Study Defence and National Security.

Anika Talukder, Master of Engineering (Biomedical) Graduate

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Apply for study in 2023

Why study Defence and National Security

Australia’s defence industry covers an incredible range of career paths and skilled workers are in high demand. People are needed to project manage, design, build, install and maintain our ships, submarines, aircraft, land vehicles, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, including cybersecurity, and provide services to support the men and women in the Australian Defence Force*.

Flinders University works closely with industry and Government, to ensure Australia has the expertise to supply and support the defence industry. Employment opportunities exist across diverse fields such as business, science, engineering and information technology, in roles ranging from engineering to business administration, research, network administration and more.

Get future-ready and explore the degrees available in Flinders Defence and National Security.

*See the types of roles available in the Australian Defence Force at https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/

YOU
DECIDE

YOUR
TOMORROW

YOU DECIDE
YOUR TOMORROW

Reach your potential with midyear entry

Apply for July

Courses for a defence industries career

If you’re interested in a Defence industries career and want to collaborate with industry’s best, then Flinders has multiple defence career pathways for you to choose.

New course Available online Midyear entry

Undergraduate

Majors

Nuclear Engineering

Honours

Postgraduate

Higher degree by research

Five stars
in Engineering & Technology for student support.

(The Good Universities Guide 2022 (postgraduate))

No.1 in SA
in Science & Mathematics for student support and teaching quality.

(The Good Universities Guide 2022 (postgraduate))

No.1 in Australia
in Computing & Information Systems for overall quality of educational experience (postgraduate).

(The Good Universities Guide 2020)

Careers in the Defence Industry

Hear from some inspiring South Australian defence industry employees and learn more about a what a career in the defence industry is like.

Rebecca | Combat and Automation Systems Engineer

Rebecca discussed working in the defence industry as a Combat and Automation Systems Engineer.

Matt | Mechanical Engineer

Matt tells us about working as a Mechanical Engineer in South Australia's defence industry.

Kyal | Digital Specialist

Kyal describes his experience as a digital specialist in South Australia's defence industry.

Kim | Systems Engineer

Kim tells us how she found her place as a Systems Engineer in South Australia's defence industry.

Andrew | Operations Manager

Andrew shares his pathway to becoming an Operations Manager in defence industry.

Zac | Transitioning from the ADF to the defence industry

Veteran Zac saw a role in the defence industry as an opportunity to build his skills while giving back to the defence personnel that serve our nation.

Why study defence and national security?

Flinders is the first Australian University to be endorsed by the Naval Shipbuilding College for delivering our Engineering courses, aligned with the future employment needs of the defence industry.
We work with industry to develop required training and have partnered with BAE Systems Australia to deliver the Diploma of Digital Technologies, used to build Australia’s nine Hunter Class frigates and contribute to other defence areas such as JSF and JORN.
We also partner with the Defence Teaming Centre to enable to supply chain of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to upskill their staff through the Diploma of Digital Technologies to boost competitiveness and performance of the defence supply chain.
To grow the pipeline of engineers in defence and other key industries, we also offer the Diploma of Digital Technologies to STEM teachers in schools to build capability in robotics, electronics, design and 3D printing.
We offer the only Computer Science Artificial Intelligence degree in Adelaide.
Flinders has purpose-built teaching and laboratory facilities, personalised teaching, and great staff student working relationships.
We work alongside some of the world’s foremost defence and technology companies to ensure that our research is real-world tested, ready for commercial application.
Our 20-week* Work Integrated Learning will improve your employability by giving you valuable practical experience in a workplace setting, directly related to the degree you’re studying.
We offer professionally accredited undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with a huge amount of teaching support.
Students have the opportunity to apply for international internships and work with major defence companies such as BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing Defence, Naval Group, Thales, Defence Science and Technology Group and ASC.
Flinders was the winner in the Defence Connect Australian Industry awards for Training and Mentorship Program of the Year for 2020 for the Diploma of Digital Technologies. It was also a finalist in several categories including the Academic Institution of the year 2019 and 2020 and Veteran Support Program of the year 2020.
A South Australian first, Flinders has the Military Academic Pathways Program to assist military personnel transition successfully into university.
Your prior studies or experience in the Australian Defence Force may be recognised as credit toward your new program of study which could reduce the length of time required to complete your qualification.
Any VET national security qualification that’s level 4 or higher can be used for entry into a Flinders course.

*Total weeks will depend on enrolled course.

Study Flinders maritime engineering

Specialise in naval architecture, ocean engineering, or marine and offshore systems by studying martime engineering at Flinders University.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Maritime) (Honours) has been developed to serve the needs of the maritime engineering design, construction and related industries.

The course is recognised internationally by the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, preparing you to become a professional engineer in the maritime engineering industry.

Access state-of-the-art experimental facilities at Flinders University and the Australian Maritime College in Launceston and prepare for career opportunities available in Australia, Europe, USA, UK and Asia.

Bachelor of Engineering (Maritime) (Honours)

“Autonomous boats are better placed to carry out long, precise and often tedious marine searches and surveys than boats driven by humans,” Professor Karl Sammut.

Military academic pathways

Use your prior service in the Australian Defence Force as a pathway to a Flinders University degree. If you hold qualifications from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) you can apply for a wide range of undergraduate or postgraduate courses. View the range of admission pathways available to applicants holding recognised qualifications, or those applying based on work and life experience.

Learn more

Defence Research

Forging powerful partnerships

Flinders research defending tomorrow. From autonomous marine vehicles to advanced additive manufacturing and cybersecurity, the technologies of tomorrow are emerging from the world class research we do today.

Learn more

Diploma in Digital Technologies

An example of how Flinders collaborates with industry by developing required training, to upskill their employees, the newly created Diploma of Digital Technology will educate shipbuilders-come-students on digital technologies required as part of the $35 billion Hunter Class Frigate Program, and will help retain important shipbuilding capability between shipbuilding programs.

Find out more

Flinders at Tonsley innovation hub

Flinders University’s maritime and defence research centres are based at the Bedford Park and Tonsley campuses, in the heart of South Australia’s technology and manufacturing industries.

The new Flinders at Tonsley innovation hub co-locates Flinders students and researchers in areas such as engineering, medical devices and nanoscale technologies, alongside some of Adelaide’s biggest businesses, to create the new products and processes of the 21st century.

Find out more

“

I was doing electronics and software and mechanical stuff at home and that led me straight into robotics at university. The field is expanding, especially with the new defence initiatives. I knew it would be a good career path and it was a career I wanted to pursue”.

Jesse Stewart, B Eng (Robotics) (Hons) / Master of Engineering (Electronics)

Study Robotics

Study Flinders Engineering courses - Australia's first higher education institution to be endorsed for naval shipbuilding.

With around 15,000 skilled and professional jobs expected to be created as part of the National Naval Shipbuilding Enterprise, Flinders has partnered with the Naval Shipbuilding College and defence industry primes to ensure our graduates are ready to seize emerging defence careers.

Flinders is the first Australian University to be endorsed for delivering courses aligned with the future employment needs of the Naval Shipbuilding Industry, courses such as Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – Mechanical, Electrical and Electronic, Robotics, Software, Maritime or our Bachelor of Information Technology (Networks and Cybersecurity Systems).

By studying Engineering at Flinders, you’ll have access to purpose-built teaching and laboratory facilities, personalised teaching, and great staff-student working relationships.