Graduate Certificate of Business Administration

Course summary for international students

Year	2026 course information
Award granted	Graduate Certificate of Business Administration
Campus	This course is only offered Online
Length	1 trimester full-time or part-time equivalent
Fee paying annual fee - commencing 2026	$25,200 AUD
Level	Postgraduate (Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma)
Deakin course code	M501
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8
*Full-time study is not available in Trimester 3 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS – Please note that due to Australian Government regulations, student visas to enter Australia cannot be issued to students who enrol in Deakin online courses.

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Expand your understanding of fundamental business principles with Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Business Administration. Whether you want to improve your performance in your current job or expand your future options, this course is an impactful step towards your career aspirations.

Learn to contribute to business goals with an understanding of organisational management and develop the tools and capabilities to be an effective leader. Study alongside likeminded peers and learn from industry experts.

Are you ready to progress your business career?

In the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration you will learn about global business challenges and gain insights on how to address them. Your studies will cover strategic management, economic concepts and financial decision making and you will have the opportunity to choose an elective that meets your personal interests and goals.

Thinking about further study? This course is a pathway to the Graduate Diploma of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration (MBA), and combined MBA courses.

Online studies

Deakin offers many courses which can be studied by distance education overseas.

However, international students living in Australia on a student visa, in each compulsory trimester (that is, Trimesters 1 and 2), must enrol in at least one unit that is offered as a Campus located unit and can, in addition enrol in units offered online. International students may undertake a maximum of up to one third (or equivalent) of their study as online study. Please note enrolment in one face to face unit in compulsory study periods is only allowed if the student is completing their final unit of study and will not exceed maximum one third (or equivalent) online requirement.

Professional recognition

Deakin Business School holds both AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. These prestigious accreditations are awarded to business schools that meet strict standards of quality, academic and professional excellence, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing improvement and innovation in their courses, ensuring our graduates are employable worldwide

Fees and charges

The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students completing this course within the same year in which they started. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the length of your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have.

The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together four credit points of study. Four credit points is used as it represents a typical enrolment load for a Graduate Certificate.

Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the handbook.

Learn more about tuition fees.

Career opportunities

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

As a graduate you may find employment in areas such as:

corporate governance
financial planning
human resource management
marketing.

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	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
Communication	Demonstrate high level communication skills to articulate a range of business concepts and their application
Digital literacy	Not explicitly addressed as a learning outcome in this award
Critical thinking	Critically analyse and evaluate business data and information, complex ideas and theories and their application in an organisational environment.
Problem solving	Apply problem solving skills to analyse, develop and recommend solutions for complex business issues.
Self-management	Work and learn independently and take responsibility for personal actions
Teamwork	Not explicitly addressed as a learning outcome in this award
Global citizenship	Demonstrate understanding of global business issues and social and cultural contexts that influence them

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration, you must pass 4 credit points. This includes:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
3 credit points of core units
1 credit point of open elective units

Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.

All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Course structure

Compulsory 0-credit point module

To be completed in the first trimester of study:-

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin

Core units

MBR701/MBA701

Strategy and Innovation Management: Managing Value and Risk ^#

MBA702

Financial Decision Making

MBT703/MBA703

Creating Value for Sustainable Business Practice ^{^}

^{^}MBT code denotes study tour version of the unit

^#MBR code denotes residential version of the unit

Open electives

Open electives can be chosen from a wide range of level 7 study areas across the University, subject to availability and meeting any pre-requisites. Choose open electives to suit your interests, career aspirations or to broaden your academic experience beyond your discipline study area.

Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials) to earn credit towards your degree, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. See more information on Stackable short course options.

Stackable short courses

Mix and match Deakin stackable short courses (0.5 credit point microcredentials) to earn up to 1 credit point of open electives, subject to eligibility. Any stacking must add up to a whole number to be used for credit. For more information, visit the Deakin stackable short course options.

Admission criteria

Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements or higher to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.

A combination of qualifications and experience may be deemed equivalent to minimum academic requirements.

Academic requirements

To be considered for admission to this degree you will need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

completion of a bachelor degree or higher in any discipline with at least three years' relevant work experience* (or part-time equivalent)
at least five years' relevant work experience^#(or part-time equivalent)

*Examples of relevant work experience include, but not limited to:

three years' relevant work experience, and
at least two years' (full-time equivalent) in a managerial or professional role with responsibilities for decision making in a range of areas including:
- budgetary oversight
- staffing and management
- strategic planning and development
- operational implementation.

#Examples of relevant work experience include, but not limited to:

three years' relevant work experience in a managerial or professional role with responsibilities for decision making in a range of areas including:
- budgetary oversight
- staffing and management
- strategic planning and development
- operational implementation.

English language proficiency requirements

To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:

bachelor degree from a recognised English-speaking country
IELTS overall score of 6.5 (with no band score less than 6.0) or equivalent
other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)

Non-academic requirements

You must provide the following with your application:

a current CV that clearly demonstrates professional / managerial experience
current contact details of two referees who can be contacted concerning your work experience
a one page brief outlining why you believe that your work experience would be valued by your peers in the course

Admissions information

Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning.

Not sure if you can get into Deakin postgraduate study? Postgraduate study doesn’t have to be a balancing act; we provide flexible course entry and exit options based on your desired career outcomes and the time you are able to commit to your study.

Pathways

This course can be a pathway to:

Graduate Diploma of Business Administration (M601)
Master of Business Administration (M701)

Credit for prior learning - general

If you have completed previous studies which you believe may reduce the number of units you have to complete at Deakin, indicate in the appropriate section on your application that you wish to be considered for Recognition of prior learning. You will need to provide a certified copy of your previous course details so your credit can be determined. If you are eligible, your offer letter will then contain information about your Recognition of prior learning.

Your Recognition of prior learning is formally approved prior to your enrolment at Deakin during the Enrolment and Orientation Program. You must bring original documents relating to your previous study so that this approval can occur.

You can also refer to the recognition of prior learning (RPL) system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.

If you have a membership with one of Deakin Business School’s partner organisations, you may be eligible for course credit to put towards your degree. Find out more about RPL with business partners.

Further study

M601 Graduate Diploma of Business Administration
M701 Master of Business Administration

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.

Workload

You can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, online interactions, or professional experiences for Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.

Work experience

This course does not require students to complete compulsory work integrated learning units.

Participation requirements

Units in this course may have participation requirements that include compulsory placements, work-based training, community-based learning or collaborative research training arrangements.

Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Units which contain work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. These requirements will be detailed in unit guides upon enrolment.