass 4 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- STP710 Career Tools for Employability (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
- 3 credit points of core units
- 1 credit point of course elective unit
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Plus 1 course elective unit from the list below (subject to meeting unit requirements).
Note - students intending to articulate into either S716 Master of Technology and Innovation Leadership or S717 Master of Technology and Innovation Leadership (Professional) will be required to choose a pathway option from Advanced Discipline Coursework, Industry Practice or Professional Research.
For students planning to take the Industry Practice pathway it is recommended to choose SLE767 Industry Practice Planning as the course elective or SLE761 Professional Research Practice if planning to undertake the Research pathway.
Please refer to the articulated course structure (S716 or S717) for additional prerequisite and WAM requirements.
Pathway units
Applications of Computational Science
Environmental Sustainability
Intelligent IoT Systems
Infrastructure Project Management
Sustainable Engineering Design
Intakes by location
The availability of a course varies across locations and intakes. This means that a course offered in Trimester 1 may not be offered in the same location for Trimester 2 or 3. Check each intake for up-to-date information on when and where you can commence your studies.
This course is suspended (no intake in 2026).
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – Please note that due to Australian Government regulations, student visas to enter Australia cannot be issued to students who enrol in Deakin online.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Participation requirements
It is important to note that some elective units may include compulsory placement, study tours, work-based training or collaborative research training arrangements.
Entry requirements
Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements or higher to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.
A combination of qualifications and experience may be deemed equivalent to minimum academic requirements.
To be considered for admission to this degree you will need to meet at least one of the following criteria:
- completion of a bachelor degree or higher
- at least two years' relevant work experience* (or part-time equivalent)
*Examples of relevant work experience include but not limited to: Computational Science, Environmental Sustainability, Project Management, Engineering.
To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:
- bachelor degree from a recognised English-speaking country
- IELTS overall score of 6.5 (with no band score less than 6.0) or equivalent
- other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)
Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning.
Not sure if you can get into Deakin postgraduate study? Postgraduate study doesn't have to be a balancing act; we provide flexible course entry and exit options based on your desired career outcomes and the time you're able to commit to your study.
Recognition of prior learning
If you have completed previous studies which you believe may reduce the number of units you have to complete at Deakin, indicate in the appropriate section on your application that you wish to be considered for Recognition of prior learning. You will need to provide a certified copy of your previous course details so your credit can be determined. If you are eligible, your offer letter will then contain information about your Recognition of prior learning.
Your Recognition of prior learning is formally approved prior to your enrolment at Deakin during the Enrolment and Orientation Program. You must bring original documents relating to your previous study so that this approval can occur.
You can also refer to the recognition of prior learning (RPL) system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.
Fees and scholarships
Fee information
Estimated tuition fee - full-fee paying place
$22,100 AUD
Learn more about fees and your options for paying.
The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students completing this course within the same year in which they started. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the length of your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have.
The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together four credit points of study. Four credit points is used as it represents a typical enrolment load for a Graduate Certificate.
Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the handbook.
Learn more about tuition fees.
Scholarship options
Deakin scholarships recognise your hard work and achievements. Our support can ease the financial pressure of studying in Australia so you stay focused on your success. Numbers are limited, so apply early for the best chance.
Postgraduate bursary
We love welcoming Deakin alumni back to continue their journey with us. If you're starting a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your enrolment fees, applied per unit. It's our way of supporting your next step.
Apply now
Apply directly to Deakin
Applications can be made directly to the University through StudyLink Connect - Deakin University's International Student Application Service.
We recommend engaging with a Deakin Authorised Agent who can assist you with the process and submit the application.
Need more information on how to apply?
For information on the application process, including required documents and important dates, see the How to apply webpage.
If you need assistance, please contact us.
Pathways
Upon completion of the Graduate Certificate of Technology, you could use the credit points you’ve earned to enter into further study, including:
Master of Technology and Innovation Leadership (S716)
Master of Technology and Innovation Leadership (Professional) (S717)
Career outcomes
Boost your earning potential with a Deakin degree. Deakin postgraduates earn the highest median salary amongst graduates from all other Victorian universities.*
Get ready to enter into leadership roles across a range of industries, such as:
- construction management and planning
- sustainable engineering design
- intelligent IoT systems
- computational science
- environmental sustainability.
* Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023, Quality Indicators for Teaching and Learning (QILT), based on domestic graduates.
Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Identify, assess and utilise some examples of emerging technologies within a diverse technology landscape in the context of modern organisation and society to add or generate scientific, commercial, and social values. |
| Communication | Convey information using a range of verbal, graphical and written forms, customised for diverse audiences including specialist and non-specialist clients, colleagues and industry personnel. |
| Digital literacy | Use digital technologies to locate, collect and evaluate information from technical channels and apply information to identify approaches and solutions associated with emerging technologies. |
| Critical thinking | Participate in the evaluation, role analysis, and generation of innovative applications of emerging technologies in organisational and societal contexts for reliability, usefulness and the value and impact they add to those contexts. |
| Problem solving | Work autonomously and responsibly to contribute to the creation of emerging technology solutions to new situations and actively apply knowledge of theoretical constructs and methodologies to make informed decisions. |
| Self-management | Take personal, professional and social responsibility within changing national and international professional contexts to develop autonomy as a leader and evaluate own performance for continuing professional development. |
| Global citizenship | Engage with societal, health, safety, legal, and cultural issues to identify consequential responsibilities relevant to the application, implementation, and deployment of emerging technology solutions. |
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. For more information, visit our University rankings page.
