Diploma in Innovation FAQs

Points of distinction include:

• access to industry through authentic challenges  
• develop capabilities that are in high demand
• experiential learning (no exams) in fun and engaging 3-week intensive blocks
• combines with any Bachelors degree and double-degree at UTS (except BCII)
• does not affect your graduation date.

While ‘diploma’ normally implies a degree that sits somewhere between high school and a bachelors degree, this one is designed to be done concurrently to a bachelors degree, including double degrees. In this context ‘diploma’ only means that it’s a 48cp degree program (half the credit point of a bachelor degree). It’s a premium experience but contained to 48cp so you can finish it alongside a bachelor degree (single or combined). 

This course enables students to gain exposure to real-world problems and collaborate with a diverse group of students, academics and industry partners, consolidating the course aims in their chosen area of study while developing the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities that are highly sought across all sectors.

As the name suggests, the Diploma in Innovation has a strong emphasis on innovation. This means you get to learn the processes and methods by which ideas are generated, vetted, tested, iterated on, brought to market, adapted to local contexts, and more. These frameworks and capabilities are eye-opening for graduates entering the professional and commercial world beyond their core degree.

The Diploma is available to any undergraduate student at UTS with only one exception: you cannot simultaneously be enrolled in Diploma and the BCII.

Apply direct to UTS through My Student Portal. Not through UAC.

You can apply simultaneously to applying to UTS. If you are accepted to UTS, we’ll then automatically process your application for the Diploma.

Most students apply immediately after they have started their core degree. Students can apply for the Diploma prior to the July or December sessions.

It is recommended to enrol during your first year to graduate simultaneously to your core degree.

You can still enrol later into the Diploma and recombine the subjects in a more intensive way for an accelerated completion, and still meet your core degree’s graduation date.

You cannot study the Diploma by itself (with no core degree), after graduation, or enrol during the final session of your core degree.

No, it cannot be taken full-time. Subjects only run in July, December and February sessions, to enable their integration with your core degree.

Yes. This is a frequent question for 2nd-year students.

There are ways to timetable the subjects to complete the course in less than three years. This is because subjects run across three sessions (July, December and February) and because of how you can double-up Monday & Thursday intensive subjects with Tuesday & Friday ones.

You can enrol in Diploma subjects as electives first, and then upgrade to the Diploma in Innovation. You're able to enrol in just about any of the Diploma subjects as an elective in your core degree(s). If you like what you see and want to commit to more, then apply for the Diploma and: 

a. receive cross credit for the subject(s) you have completed (up to 24 cpt). You do not need to find another elective for your core degree(s) and you finish early; or, 

b. submit an eRequest to count the credit points to the Diploma. You’ll then need to find another elective for your core degree(s). 

Starting 2022, TD School is offering new transdisciplinary general electives to undergraduate students through the TD Electives Program. You can start by studying a TD elective and then enrol in the Diploma and submit an eRequest to count the elective subject as credit towards the Diploma (in place of 81539). Then you’ll have to find another elective for your core degree. 

Ready to roll? Or, want to pack the Diploma into two years? 

No problem. We recommend starting the Diploma in Innovation at TD School in your first year. But, we recognise some students only find out about it in their second year. You can start it in your second year and still finished in your third year. Or, you can graduate from your core degree and return for a 3-week intensive to finish up the Diploma.  

Joint with UTS Startups 

The Diploma in Innovation is perfectly suited to simultaneously registering for support from UTS Startups. The wonderful and sometimes whacky world of startups is best explored in a safe-to-fail environment like university. By the time you graduate, you might be onto your third or fourth startup, dramatically increasing the chances of success with each one. And, UTS students get steeply discounted access to the ProtoSpace, Australia’s most advanced additive manufacturing facility, right under Alumni Green. 

Other options 

A popular choice with students in the Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Management is the Digital Creative Enterprise submajor, which draws on a 24cp mix of subjects from the Diploma. 

The Diploma in Innovation is also the perfect segue into the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence.

Your choice, really!

We generally recommend starting with either 81539 in the Creative Intelligence stream or 94663 in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship stream.

In the Innovation & Entrepreneurship stream, 94662 Fundamental of Innovation must be taken before 94658 Innovation Funding Platforms. They can be taken in any sequence. However, the subjects build on each other best in the sequence of 94663, 94662, and then 94658.

The Diploma in Innovation can be a pathway into the BCII. Eligibility criteria include:

• enrolled in one of 27 eligible core degrees for BCII
• completed 81539 (I2P) and either 81540 OR 81538 in the Diploma’s Creative Intelligence stream
• scored a weighted average mark of 75 or higher across those two Diploma subjects.
• scored a weighted average mark of 65 or higher across all subjects completed in the core degree.

Applications are lodged internally to TD School.

Here's more information about internal course transfers (ICTs) at TD School.

Students already in the BCII who don’t complete the fourth year will be able to graduate with the Diploma in Innovation via the internal course transfer (graduating) process. Applications are lodged internally to TD School.

Here's more information about internal course transfers (ICTs) at TD School.

The BCII is the 96cp component of a combined (double) degree that the vast majority of students enter via UAC. Students enter as a cohort, complete the first 3 years of BCII during the winter and summer breaks and continue with a BCII-focussed 4th-year.

In comparison, to the BCII:

• You typically apply for the Diploma after you have joined UTS, by submitting an online direct application form to UTS. You can even start in your second year, in some cases also in your third year.
• The Diploma works with any (combined) bachelors degree (other than BCII). The BCII is only available in combination with a limited number of other bachelor degrees.
• The Diploma is half the credit load of the BCII (48 cp), so you can still graduate the same time as your core degree.
• The Diploma has a higher ratio of Innovation-to-Creative-Intelligence than the BCII. Innovation is more about implementing change in complex systems. 
• While we share many of the same industry partners, in the Diploma we are quicker to get you comfortable with directly reaching out to your own industry partners for your group work. This develops a strong bias for action, expands your professional network and more authentically reflects the world after graduation.
• The Diploma offers more flexibility to fit university around your life and work, not the other way around. Subjects do not follow a prescribed sequence and expose you to a broader network of students. You might form closer bonds with some familiar faces across subjects, but you will definitely meet a lot of new people across each subject. A by-product of this flexibility is that you develop capabilities to quickly work with almost any student.