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Diploma of Visual Arts

This diploma suits people who want to make art seriously and show it publicly, rather than study it only in theory.

  • Duration: 1 year to 18 months
  • Study mode: On campus
  • Course code: CUA51125

Where you can study this course

Where

  • Melbourne Polytechnic

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    Campuses
    13 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    A number of students find the organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, while some rate the facilities and campus highly.

  • TAFE NSW

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    Campuses
    6 campuses
    Duration
    1 year to 18 months
    Study mode
    Varies by campus
    Full fee
    Not stated by provider

    What students say

    Many students speak well of the facilities and campus, and some rate the trainers and teaching highly, though opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching and student support, and some found the organisation and admin frustrating.

  • RMIT University

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    Campuses
    15 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Students often find organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, while some praise the facilities and campus and student support.

  • TAFE Queensland

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    Campuses
    4 campuses
    Duration
    Not stated by provider
    Study mode
    On campus
    Full fee
    $19,020
    Eligible students: subsidised from $11,850, concession $10,305

    What students say

    Many students rate the facilities and campus highly. Some found course content and organisation and admin frustrating, while opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching.

  • TAFE SA

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    26 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    Students rate the trainers, teaching, facilities and campus highly, though some found the organisation, admin and communication frustrating; opinions are mixed on facilities and campus.

  • Central Queensland University

    Visit provider website → (opens in a new tab)
    Campuses
    18 campuses
    Duration
    Not yet checked
    Study mode
    Not yet checked
    Full fee
    Not yet checked

    What students say

    A number of students praise the student support and campus facilities, while many found the organisation and admin frustrating and some had trouble with the enrolment process. Opinions are mixed on student support.

  • North Metropolitan TAFE

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    Campuses
    Perth
    Duration
    Not stated by provider
    Study mode
    On campus
    Full fee
    Not stated by provider

    What students say

    Opinions are mixed on the trainers and teaching, with some students finding the organisation and admin frustrating and a number unhappy with the course content.

  • Chisholm Institute

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    Campuses
    Frankston
    Duration
    Not stated by provider
    Study mode
    Not stated by provider
    Full fee
    $17,673
    Eligible students: subsidised from $10,426

    What students say

    Students rate the trainers and teaching highly, along with student support and course content. Some students found organisation and admin frustrating, and opinions are mixed on student support.

Last reviewed 20 September 2026.

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Is this course right for you?

Entry requirements

Individuals must provide evidence of their technical and organisational skills to conceptualise and create works in selected medium. Skills and knowledge may have been acquired through experience in creative practice or formal study.

  • Providers can set their own conditions, such as a minimum age or a current job in the industry, and practical training may need a workplace placement. Check each provider above.

Entry recommendations

To be prepared for this course, it helps to have:

  • an interest in making art and showing it publicly
  • a willingness to draw and refine visual representation
  • good organisational skills for planning a body of work
  • an eye for safe handling of materials and equipment

What will you learn?

You sharpen your drawing and other ways of representing ideas, then plan and produce a body of work in a medium such as painting, ceramics, printmaking, photomedia, sculpture or digital art. Alongside the studio time you learn how to present and exhibit finished work, keep a practice going over the long term, and handle materials and equipment safely. Entry is open to people who can show they already have some technical and organisational skills, whether from creative work or earlier study.

  • Drawing and visual representation
  • Building a body of work
  • Exhibiting and presenting work
  • Running a sustainable practice
  • Studio safety and materials

Units of competency (5 core, 10 elective)

The qualification is made up of 15 units. Everyone completes the 5 core units below, and the remaining 10 are electives chosen from the list on training.gov.au, so they vary by provider. Select a unit to see what it covers.

  • Loading the details for CUAACD531…

Data from training.gov.au and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (CC BY 4.0).