Under the revised CET Post-Diploma Qualifications Framework, there are three types of Post-Diploma courses i.e. Advanced Diploma (AD), Specialist Diploma (SD) and Diploma (Conversion) courses. AD and SD courses are both designed to enable existing diploma or degree holders to deepen their knowledge and skills and develop specialisations within their trained discipline areas.
- SD courses will have a shorter duration of between 240 and 300 hours and can generally be completed in about a year (or two 6-month semesters). They will consist of two Post-Diploma Certificates (PDCs).
- AD courses have a broader scope of training and hence will have a duration of between 480 and 600 hours and can generally be completed in about a year and a half to two years (or three to four 6-month semesters). They will consist of three or more Post-Diploma Certificates (PDCs).
On the other hand, Diploma (Conversion) courses seek to prepare existing diploma or degree holders to undertake jobs in a different discipline area, i.e. for career conversion. These courses will have a duration of 240 hours or longer, depending on the amount of time needed to effectively equip an adult learner who possess a diploma/degree qualification with the requisite knowledge and skills to undertake a job in a different discipline area or industry. These programmes are generally completed in a year and offered as two Post-Diploma Certificates (PDCs) for a one-year course. Unlike CET Diplomas which are more broad-based, these Diploma (Conversion) courses are focused and directed towards specific job requirements and therefore can be completed in a much shorter duration.