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La Trobe University

Melbourne , Victoria ,Australia

Graduate Diploma in Planning

If you're passionate about the big issues in planning and want to help shape the world around you, La Trobe's Graduate Diploma in Planning offers a unique opportunity to build your skills in this high-demand field.

Learn how to create sustainable towns, cities and regions, and explore the latest research on planning best practice from award-winning professional planners. Learn from teachers with extensive industry experience and up-to-date knowledge. You'll explore how to design innovative solutions to existing and emerging problems, and understand how to transform key policies for urban, regional and rural communities in Australia and overseas.

Develop your professional portfolio, expand your networks and build your experience while you study. In this highly practical degree, you'll have the opportunity to work on live projects for local councils and government agencies, and directly shape policies that affect real-life decisions.

After successfully completing the Graduate Diploma in Planning, you could receive up to one year of advanced standing. This lets you transfer directly into the second year of La Trobe's accredited Master of Planning, should you decide to further your studies.

Want to shape a sustainable future? Graduate ready to create a better future your community.

You'll learn:

Professional planning practice
Develop planning skills for working in a diverse range of urban, regional and rural environments.
Planning policy and law
Learn how to interpret and apply planning policies and frameworks. Understand how to promote sustainability and social equity.
Sustainable development principles
Understand key development principles and learn how to create sustainable towns and cities.
Spatial planning
Learn how to create liveable, designed environments. Create innovative solutions that balance economic considerations with cultural aspirations.

Campus Information

Bendigo Campus

Get the best of the city and the country at our Bendigo Campus. You’ll join more than 5 000 students at La Trobe’s secondbiggest campus, and you’ll be studying at the region’s largest provider of higher education. You can take your pick from more than 50 degrees, and with the CBD just nearby, it’s the perfect place to live and learn. It’s a great time to start, as we’ve just given the campus a A$50 million upgrade, so you’ll benefit from world-class learning facilities as you prepare for your future career.

Intakes

  • March
  • July

Application Processing Time in Days: 30

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

La Trobe offers programs that are industry-focused and offer a lot of practical exposure.  Following graduation, students can often struggle to find work relevant to their field of study - that’s why employers value students with pre-existing workplace experience. Students who can readily adapt their university learnings to the real world are far more valuable to employers than those who cannot.

The La Trobe Business School offers a variety of practical learning opportunities to help you develop a competitive edge in the job market. La Trobe focuses on Work Integrated Learning. Following graduation, students can often struggle to find work relevant to their field of study - that’s why employers value students with pre-existing workplace experience. Students who can readily adapt their university learnings to the real world are far more valuable to employers than those who cannot. The La Trobe Business School offers a variety of practical learning opportunities to help you develop a competitive edge in the job market. 

The duration of the internship will vary depending on the chosen course and subject. During this time a student will be expected to complete assessments based on experience. Please note that eligibility criteria do apply.

If you are an undergraduate student, you can choose from the following subjects:

  • Accounting Work Placement (ACC3AWP)
  • Experiential Learning Project (BUS3ELP)
  • Food and Beverage Supervision (THS1FBS)
  • Sports Practicum (MGT3SPR)

If you are a postgraduate student, you can choose from the following subjects:

  • Business Analytics Project (BUS5PR2)
  • Business Work Placement (BUS5WIL)
  • Experiential Learning Project (BUA5ELP)

PSW Opportunity

  • As an international student, a student can work for 40 hrs in a fortnight and full time during breaks and is entitled to 2 years post-study work permit. This implies to students studying any course which is 2 years and above.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

  • Degree entry: Australian bachelor degree (or international equivalent) with a minimum of a C (60%) grade point average (GPA) in the final year PLUS three years of relevant managerial experience
  • Professional entry: Applicants do not require an undergraduate degree but must have a minimum of 8 years' relevant managerial experience 6.0.
  • Professional entry (no undergrad degree): International applicants must have a minimum IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with no individual band score less than 6.0. Please note that international students studying online are not eligible for an Australian student visa.
  • An approved Bachelor's degree with a 60% average in the humanities, social sciences, or similar discipline. If you don't have a 60% average, appropriate professional experience is considered.

  • Course Code: 107136F
  • Course Type: Full Time
  • Course Level: Post Graduate Diploma or Certificate
  • Duration: 01 Year  
  • Total Tuition Fee: 35600 AUD
    Annual Cost of Living: 24505 AUD
    Application Fee: N/A
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