#13 worldwide for education
200 hours of professional practice
Start in March, July or November
Why choose Deakin
Take your teaching expertise and earning potential further with Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education. Designed for current and aspiring TAFE and Vocational Education and Training (VET) educators, this course builds advanced knowledge and practical skills to design, teach and assess with confidence.
You will explore authentic, inclusive learning, strengthen your classroom agency and examine how educational research can inform practice through an independent research project. The course includes 200 hours of supervised professional practice, including professional development activities.
Delivered online with intakes in every trimester, the course offers flexibility around work and life. It also meets the Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement requirement for an AQF level 8 or above teaching qualification, supporting eligibility for higher classification and salary progression.
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Top-ranked education expertise
Deakin is ranked #3 in Australia and #13 worldwide for education and educational research.
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Recognition for TAFE progression
This AQF level 8 qualification meets the Victorian TAFE Teaching Staff Agreement requirement and supports salary progression.
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Practice built into the course
Complete 200 hours of supervised teaching, observation and professional activity in adult, vocational and further education contexts.
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Designed for working teachers
Study online and part time, with the flexibility to start in any of Deakin’s three study periods.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Build advanced skills to teach and assess in TAFE, VET, adult and community education. Strengthen your practice through inclusive curriculum design, research and 200 hours of supervised professional practice.
Trainer and assessor
Teach adult learners, plan and deliver vocational training, assess progress and support students to develop practical knowledge and skills in TAFE, vocational education or workplace settings.
- $95k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 4.2/5
Job satisfaction
Lecturer
Plan and deliver tertiary learning, assess student work and provide academic guidance. You may also contribute to curriculum development and use research to strengthen teaching practice.
- $128k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 4/5
Job satisfaction
Other industries
- Adult education settings
- Community education sectors
- TAFE institutes
- VET providers
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
FAQs
A Deakin postgraduate degree can help you advance your career, deepen your expertise in a specialist field, pivot into a new industry and stand out in a competitive job market. Every course is built with industry input and taught by academics who are active practitioners, so the skills you gain are immediately applicable. Postgraduate study at Deakin is also your chance to connect with leaders in your field and build a network of industry contacts who become valuable professional connections, giving you an advantage that goes well beyond the qualification itself.
Most Deakin postgraduate courses are fee-paying, but there are practical ways to manage the cost of study. You can defer fees with a FEE-HELP loan, repaid through the ATO once you earn above the income threshold. A number of courses have Commonwealth Supported Places where the government covers part of your tuition. Deakin scholarships recognise academic achievement, professional experience and financial need. If you've studied at Deakin before, you may be eligible for a 10% alumni discount. Recognition of prior learning can also reduce costs by crediting past study so you finish sooner.
Yes to all three. Most Deakin postgraduate degrees can be studied online, on campus or a blend of both, and you may be able to switch between full and part time at the start of each trimester to suit your life. If you want to move faster, select courses offer a one-year masters degree designed for working professionals. With three start dates each year for most courses – March, July and November – you don't have to wait long to begin.
The main differences are depth, duration and career outcomes. A graduate certificate is a short, focused qualification, typically six months full time, ideal for upskilling quickly in a specific area. A graduate diploma offers broader knowledge or supports a career change, usually one-year full time. A masters degree delivers advanced expertise and professional recognition, typically one to two years full time. You can also stack qualifications – complete a graduate certificate and use the credit towards a masters.
Each Deakin postgraduate course has a unique structure, check the course stucture section of the course page to see compulsory units, electives and any specialisation streams available. All courses are shaped by industry, so content reflects real challenges in your field. Many courses let you tailor your studies through elective units or specialisations, and some include a capstone project where you apply your learning to a genuine workplace problem.
Entry requirements vary by course, so check this tab on the course page for specific criteria. Most Deakin postgraduate courses require a relevant bachelor degree, though some may accept significant demonstrable work experience as an alternative. You may also be able to build eligibility through a graduate certificate or graduate diploma, which in many cases could count towards a masters degree.
Deakin postgraduate courses are built with industry input, so you're learning skills employers are actively looking for. Depending on your course, you may access work-integrated learning through placements, internships or industry projects with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, National Australia Bank and the Geelong Cats Football Club. DeakinTALENT, Deakin's career service, supports you throughout your studies and for life, helping you grow your network and connect with opportunities in your field.
Yes. Recognition of prior learning (RPL) may turn your previous study or work experience into course credit, reducing both your study time and tuition costs. For some masters degrees, you may be able to receive credit for up to two-thirds of the course, if eligible. Use the RPL calculator to get an indication of what you might receive, and note that prior learning must generally be within the last 10 years, although some courses have a shorter time limit. You can apply for RPL as part of your course application.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education?
This one-year part-time course will strengthen how you teach, assess and reflect in adult, vocational and further education settings. Learn to connect sector context, inclusive practice, research and professional experience, ensuring your learning is grounded in the realities of teaching adults.
Build advanced teaching practice
Understand the sector and its learners
Examine the policy settings, global ideas and local realities shaping adult and vocational education, while learning how to respond to diverse learner cohorts and teaching environments.
Design learning with confidence
Build your approach to curriculum, teaching and assessment through adult learning theory, inclusive practice and critical reflection.
Apply research directly to practice
Learn how to frame research questions and complete an independent project relevant to your work, alongside 200 hours of teaching practice, observation and professional activities.
Course structure
To complete the Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education, you must pass 4 credit points.
Most units are equal to one credit point. This course is available part-time only, with students typically studying one to two credit points each study period.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Compulsory 0-credit point units
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
Units
What to expect while studying
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Compulsory learning experiences
A total of 200-hours of teaching practice, teacher observation and teacher professional development and professional activities, including:
• 50 hours of direct supervision, observed and evaluated by a qualified teacher or educator;
• 50 hours of observed teaching practice of other teacher practitioners;
• 50 hours of participation in activities such as attendance at teacher meetings, development of course materials, student interviews, industry liaison and consultation with external authorities and enterprises; and,
• 50 hours of other teaching–related activities may include further directly supervised teaching practice, teaching observations, or participation in other professional teaching activities.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
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| Critically analyse and apply advanced and specialised knowledge of the principles of contemporary adult vocational education research, curriculum design, inclusive pedagogy and evidence-based assessment and their application for teaching and learning in adult, vocational and further education. |
| Employ expert oral and written communication skills required of adult, vocational education teaching and scholarship to be able to convey complex knowledge to a variety of audiences and work effectively in teams. |
| Apply a range of digital technologies and data sources to create, search, analyse, report, evaluate and communicate within the practice and scholarship of teaching of adult, vocational education. |
| Critically review, analyse and synthesise complex ideas and make informed judgements to improve teaching and learning methodologies, pedagogies and practices in adult, vocational education industries. |
| Apply advanced knowledge of theories of learning and teaching methodologies individual and collaboratively in teams to identify, evaluate and resolve problems of practice and challenges impacting on adult vocational education, including addressing implications for scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL). |
| Apply an evidence-based approach to critical self-reflection in relation to teaching and learning, and evidence of a commitment to ongoing, self-directed lifelong learning and professional development. |
| Analyse and apply ethical and professional standards in engaging with key challenges in teaching and learning globally, and within diverse socioeconomic, cultural and faith-based contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
Approved at Faculty Board September 2019
- Award granted
- Graduate Certificate of Adult, Vocational and Further Education
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- E506
- 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
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$2,454
- Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical enrolment of 4 credit points undertaken within the same academic year and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.