Postgraduate courses

A postgraduate qualification opens up a lot of career opportunities. You can build on your skills to go for that promotion. You could also take your learning in a new direction and reskill for a career change. Either way, a postgrad degree makes a big difference to your earning potential. Median salaries are more than $22,000 higher for postgrads compared to undergrads.*

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There are four levels of postgraduate study you can choose from, depending on your goals and previous study. A graduate certificate broadens the skills and knowledge you've already gained through an undergraduate degree. It's also a great stepping stone to a graduate diploma or master's degree. A graduate diploma is a specialised qualification, expanding on the skills you gained through your undergraduate degree or graduate certificate. Your graduate diploma can also lead to a master's degree. A master's degree may be comprised of different combinations of coursework, project work and research. This is a specialised qualification and can lead to career advancement, and opportunities for further study (such as a doctorate / PhD). And a PhD – sometimes called a Higher Degree by Research – is the highest level university qualification. This is a qualification in which you conduct your own research and document your findings as a thesis or dissertation.

An intensive (residential) school is your personal invitation to come on campus for an intensive study experience for between one and five days. Intensive school provides face-to-face learning with academics and other students in your course, and gives you the opportunity to engage in interactive learning, go deeper into course material and ask plenty of questions. What's more, we have special accommodation offers and grants to help make attending intensive schools more affordable.

A postgraduate degree makes a big difference to your earning potential. Median salaries are more than $22,000 higher for postgrads compared to undergrads.* You’re investing in your future, and at Charles Sturt University we want to help you make it count. We offer more than $3m in scholarships and grants that can make getting qualified that bit easier. You can speak to the dedicated Charles Sturt University financial team to get advice and info on everything finance. We can help you apply for scholarships, as well as government schemes like FEE-HELP, and grants for specific aspects of your study like attending intensive schools. And don’t forget, if there’s a direct connection between your study and your work, you could claim your course fees as a tax deduction. As a Charles Sturt University alumni, you can benefit from a 10 per cent discount on any future courses. So, if you ever want to come back to pursue more study, you’ll be ahead of the game before you start.

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At Charles Sturt University, we believe your experience counts for a lot. We know you’re studying to build on your experience. From technical know-how to collaborative skills, and from professional development to informal learning – we know you have a lot to offer. So  we take it into account when you apply, through our recognition of prior learning program. You could receive credit towards your degree, meaning you could graduate quicker.