Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science
Overview
Gain highly valued leadership, research and problem-solving skills and set yourself up for career success in the broad fields of agriculture and environment.
The Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science is designed for recent graduates in any field, and for established professionals wanting to upgrade their skills.
During your 1 year of full-time studies, you'll select from more than 20 courses, including specialised courses in agronomy, horticulture and plant protection – allowing you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and career goals.
Graduates demonstrate the ability to apply leadership, research and problem-solving skills to meet the global challenges associated with feeding the world and maintaining our environment in situations of increasing community expectations of animal welfare, biosecurity concerns, and competition for limited resources. This greatly expands your career prospects into a wide range of government, commercial, community or research-based roles.
The Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science can provide a pathway into the master’s program.
Program highlights
- Study at the university ranked number 1 in Australia in agriculture, for both research and teaching outcomes.
- Learn from research academics who are world leaders in their disciplines, with access to extensive specialist research facilities across 2 campuses.
- Build your leadership skills with courses in rural leadership, entrepreneurship, and international agricultural development.
- Apply and sharpen your skills through field visits and laboratory practicals as part of your courses.
How you'll learn
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Research experience
- Laboratory work
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Advanced Agronomy
- Leadership in Rural Industries and Communities
- Emerging Issues in Plant Bioscience
- Emerging Issues in Animal Biosciences
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Agricultural consultant
- Agricultural economist
- Extension and inspection officer
- Land information systems officer
Stories
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Careers
Career opportunities in agricultural science
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Stories
See all storiesCareers
Career opportunities in agricultural science
4-minute read
UQ people
Bioplastics vs microplastics: making better fertilisers to protect our environment
8-minute read
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry, you'll need:
- a bachelor¿s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, or
- to have completed post-secondary studies and have 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience. Applications based on post-secondary study and work experience will be assessed individually.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous degree.
- a bachelor¿s degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, or
- to have completed post-secondary studies and have 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience. Applications based on post-secondary study and work experience will be assessed individually.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous degree.
Relevant work experience
Relevant work experience means work:
- in agronomy and/or horticultural crop production/protection roles, or
- in environmental management and restoration roles, or
- in any other profession where you’ve built a portfolio demonstrating your agricultural science expertise.
Related programs
Depending on your previous qualifications and current goals, you might want to consider
one of these 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.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science 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.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Approximate yearly cost of tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your selected courses and study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
$4,730
2024
$4,730
2024
Approximate yearly cost of full-time tuition (16 units). Your fees will vary according to your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.
AUD $48,160
2024
AUD $48,160
2024
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.
HECS-HELP
Domestic places in the Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science 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.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students.
Scholarships
You may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science is 5737.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Applying online
All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ.
The program code for the Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Science is 5737.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - May 31 of the year of commencement.
- 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.
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