Professional development

The University of Sydney has a strong commitment to professional education, and to fostering advanced knowledge and practice through research and development projects with industry.

The University as a whole collaborates in its research with industry and business, while academic groups regularly host conferences and symposia with professional bodies and offer professional practitioners attachments to faculties, departments and research projects.

Faculties have an increasing range of tailored and flexible teaching programs in career-related areas, developed in close consultation with relevant professional bodies. The University aims to make professional education as easy as possible by providing maximum flexibility for postgraduates to access the right program for them in the mode that best suits their circumstances – whether intensive, part-time, off-campus, via distance education or, increasingly, online.

Many postgraduate and continuing education courses are available, especially in faculties where pre-professional education and ongoing professional training are core elements of academic activity. Such courses are now common in health sciences, sciences, engineering and architecture, law, veterinary science, business and education areas. Graduates may also access specialised studies by enrolling in single units on a fee-paying basis.

A growing number of areas of study offer articulation of programs, enabling students to gain credit towards a postgraduate award by completing professional development or continuing education units in the field. In some subjects, such as designated units in the Faculty of Science, students receive certificates of attainment when they have completed single unit assessment requirements. (Please refer to the faculty of your interest for details.)

Collaboration with the relevant profession or industry is a standard feature of postgraduate education focusing on career-related skills. Faculties develop these short courses in consultation with the relevant associations. The University also provides programs exclusively for members of particular professional associations.