The Diploma of General Studies (DGS) program provides individual help with:
Critical thinking
Essay and assignment writing
Managing a study program
Other academic skills.
Students qualify to enter a degree program by demonstrating satisfactory performance in the Diploma of General Studies. Students using the DGS as a pathway to a degree take their relevant academic credits with them when they transfer to a degree course.
Course Code
4964
Duration
Two years full-time equivalent (four semesters). It is not necessary to complete the DGS before applying to start a degree course. Students qualify to enter a degree program by demonstrating satisfactory performance in the diploma.
Mode of Delivery
On campus (Lake Macquarie)
Accreditation
The Diploma of General Studies is accredited by the NSW Department of Education and Training.
The CRICOS registration number for the course is: Diploma of General Studies 057321A
Entry Requirements
Avondale's Diploma of General Studies is designed to cater primarily for the following:
Students who have completed the final year of high school (e.g. Year 12 Australia, Year 13 New Zealand) but whose tertiary entrance score (ATAR or the equivalent) did not permit entry to their desired course;
Persons of mature-age (normally over 19 years) who do not hold a tertiary entrance score;
Persons over 19 years of age whose first language is not English and who may not be adequately prepared to commence most Australian tertiary courses;
Persons who attended other institutions whereby a pathway and/or articulation exists;
Supporting documentation of Year 11 and Year 12 school reports and/or post-secondary studies will assist the Academic Registrar in deciding whether a student needs to complete one or two semesters of General Studies.
Entry Requirements for International Students
Applicants from a country where English is not the first language must demonstrate proficiency in one of the following ways:
Provide documentary evidence that all senior secondary schooling was conducted in the English language, and evidence of a satisfactory pass in English in a British O-level examination or local equivalent.
Obtain an overall IELTS score of 6.0 or better with no individual band score less than 6.0 or equivalent. International applicants are also required to satisfy Australian Government visa requirements.
Course Information Booklet
For more details on the content of this course please download the following booklet:
Diploma of General Studies
To view PDF documents on this website you will need to install Adobe Reader.
Testimonials
‘The Diploma of General Studies is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to start studying a degree course at Avondale. Whether you're a mature age student, straight out of high school or have recently completed a certificate course, you will love the General Studies program.' - Joel Heise
Careers
Most students continue on to complete degrees in Nursing, Education, Theology, Arts, Business and Science at Avondale or other institutions.
Graduates have found employment in hospitals, schools, offices, churches and other work places in Australia and overseas.
Financial Information
The information provided is a guide but will give you an estimate as to the costs associated with studying at Avondale. Actual fee amounts vary on the enrolled course and the units that are taken. Please contact us if you have further questions.
FEE-HELP
If you are a domestic full fee-paying student, you may be eligible for FEE-HELP assistance. FEE-HELP is available for most Avondale higher education courses. FEE-HELP is a Commonwealth loan scheme that assists eligible students to defer payment of their tuition fees. FEE-HELP can cover all or part of a student’s tuition fees, up to a lifetime limit of $86,422 (2011). The $86,422 (2011) FEE-HELP limit is indexed each year. A loan fee of 20% applies to FEE-HELP loans for undergraduate courses of study. The FEE-HELP limit does not include the loan fee. No repayment is required until your income exceeds $44,912 (2010-2011) (CPI indexed).