Key facts
Domestic students course information. This course is currently not available to international students.
Entry is based on a bachelor qualification or completion of the Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice, or satisfying the School of relevant qualifications or workplace experience.
View full entry requirements- 1 year full-time
- Up to 4 years part-time
| Start Dates and Campus | Trimester 1 – February 2024 | Trimester 2 – June 2024 | Trimester 3 – October 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Offered | Offered | Offered |
| Armidale Campus | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
| Sydney Campus | Not Offered | Not Offered | Not Offered |
Course information
Download course brochure
Design a bespoke course and prepare for a rapidly evolving workplace with the UNE Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice. Whether you want to advance your career, hone your skills or embark on a new career direction, we'll work with you to design a course to match your skills and aspirations. You will have the freedom to assemble your course from a full breadth of subjects, play to your strengths and draw from your experience to achieve your goals. Learn in a way that suits your timeframe and do it all with the support of an expert academic success advisor — with one-on-one guidance from start to finish. You'll be paving your pathway to the next stage of your career.
Why study the Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice with UNE?
The world is changing. Workplaces and professions are evolving. And now more than ever, there's a need for short, flexible qualifications that allow you to upskill, adapt and respond to new professional opportunities, while being customised to your strengths.
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice is a tailored, highly flexible course which allows you to springboard from the skills and knowledge you already have, so you can adapt and take advantage of emerging career opportunities. With the support of an expert academic success advisor, you will design a Graduate Diploma for any stage of your journey — whether you want to reskill, upskill, pivot, specialise or even change careers.
At UNE, we don't just help you design a bespoke course to enhance your career — we make it a course you will love to study. You'll have the freedom to focus only on the subjects that mirror your natural strengths and enhance your career prospects. You will enhance and update your skills while keeping your options open and flexible. Instead of getting bogged down in a traditional lengthy course, you'll be honing the exact skills you need to transition into different roles or adapt to new ways of working.
Our Graduate Diploma has the power and versatility to make it easier and more effective to take advantage of new professional opportunities in a changing world, with one-on-one guidance every step of the way.
Why study this course with UNE?
The Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice is tailored to your professional direction. The course offers opportunities to:
- Incorporate the knowledge that you've already gained in your work and life, combined with units that give you the new skills you need now and in the future (which is similar to UNE's shorter course, the Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice).
- Prepare for the next stage in your career easily with a unique course structure built from a customised learning roadmap — designed to enrich your skills and opportunities in any industry.
- Assemble your units from across UNE's subject areas into your own unique course by choosing from one discipline or mix and match.
- Enhance your critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence and communication skills to gain a competitive advantage in the workplace or step into a new career.
- Get your experience reflected in a curated professional portfolio to showcase your capabilities to future employers.
- Negotiate the weighting for your core unit assessment task.
- Work at your own pace.
- Gain eligibility for the government's FEE-HELP scheme which allows you to defer fees.
UNE is a leader in the provision of online learning for aspiring and qualified professionals. Our supportive, streamlined online environment makes it easier for you to learn in a style and timeframe that suits your lifestyle. What's more, students consistently award us the maximum 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support in The Good Universities Guide.
Study online
Most of our students choose to study online across three study periods with 24/7 tutor support* and fit study around work and family commitments. Uniquely, our online students are mostly over 30 and bring valuable experience with them. They form a community of adults juggling the same challenges and priorities and who bring their life and work experience together at UNE in order to become future-fit and better respond to a rapidly changing world.
* 24/7 tutor support includes: essay feedback (within 24 hours); live chat 24/7 for generic feedback on academic writing; and subject-specific help at a foundation or first-year level for subjects including mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, business, accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics. There are also a wide range of workshops, resources and courses available in academic skills support to assist you and help you to succeed.
Entry requirements
This course is offered under three admission rules.
Rule A: You have a Bachelor qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) or above in any discipline.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under Rule A. Please see the Rule A Course Structure (Program of Study).
Rule B: You can satisfy the School that you are adequately prepared to study this course by demonstration of other relevant qualifications and workplace experience, which are considered equivalent to a Bachelor qualification (AQF Level 7 or overseas equivalent) or above.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under Rule B. Please see the Rule B Course Structure (Program of Study).
Rule C: You have completed the UNE Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice.
If you are admitted on this basis, you will be eligible for admission under Rule C. Please see the Rule C Course Structure (Program of Study).
