Diploma of Marketing and Communication

The Diploma of Marketing and Communication at Melbourne Advanced Commerce Institute is a one-year course that gets you into the practical side of marketing from the first weeks. You study how to write for different audiences, plan campaigns, read a brand's position in the market, and use digital channels to reach people. Assessment is mostly project-based, so you're building a portfolio of work you can show an employer rather than just sitting exams. The course sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which means it's a shorter, applied qualification below a bachelor degree. It's delivered over one year, typically across two semesters or trimesters, with units of study carrying credit points. You'll need to confirm the exact unit list and credit point values with MACI before you enrol.

Because it's a diploma, the focus is on doing the work rather than long essays about it. You'll learn how to plan a content calendar, brief a designer or videographer, measure whether a campaign actually worked, and adjust when it didn't. Group projects are common, which mirrors how agency and in-house teams operate. If the course includes a work-integrated learning or placement component, you'll spend time in a real marketing team, and that's often where students land their first job offer. Any placement arrangement is set by MACI, so check the official course page for what's included.

Skills you come out with include campaign planning, copywriting for web and social, basic analytics, client communication, and an understanding of how Australian consumer law and privacy rules affect what marketers can say and collect. Those rules matter here. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner both regulate areas you'll touch in your work, and good marketing courses cover them.

This course suits school leavers who want a fast route into marketing without committing to a three-year bachelor degree, career changers who need practical skills and a qualification on paper, and people already working in admin, retail or events who want to move into a marketing role. It can also be a pathway into further study, with credit towards a bachelor degree depending on the institution. If you're an international student, you'll need to meet MACI's English requirement and the Department of Home Affairs' separate Student visa English threshold. While studying, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight, and after completing the diploma you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 104783K. Always confirm fees, start dates and entry requirements on the official MACI page before applying.

• Marketing assistant or coordinator, supporting campaign delivery, scheduling content, and reporting on results in agencies, retail, or professional services firms.
• Social media coordinator, managing day-to-day posting, community replies, and basic paid social activity for brands or not-for-profits.
• Content or copywriter, writing web pages, emails, and social copy for in-house teams, publishers, or freelance clients.
• Digital marketing assistant, helping run search, email, and display campaigns, often in specialist agencies or e-commerce businesses.
• Events and promotions assistant, coordinating activations, sponsorships, and community events for councils, sporting clubs, or hospitality groups.
• Sales and customer support roles with a marketing focus, common entry points in Australian small and medium businesses where marketing and sales overlap.

Industries that hire diploma-level marketing graduates in Australia include advertising and media agencies, retail and e-commerce, tourism and hospitality, property, education providers, health services, and the public sector. Many graduates start in assistant roles and move up as they build a portfolio. The diploma also gives you credit towards further study if you decide to go on to a bachelor degree.