# Postgraduate study

**Source**: https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/postgraduate-study
**Parent**: https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us

[### Graduate certificates](https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/postgraduate-study/graduate-certificates)

A graduate certificate is a short, focused course of study that is designed to help you gain specialised knowledge and skills in a particular area. They typically take about six months to a year to complete, depending on whether you study full-time or part-time. This makes them a flexible option for working professionals looking to advance their careers or explore new opportunities.

[### Graduate diplomas](https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/postgraduate-study/graduate-diplomas)

A graduate diploma is designed to provide you with advanced knowledge and skills in a specific field, making it a great option if you want to deepen your expertise or shift your career focus. It offers more in-depth study than a graduate certificate but is shorter than a master's degree. Typically, a graduate diploma takes about one year of full-time study to complete, though part-time options are also available.

### Masters

A masters degree is an advanced postgraduate qualification that provides advanced specialist or professional training in a particular discipline or interdisciplinary area and can lead to professional accreditation. Some masters degrees also offer pathways to doctorate specialisations. It typically takes one to two years of full-time study to complete, though part-time options are also available.

[### Research programs](https://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/research-programs)

A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. It involves conducting original research that contributes new knowledge to your field of study. A PhD typically takes three to four years of full-time study to complete, though part-time options are also available and may take longer.