Someone with a 4-year bachelor's degree asked whether enrolling in a 1-year postgraduate diploma (PGD) would help raise their CRS score.
What group members advised:- A PGD can help if you don't already hold a master's or PGD-level credential — once positively assessed (via ECA), an additional credential level typically increases CRS points.
- A full master's degree may be a better long-term choice if you don't have one yet, since it carries more weight than a 1-year diploma — though it takes about 2 extra years compared to a PGD.
- Online/distance-learning credentials carry the same weight as in-person ones. One member clarified that as long as the institution issues the same certificate/degree, it doesn't matter whether it was completed via Coursera-style online delivery or physical attendance — the credential itself is what's assessed.
The practical takeaway: if you're choosing between a 1-year PGD and a full master's purely to raise CRS, weigh the extra ~2 years a master's takes against the higher point value it can carry — and don't discount a program just because part of it was delivered online, as long as it results in the same recognized credential.