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Postgraduate Students

Passionate about a field of work and think you'd like to go onto more study? Or maybe you're working but looking for a competitive advantage or a career change? We offer a wide range of postgraduate courses at ECU, many of which are online and can be completed in as little as 6 months.

Why ECU?

  • QILT logo

    ECU top in teaching quality

    For the fifth year in a row, ECU has received the top undergraduate teaching quality ranking of all 37 public universities in Australia.

    ECU was also the top-ranked public university in Australia for undergraduate skills development for the sixth year in a row.

    View QILT results.

  • The Good Universities Guide 2021

    Good Universities Guide

    In the 2021 Good Universities Guide, ECU graduates have given us a 5-star rating for teaching quality, skills development, student support, learning resources, learner engagement and overall student experience.

    The 5-star rating for undergraduate teaching quality has now been achieved for 14 straight years.

    Read more about the Good Universities Guide.

  • THE Impact Rankings 2020

    THE Impact Rankings

    ECU has been ranked number 9 in the world for Quality Education and is in the top 100 overall in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings, showing how the global higher education sector is working towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

    Read more about the THE Impact Rankings

  • THE World University Rankings 2020 Top 100 Young

    THE Young University Rankings

    ECU has been ranked in the world's top 100 universities under 50 years old in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young Universities Rankings, THE World University Rankings.

Fantastic facilities and programs

ECU offers a diverse range of postgraduate courses and our facilities are some of the best you'll find at any university in Australia. We have:

  • one of Australia's fastest growing Engineering Schools
  • the largest Nursing program in Western Australia
  • Exercise Science laboratories considered among the best in the Southern Hemisphere
  • the oldest and most popular School of Education in Western Australia
  • one of the most comprehensive Arts & Humanities Schools in the Southern Hemisphere
  • one of the world's leading performing arts academies, WAAPA.

Postgraduate programs are well-supported

Postgraudate student and learning adviser discussing study notes over a coffee

At ECU, we understand there's more to your life than being a student.

Many of our postgraduate students also have busy jobs and families that require their full attention.

It's one of the reasons why we offer online and part-time study.

And you can drive to one of our metropolitan campuses from work or home and take advantage of convenient parking.

We also have professionally-accredited Childcare centres on our campuses and our Sport Centres offer short-term crèches during semesters.

Learning Advisers can help you with academic skills and career counsellors can help you plan your future.

Our Graduate Research School also provides loads of support if you're thinking about a research degree.

Pathways to postgrad

ECU Joondalup Campus

There are different entry pathways to postgraduate study at ECU.

If you have a Bachelor's degree and meet the specific admission requirements for your chosen course, you're on your way.

If you don't have a uni degree, your professional work experience could qualify you for entry to a Graduate Certificate course, and, if you're successful, onto a Diploma or a Masters.

Our postgraduate course entry page will help you understand your entry options.

Courses

What can you study here?

There are two ways you can study for a postgraduate qualification – by coursework or by research.

The majority of our postgrad coursework disciplines offer Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Masters level courses.

You can also advance from a Graduate Certificate to a Masters as a natural progression.

A postgraduate research degree involves the production of a written body of work, known as a thesis.

Identifying a topic, developing a proposal, conducting the research and writing the thesis are key stages of a research degree.

Study courses online

At ECU, we understand that everyone is different.

We all have different work arrangements, family responsibilities, locations and learning styles.

That's why we offer the flexibility of studying many of our postgraduate courses online.

This includes everything from a Graduate Diploma to a Masters, and even some doctorates.

Our online students receive our full support, just like their on-campus equivalents. We don't forget you!

Our study areas

To help you choose a career direction, we group similar fields of work into study areas. Within each study area you can choose an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. And within most degree courses, you can choose your specialty, or major subject.

Arts & Humanities Business & Law Engineering & Technology Medical & Health Sciences Nursing & Midwifery Science Teacher Education Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Download a guide

If you prefer paper over pixels, please download one of our guides.

