7 timely qualifications you can study online in 2024
Whether you’re a Year 12 thinking about changing your course plans, or a professional with your eye on a career shift, this list should give you food for thought.
As the year winds down and the weather heats up, you may be daydreaming about a summer by the pool (fair). But you might also be thinking about what your study plans could hold for 2024.
Popular courses like a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Education can be obvious first choices if you have your heart set on a specific career. But if you’re interested in following a more unconventional path—or maybe studying something influenced by current events—then there are other qualifications worth knowing about too.
Check out this list of new, exciting and timely qualifications you can study online through us in 2024.
1. A Diploma of Creative Arts and Health with University of Tasmania
In a recent poll, it was revealed that the field most 15- to 24-year-olds would like to get into is mental health therapy.
Whether you fall into that age range or not, there are several ways you can pursue this as a career, by studying psychology, counselling—or creative art therapy. Creative art therapy involves using music, visual arts and theatre to relieve loneliness, anxiety and depression among the elderly, young people and those living in rural areas. It could be a perfect direction for you if you’re social, intuitive, and compassionate, and you’d like to use the arts to make others’ lives better.
You can enter this field with a Diploma of Creative Arts and Health from the University of Tasmania. If you enrol through us, you can get into this course regardless of your ATAR result.
2. A Bachelor of Software Engineering (Artificial Intelligence) with Torrens University
As OpenAI continues its bid for world domination, one thing is becoming clear—AI knowledge is set to be a non-negotiable for work in certain industries, including IT, marketing and graphic design.
This course will qualify you for a career in software development, where complex artificial intelligence problems are increasingly the norm. You’ll graduate as an expert in the algorithms that help machines learn, and in natural language processing—which is what gives ChatGPT and other generative AI tools the ability to understand text and the spoken word.
3. A Bachelor of International Aid and Development with Murdoch University
While it’s impossible not to feel helpless during times of international turmoil, there are study paths you can take to support communities affected by war, political division or poverty. One way you can get qualified to work with overseas agencies like the United Nations is to study international aid and development.
This particular course prepares you to work with communities in the aftermath of disasters—to make a lasting difference. You can apply for entry through us no matter your ATAR.
4. A Master of Climate Change with Australian National University
Australia faces a myriad of risks from climate change, including extreme weather events, property loss and a rise in long-term health disorders. This masters degree is ideal for those who want to understand the science and politics behind climate change and advocate for policy changes at the highest levels. You’ll need a prior undergraduate degree in any discipline to apply.
5. A Graduate Certificate in Space Environment with Curtin University
Believe it or not, Australia has a small but growing space industry. Over 16,000 people are employed at our national space agency and for various startups in areas like manufacturing, design, engineering and even space law, and that number is set to rise over the coming years.
The short qualification is a great introduction to the sector if you already work in a related field like science or finance. You'll learn about the business behind space exploration, plus the risks and opportunities it presents, which could prepare you for roles locally or overseas.
6. A Bachelor of Indigenous Knowledge with Southern Cross University
The Voice to Parliament may not have passed, but there is still plenty of work that can be done to improve ways of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Earning this qualification will increase your Indigenous cultural knowledge so that you can work alongside community groups and organisations in a project management or administration role. You could go on to fight for better outcomes in areas like education, environmental management, social welfare or the law.
7. A Bachelor of Arts (Digital and Social Media) with Curtin University
It should come as no surprise that digital media marking is the fourth most popular career path young people want to pursue after uni, if we go back to that Gen Z poll. Digital media marketing, which can encompass everything from social media management to influencer marketing, is a creative role when you can flex all sorts of skills, including copywriting, graphic design, photography and video editing. It’s an industry that is also constantly changing and adopting new technologies, which can be an exciting thing to be a part of.
This specialised Bachelor of Arts teaches you how to manage digital media for business purposes. You’ll develop skills across marketing, business, design, and information technology, which will make you a well-rounded expert in online communications. You don’t need an ATAR to enrol in this course through Open Universities Australia.
Want to study something that matters to you next year, but not sure where to start? Book a call with one of our friendly student advisors to get free one-on-one uni advice. Or browse all the exciting courses that are available in 2024.
