Skip to content
Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)

Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) (GDNS)

Entry requirements
Study mode
  • On-campus
  • External
Campus
  • Toowoomba
Duration
  • 1 year or part-time equivalent
Start
  • Feb, May, Sep
Note: One year full-time study is only available for Semester 1 (February) entry.

Overview

  • UniSQ’s Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) is ideal if you have a three-year engineering degree and you want to extend your knowledge and practical experience in mechanical engineering.
  • This eight-unit degree combines advanced study and practice of mechanical engineering, empowering you to design, inspect, manage and test technologies, systems and procedures.
  • Examine fluid dynamics and combustion, along with the basic laws of motion and the concepts of force, energy, momentum, impulse and vibration which is fundamental to the study of mechanics and the solution of many engineering problems.

Further study

When you complete your Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering you could take the credit from your studies and go on to complete the Master of Professional Engineering where you will have the opportunity to do a research project and dissertation to apply your formal knowledge to a real world issue.

Professional accreditation

The Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering is not accredited by any professional bodies other than the University of Southern Queensland. It does however provide a pathway to the Master of Professional Engineering which is provisionally accredited with Engineers Australia for membership as a graduate Professional Engineer.

Career outcomes

  • As a mechanical engineering graduate, you could work in manufacturing, refineries, mining, transportation, computing, energy, and education industries. Your experience could see you solving practical engineering problems and improving efficiency.

Entry requirements

  • Australian university three or four-year Bachelor degree, or equivalent, in engineering in the relevant specialisation (major).
    or
  • Completion of an appropriate four-year embedded honours Bachelor degree, or equivalent, in engineering in a non-related specialisation (major field).

English language requirements

You are required to meet the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires a minimum of IELTS 6.5 with a minimum 6.0 in each subscore. UniSQ also accepts other English language proficiency tests.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can apply to study with our English language partner, the Union Institute of Language (UIL).

Inherent requirements

There are inherent requirements that must be met in order to successfully complete this degree. Inherent requirements are fundamental skills, capabilities and knowledge that students must be able to demonstrate in order to achieve the essential learning outcomes of the degree, while maintaining the academic integrity of the degree. Please read and understand the inherent requirements specific to the Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering before applying.

If you think you may experience any problems meeting inherent requirements, you can talk to a Student Equity Officer about reasonable adjustments that may be put in place to assist you. Any reasonable adjustments made must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have pathway options available to you.

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 8 units.

Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 4
Specialisation courses 4
Total 8

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for an example of courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Fees and scholarships

Your actual fees may vary depending on the courses you select. We review our fees annually so these may be subject to change.

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this degree are:

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported

The Federal Government contributes to the cost of your course and you need to pay a student contribution.

AUD 9312
Domestic full fee paying

You are responsible for the full cost of your course and are charged a tuition fee.

AUD 32160

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2025. 

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level. Find out if you are eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships

At UniSQ, we offer a range of scholarships to support your success at university. Find a scholarship that works for you.

How to apply

Complete your online application directly to UniSQ.

Intakes

You can select to start your study in Trimester 1, 2 or 3.

Study period  Application closing date Orientation  Study period start date Finish date
Trimester 1, 2025  Monday 10 February Monday 3 February  Monday 10 February  Friday 9 May
Trimester 2, 2025 Monday 26 May Monday 19 May Monday 26 May  Friday 22 August
Trimester 3, 2025 Monday 8 September Monday 1 September Monday 8 September Friday 5 December 

More information on applying key dates is available.

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at UniSQ that is relevant to you.

Two men collaborating at a computer workstation in an office environment.

Got questions?

 

Begin your study journey today with the university rated 5/5 stars for graduates starting salaries* and start the degree that’s right for you.

*Good Universities Guide 2025

Talk to us