Graduate Diploma of Communication

Graduate Diploma of Communication

POSTGRADUATE

Enjoy the ultimate flexibility in your pursuit of a global and varied career in communications.

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Student type:
Learning mode:
On campus
Entry score:

Not applicable

Duration:
Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years
Fees:

AU$29,760 (2025 annual)

Next intake:
February, July
Location:
Melbourne City
Learning mode:
On campus

Overview

Through the Graduate Diploma of Communication, you have the opportunity to tailor your study to your professional interests.

Utilising highly transferrable skills that will carry you into roles in private and public sectors, you will develop specialised knowledge and foster a strong network of industry contacts and community groups to help achieve your career goals.

Designed for new graduates further building on their communications knowledge, or established professionals seeking career progression, this graduate diploma allows you to undertake study in a range of specialist areas, including:

  • change communication
  • political communication
  • crisis communication
  • stakeholder relationship management
  • digital communication
  • community engagement, and more.

As a core element of your studies, you have the opportunity to complete an industry internship, allowing you to be immersed in professional practice and learn by doing. Equipped with specialised knowledge in the global communication industry, you will have the skills to work collaboratively in international and interdisciplinary team environments, deliver social change, build and execute communication strategy, and much more.

Why study communication at RMIT?

Immersive learning

Undertake a coveted industry internship and gain work-ready skills as you develop your professional network.

Tailor your study

Customise your study plan with flexible elective subjects, allowing you to focus on what drives you.

Industry approved

RMIT graduates are sought by employers for their specialised knowledge and industry-relevant skillset.

Utilising highly transferrable skills that will carry you into roles in private and public sectors, you will develop specialised knowledge and foster a strong network of industry contacts and community groups to help achieve your career goals.

Designed for new graduates further building on their communications knowledge, or established professionals seeking career progression, this graduate diploma allows you to undertake study in a range of specialist areas, including:

  • change communication
  • political communication
  • crisis communication
  • stakeholder relationship management
  • digital communication
  • community engagement, and more.

As a core element of your studies, you have the opportunity to complete an industry internship, allowing you to be immersed in professional practice and learn by doing. Equipped with specialised knowledge in the global communication industry, you will have the skills to work collaboratively in international and interdisciplinary team environments, deliver social change, build and execute communication strategy, and much more.

Please note: this graduate diploma is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa. If you are holding a temporary visa (other than a student visa) and your visa has a full study entitlement, you may be eligible to apply. For more information, see the international students with other temporary (non-student) visas.

Details

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Learning and teaching

The Graduate Diploma of Communication offers various models of study centred around communication research and professional practice, including group activities, in-class discussions, and case studies.

Learning in an interdisciplinary environment will help shape your global outlook and prepare you for a wide variety of professional experiences. With classes facilitated both face-to-face and online, you will learn through lectures, tutorials, workshops, problem-based learning, presentations, and an industry-immersed internship.

Assessment methods

Assessments in this graduate diploma will span a range of activities, including projects, research assignments, reports, portfolio production, essays, presentations, and peer or industry review. Projects, reports and presentations will be directly related to industry specific needs and may involve making contact with industry practitioners regarding contemporary issues.

The School of Media and Communication has many close links with industry which take on a variety of forms.

You will be taught by academics with strong industry links and experience. Course content is also developed with engagement with industry experts, including an Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) consisting of high-profile industry representatives, and guest lectures are often sought to provide you with exposure to current industry practice.

As a student in this diploma, you will undertake and be assessed on activities that allow you to demonstrate your professional practice, interact with industry, and underpin your learning with feedback relevant to workplace experiences. 

As a core part of your studies, you have the opportunity to undertake an industry internship that allows you to apply your knowledge and skills in a real-world context. You will develop a strategic communication plan in collaboration with an industry partner of your choice, allowing you toto link the theories that support strategic planning with the practical communication needs of your organisation.

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this degree and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.

In the Graduate Diploma of Communication, you will undertake three core subjects and three electives.

Your core subjects will establish a foundation of learning and knowledge, and may include an industry internship in which you will be tasked with designing a strategic communication plan for an organisation of your choice.

The elective subjects you take will allow you to customise your learning, tailoring your graduate diploma for the kind of career you would like to pursue. This may include focuses on communication in political, health or financial contexts, risk and crisis communication, corporate writing and editing, and more. 

Course structure

Choose a plan below to find out more about the subjects you will study and the course structure.

Graduate Diploma of Communication
Program code: GD196
Title
Location
Duration
Plan code
CRICOS
Graduate Diploma of Communication
City Campus
1 year Full-Time, 2 years Part-Time
GD196
103221H
Location
City Campus
Duration
1 year Full-Time, 2 years Part-Time
Plan code
GD196
CRICOS
103221H
View plan
Graduate Diploma of Communication
City Campus
1 year Full-Time
GD196
103221H
Location
City Campus
Duration
1 year Full-Time
Plan code
GD196
CRICOS
103221H
View plan

Career

Upon successful completion of this graduate diploma, you will have the well-rounded and highly transferrable skills required to pursue any number of global communication roles.

Depending on the elective subjects undertaken, you may find work in public sector and social change NGOs, private and corporate sector, health organisations, and global companies.

Entry requirements and admissions

You need to satisfy all of the following entry requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.

You must have: 

  • successfully completed an Australian bachelor degree (or equivalent overseas qualification), or 
  • a minimum of 3 years professional work experience in a related industry. 

 To have your professional experience considered you must submit with your application a CV and a personal statement detailing your experience.

There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.

A selection task is not required for entry into this qualification.

You must meet the University's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program.

Pathways

You can gain entry to this masters degree from a range of RMIT undergraduate programs, if you meet the entry requirements.

Credit, recognition of prior learning, professional experience and accreditation from a professional body can reduce the duration of your study by acknowledging your earlier, relevant experience.

Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.

Upon successful completion of this program, you can continue your studies in MC248 Master of Communication, subject to the program's entrance requirements and receive 96 credit points of advanced standing into the master program.

Fees

Expand all sections

2025 indicative fees

  • Full-fee places: AU$29,760* (2025 total).

Additional expenses

  • Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): AU$365 maximum fee for 2025*.
  • Other items related to your program, including field trips, textbooks and equipment.

Annual fee adjustment*

Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.

*Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.

Defer your payment

This program is offered on a full-fee paying basis only. If you are offered a place, you will need to pay the full tuition costs of your program. However, eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.

Paying your fees and applying for refunds

For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see Paying your fees and applying for refunds.

In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.

The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2025 is $365.

You may also be required to purchase other items related to your course, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from course to course.

FEE-HELP loans

Eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.

SA-HELP Loans

You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.

How does a HELP loan work?

If your FEE-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.

You only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying). The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.

For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.

This program is approved for income support.

You may be eligible for student income support payments from the Commonwealth Government if you are undertaking a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or an approved professionally oriented masters by coursework program. For more information see Income support for Masters students.

If you are enrolled in an eligible program you will also need to satisfy all other student payment eligibility requirements. You can contact Centrelink or Services Australia for further information about student income support entitlements, your eligibility and how to apply.

RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Looking for answers or more general information?

Use our Frequently Asked Questions to learn about the application process and its equity access schemes, find out how to accept or defer your offer or request a leave of absence, discover information about your fees, refunds and scholarships, and explore the various student support and advocacy services, as well as how to find out more about your preferred program, and more.

This course is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa.

Information for international students

Sorry, this course is not available for international students intending to study on a student visa. If you hold a different visa type, you may be eligible. Please contact Study@RMIT for more information.

 

Information for local students

If you are a local student please select 'switch to local' below to view the full course information.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information