The Diploma will suit people who have undertaken little or no previous tertiary study but who are working in the planning system in a clerical/administrative capacity or as unqualified planning assistants. This is an introductory course for local government employees who might wish to develop their skills and career prospects. It does not in itself lead to membership of the Planning Institute of Australia -- although for anyone who might wish to go on to further study, units passed toward the Diploma can be credited towards a full professional qualification. The course can be taken from anywhere in the country. It is offered only off campus mode. Tuition is mostly based on printed material supplemented by online interaction. There is no compulsory on-campus attendance, although some of the units in the program have optional residential schools which provide an opportunity for face to face contact. The Diploma will normally take people two years to complete, at a rate of two units per semester. But it is possible to proceed more slowly than that. The program consists of eight units. It includes four compulsory first-year units, followed by four elective units.