University of New South Wales
Graduate Certificate in Workforce Planning
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
This fully online program balances theory with practical knowledge, offering students the opportunity to learn how to develop effective future workforce plans.

Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Workforce Planning at UNSW Canberra is designed to develop the skills that will improve organisational productivity and outcomes. Students will obtain an understanding of the links between strategy, people and organisational systems. They will understand the importance of identifying, analysing and addressing strategic workforce issues, complemented by learning statistical techniques for analysing these issues.
Students will learn about key workforce planning concepts and have the opportunity to apply these concepts to real-world issues; they will be encouraged to generate new ideas by integrating program content.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Workforce Planning, you must fulfil four courses, consisting of two core courses and two electives.
Core courses
Complete the following:
- Workforce Planning
Complete one of the following:
- People and Systems
- Systems Thinking and Modelling
- System Dynamics Modelling
- Data Analysis and Applications
Electives
Choose two courses from the following list:
- The Business of Managing Projects
- Economic World View
- Driving Performance
- Developing Organisational Capability
- Strategic Management
- Strategic Human Resources
- Finance for Decision-Making
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To gain entry into the Graduate Certificate of Workforce Planning, 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 the same or 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 and law.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
- Define and analyse complex systems to create innovative solutions.
- Analyse complex qualitative and quantitative data sets to determine organizational contexts, skills surpluses and gaps and future needs.
- Effectively forecast the right number and type of employees required to run an organisation into the future.
- Determine and shape organizational capacity to deliver workforce resources required on-time and within budget.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated total fee in 2025: $20,000 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The amounts displayed are the cost, per unit of credit (UOC). 48 UOC is the standard full-time load for one year and most courses at UNSW are worth six UOC each.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- 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.