Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning)

The Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning) is a one-and-a-half-year course for people who want to lead learning and development inside organisations. It sits at graduate diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, one step below a master's degree. You study how adults learn, how to design training that actually changes what people can do, how to assess skills, and how to manage a learning function. Typical units cover learning theory, instructional design, assessment and evaluation, managing a training organisation, and research methods. The course is delivered over trimesters or semesters, and you'll accumulate credit points across core and elective units. Assessment is usually a mix of assignments, projects, presentations and practical tasks rather than exams alone. Many graduate diplomas include a capstone unit where you apply what you've learned to a real workplace problem.

How the qualification is structured

As a graduate diploma, this is a postgraduate qualification that usually takes one to one-and-a-half years of full-time study. It's shorter than a master's, which is typically one to two years, and longer than a graduate certificate. You'll complete a set number of units, each worth a fixed number of credit points, and you may be able to use some credit from prior study or relevant work experience. Check the official course page for the exact unit list, credit-point requirements and any recognition of prior learning arrangements. The course is registered on CRICOS (course code 108704D), which means it is available to international students studying in Australia on a Student visa.

Skills you build

You learn to write learning outcomes that mean something, choose teaching methods that suit the audience, and measure whether training worked. You also pick up the management side: budgeting for a learning programme, leading a team of trainers, dealing with stakeholders who want results, and keeping records that satisfy auditors and regulators. Research skills matter too, because good learning design starts with finding out what people actually need to know. By the end, you should be able to take a vague request for 'training' and turn it into a plan with clear objectives, delivery methods, and evidence of impact.

Who it suits

This course fits people who already work in training, HR, or education and want a formal postgraduate qualification without committing to a full master's. It also suits managers who've been handed responsibility for staff development and need the theory behind the practice. If you're an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. English requirements are set at IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for most coursework postgraduate courses, though some fields ask for higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institute's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa, separate from the institute's entry requirement. Confirm the current tuition, intake dates, English scores and unit details on the official CRICOS page before you apply.

• Learning and development manager, leading training strategy in banks, insurers, retailers, government agencies and large not-for-profits.
• Training coordinator or facilitator, delivering and organising programmes in health services, mining, construction and community organisations.
• Instructional designer, building online and face-to-face courses for education providers, corporate academies and e-learning companies.
• HR adviser with a learning focus, managing onboarding, compliance training and capability frameworks.
• VET trainer and assessor, teaching in registered training organisations, TAFEs and private colleges (additional requirements apply to assessor roles).
• Organisational development consultant, helping employers improve how teams learn and perform.
• Education officer, developing resources and programmes for museums, galleries, professional associations and government departments.