Graduate Certificate in Interaction Design

What you will study

At UQ, a unit represents the value of individual courses that contribute to the total unit requirements of a program. Most UQ courses have a value of two units, though some may vary depending on the program or course structure.

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Interaction Design, you must complete eight units, normally comprising three or four courses depending on your selections, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth two units.

Flexible core units

Select six to eight units from the following:

• Introduction to Software Innovation
• Introduction to Programming
• Social & Mobile Computing
• Introduction to Web Design
• Design Computing Studio 1 – Interactive Technology
• Digital Prototyping and Extended Reality
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Physical Computing Studio – four units
• Research Methods

Elective units

Select zero to two units from the following:

• Advanced Human-Computer Interaction
• Design Thinking
• Information Visualisation
• Human-Centred AI
• Design Computing Studio 2 – Interaction Design

If you select an elective course, you must complete six units from the flexible core list and two elective units. Alternatively, you may complete all eight units from the flexible core list.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a field other than interaction design, multimedia design, human-computer interaction or user experience design, with a grade point average of at least 4.0 on a seven-point scale.
• Have completed an AQF Level 5 diploma or higher qualification in a field other than interaction design, multimedia design, human-computer interaction or user experience design, with a grade point average of at least 4.0 on a seven-point scale, and have at least three years of full-time equivalent relevant work experience.

Applications based on post-secondary study or work experience are individually assessed.

Relevant experience may include work in a professional, knowledge-based or information-oriented environment, including administration, business, customer support, finance, government, human resources, law, marketing, operations, project management, strategy or sustainability.

UQ’s formal admission criterion requires three years of relevant experience. Although a separate explanatory section refers to a minimum of two years, I recommend retaining the higher three-year requirement until the university resolves this discrepancy.

Supporting documents

Applicants seeking admission based on work experience must provide an employer letter confirming:

• The organisation in which they worked.
• Their relevant duties and responsibilities.
• The duration of employment.
• Whether the employment was full-time, part-time or casual.
• Any other conditions relevant to the admission criteria.

The letter should be on company letterhead and signed by a manager or human resources representative. A CV alone is not sufficient.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency through at least one accepted option, including:

• IELTS: overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL iBT: overall score of 87, with at least 19 in listening, 19 in reading, 21 in writing and 19 in speaking.
• PTE Academic: overall score of 64, with at least 60 in each communicative skill.
• Cambridge English Scale: overall score of 176, with at least 169 in each skill.
• Bridging English: minimum overall grade of 4, with at least a C in each macro skill.
• Other evidence accepted by the university.

The Occupational English Test is not accepted for this course. 

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

ou 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 units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Potential career outcomes include:

• User Experience Designer
• Multimedia Designer
• Interaction Designer

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $4,770 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

• Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
• Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

HECS-HELP loans are available to eligible CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.