Online Diploma

• Course Overview
• Course Objectives
• Admission Requirements
• Course Structure
• Course Completion
• Calendar
• Fees
• Course Delivery
• Nominal Hours and Assessment
• Complaints Procedure
• Gaining your Qualification
• Academic Staff
• Applying and Enquiries

Course Overview

The Diploma of International Education Services is designed to lead students through the diverse and complex world of working in international education. It offers practitioners, and those wishing to enter the field, opportunities to develop a range of competencies to increase work effectiveness in culturally diverse settings, including communication and management skills across a number of areas.

The Diploma addresses the professional needs of people working in a range of roles, including:

• Administration;
• International student recruitment and admissions;
• International student services and support; and
• Management in areas such as transnational education, compliance, and policy development.

The Diploma has been developed in consultation with professionals and organisations in the international education industry. The course is accredited under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).

Course Objectives

The course aims to reflect and enhance the workplace experience of students in the course.  Learning and assessment tasks are based on workplace situations, and explore a number of responsibilities in both management and operational roles.

The Diploma aims to enable students to:

• Develop their skills and knowledge in their current roles;
• access a wide range of work-related experiences in an educational context;
• Develop networks and productive links with other professionals and international education organisations;
• Use work-based practice examples for competency development;
• Improve their understanding of the international education environment;
• Increase familiarity with a range of key resources and current information;
• Increase their capacity for professional mobility; and
• Develop confidence in using an online learning environment.

Admission Requirements

There are no admission requirements for this course. However it is strongly recommended that students:

• Possess competencies such as those attained through at least a year 12 high school certificate;
• Work in the field of international education, or are familiar with the international education environment;
• Have English language proficiency appropriate to a language-based Diploma course. For example, a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 would be advisable for English as a Second Language learners.

Course Structure

To be awarded the Diploma of International Education Services, a student must complete a total of 10 subjects:

• 7 Core Subjects; and
• 3 Elective Subjects , which include specialisations in Management Marketing and Client Service.

The following table shows the availability of each subject ( O = available, and X = not available).

DIPLOMA SUBJECTS*	SUBJECT OUTLINES	SEM 3 2010	SEM 1 2011	SEM 2 2011
CORE SUBJECTS
C1 – Introduction to International Education	PDF	O	O	O
C2 – Roles & Responsibilities in International Education	PDF	O	O	O
C3 – Managing Issues & Critical Incidents	PDF	O	O	O
C4 – Communication in Culturally Diverse Workplaces	PDF	O	O	O
C5 – Working with Legislation & Regulations	PDF	O	O	O
C6 – Managing Effective Workplace Relationships	PDF	O	O	O
C7* – Managing Client Services and Processes in International Education	PDF	O	O	O
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS
E1 – Managing International Education: Marketing & Student Recruitment	PDF	O	O	O
E2 – Managing International Education: Finance & Administration	PDF	O	O	O
E3 – Managing International Education: Offshore Programs & Projects	X	X	X	X
E4 – Managing International Education: Events & Activities	X	X	X	X
E5 – Client Service: International Student Pastoral Care	PDF	O	O	O
E6 – Client Service: International Student Accommodation	PDF	O	O	O

* Subjects from C1 to C6 must be completed prior to students attempting C7.

Suggested Enrolment Patterns

• C1 and C2 should be completed first.  These are foundation subjects for the course.
• Electives can be taken at the same time as core subjects, after the completion of C1, C2 and C3.

Single subjects:

• It is strongly recommended that students complete C1 first as a preparation for any other subjects.
• Students may enrol in single subjects only and a Statement of Attainment will be issued for each subject successfully completed.
• Students undertaking subjects out of the recommended sequence C1 to C7 should be aware that prior knowledge and skills may be assumed.

Course Completion

Students may complete the Diploma as follows:

• Full-time - a maximum of 4 subjects per semester.
• Part-time  - Over a maximum of four years part-time. This is to ensure skills and knowledge remain current.
• Diploma students who are working full-time may not enrol in more than 2 subjects per semester, except in special circumstances.

Calendar

The Diploma Course is delivered over 13 weeks per semester, with 3 semesters each year.  Semester dates are outlined below and are subject to change.

See Significant dates 2009 - 2011 for a complete calendar.

Significant dates for Semester 2, 2010 commencing 19th of July:

• Applications & re-enrolments open Monday 24 May 2010
• Deadline for offer acceptance and payments - 07 July 2010
• Deadline for withdrawal without penalty – 16 July 2010, 12pm Brisbane, QLD time 
• Deadline for refund of fees (less an administration fee of $50) – 02 August 2010
• Deadline for deferment, having the fees held for Semester 3, 2010 only - 6 August 2010

Diploma course Fees *

 * This explanatory note applies only to existing PIER diploma students.

Course Delivery

All subjects are delivered online. Students enrolling in the course must be proficient at using a computer and have access to a suitable computer and internet facilities.

Students are expected to participate in Discussion Boards and some online Group Activities (requires the use of Skype, messenger or other suitable software to communicate with others in the group).

From time to time optional face-to-face meetings and workshops may be offered to explore particular aspects of the content. Workshops will incur an additional fee, and details of these opportunities will be available at enrolment.

Nominal Hours and Assessment

In general, each subject requires approximately 3-5 hours per week of study depending on a student's prior knowledge and familiarity with an online learning environment.

Students are required to work on a week by week schedule, and manage their time commitments throughout the semester.

Assessment is both formative and summative and includes individual, collaborative and workplace tasks. Some examples are:

• Online quizzes;
• Assessment activities requiring reports and analysis;
• Participation in discussion groups;
• Group tasks;
• Research projects.

Complaints Procedures

Students are encouraged to contact the PIER team under any circumstances.

In case of an unsatisfactory service or a dispute, students can lodge complaints by sending an email to info@pieronline.org or to the PIER Manager, Paula Dunstan at pdunstan@pieronline.org.

If a complaint involves a tutor, students can lodge the complaint directly with the tutor, or to Paula Dunstan. Alternatively the complaint can be sent to IES Managing Director, Chris Evason at cevason@pieronline.org.

Further information about lodging complaints can be found on the QLD Office of Fair Trading website.

Gaining your Qualification

Students will receive a Certificate upon successful completion of the Diploma of International Education Services.

Students can request a Statement of Attainment for the competencies they have met through the subjects successfully completed, if they do not wish to continue with the Diploma.

You can view the relationship between each subject and the accredited unit of competency here.

In order to request a Statement of Attainment, students should email info@pieronline.org.

Academic Staff

The Diploma has been developed by PIER’s academic staff.  These individuals:

• are highly qualified practitioners in international education;
• have recognised teaching qualifications; and
• have a wide range of experience in all education sectors and relevant organisations.

Applying and Enquiries

See Information For Applicants for details on how to apply for the Diploma of International Education Services.

For course enquiries please contact info@pieronline.org.

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