Quick Facts
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Year of Establishment
2003
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QS Overall ranks
584
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Graduate Employability
Yes
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On campus Accommodation
Yes
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Scholarship
Available
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Location
Casuarina, NT, Australia
Charles Darwin University, Australia
Charles Darwin University is a state university in Australia that has campuses in Darwin and six in the regional and metropolitan areas of the Northern Territory in the form of satellite campuses. CDU was established in 2003 after the merger of the Menzies School of Health Research, Northern Territory University, and Centralian College. It is the biggest tertiary education institution in the Northern Territory and provides academic degrees and vocational education programs. Close to it are First Nations learning and research, in which it is a member of the Northern Australia Universities Alliance and focuses on tropical savannas.
In 1974, Darwin Community College was founded, which was later to be reorganized into the Casuarina Campus of Charles Darwin University. They changed the name in 1985 to Darwin Institute of Technology, which offers an amalgamation of the College of Advanced Education and TAFE. In the year 1989, they changed the university to the Northern Territory University, and it offered undergraduate courses in arts, business, education, and science.
Faculties available in the university
- Accounting
- Arts
- Business
- Communications and Design
- Community Services and Social Work
- Creative and Performing Arts
- Culinary Arts and Hospitality
- Education
- Engineering
- Exercise and Sport Science
- Hair and Beauty Services
Charles Darwin University: Top Courses
Charles Darwin University (CDU) is a recognized institution with high graduate employment outcomes, second in Australia in this category, and has both an interest in innovation and sustainability. It is also identified as having a strong research and support of Indigenous students.
Bachelor Courses
The Charles Darwin University offers a range of bachelor degrees programmes in various fields. These undergraduate degree programmes are designed to provide students with a deeper knowledge of the field which prepares you to build a career in that particular field. You can pursue these bachelor degree programmes via any mode online or offline. Here is the list of the popular bachelor degrees programme at Charles Darwin University.
| Courses | Duration |
|---|---|
| Arts | 3 years |
| Accounting | 3 years |
| Science | 3 years |
| Engineering | 4 years (or 5 years if an integrated master's) |
| Nursing/Health Science | 3 years (with extensive professional placements) |
| Law | 3 years for an LLB, or 4 years for an honors degree |
| IT and Network Engineering | 3 years (Bachelor of Computer Application) |
| Education | 3-4 years |
Master’s Course
In Australia, Charles Darwin University (CDU) has a number of master's degrees with the typical full-time program length of between 1.5 and 2 years, depending on the degree program and the prior educational background of the new student.
| Courses | Duration |
|---|---|
| Business (e.g., MBA) | 1.5 - 2 years |
| Master of Data Science | 2 years |
| Master of Engineering | 2 years |
| Master of Education | 2 years |
| Master of Public Health | 2 years |
| Master of Accounting Professional Practice | 2 years |
| Environmental Management | 2 years |
PhD Courses
Charles Darwin University offers a range of PhD programmes to its students and these are designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge of the programme and field. Students can complete a Phd programme within 3 to 4 years and in this duration you will work and study under professionals which prepares you to achieve higher goals in your career and work on the advanced level roles. PhD program at Charles Darwin University (CDU) of Australia, and valuable information is summarised in the following table:
| Courses | Duration |
|---|---|
| Health | 3 to 4 years |
| Environmental Studies | 3 to 4 years |
| Engineering and Information Technology | 3 to 4 years |
| Education and Arts | 3 to 4 years |
| Social and Public Policy | 3 to 4 years |
| Humanities, Social Sciences, and Languages | 3 to 4 years |
| Tropical Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Biosecurity | 3 to 4 years |
Foundation Courses
CDU has several foundation programs and entry pathways that can help students achieve the entry requirements for a bachelor’s degree. These courses take up to 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the program, the workload of the students, and previous qualifications. Here are the typical durations for some of CDU's key foundation and enabling programs:
| Courses | Duration |
|---|---|
| International Foundation Studies Program (FSP) | 9 months |
| Tertiary Enabling Program (TEP) | 1 semester (approx. 6 months) to 1 year |
| Undergraduate Certificates | 6 months to 1 year |
| VET Certificate IV | 6 - 12 months |
| VET Diploma | 1 - 2 years |
Diploma
CDU has a range of Diploma programs and Diploma courses in various areas, which are mainly in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. The conventional full-time study period of the majority of Diploma programs at CDU is one to two years. Here are some examples of Diploma courses and their typical full-time durations.
| Courses | Duration |
|---|---|
| Diploma of Nursing | 18 months to 2 years |
| Diploma of Business | 1 year |
| Diploma of Accounting | 1 year |
| Diploma of Information Technology | 1 year |
| Diploma of Leadership and Management | 1 year |
| Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care | 1 year |
| Diploma of Community Services | 1 year |
| Diploma of Hospitality Management | 1 year |
Charles Darwin University Ranking
Charles Darwin University has an excellent standing in the national and international community of universities. The rank of the CDU is 621-630 in the global standing of the 2025 QS world university rankings. According to Times Higher Education and World University rankings, CDU is often one of the best colleges in the country and especially when it comes to social equity. Besides general global and national rankings, CDU always receives great applause with respect to the given performance indicators. The Good Universities Guide 2025 has placed CDU top in the graduate employment outcome, with the university ranked as the eighth-best in Australia in terms of full-time undergraduate employment and the second-best in terms of full-time postgraduate employment. Moreover, CDU is also doing well in the young university rankings, being ranked 76th in the world in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2024. It also has a high number of academic staff members who are ranked as being amongst the top 2 percent of researchers in their respective fields across the globe.
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December 11, 2025
