Postgraduate course information
What is postgraduate study?
Postgraduate study is the term used to describe a course that leads to an award such as graduate diploma, a master's degree or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Entry to a postgraduate course usually requires prior completion of a relevant undergraduate degree (or diploma) course.
There are two main types of postgraduate courses - research and coursework.
Coursework programs
These postgraduate programs consist of units of study rather than research work. They usually require attendance at lectures and tutorials. Graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and master’s degrees can all be obtained by coursework. All undergraduate degrees are coursework courses.
Many options
As well as graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and master's degrees there are also other options when it comes to postgraduate study:
Graduate programs
This term is often confused with postgraduate study, but is in fact quite different. Graduate study refers to study that can only be undertaken on completion of a Bachelor’s degree in a different subject area. For example, Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Sydney are only offered as graduate courses and there is no prior course that can be studied in these areas. Students must hold an undergraduate degree, but it will be a degree in a field other than medicine or dentistry.