Program Overview

Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Resource Development is a 1-year, part-time program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to tackle growing challenges facing the resources sector. This program is co-designed by industry experts and taught by leading academics, providing students with practical understanding and robust skills to make meaningful contributions to the health and sustainability of the sector.

Program Structure

The program offers flexible on-campus and online delivery options, allowing students to structure their studies around their work commitments. Courses contributing to the Graduate Certificate in Resource Development (Mining Foundations) offer flexible on-campus and online delivery options, while courses contributing to the Graduate Certificate in Resource Development (Mining Operations) offer an online program with an intensive study period held in Brisbane.

Fields of Study

The program offers two fields of study:

• Mining Foundations: A pathway for professionals who have studied other engineering specialisations or technical disciplines to transition to roles in the resources sector.
• Mining Operations: Provides an opportunity for professionals who have completed studies in mining or other engineering specialisations, or in technical disciplines who have worked in the resources sector and applied this knowledge within the context of an operational mine site.

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for entry, students must have:

• A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, or
• For the Mining Foundations field of study only, completed 2 years full-time, post-secondary studies, plus 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience. Students must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in their previous qualification.

Relevant Disciplines

Relevant disciplines depend on the field of study:

• For the Mining Foundations field of study, relevant disciplines include geology sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, surveying, spatial science, or an engineering field other than mining.
• For the Mining Operations field of study, relevant disciplines include mining engineering.

Relevant Work Experience

For the Mining Foundations field of study, relevant work experience includes 2 years of work in a relevant engineering environment, supported by evidence.

Fees and Scholarships

The indicative annual fee for the program is approximately $20,392. Domestic students who are accepted into the Graduate Certificate in Resource Development pay tuition fees, and may be eligible for FEE-HELP, an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their tuition fees.

How to Apply

All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ. The program code for the Graduate Certificate in Resource Development is 5773. International students who want to study this program will not be eligible for a Student Visa (subclass 500).

Career Possibilities

Postgraduate study can lead to various career opportunities, including:

• Mining adviser
• Mineral exploration consultant
• Engineering manager
• Mining engineer
• Mining Technologist/Associate
• Mine geotechnical engineer
• Drill and blast engineer
• Mine planning engineer
• Short-term planner
• Mine production engineer

Program Highlights

• New in 2025
• Flexible on-campus and online delivery options
• Co-designed with industry professionals
• Ranked 6 in the world for mineral and mining engineering (QS World University Rankings 2025)
• Ranked 1 in Queensland for mineral and mining engineering (QS World University Rankings 2025)