Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design

The Advanced Diploma of Graphic Design at the Australian College of Business Intelligence is a one-year qualification for people who want to work as graphic designers. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, above a certificate IV and below a bachelor degree. You will spend the year building a portfolio: typography, layout, branding, digital and print production, and the software that design studios actually use. Expect studio-style classes where you critique each other's work, not just lectures.

Australian vocational qualifications like this one are built from units of study, each carrying credit points. A full-time load is usually eight units a year across two semesters, though some colleges run three trimesters. Assessment is competency-based: you either demonstrate the skill or you don't, and you resubmit until you do. Many advanced diplomas finish with a capstone project or a major portfolio submission, and this one is no exception in structure. If the course includes work-integrated learning, it will be listed in the unit outline on the official page, check there rather than assuming.

You graduate with a portfolio you can show employers, not just a transcript. You will be able to take a brief, develop concepts, prepare files for print and screen, and present your work to a client. Those are the skills studios, agencies and in-house marketing teams hire for. The course suits school leavers who want a practical design qualification without committing to a three-year degree, career changers who already have some visual sense, and international students who want an Australian qualification they can build on.

International students should note the English requirement: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the usual standard for courses at this level, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the college's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so meeting the college's requirement does not automatically satisfy the visa requirement. While studying, a Student visa holder can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during term. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 118931K, confirm fees, intake dates and unit details on the official page before you apply.

• Graphic designer, design studios, advertising agencies, and in-house creative teams across Australia.
• Brand or visual identity designer, branding consultancies and marketing departments.
• Digital designer, websites, social media content, and digital campaign work for agencies and publishers.
• Print production designer, publishing houses, printers, and packaging companies.
• Freelance designer, running your own practice serving small businesses and not-for-profits.
• Junior art director, agency roles after further experience or study.

Australian industries that hire graphic designers include advertising and marketing, publishing, screen and digital media, retail, government communications, and education. Many graduates use the advanced diploma as a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for prior study, or into the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream if eligible.