University of New South Wales

Graduate Certificate in Social Impact

  • Delivery: Online
  • Study Level: Postgraduate
  • Duration: 8 months
  • Course Type: Graduate Certificate

Explore social impact approaches through flexible online study, developing the knowledge and capability to create social and environmental value across business, government and not-for-profit organisations.

Course overview

UNSW's Graduate Certificate in Social Impact supports professionals and emerging leaders seeking to understand how organisations can create social and environmental value. Designed for those working across business, government and the not-for-profit sector, the program develops knowledge and capability to respond to social challenges through a cross-sector perspective.

Across the program, you'll examine the evolving social economy and explore approaches including social innovation, social enterprise and impact measurement. You'll build your understanding of how organisations across different sectors contribute to social impact and develop the capability to support initiatives that create social and environmental value.

Delivered online, the program allows professionals to integrate study alongside existing work and personal commitments. The course's cross-sector approach brings together perspectives from business, government and the not-for-profit sector, providing insight into how different organisations contribute to creating social impact.

CSP Subsidised Fees Available

This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.

Key facts

Delivery
Online
Course Type
Graduate Certificate
Duration
8 months (Full time)
Price Per Unit
From $5,250
More Information
The estimated fee is determined by individual units of study and the year the course was commenced.

From $2,250 (CSP)
More Information
You may be eligible for CSP where the government pays part of your fees. Fees are determined by individual units of study and the year the course was commenced.
Intake
7th September, 2026
8th February, 2027
24th May, 2027
6th September, 2027
Units
More Information
You may be required to complete 0 credit point units throughout your course. The university will confirm this as part of your enrolment.
4
Fees
More Information
FEE-HELP loans and HECS loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university program.
FEE-HELP, HECS, CSP

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Social Impact, you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.

Core units

  • Social Impact

Elective units

Select 18 credit points from the following:

  • Leading Change for Sustainability
  • Social Impact Investment
  • Demonstrating Social Impact
  • Design for Social Innovation
  • Social Impact Field Project
  • Corporate Responsibility and Accountability
  • Creating Shared Value
  • Collaboration for Social Impact
  • Leadership for Social Impact

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

Applicants must have one of the following:

  • A recognised bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) with a credit average as determined by the UNSW Postgraduate Coursework Entry Calculator, and a minimum of two years of work experience.
  • A minimum of five years of relevant work experience in government, corporate or not-for-profit sector.

Students must provide a detailed resume (outlining relevant competencies and achievements) and evidence of other academic and professional qualifications.

English language requirements

If English isn’t your first language, you may be required to provide evidence that your English language ability meets our requirements. Contact the university for further information. If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application.

You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • English language tests and university English courses.
  • Prior study in the medium of English.
  • Other qualifications.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

  • Knowledge: Graduates will have current social impact disciplinary or interdisciplinary knowledge applicable in local and global contexts.
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving: Graduates will have critical thinking and problem-solving skills applicable to the field of social impact practice or complex social impact issues.
  • Communication: Graduates will be highly effective communicators in complex social environments.
  • Leadership: Graduates will have a sound understanding of effective social impact leadership across and within complex contexts.
  • Teamwork: Graduates will be effective team participants working collaboratively across diverse social impact contexts.
  • Ethical, social and environmental responsibility: Graduates will be aware of the ethical, social, cultural and environmental implications of social impact organisations, practices and issues.

Career outcomes

  • Executive roles in not-for-profit and community organisations.
  • Public sector managers and leaders.
  • Social policy managers in the corporate sector.
  • Social entrepreneurs.
  • Foundation executives and managers.
  • Business executives and administrators.
  • Corporate community engagement executives and professionals.
  • Social and ethical investment professionals.

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $9,000 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $21,000 (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.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

  • Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
  • Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
  • Reviewed and adjusted each year.

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

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

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

Student Testimonials

Brent Hedley, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact Student

Brent Hedley, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact Student

"The knowledge and skills gained in the course aren’t just academic accolades, but tools that empower me to develop impactful strategies in the real world."

Samantha Heron, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact Graduate, Founder Heart & Soul Story

Samantha Heron, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact Graduate, Founder Heart & Soul Story

"My course had a great mix of students that spanned the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors, which made for insightful and healthy debates and conversations. The lecturers were top-notch, bringing a wealth of experience from the fields in which they worked. Guest speakers were also an absolute highlight of the course."