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Different Levels of Qualifications in Australia

In Australia, education and training is a shared responsibility of all Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. Education, training and employment ministers collectively own and are responsible for the AQF.

The AQF provides the standards for Australian qualifications. It is an integrated policy that The AQF is the national policy for regulated qualifications in the Australian education and training system. It incorporates the quality assured qualifications from each education and training sector into a single comprehensive national qualifications framework.

 

The following levels of Australian qualifications have been determined by AQF. This is a brief description of each qualification level. If you want to get in-depth knowledge of any of the following qualifications, please visit the link "Click here to...." at the end of the explaination of each qualification. This will open a full qualification description/specification on a PDF file. So a PDF reader should be installed on your PC/device.

Senior Secondary Certificate of Education qualifications are not located at a particular level in the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education qualification type is to qualify individuals with knowledge, skills and values for diverse pathways to further learning, work and effective participation in civic life. Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Certificate I qualifications are located at level 1 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Certificate I qualification type is to qualify individuals with basic functional knowledge and skills to undertake work, further learning and community involvement.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Certificate II qualifications are located at level 2 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Certificate II qualification type is to qualify individuals to undertake mainly routine work and as a pathway to further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Certificate III qualifications are located at level 3 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Certificate III qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a broad range of knowledge and skills in varied contexts to undertake skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Certificate IV qualifications are located at level 4 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Certificate IV qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a broad range of specialised knowledge and skills in varied contexts to undertake skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Diploma qualifications are located at level 5 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Diploma qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply integrated technical and theoretical concepts in a broad range of contexts to undertake advanced skilled or paraprofessional work and as a pathway for further learning.Diploma qualifications are available for accreditation and issuance in both higher education and vocational education and training.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Advanced Diploma qualifications are located at level 6 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Advanced Diploma qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply specialised knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake advanced skilled or paraprofessional work and as a pathway for further learning.Advanced Diploma qualifications are available for accreditation and issuance in both higher education and vocational education and training.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Associate Degree qualifications are located at level 6 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Associate Degree qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply underpinning technical and theoretical knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake paraprofessional work and as a pathway for further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Bachelor Degree qualifications are located at level 7 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Bachelor Degree qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake professional work and as a pathway for further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Bachelor Honours Degree qualifications are located at level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Bachelor Honours Degree qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a body of knowledge in a specific context to undertake professional work and as a pathway for research and further learning.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Graduate Certificate qualifications are located at level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Graduate Certificate qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a body of knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake professional or highly skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.Graduate Certificate qualifications are available for accreditation and issuance in both higher education and vocational education and training.Click here to get its full specification.

 

 

Graduate Diploma qualifications are located at level 8 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Graduate Diploma qualification type is to qualify individuals who apply a body of knowledge in a range of contexts to undertake professional or highly skilled work and as a pathway for further learning.Graduate Diploma qualifications are available for accreditation and issuance in both higher education and vocational education and training.Click here to get its full specification.

 

Masters Degree qualifications are located at level 9 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

There are three main forms of Masters Degrees within the Masters Degree qualification type: the Masters Degree (Research), the Masters Degree (Coursework) and the Masters Degree (Extended).

 

The purpose of the Masters Degree (Research) is to qualify individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for research and scholarship and as a pathway for further learning.

 

The purpose of the Masters Degree (Coursework) is to qualify individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice or scholarship and as a pathway for further learning.

 

The purpose of the Masters Degree (Extended) is to qualify individuals who apply an advanced body of knowledge in a range of contexts for professional practice and as a pathway for further learning.

 

Click here to get its full specification.

 


Doctoral Degree qualifications are located at level 10 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The purpose of the Doctoral Degree is to qualify individuals who apply a substantial body of knowledge to research, investigate and develop new knowledge, in one or more fields of investigation, scholarship or professional practice.Research is the defining characteristic of all Doctoral Degree qualifications. The research Doctoral Degree (typically referred to as a Doctor of Philosophy) makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge; the professional Doctoral Degree (typically titled Doctor of [field of study]) makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge in the context of professional practice. The emphasis in the learning outcomes and research may differ between the different forms of Doctoral Degree qualifications but all graduates will demonstrate knowledge, skills and the application of the knowledge and skills at AQF level 10.Click here to get its full specification.

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