Postgraduate courses

A postgraduate degree is study you complete after your undergraduate degree. It helps you specialise, gain advanced skills or progress in your career.

Deakin offers several types of postgraduate qualifications, depending on your goals and how quickly you want to upskill. Graduate certificates are short, focused courses to build skills fast. Graduate diplomas offer broader knowledge or support a career shift. Masters degrees provide advanced expertise and professional recognition.

For those looking to specialise further through original research, Deakin also offers research degrees, including masters by research and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

You can also build you qualifications with multiple courses. For example, complete a graduate certificate and use the credit towards a masters.

Course duration depends on the course and how you study. Graduate certificates typically take six months full time or one year of part-time study. Graduate diplomas usually take one year full time or two years part time. Masters degrees typically take one to two years full time or up to three years part time. Recognition of prior learning can reduce your study time. Check individual course pages for specific durations.

You can also build the skills employers are looking for with a flexible one-year masters degree.

Deakin offers a range of one-year masters degrees designed for ambition, helping you sharpen your expertise, expand your influence and step into what’s next with confidence.

Yes, many courses are offered fully online. Some online courses may have short on-campus intensive periods that you are required to attend. These are scheduled in advance, giving you ample notice of when you need to be there. 

Many Deakin postgraduate courses are fee-paying, with FEE-HELP available to eligible students to help cover tuition costs. Some courses also offer Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs), which reduce the amount you pay. Check individual course pages for full fees and eligibility.

Most postgraduate courses require an undergraduate degree. However, some courses accept significant work experience as an alternative pathway. Entry requirements vary by course, so check the course page or speak with our advisers to explore your options.

No. Students often go directly from their undergraduate course into postgraduate study to make themselves even more attractive to employers.

Yes. Most Deakin postgraduate courses offer part-time options that let you balance study with full-time work. You can choose your study load each trimester, with options for intensive study blocks or spreading units across the year to match your capacity.

Working while studying can provide context for what you are learning gives you an opportunity to apply it to your job. It shows initiative that employers like!

Most Deakin postgraduate courses have multiple start dates throughout the year – Trimester 1 (March), Trimester 2 (July) and Trimester 3 (November). Some courses also offer additional start dates. Check individual course pages for specific intake dates.