University of New South Wales
Graduate Certificate in Strategic People Management
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Build strategic people management capability through flexible online study, developing the knowledge to address the people challenges of leading teams and support organisational success.
Course overview
Effective people management sits at the centre of organisational performance. The Graduate Certificate in Strategic People Management at UNSW Canberra supports new, aspiring and middle managers seeking to lead teams and address increasingly complex workforce and organisational challenges.
You’ll investigate how people, systems and strategy interact while building capabilities in performance management, organisational development and workforce decision-making. Learning also considers how managers can develop organisational capability, respond to change and align people practices with broader strategic objectives.
The flexible curriculum combines strategic management or change management with focused study in people and organisational systems. Electives can extend learning into strategic human resources, workforce planning, diversity, leadership, organisational behaviour and public-sector performance, allowing study to reflect different roles and organisational contexts.
Delivered fully online, the qualification can be completed in six months full-time or one to two years part-time. It may support career development across people and culture, organisational development, workforce strategy, talent management and change leadership. The Graduate Certificate is also recognised as an exit qualification from the Master of Strategic People Management.
"The student community collectively inspire and encourage my individual career goals." Shirelle Altona, Current Student
Key facts
12th July, 2027
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Strategic People Management, you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.
Select 6 credit points from the following:
- Strategic Management
- Change Management
Select a minimum of 6 credit points from the following:
- People and Systems
- Driving Performance
- Developing Organisational Capability
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To gain entry into the Graduate Certificate in Strategic People Management, an applicant must meet one of the following entry requirements:
- Completion of a bachelor's degree with honours in the same or a related discipline* from a recognised institution.
- Completion of a graduate diploma or graduate certificate in a related discipline from a recognised institution.
- Completion of a bachelor's degree in the same or a related discipline from a recognised institution and completion of at least three years of relevant full-time professional experience.
- Completion of a bachelor's degree in a non-related discipline and completion of at least four years of relevant full-time professional experience.
- Evidence of other qualifications and professional experience to be assessed as acceptable grounds for admission into the program by the relevant Program Authority. In certain circumstances, students may be required to undertake and successfully complete a relevant non-award course as a condition for admission into the program. This non-award course may also be credited towards the program upon admission.
*Related discipline/s: Business, management, economics, accounting, information technology, information systems, engineering, human resource management, project management, public policy, marketing management, law.
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.
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
- Communicate effectively to transmit strategic people management knowledge to a range of audiences and be capable of independent and collaborative inquiry.
- Synthesise disciplinary knowledge and skills to achieve organisational objectives in a range of procurement management contexts.
- Analyse procurement management issues and develop appropriate solutions, through critical thinking and problem solving skills that ensure efficient and effective outcomes.
- Support strategic people management issues in a wider management context so as to ensure the best outcomes organisation wide.
Career outcomes
Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Strategic People Management are equipped to lead and influence organisational strategy through effective people management, making them valuable assets across public, private and non-profit sectors. With skills in systems thinking, strategic human resources and leadership, graduates are well-prepared for mid-level roles focused on organisational development, talent management and change leadership.
Potential roles:
- Change Manager
- Employee Relations Manager
- Human Resource Manager
- Learning and Development Specialist
- People and Culture Manager
- Performance and Talent Manager
- Recruitment Manager
- Strategic Human Resources Advisor
- Workforce Analytics Manager
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $20,500 (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 program.