Program Overview

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Overview

The Graduate Diploma in Resource Development is a 2-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 Highlights

• New in 2025
• Flexible on-campus and online delivery options, allowing students to study around their work commitments
• Co-designed with industry professionals

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for entry, students will need:

• A bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, or
• To have completed 2 years full-time equivalent, post-secondary study, plus 2 years full-time equivalent, relevant work experience
• A grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in their previous qualification

Relevant Disciplines for Previous Qualifications

Relevant disciplines include geology sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, surveying, spatial science, or an engineering field other than mining.

Relevant Work Experience

Relevant work experience includes 2 years of work in a relevant engineering environment. This will need to be supported with evidence.

Fees and Scholarships

Indicative Annual Fee

Approximate yearly cost of tuition (8 units). Fees are reviewed each year and may increase.

• $20,392 (2026)

Government Assistance

• FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their tuition fees
• Centrelink support: The Australian Government offers a number of income-support payments to eligible Australian university students

Scholarships

Students may be eligible for more than 100 scholarships, including:

• Aquatec Maxcon Scholarship
• Edwin Munro Scholarship in Agricultural Science
• Roslyn Griffiths Veterinary Science Bursary
• Rowe Scientific Foundation PNG STEM Scholarship

How to Apply

All international applications should be submitted to UQ. The program code for the Graduate Diploma in Resource Development is 5774. International students who want to study this program will not be eligible for a Student Visa (subclass 500).

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

Career Possibilities

Postgraduate study can take students anywhere. Some of the careers students could be on their way to include:

• Mining adviser
• Mineral exploration consultant
• Engineering manager
• Mining engineer
• Drill and blast engineer
• Mine planning engineer
• Short-term planner
• Mine production engineer
• Scheduler
• Technical services superintendent

Program Structure

• The program is 2 years part-time
• Location: St Lucia
• Duration: 2 years part-time
• Start Semester: Semester 1 (23 Feb, 2026), Semester 2 (27 Jul, 2026)
• Program Code: 5774
• AQF: Level 8
• Scholarships available

How You'll Learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

• Lectures
• Online study
• Workshops

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:

• Integrated Orebody Knowledge
• Applied Mining Geomechanics

Events

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• InspireU Gatton experience day
• Queensland Biology Winter School, Year 12
• International Baccalaureate Research Skills Program

Stories

See all stories

• What’s it like to study resource development (mining) as a postgraduate?
• UQ science scholarships to help fund your studies
• Why study engineering at UQ?