New diplomas offer graduates a competitive edge

Two new programs that are being offered by The University of Queensland’s (UQ) Faculty of Arts in 2011 are designed to give graduates a competitive edge.

The two new programs - a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Executive) and a Diploma in Arts – are open to entry for graduates from any discipline.

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Executive) provides specific skills and knowledge related to professional positions in management and administration in the public, not-for-profit, and the private sectors. It provides an alternative “fourth year” for students who are seeking to distinguish themselves from other three-year graduates.

UQ’s new Diploma in Arts has been designed in response to the changing work environment and enables graduates to acquire greater specialisation in a chosen field, update their skills or follow a study area they are passionate about. Students have the option of choosing to study either a single major or two minors within the program.

Faculty of Arts Associate Dean (Academic) Professor Fred D’Agostino said the new degrees were intended to assist students meet the demands of today’s workplaces.

“Employees need the ability to read a balance sheet, understand the principles of project management, understand how the legal system works, plan an event, be aware of intercultural differences and methods of communication and the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Executive) will provide students with these essential skills, complementing the discipline based knowledge that they acquired in their undergraduate degree,” Professor D’Agostino said.

“The new Diploma in Arts is a way of value-adding to any career, allowing you to gain new skills or to re-focus and sharpen your existing knowledge base.

“The Diploma in Arts will also assist students seeking entry into the postgraduate Bachelor of Arts Honours program and may serve as a pathway to postgraduate coursework or research programs.”

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Executive) can be completed in one-year full-time study or can be taken part-time over several years. The Diploma in Arts will usually be completed part-time.

For more information on the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Executive) call the Faculty of Arts on 07 3365 1333 and for details about the Diploma in Arts contact UQ Admissions on 07 3365 2203.

Media: Kathy Grube, UQ Communications (07 3346 0561, k.grube@uq.edu.au)