University of Queensland
Graduate Certificate in Business Administration
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Strengthen your strategic judgement across leadership, finance, accounting and people management while learning with experienced professionals and preparing for progression to UQ’s Master of Business Administration.
Course overview
The University of Queensland's Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is designed for experienced professionals seeking to strengthen their business knowledge, leadership capabilities and strategic decision-making skills. The program provides a foundation in business management, helping students approach organisational challenges with greater confidence and apply new perspectives to their professional roles.
You'll explore key business functions, with learning opportunities in areas such as financial management, business analysis, strategy and leadership. Through practical activities and case studies, you'll examine complex business situations, consider different approaches to decision-making and develop your understanding of managing people and organisations. You may also draw on your own workplace experience and professional projects to connect academic learning with real business challenges.
Delivered at UQ's Brisbane City location, the program can be completed in six months of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. Learning combines interactive classes, seminars and flexible online elements, with opportunities to exchange perspectives with experienced professionals. The qualification can support further professional development and provides a pathway to UQ's Master of Business Administration, subject to meeting the relevant entry requirements.
Key facts
26th July, 2027
What you will study
At UQ, a unit represents the value of individual courses that contribute to the total unit requirements of a program. Most UQ courses have a value of two units, though some may vary depending on the program or course structure.
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, you must complete eight units or four courses, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth two units.
Flexible core units
Complete six to eight units from the following:
- Accounting and Business Analysis
- Financial Management
- Resonant Leadership
- Strategy: From Design to Practice
- Leading People and Teams
Elective units
Depending on the number of flexible core units completed, you may complete up to two units from the following:
- Impact Academy 1: Discovering New Solutions for Complex Problems
- Qualitative Business Research Methods II
- Quantitative Business Research Methods I
- Qualitative Business Research Methods I
Entry requirement
Academic requirements
To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline and have at least four years of full-time equivalent work experience, including at least two years in a dedicated supervisory or management role.
- Have at least seven years of full-time equivalent work experience, including at least three years in a dedicated supervisory or management role.
Applicants applying with a bachelor’s degree must have achieved a minimum GPA of 4.0 on UQ’s seven-point scale. The relevant professional experience should typically have been completed after graduation.
Applications based on professional experience are assessed individually.
Supporting documents
Applicants must provide:
- Official transcripts of previous studies.
- A current CV detailing their full employment history, start and finish dates, everyday responsibilities and experience managing people or projects.
- Two signed and dated professional references, preferably on company letterhead, confirming their responsibilities and management experience.
- Evidence of residency status.
Management experience may include managing employees, client accounts, major projects or delegated financial responsibilities.
English language requirements
Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:
- IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0.
- TOEFL iBT overall score of 87, including at least 19 in listening, 19 in reading, 21 in writing and 19 in speaking.
- Pearson Test of English Academic overall score of 64, with no communicative skill score below 60.
- Cambridge English Scale overall score of 176, with no individual skill score below 169.
- Another form of English language evidence accepted by the university.
The Occupational English Test is not accepted for this course.
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 to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Potential career outcomes include:
- Strategy and Insights Consultant
- Business Migration Adviser
- Social Sustainability Manager
- Human Resources Executive
- Infrastructure Adviser
- Insolvency Analyst
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $32,112 (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.