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Beautifully shaped steel building

Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design

Overview

Study our Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design and put yourself at the forefront of reimagining our urban fabric.

We address the design of cities from multiple perspectives to give you a contemporary and integrated view on how to make them better places to live and work.

Our aim is to redefine urban design to go beyond solving problems, towards understanding cities in creative ways and imagine different futures. We want to inspire the right minds to lead the way.

The majority of the world’s population live in cities, and with limited resources and significant climate change, there is a growing demand for urban designers specifically trained to understand and look at cities strategically and holistically.

Urban design is a term often borrowed by other specialists as an add-on to their core service. At UQ, we see urban design as its own expertise that includes the ability to engage with decision-makers and lead change.

This is a new degree for a new kind of designer, taught by leading academics and industry professionals.

You will study courses from across a range of disciplines including architecture, civil engineering, planning, policy, economics and business leadership to ensure you have the right skills to enter this transdisciplinary field of design.

Wherever you are positioned in your career, you’ll look at urban development and design from a different angle and be uniquely placed to design creative solutions to make our cities more efficient, sustainable and meaningful.

Location
St Lucia
Duration
Semester 1: 1 Year part time; Semester 2: Half Year full time (or part time equivalent)
Start Semester
Semester 1 (24 Feb, 2025), Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Program Code
5730
AQF
Level 8
Location
St Lucia
Fees
A$23600
Duration
Half Year
Start Semester
Semester 2 (28 Jul, 2025)
Semester dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed
Program Code
5730
CRICOS Code
113389A
AQF
Level 8

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Online study
  • Peer-assisted study sessions
  • Studios
  • Workshops

What you'll study

Career possibilities

Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Urban designer
  • Community engagement consultant
  • Landscape architect
  • Urban strategist
  • Design advisor

Mid-career salary

Urban Designer

$69K–$104K

payscale.com

Average annual salary range

Urban Planner

$85K-$105K

seek.com.au

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

To be eligible for entry, you'll need:

  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), or
  • a graduate certificate or graduate diploma or master's degree in a relevant discipline (see below).

You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
International students can commence full-time study in Semester 2 only.Domestic students can commence full-time study in Semester 2 only, or part-time study in Semester 1 or Semester 2.
  • a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (see below), or
  • a graduate certificate or graduate diploma or master's degree in a relevant discipline (see below).

You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
International students can commence full-time study in Semester 2 only.Domestic students can commence full-time study in Semester 2 only, or part-time study in Semester 1 or Semester 2.

Relevant disciplines for previous qualifications

Relevant disciplines include architecture, architectural design, design, landscape architecture, planning, regional and town planning, and urban planning.

Related programs

English language requirements

IELTS overall 6.5; reading 6; writing 6; speaking 6; listening 6. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ

TOEFL iBT (including Paper Edition) - Overall 87, listening 19, reading 19, writing 21 and speaking 19.

PTE Academic - Overall Score of 64 and 60 in all sub bands.

BE - A minimum overall grade of 4 plus a minimum grade of C in all macro skills.

CES - Overall 176 and 169 in all sub bands.

OET is not accepted.

 

There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.

Learn how to meet the English language requirements

Student visas

International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).

There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the Genuine Student (GS) requirement.

Learn more about student visas

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative annual fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

$5,395

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

$5,395

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

AUD $23,600

2024

Fee information for 2025 is not yet available. Fee information displayed is for 2024.

AUD $23,600

2025

Learn more about postgraduate fees

Government assistance

Financial aid

As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.

Learn more about financial aid

HECS-HELP

Domestic places in the Graduate Certificate in Urban Development and Design are Commonwealth Supported. This means the cost of your education is shared between you and the Australian Government.

Instead of tuition fees, Commonwealth Supported students pay what are called student contribution amounts.

HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their student contribution amounts.

Learn more about HECS-HELP

Centrelink support

Scholarships

You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

How to apply

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in semester 1 - November 30 of the previous year.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Important dates

The closing date for this program is:

  • To commence study in Semester 1 - January 31 of the year of commencement.
  • To commence study in Semester 2 - June 30 of the year of commencement.

To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants

For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.

Contact the ATSIS Unit

Explore other programs

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Graduate Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning

St Lucia, External
Half Year full-timeHalf Year full-time
(or part time equivalent)
Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

St Lucia
Half Year full-timeHalf Year full-time
(or part time equivalent)

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