Advanced Diploma of Marketing and Communication

The Advanced Diploma of Marketing and Communication is a one-year qualification for people who want to work in marketing and communications without committing to a full degree. It's delivered by the Australian Institute of Language and Further Education and is registered on CRICOS (course code 105497H), so it's open to international students as well as domestic ones.

You'll study the practical side of marketing: how to research a market and its customers, how to build a marketing plan and a communications plan, how to write copy and content for different channels, how to run campaigns across digital and traditional media, how to manage a brand, and how to read campaign data and report on results. Communication units cover public relations, stakeholder and media communication, and professional writing. Assessment is mostly practical, campaign plans, content pieces, presentations, group projects, rather than exams. The course is structured as a full-time load over one year, made up of units of study, each carrying credit points. Confirm the exact unit list, trimester or semester structure, and credit-point values on the official course page before you enrol.

Because it sits at diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, the Advanced Diploma is a shorter, more applied pathway than a bachelor degree. It's common for graduates to use it as a stepping stone: some go straight into work, others use the credit they've earned to enter a bachelor degree and have some units counted towards it, depending on the receiving institution's credit policy. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream after you finish, check the Department of Home Affairs for current rules, because eligibility depends on your visa history and the course you complete.

This course suits school leavers who want a faster route into marketing work, career changers moving into marketing or communications roles, and people already working in a related area who want a recognised qualification. English requirements for international applicants are set at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institute's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own separate English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, check there and on the official page for the current figure, intake dates and how to apply.

• Marketing coordinator, supporting campaign delivery, scheduling and reporting for agencies, retailers, not-for-profits and professional services firms.
• Digital marketing assistant, social media, email marketing, content publishing and basic analytics for in-house teams or agencies.
• Communications officer or assistant, internal communications, media liaison and stakeholder updates in government, education, health and community organisations.
• Content creator or copywriter, writing web, social and campaign copy for agencies, publishers and small businesses.
• Public relations assistant, media monitoring, press materials and event support in PR consultancies and corporate affairs teams.
• Sales and account support, client-facing roles in media, advertising and sponsorship sales where marketing knowledge helps.
• Small business marketing all-rounder, running marketing and communications for a small firm or your own business.

These roles appear across advertising and media agencies, retail and e-commerce, tourism and hospitality, financial and professional services, government, education, health and not-for-profits. Australian employers in this field generally value a portfolio of real campaign work alongside the qualification, so keep the projects you produce during the course.