Last Updated on July 31, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
Have you passed 12th standard? Are you looking for the list of best courses after 12th in Australia? If yes, this post will be of help to you. Here, I’ve compiled a list of best courses to do after 12th level in Australia.
In this post, readers will find the following details – different types of courses after 12th (vocational, traditional, technical etc), degrees available in Australia after 12th, advanced degrees (postgraduate), fields of study/disciplines/domains, duration of each course, eligibility criteria, career prospects and more.
Different types of courses after 12th
After completing level 12 schooling, students in Australia have access to different types of courses and academic programs. Broadly speaking, these programs can be classified into the following types on the basis of academic level –
- Vocational programs
- Undergraduate programs
Vocational programs are skill development programs. These programs are aimed at developing relevant industry-specific skills in candidates. For example, culinary arts vocational programs caters to the needs of hotel and hospitality sector. Candidates who undergo culinary arts vocational program will develop skills such as – cooking, food and beverages management, food serving and presentation etc. These skills will help the student find a decent job in hotel and hospitality sector. In other words, a vocational program revolves around a particular domain. For example – vehicle maintenance, welding, masonry, hardware technology etc. The program is crafted with the aim of imparting industry-specific skills among candidates. Apart from vocational courses, 12th completed students are also eligible to pursue undergraduate level programs in Australia. Undergraduate programs can be further classified into the following degrees –
- Associate Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree (Honours)
Come, let us take a close look at the different types of courses and degrees after 12th in Australia. Let us start –
Best Undergraduate Degrees after 12th
Here are some of the best undergraduate level degrees in Australia –
1 Associate Degree
An Associate Degree is shorter than your regular Bachelor’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) programs. If you are not willing to dedicate 4 to 5 years towards a Bachelor’s program, you may choose an Associate Degree program.
Duration
Generally, an Associate Degree program is 2 years long.
Eligibility Criteria
Completed year 12 or equivalent, certificate III or certificate IV.
What after Associate Degree?
After completing an Associate Degree program, you may pursue relevant Bachelor’s Degree program or advanced diploma program.
2 Bachelor’s Degree
A Bachelor’s Degree program is relatively much more detailed than an Associate Degree program. This is the most popular choice among candidates who have completed 12th level in Australia.
Duration
Depending upon the program, course duration could be anywhere between 3 to 5 years.
Eligibility Criteria
Completed year 12 or equivalent, Certificate III or Certificate IV.
What after Bachelor’s Degree?
If permitted, you may go for an additional 1 year Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) program and graduate with honours. Apart from that, one may even pursue postgraduate level programs like – Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Master’s Degree.
3 Bachelor’s Degree (Honours)
Honours program will help you specialize in a specific subject or domain. This program has been crafted keeping the needs of Bachelor’s Degree holders, who want to graduate with honours in a specific subject/area.
Duration
Total duration of the Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) program is 4 years.
Eligibility Criteria
Completed Bachelor’s Degree. Generally, candidates who perform well in Bachelor’s Degree are allowed entry to Honours program. They are allowed to study for an additional year, specialize in a specific subject/domain, and allowed to graduate with honours.
What after Bachelor’s Degree (Honours)?
After completing Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) program, one may even pursue postgraduate level programs like – Postgraduate Diploma or Master’s Degree.
Courses/Field of Study/Domains
Undergraduate programs are known to cover the following main fields of study –
- Agriculture
- Veterinary Science
- Applied Sciences
- Architecture
- Business and Management
- Computer Science and Information Technology
- Creative Arts and Design
- Engineering
- Health and Medicine
- Law
- Social Studies
- Pure Sciences
- Education and Training
- Travel and Hospitality
Best Vocational Programs after 12th
As discussed before, vocational programs are basically skill development programs. These programs focus on different industries/domains/sectors. These programs have been crafted to impart industry-specific skills among candidates. As we all know, meaningful skills can help reduce unemployment rate. Skills can help one get employed! Vocational training programs have been designed to develop such skills among the youth in Australia! Here are some of the salient features of vocational training programs –
- Relatively easier to secure admission into
- Flexible training programs
- Focuses on practical training, experience and knowledge
- Short-term programs
Broadly speaking, vocational training programs in Australia can be classified into the following types –
- Certificate I
- Certificate II
- Certificate III
- Certificate IV
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
Come, let us take a close look at each type of certification –
1 Certificate I
Certificate I training programs typically last for 4 to 6 months. These are entry level vocational training programs. After completing this program, one may get access to this job profile – competent operator.
You may also check –
2 Certificate II
Certificate II training programs typically last for 12 months. After completing this program, one may get access to this job profile – advanced operator.
3 Certificate III
Certificate III training programs typically last for around 12 months. After completing this program, one may get access to this job profile – qualified tradesperson/technician.
4 Certificate IV
Certificate IV training programs typically last for period of 12-18 months. After completing this program, one may get access to this job profile – supervisor.
5 Diploma
Diploma programs typically last for a period of 18 to 24 months. After completing diploma program, one may get access to this job profile – para-professional.
6 Advanced Diploma
Advanced Diploma training programs typically last for a period of 24 to 36 months. After completing this program, one may get access to this job profile – junior manager. After completing vocational program, candidates may pursue relevant Bachelor’s or Associate Degree programs. For example, after completing Certificate III or Certificate IV, it is not uncommon to see candidates apply for relevant Bachelor’s or Associate Degree programs. Here are some of the popular industries/sectors/domains that are covered under vocational training –
- Accounting
- Business
- Hospitality
- Engineering/Technical
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.