Diploma of Graphic Design

The Diploma of Graphic Design at the Australian College of Business Intelligence is a practical, studio-based qualification for people who want to design for print, screen and brand identity. You'll spend most of your time making work: typography and layout, colour theory, digital illustration, photo editing and image manipulation, plus the software designers actually use day to day. Units typically run across semesters or trimesters, each with a set credit point value, and assessment is based on projects and portfolios rather than exams alone. Expect to build a body of finished work you can show employers, not just a transcript.

As a diploma on the Australian Qualifications Framework, this sits below a bachelor degree and is designed to get you working or articulate into further study. It runs 1.5 years full time. Delivery usually combines face-to-face studio classes with online components, and you'll work on briefs that mirror industry practice, client pitches, brand guidelines, campaign assets, packaging, social media graphics. Some providers build in a work placement or live client project, so ask the college directly whether that applies here. You should confirm the current unit list, delivery mode and any placement requirement on the official CRICOS listing and the college's own course page.

Skills you gain: visual problem solving, design thinking, file preparation for print and digital output, typography, composition, and the ability to take a brief from concept to finished artwork. You'll also learn to present and defend your ideas, take feedback, and work to deadlines, the things that keep a designer employed. The course suits school leavers who want a fast route into the industry, career changers with an eye for design, and people already doing basic graphic work who want formal training and a portfolio that holds up.

International students should note the English requirement: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard for undergraduate and coursework postgraduate courses, though teaching, nursing, medicine, law and social work ask for 7.0–7.5. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the college's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself, so check both. While studying, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight. After graduating, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available depending on your circumstances, confirm eligibility with the Department of Home Affairs. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register; check there for the current figure.

• Graphic designer, studios, advertising agencies, in-house marketing teams
• Digital designer, web and social media content, e-commerce, digital agencies
• Brand and identity designer, branding consultancies, design studios
• Production artist / finished artist, print houses, publishers, packaging companies
• Illustrator, freelance, publishing, editorial, animation
• Marketing assistant with design duties, small businesses, not-for-profits, government communications
• Freelance designer, self-employed, contracting to agencies and direct clients

Australia's design industry is concentrated in the capital cities, with the biggest clusters in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Many graduates start in junior studio roles or freelance work, then specialise. The diploma also gives you a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for prior study, if you want to go further.