Postgraduate study at the University of Sydney can help you stand out from the crowd and achieve your personal and professional goals. Explore these industry insights, employment statistics and potential earnings, to see how your industry is shaping up.

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Study at Sydney

  • Single units of study
  • Graduate certificate
  • Graduate diploma
  • Masters
  • PhD and research

  • What is a single unit of study

    We offer a range of units of study, each of which may be ideal for professional development or to explore subjects of general interest. If you subsequently enrol in an award course, it may be possible to credit these units towards a formal qualification.

  • What is a graduate certificate

    Graduate certificates are intended for people who want to undertake a short academic training course to further their career, or to sample further study. They typically require six months of full-time study.

  • What is a graduate diploma

    Graduate diplomas are normally based on master’s programs but require less time commitment. They are an excellent option for students who do not want to commit to a full master’s, but still need a solid grounding in their chosen field. They typically require one year of full-time study.

  • What is a masters

    Master’s programs are ideal for graduates who need specialised knowledge and skills that will help them take the next step in their career or develop academic expertise. They typically require between one and two years of full-time study.

  • What is a PhD and research

    A research degree requires in-depth study in a specialised area. A research student undertakes a major thesis, supervised by a staff member. It is usually possible to upgrade from the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), provided satisfactory progress is made in the first year. Due to the specialised study involved, postgraduate research courses typically take longer to complete than other graduate options.

We know that the way people learn, work and live is always changing. That’s why we offer flexibility in how you can complete our coursework programs. You can start with just one unit of study, a Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or a Masters degree, depending on how much you can fit in with your other commitments. Don't forget you don't have to pay any course fees upfront. With FEE-HELP you only repay the loan when your income reaches a certain level. This means that you can start studying now and pay later. You can afford to study at Sydney.

Coursework versus Research

Most of our coursework master’s degrees involve a series of specialist units of study. Some may include research but less than is needed for a research master’s. You can also use these coursework research components as a pathway to a research program, if you choose. Sydney’s research students join a community among the top one percent of research universities in the world. We are producing groundbreaking work across a wide range of disciplines.

Find a course

Sydney Courses is the University’s central, online source of course information for future students. You can search by study area, course or level, ask a question, or make an application.

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Not sure what to search for? Try browsing by subject area instead, or do an advanced search.

Industry insights

Watch Anders Sorman-Nilsson discuss trends impacting industry today and how students can gain a competitive edge in the work place of the future.

Each year, DEEWR produces employment projections by industry, occupation and region for the following five years.

Choose a statistic to show. Hover over graphs for more detail.
  • Employment levels
  • Earnings
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Full/part-time
  • Education

  • Mining

  • Wholesale Trade

  • Electricity, Gas, Water, Waste Services

  • Professional, Scientific, Technical Services

  • Transport, Postal and Warehousing

  • Health Care and Social Assistance

  • Administrative and Support Services

  • Public Administration and Safety

  • Retail Trade

  • Information Media and Telecommunications

  • Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing

  • Construction

  • Education and Training

  • Arts and Recreation Services

  • Financial and Insurance Services

  • Manufacturing

Data provided by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Projections shown are for 5 year growth to 2016-17.

Young Researchers

Our young researchers are brave enough to ask the big questions. The breakthroughs in knowledge our young researchers uncover make a real difference to our understanding of today’s and tomorrow's world and how we live in it.

Dominick

"Communication is vitally important - if you can’t explain your work, people won’t understand its potential. You could miss opportunities to collaborate with and inspire people in and out of your field."
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David L

My research investigates the early work of the Modernist author and poet Malcolm Lowry, who was famous for writing ‘Under the Volcano’. He had this 'magpie' like quality of taking from others, like getting a glimmering phrase from someone and putting it straight into his own work.
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Rebecca

"I had thought it’d be interesting to look at why we teach the way we do today, because that’s a really interesting topic, but then I just found myself working back and back."
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James

“I'm kind of nocturnal. The flexibility of a PhD program means I can have my own rhythm. If I want to rock up at 10:30, I can.”
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Rosie

“People find it quite interesting that you would have something to say about fashion that would have any substance to it.”
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Marc

"In keeping with my childhood dreams, I am a Coastal Advisor for the NSW government and provided advice on managing the impacts of hazards on NSW coasts, beaches and estuaries.
READ MORE »

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  • Domestic student
    • 1300 362 006
  • International student
    • 1800 899 376 (within Australia)
    • +61 2 8627 8300 (outside Australia)

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You can make an enquiry about University course information and student life by filling out our online form.

find a supervisor

Research Supervisor Connect matches your research interests to available PhD and Masters research opportunities and supervisors.

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