Graduate Certificate of Business Administration

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration, you must successfully complete units totalling 4 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 1 credit point.

Core units

• Strategy and Innovation Management: Managing Value and Risk
• Financial Decision Making
• Creating Value for Sustainable Business Practice

Some Core units may have an approved residential or study-tour version, subject to availability.

Open elective

Complete 1 credit point from postgraduate level 7 electives available across Deakin University. 
Alternatively, eligible students may combine two approved 0.5-credit-point Deakin stackable short courses.

Open electives are subject to availability and any applicable prerequisite requirements.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher in any discipline and at least three years of relevant work experience, or part-time equivalent. This must include at least two years of full-time equivalent experience in a managerial or professional position involving decision-making responsibilities.
• At least five years of relevant work experience, or part-time equivalent. This must include at least three years of experience in a managerial or professional position involving decision-making responsibilities.

Relevant responsibilities may include:

• Budgetary oversight
• Staffing and management
• Strategic planning and development
• Operational implementation

The university considers applicants’ academic history, work and life experience and individual circumstances. Meeting the minimum academic and English language requirements does not guarantee admission.

Supporting documents

Applicants must submit:

• A current CV clearly demonstrating their professional or managerial experience.
• Current contact details for two referees who can provide information about their work experience.
• A one-page statement explaining how their professional experience would contribute value to their peers in the course.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree completed in a recognised English-speaking country.
• An IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent.
• Other accepted evidence of English language proficiency.

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental business principles and concepts and integrate own business expertise to develop insights into complex, contemporary business issues and apply this to address emerging global business trends and challenges.
• Demonstrate high-level communication skills to articulate a range of business concepts and their application.
• Critically analyse and evaluate business data and information, complex ideas and theories and their application in an organisational environment.
• Apply problem solving skills to analyse, develop and recommend solutions for complex business issues.
• Work and learn independently and take responsibility for personal actions.
• Demonstrate understanding of global business issues and social and cultural contexts that influence them.

Career outcomes

Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Business Administration can help you progress your career in all areas of business from administration to business strategy.

Graduates may find employment or progression opportunities in areas such as:

• Strategic management and planning
• Corporate governance
• Financial planning and management
• Human resource management
• Marketing

Fees and FEE-HELP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $20,000 (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.