For Alison Jones, it was diving among corals every day as a dive instructor that compelled her to complete her PhD in coral ecology at CQUniversityThere's a lot to be gained from improving your qualifications. Maybe you're chasing a promotion or a pay rise. Perhaps you want to improve your chances in the job market, or would like to further your research in an area of interest. Whatever your reason, postgraduate study can give you the future you want.

CQUniversity's postgraduate degrees are relevant to what's happening in the real world. The University works with industry and employers to find out what they need, and is always updating courses so they keep pace with current professional practices.

Its postgraduate programs are very flexible with most degrees able to be studied part-time or by distance, so it's easy to combine your study with work and family commitments. And if you are working while you study, your projects can be related to your current workplace.

CQUniversity offers more than 50 innovative and relevant postgraduate programs. The programs provide excellent opportunities to interact with like-minded professionals, to extend industry and professional networks and to work with motivated students - all valuable partners in the learning process.

The postgraduate programs are designed to take into consideration your own experiences, so you can immediately apply learning to your own situation. This makes for more effective learning.

CQUniversity offers postgraduate degrees with coursework or research structures. Students completing a coursework program follow a structured plan, while research degree students undertake supervised research.

Much of CQUniversity's research is conducted through its research centres. The University hosts the Institute of Sustainable Regional Development, Centre for Environmental Management, Centre for Railway Engineering, Centre for Social Science Research and Centre for Plant and Water Science. The University is also actively involved with research centres including the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, the Process Engineering and Light Metals (PELM) Centre and the Koala Research Centre of Central Queensland.

CQUniversity postgraduate programs are available in the areas of business, creative and performing arts, education, engineering and technology, health and recreation, humanities and social sciences, information technology, primary industries and environment, and research higher degree programs are also available.

For the most current information on program offerings follow visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/ or phone 1300 360 444.