Postgraduate awards explained
JCU offers a diverse range of specialised, quality postgraduate programs. There are a variety of entry points and pathways, depending on your existing qualifications and experience. Postgraduate awards are broadly divided into either coursework or research.
Coursework programs require the successful completion of postgraduate subjects. Many have a three-tiered approach, with each award counting towards the next level and accumulating/articulating to a coursework Masters as shown:
Postgraduate Certificate >>> Postgraduate Diploma >>> Masters.
Research programs enable students to undertake sustained, supervised research in a specialist area, usually leading to a research Masters or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Please note: all qualifications indicated here refer to Australian qualifications or their equivalents.
Coursework programs
Postgraduate Certificate
A postgraduate certificate takes six months to complete in full-time mode. It is designed for graduates who wish to complete further studies in the same field as their undergraduate studies or professional experience. An example is the Postgraduate Certificate of Computational Engineering.
Graduate Certificate
A graduate certificate takes six months to complete in full-time mode. It is designed for graduates who wish to gain qualifications in a field that differs from that of their undergraduate studies. An example is the Graduate Certificate of Ecotourism.
Postgraduate Diploma
A graduate diploma takes 12 months to complete in full-time mode. It is designed for graduates who wish to complete further studies in the same field as their undergraduate studies or professional experience. An example is the Postgraduate Diploma in Computational Engineering.
Graduate Diploma
A graduate diploma takes 12 months to complete in full-time mode. It is designed for graduates who wish to gain qualifications in a field that differs from that of their undergraduate studies. An example is the Graduate Diploma of Professional Accounting.
Masters (coursework)
A coursework masters usually takes two years to complete in full-time mode. Students may enter with graduate/postgraduate diplomas. An example is the Master of Business Administration.
Professional Doctorate
Professional doctorates combine research and coursework and enable professionals to make a significant contribution to knowledge and practice. An example is the Doctor of Public Health Studies.
Research programs
Research programs, also known as research higher degrees, prepare graduates for academic and research careers and for careers that require an advanced level of professional practice. Graduates are trained in the professional and ethical responsibilities that are demanded of good research, including conducting research in a professional manner and disseminating and applying the results of research activity.
A research higher degree will have at least two thirds of its requirements as supervised research, leading to a thesis or equivalent practical work. Assessment involves the submission of a written thesis for examination that makes an original contribution to knowledge.
For entry to research higher degrees, applicants usually require an undergraduate degree with Honours. For applicants without an Honours qualification, JCU’s Research Methods Courses have been designed to provide adequate research skills to qualify for entry to research higher degrees. For further information about research at JCU, visit JCU’s Graduate Research School.
Research Methods Courses
These are courses that prepare students who wish to progress to research higher degrees who do not have appropriate Honours or research entry requirements. An example is the Graduate Certificate of Research Methods.
Masters (research)
A research masters comprises an original research thesis that requires two years to complete in full-time mode. It may be used as entry to a PhD program. An example is the Master of Science.
Professional Doctorate
Professional doctorates combine research and coursework and enable professionals to make a significant contribution to knowledge and practice. An example is the Doctor of Public Health Studies.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
A PhD is an essential qualification for academic and research careers. It comprises an original research thesis that requires three years to complete in full-time mode.
