Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction

Course Duration
  • 1 year full-time
  • 4 years part-time
Tuition Fees
AU$21,528
at 2027 fees
Next Intake
February, July
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Course Overview

The Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction provides formation for the ministry of spiritual direction.  Students explore the dynamics of Christian spirituality through reflection on their personal experience and integration of this with insights from the literature.  Graduates are equipped for the ministry of spiritual direction in the particular tradition.

Course Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction:

  1. have knowledge of the history, theory, content and dynamics of Christian spirituality;
  2. have knowledge of the art of spiritual direction, including the necessary dispositions of the spiritual director and key skills required;
  3. apply skills of spiritual direction under supervision;
  4. apply skills of spiritual direction within a range of contexts including retreats.

Course Structure

The Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction consists of 144 points.

Course StructureTypePoints
Program 1: WellSpring (through Whitley College)
DS8201W Art of Contemplative Practice 1Core24
DD8202W Art of Spiritual Companioning 1Core48
DD8203W Art of Spiritual Companioning 2Core48
Postgraduate units in any disciplineElective24

Program 2: Siloam (through Yarra Theological Union)
DD8701Y Religious Experience and the Christian Spiritual TraditionCore24
DD8703Y Personal Awareness and Human DevelopmentCore24
DD8705Y Spiritual Direction Practicum ICore24
DD8702Y Discernment and the Christian Spiritual TraditionCore24
DD8704Y Personal Experience of God and Personal Ethics in Spiritual DirectionCore24
DD8706Y Spiritual Direction Practicum IICore24

Program 3: Dayspring (through Uniting College for Leadership and Theology)
DD8740Z Contemplative Stance and Soul CareCore24
CH8740Z History of Contemplative and Apophatic SpiritualityCore24
DD8741Z Spiritual Direction Praxis 1Core24
DD8743Z Beyond Beginnings of Spiritual Direction 1Core24
DD9743Z Beyond Beginnings of Spiritual Direction 2Core24
DD8742Z Spiritual Direction Praxis 2Core24

Program 4: St Francis College
DD8411Z Contemplative PresenceCore18
DD8412Z Spiritual Direction FoundationsCore18
DD8421Z Transformation of Heart and MindCore18
DD8422Z Attending to EmotionsCore18
DD8331Z Embodiment and Ethics in Spiritual DirectionCore18
DD8332Z Discernment in Spiritual DirectionCore18
DD8333Z Working with Dreams in Spiritual DirectionElective18
DD8334Z Christian Mysticism in Spiritual DirectionElective18
DD8440Z Integration in Spiritual Direction FormationCore18

Minimum academic requirement

One of:

  • An undergraduate degree
  • A Graduate Certificate

Probationary admission is not available.

The Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction requires completion of 144 points (6 standard postgraduate units).

Fees for 2027 are $3,588 per standard unit or $21,528 for a full-time year (6 units).

Fees are subject to change from year to year. For more information about fees, please visit the Fees page.

Credit of up to 72 points may be granted towards this award.

Credit is granted in accordance with the Credit Policy.

Choose a Home College

Studying on an Overseas Student Visa

If you are holding or applying for a Student Visa Subclass 500 you are required to enrol in a full-time course that is registered with the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) in Australia. For more details, please visit the Department of Home Affairs and the CRICOS website.

This course is CRICOS registered and available to Overseas Students on a Student Visa Subclass 500.

CRICOS Code: 080411G

Choosing a Home College

Students on a Visa Subclass 500 must apply through one of the following CRICOS-registered Colleges:

Whitley College
Yarra Theological Union

Study Modes

Courses can be delivered through a variety of modes, such as:

  • Face-to-face: This is the traditional mode of study where you attend your classes in person at a physical location.
  • Online: In this mode, teaching and learning activities are delivered online.
  • Mixed-modes: This combines both face-to-face and online units throughout your award.
  • Intensive: this involves completing a condensed amount of content over a shorter period of time. Intensives can be face-to-face or online.
  • Supervised Research: This involves independent research, which is supervised by one or more people with expertise in the field.

Course Duration

The standard full-time duration of the Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction is one year. The Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction must be completed in not less than one year and not more than four years from the date on which the course is commenced.

Standard Full-time Minimum Maximum
1 year
1 year
4 years

AQF Level:

Regulation:

Postnominals:

GDSD

Course Code:

GDSD

CRICOS Code:

080411G

The table gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students admitted into this course. It provides data on all students who commenced study in the most relevant recent intake period.

Student profile for Semester 2, 2026

Applicant BackgroundNumber of StudentsPercentage of Students
(A) Past Higher Education Study2100%
(B) Past Vocational Education and Training (VET) Study00%
(C) Recent Secondary Education
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR00%
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered00%
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor00%
(D) Work and life experience00%
International Students00%
All Students2100.00%

You can compare other institutions with the University of Divinity to help inform your postgraduate study choices. ComparED is an initiative of the Australian Government. It’s powered by QILT (Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching) surveys that draw data from real life student experiences from commencement of study through to employment.

Upon successful completion of all course requirements, students will receive an invitation to graduate. This entitles the graduate to wear the approved Academic Dress at the graduation ceremony, and to use the approved postnominals after their name.

Academic Dress

Gown: Black Bachelor gown

Headwear: Black trencher

Hood: None

Postnominals

GDSD

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