Please note: all admissions are subject to UNE’s Admission, Credit and Enrolment Policy. Please read and familiarise yourself with the details of the policy. See our Glossary for help with university terms.
These requirements are in addition to the entry requirements above.
When applying you may be required to show how you satisfy the English Language Requirements for this course.
As this course is extremely flexible there are relatively few definitive inherent requirements. However, additional inherent requirements may apply within specific elective units chosen (for example numeracy tasks will be more significant within mathematics or statistics units).
We recommend you discuss any limitations and adjustments with the Academic Success Coordinator.
You must meet the Inherent Requirements in order to complete this course.
Mandatory intensive schools on campus may be a requirement of some of the units in this course. Please see the UNE Course Handbook for the specific requirements of each unit.
Some courses require you to provide documentary evidence, or interviews to support your application. The following documents are required to support your application:
- If you are applying for admission under Rule A, you must provide a certified academic transcript of your qualification.
- If you are applying for admission under Rule B, you must provide a resume and Statement of Service from your employer/s on company letterhead. Learn more about our Statement of Service requirements. You may also provide any other documentation which demonstrates continual professional learning, such as short courses.
- If you are applying for admission under Rule C, your academic results are already available to UNE and no supporting documents are required.
Advanced Standing is credit or recognition of your previous study, work and/or life experience. This can reduce the cost and length of your studies.
Individual Unit Advanced Standing
If you are admitted into this course and believe you have already completed the equivalent of one or more of the units in your Course Structure (Program of Study) within the last ten years, you can apply for Individual Unit Advanced Standing.
Please note: The maximum amount of Advanced Standing which can be granted towards this course is 36 credit points. Advanced Standing can only be granted for formal learning and cannot come from units studied within the qualification you used for admission.
Course structure
Students admitted to the GDPRP under Rule A or Rule B are required to complete either DYPP500A (6 cpts) plus at least 12 cpts at 400 level or above. Or students can complete DYPP500B (12 cpts) plus at least 6cpts at 400 level or above.
Students admitted under Rule C will already have completed either DYPP500A or DYPP500B in their GCPRP so will be required to complete 24 cpts. For students who have completed DYPP500A (6 cpts) must complete at least 12 cpts at 400 level or above. Those students who completed DYPP500B (12 cpts) must complete at least 6cpts at 400 level or above.
To qualify for the award a candidate must pass units to the value of 48 credit points, including at least 18 credit points at 400-level or above.
48 credit points
For candidates admitted under Rules (a) or (b)- Developing Your Professional Practice A (DYPP500A) – 6 credit points
- Developing Your Professional Practice B (DYPP500B) – 12 credit points
Complete 36-42 credit points.
30 - 42 credit point of any units approved by the Course Coordinator.
- Special Topics in Professional Practice (DYPP496) – 6 credit points
48 credit points
For candidates admitted under Rules (c)24 credit points
24 credit points of Block advanced standing granted for candidates who hold an AQF Level 8 UNE Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice.24 credit points
Complete 24 credit points.
18 - 24 credit points of any units approved by the Course Coordinator.
- Special Topics in Professional Practice (DYPP496) – 6 credit points
See UNE Handbook for more details. The Handbook contains detailed course information designed for enrolled students, including course plans, exit awards, intensive schools, and work placement requirements.
Fees and scholarships
How much will it cost?
Estimated fees for your first year of study in this course are:
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Full Fee | $26,592* |
| Commonwealth Supported Place | $13,528* |
| Estimated amenities fee per year if studying full-time | $351 |
What are the course fee payment options?
Full Fee places are mostly in postgraduate coursework degrees. In a full fee place you pay the tuition fee set for your course, however you may be eligible for a FEE-HELP Loan to defer payment of your fees until you are earning above the threshold.
If you are enrolled in a Full Fee place and there is a direct connection between your work and your study, you may be able to claim your tuition fees as a tax deduction.
A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a government subsidised place in a university course. The government pays part of your tuition fees, and you pay the remainder.
If you have a CSP in either an undergraduate or postgraduate (coursework) degree, you may be eligible for a HECS-HELP Loan, which allows you to defer payment of your fees until you are earning above the threshold.
UNE scholarships are open for all to apply and offer financial help while you are studying. There are scholarships for students with high academic achievement, from rural areas, studying specific degrees, in disadvantaged groups, experiencing financial hardship, who excel at sport or want to live in a UNE residential college.
UNE scholarship applications are free and confidential. You may apply for more than one scholarship.
