Graduate Certificate of Leadership
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Certificate of Leadership |
| Deakin course code | M597 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Business and Law |
| Campus | This course is only offered Online |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | 1 to 1.5 years part-time* |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8 |
*Students have the opportunity of fast-tracking the course in eight months by completing all units in two consecutive trimesters and all credentials within the first two trimesters of study. 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. | |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Seeking to enhance your understanding of professional practice in leadership skills? The Graduate Certificate of Leadership provides you with valuable development opportunities and a taste of postgraduate study. Learn to recognise the capabilities displayed by pivotal leaders, through integration of theoretical investigation and professional practice within this specialist program.
Are you ready to build upon your professional leadership experience?
Effective leaders drive results while engaging others in the journey. Discover what it takes to lead an organisation through technology disruption, changing customer needs and challenging external environments. Develop relevant skills, contemporary knowledge and real experience, to ensure you graduate as a business leader of tomorrow.
Delivered on our premium online learning platform, this flexible program is designed for busy professionals who want to study and immediately apply the knowledge and skills obtained through the course, in their own workplace. The Professional Practice Credential Assessment complements this course, and allows you to provide evidence of your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience for assessment, to obtain a suite of credentials that recognise your professional expertise.
Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Leadership can provide a pathway into Deakin's Master of Leadership.
Indicative student 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.
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.
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.
Pathways
This course can be a pathway to:
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Possess an integrated understanding and superior ability to apply contemporary leadership theory and practices |
| Communication | Use advanced communication tools, techniques and media to engage and inspire others |
| Digital literacy | Discover, analyse, synthesise and disseminate complex information, data and ideas to stakeholders, strategic partners and professional colleagues using a range of digital technologies and channel |
| Critical thinking | Systematically and critically analyse and test leadership styles, models and theories to optimise leadership impact within a specific cultural and operational context to drive strategy |
| Problem solving | Apply problem-solving skills to analyse contemporary leadership related issues within organisations and provide solutions to these challenges |
| Self-management | Demonstrate an understanding of your own approach to leadership and the nature of your impact on others |
| Teamwork | Work across a range of professions, functions, contexts or teams to optimise collaborative outcomes, to improve strategic outcomes |
| Global citizenship | Not explicitly addressed as a learning outcome in this award |
Course rules
To complete the Graduate Certificate of Leadership students must pass 3 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 2 credit points of core units
- 2 Professional Practice credentials
- 2 stackable short courses (microcredentials) (equivalent to 1 credit point)
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Note:
- This course is part-time only.
Course structure
Compulsory 0-credit point unit
To be completed in the first trimester of study:-
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin |
Core units
| MPL700 | Leadership Practice with Impact |
| MBA700 | Leadership and Professional Development |
Core professional practice credentials
Students must successfully complete the two Professional Practice credentials listed below.
Successful attainment of Professional Practice credentials is based on evidence provided from professional practice, hence recognition through authentic learning experiences. All professional practice credentials are linked to the Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes and will be assessed within the context of the leadership discipline. The credentials may be attempted separately or simultaneously and are assessed by an assessment panel that includes both academic and industry representatives. Please refer to the table below for the list of credentials.
Learn more about the details of each microcredential (PDF, 4.2MB)
| Graduate Certificate Credential Requirements | ||
| Core credentials | Minimum Level^ | Currency* |
| CRADC-G1 Adaptive Mindsets (Advanced) | Advanced | 5 years |
| CRDSR-G1 Driving strategic results (Advanced) | Advanced | 5 years |
*Applicants who have not satisfied the level requirement, or who have successfully achieved the credential but not within the required timeframe may be permitted to seek re-credentialling.
^There are five levels of Professional Practice credentials, and these are aligned with recognised "exit points" from the education sector, the AQF, work levels and industry frameworks. Advanced level is aligned to the Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma level.
Course electives
Students must successfully complete two stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredentials) from the list below.
| Graduate Certificate stackable short courses (0.5cp microcredential) | |
| DMC710-AW Crisis Leadership | 0.5 credit point |
| MMC705-AW Innovation and Leadership | 0.5 credit point |
| MMC704-AW Innovation and Organisational Change | 0.5 credit point |
| MMC715-AW Sustainable Leadership to 2030 | 0.5 credit point |
Work experience
This course does not require students to complete compulsory work integrated learning units.
To complete the Professional Practice Credentials, students will be required to draw on their current and past leadership experience.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Other course information
Students have the opportunity of fast-tracking the course in eight months by completing all units in two consecutive trimesters and all credentials within the first two trimesters of study.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.