Postgraduate course guide International student guide

Become World Ready

World Ready facilities

Scholarship opportunities to reduce your expenses

Scholarships recognise those whose life journey may have been challenging, as well as students who've shown outstanding academic excellence and endeavour.

A scholarship can help you realise your ambitions by paying for fees, text books and living expenses.

Realise your dream with our scholarships

Explore your options

  • Dr Nikki Rajakaruna's research focuses on policing and she has managed projects on police use of force, issues related to police integrity and the use of intelligence in policing.

  • Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Jacques Oosthuizen is investigating the affects of hazardous chemicals on firefighters.

  • Professor of Strength and Conditioning Greg Haff's research is focussed on encouraging kids to start building their fitness through Youth Resistance Training.

  • Professor of Petroleum Engineering Stefan Iglauer investigates climate change mitigation.

  • Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Pi-Shen Seet teaches students to learn from the mistakes of the past in thinking about the future.

  • Senior lecturer in Master of Teaching (Primary) Dr Helen Adam on why young children need to be exposed to books containing cultural diversity.

  • Luke Brook, PhD (Computer Science) talks about how he's able to study, help raise 4 kids and hold down a job.

  • Dr Stacey Reinke's research looks at data as the driving force behind understanding biology and disease.

  • Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Jacques Oosthuizen is investigating the affects of hazardous chemicals on firefighters.

  • WA Regional General Manager for Siemens Limited, Andrew McCluskey, discusses why he decided to study an MBA at ECU.

  • Associate Dean of Public Health and OHS and Professor of Public Medicine Amanda Devine is working to develop education resources about healthy food and drinks for kids.

  • Meet Helena Halton, Director of Postgraduate Nursing Studies and Nurse Practitioner at ECU's Chronic Disease Wellness Clinic.

  • Arts & Humanities Senior Lecturer Dr Christopher Kueh talks about his research and his design philosophy.

  • Associate Professor Erin Godecke is Senior Research Fellow in Speech Pathology and the Clinical Director of the Very Early Rehabilitation in SpeEch (VERSE) Trial for Aphasia after Stroke.

  • Cyber security and digital forensics lecturer Dr Patryk Szewczyk says personal information should not be stored on devices you're disposing of.

  • Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics Therese O'Sullivan's research into dairy products for children has received global attention.

  • School of Education senior lecturer Dr Christine Cunningham identifies trends to help in the education of qualified teachers.

  • Senior Lecturer and researcher Dr Carolyn McIntyre is an integral part of ECU's exercise medicine oncology team.

Student stories

  • Melissa Fitzgerald

    Melissa Fitzgerald

    Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance - Instrumental) graduate & PhD candidate

    "Studying classical guitar at WAAPA is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences"

    I began my studies as a timid girl with much to learn, but found quickly that being surrounded by passionate staff and students every day created an excellent environment for learning and developing my craft. All of the classes helped to further my development as a musician, however for me, the highlight was my individual tuition, workshop classes, and frequent performance opportunities as they really helped me to grow in confidence and gain experience as a performer.

  • Janice Du Preez

    Janice Du Preez

    PhD candidate (Early stage dementia)

    "The potential to affect real change was all the motivation I needed"

    I completed my B.Sc. OT (Hons) by research degree at ECU and found a deeply hidden love for research. Against all odds, I was offered a PhD Candidacy and awarded an ECU Postgraduate Research Award and an Inspiring Minds Award. This provided me with the financial means to continue further study.

    Knowing I would be supervised by experienced researchers who are experts in the field of OT, and having my family's full support, certainly gave me the courage I needed to take on this challenge. Also, the knowledge that my research has the potential to affect real change was all the motivation I needed to continue studying.

  • Stacey McKenzie

    Early Childhood Education

    "I feel really confident and ready to go out into the workforce"

    After working closely with many talented and passionate educators in her role with the Association of Independent Schools, Stacey McKenzie felt inspired to study Early Childhood Education part-time at ECU.