For international students, deciding what to study in Australia is more than deciding on a qualification. It's about choosing the path that corresponds to your interests, your plans for the future and the type of industry you want to be in. Are you interested in Australia’s growing infrastructure sector and keen to understand how major projects are planned, developed and delivered? You may be interested in Civil Construction Design. There are Diploma and Advanced Diploma options which allow students to compare the two levels and determine which pathway is the most suitable for their study goals.
International students usually qualify with the RII50520 Diploma of Civil Construction Design and the RII60520 Advanced Diploma of Civil Construction Design.
Both qualifications are for civil construction design but vary in the level of skills, responsibilities and learning outcomes.
The RII50520 Diploma of Civil Construction Design is intended to build the skills of civil construction designers and design paraprofessionals who may work with professional engineers.
Students may develop practical and technical capabilities across areas such as:
computer-aided design (CAD)
engineering mathematics
technical drawing and modelling
subdivision design
drainage design
foundation design
structural design
civil construction documentation.
The Diploma can be suitable for students who want to build a broad foundation before progressing to more advanced civil design studies.
The RII60520 Advanced Diploma of Civil Construction Design focuses on more complex civil works design responsibilities.
Compared with the Diploma, students may explore higher-level areas such as:
complex civil design processes
project risk management
safe design principles
quality management
urban road design
steel and concrete structures
geotechnical design
The Advanced Diploma is therefore not just a longer Diploma. It develops skills associated with more complex design decisions, project responsibility and civil works planning.
Here is a quick comparison for students researching civil construction design courses in Australia:
Entry requirements can differ between providers.
International students may commonly need to demonstrate:
completion of Year 12 or an equivalent qualification
appropriate English-language ability
suitable language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills
Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
completion of a pre-training review or similar assessment.
Some providers may also require students to complete the Diploma before progressing to the Advanced Diploma as part of a packaged program. For example, SITS College requires students in its packaged pathway to successfully complete the RII50520 Diploma of Civil Construction Design before progressing to the RII60520 Advanced Diploma of Civil Construction Design.
Students should always review the latest course information before enrolling because admission requirements may change.
A Diploma of Civil Construction Design is a qualification, and not a job or employment guarantee, but students often look at career options after completing one..
Depending on an individual’s experience, skills and employer requirements, these qualifications may be relevant to work associated with areas such as:
civil drafting
civil design support
road and drainage design
structural drafting
infrastructure design
technical civil construction support.
The Advanced Diploma has more senior and complex civil works design responsibilities than the Diploma.
What work might be available, and what that might entail, depends on the individual, the employer’s expectations and any rules that might apply.
The Diploma focuses on developing broad technical civil design capabilities, while the Advanced Diploma covers more complex design, project, risk and management responsibilities.
Yes. International students may study these qualifications where they are offered through an appropriately registered CRICOS education provider, and the student meets the relevant admission and visa requirements.
Nationally, RII60520 currently has no formal training-package entry requirement. However, individual education providers may require completion of RII50520 before entering the Advanced Diploma, particularly within packaged programs.
The Advanced Diploma is not equivalent to a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. Students seeking to become professional engineers should investigate appropriate university qualifications and professional accreditation requirements.