Your career
Being a highly tailored course, you will graduate with a wide variety of career opportunities that are specific to you. Depending on your aspirations, you will have the skills to:
- move forward in your career
- pursue a new area of work
- become a specialist
- take your career in a new direction.
Students will graduate with a university postgraduate award that complies with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and is eligible for FEE-HELP.
Course outcomes
- curate a compelling professional identity and philosophy, and demonstrate the ability to critically communicate this to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
- demonstrate professional leadership capabilities, identify professional opportunities or challenges and devise strategies to respond or resolve using an evidence-based approach;
- model specialist knowledge, research, and communication skills that contribute to life-long application in their professional career; and
- apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement and responsibility in conducting, reporting and reflecting on professional practice.
- Knowledge of a Discipline
Knowledge of a discipline is taught in the elective units in the Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice. Through guided contact with their academic concierge, students will select the units that constitute meaningful and valuable learning for them. This may involve selecting units from just one discipline for a deep course experience or up to three disciplines if they require a broader, inter-disciplinary curriculum.
- Communication Skills
Communication skills are taught, practised and assessed throughout this course. Students will utilise advanced cognitive and communication skills, tools and digital technologies to communicate appropriately and persuasively with a range of stakeholders. Students will develop oral, written and presentation skills relevant to professional contexts through assessments such as portfolio building.
- Problem Solving
This graduate attribute is taught, practised and assessed throughout the course using scenarios requiring students to use advanced cognitive and critical thinking skills to identify professional issues, and to critically analyse and evaluate the relevant theories and concepts to construct professional solutions.
- Information Literacy
Information literacy is taught, practised and assessed throughout the course as students need to identify, critically evaluate and synthesise relevant information drawn from a range of sources in order to analyse complex professional-related issues.
- Ethical Conduct and Social Responsibility
Throughout the course, ethical conduct and social responsibility is taught, practised and assessed. Students need to reflect on the principles of professional and social responsibility and critically apply these to a range of ethical issues and scenarios.
- Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is taught and assessed in this course through reflective tasks that encourage critical analysis of professional experience, and appreciation of professional practice as a dynamic discipline.
- Independence and Collaboration
Students function as individual professionals throughout the duration of the course, but also develop collaborative skills through interaction with both other students and the academic concierge, and demonstrate this in assessment contexts such as a professional portfolio.
A five-star experience
Five Stars,
18 Years in a Row
UNE is the only public uni in Australia awarded 18 straight years of five stars for Overall Experience
Good Universities Guide 2007-2024
No.1 in NSW for
Student Experience
QILT (government-endorsed) ranks UNE as the top public NSW uni for Student Experience
QILT Student Experience Survey
Five Stars for
Teaching Quality
UNE rates among the top 20 per cent of universities in Australia for Teaching Quality
Good Universities Guide 2024
Studying online
At UNE we know it takes more than just being online to be a great online university. It takes time and experience. We pioneered distance education for working adults back in the 1950s, so we’ve been doing this longer than any other Australian university.
We understand the challenges faced by busy adults studying at home. We know that a vital part of online study is your engagement with the learning community. Communication with your classmates, teaching staff and university support staff will enhance your study experience and ensure that your skills extend beyond the subject matter. UNE’s teaching staff are experts in their field which is why UNE consistently receives five stars from students for teaching quality, support and overall experience.*
*The Good Universities Guide
Stay connected
Register your interest and we'll keep you updated
Why study with us?
I am studying to improve my expertise in the parts of my role that require deeper knowledge and skills.
How to apply
Preparing to apply
You should always provide the details of past or current studies in your application. You may also need to include documents to support your application.
The kind of documents you need will depend on:
- Your preferred course/s
- Your personal circumstances
Important Dates
Different application methods and courses can have different closing dates. To find your correct application method click the Apply Now button below. Please check the appropriate application website for opening and closing dates.
If you are applying online direct to UNE please see below for application dates.
| Intake | Application Closing Date | Trimester Start Date |
|---|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | 16 February 2024 | 26 February 2024 |
| Trimester 2 | 14 June 2024 | 24 June 2024 |
| Trimester 3 | 11 October 2024 | 21 October 2024 |
Important Notice for Prospective Students
For accurate, up-to-date details on entry requirements, course structure, and other essential information, please consult the UNE Student Handbook before applying or enrolling. The Handbook provides comprehensive guidance to assist in your decision-making process. We apologise for any inconvenience.
