Cutting-edge courses online, offering skill development and exciting MBA pathways.
The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is the shortest postgraduate course in this study area, effectively sampling four subjects from a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. It serves as a pathway towards an MBA while delivering career value as a stand-alone qualification.
The usual entry requirement is a bachelor degree of any kind OR significant professional experience.
Is this course worth doing? Yes, for experienced professionals interested in managing and leading. The AQF Level 8 qualification offers many of the career benefits of an MBA at one-third the cost in terms of time and fees. Graduates receive an impressive qualification and are well on their way to an MBA.
Online Courses in Australia
Part-time online courses are popular because they are convenient and compatible with full-time work. To gain maximum advantage, select one that offers the professional development you are most interested in. Additionally, consider the merits of the larger MBA program if it is a potential option.
JCU Online
The Graduate Certificate of Business Administration Global from James Cook University strongly features analytics in the course curriculum. With 6 intakes per year, you can start the well-priced course at any time of year. Each of the 4 subjects are completed in sequence – one at a time – allowing you to easily fit study into your weekly schedule. The course is 100% online and you never have to sit a traditional exam. You'll also study high-return topics: data analysis and decision modelling, marketing analytics and strategy, management and leadership, and information and analytics technology.
RMIT Online
RMIT's Graduate Certificate in Business Administration leverages the university's strengths in technology, innovation and design. Along with core leadership and business skills, students develop future-focused leadership capabilities for the digital economy. You're actively encouraged to think differently, bring change, visualise and actualise. The 100% online course explores design thinking for business, financial analytics, marketing, and leadership and management. The course leads into an MBA with specialisations in Design Thinking, Technology and Innovation, Leadership, and Project Management.
UTS Online
The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from UTS Online is a foundation course for a flexible MBA. Students complete four subjects on core business disciplines: accounting, economics, marketing and leadership. A manager's perspective is applied throughout and students are exposed to the latest trends and thinking on these topics. After completing the course, you're well-positioned to move in any of several directions with further study. The UTS Online MBA program offers specialisations in business analytics, digital marketing, health, organisational learning, and technology management.
Is a Graduate Certificate Worth It?
A Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is generally worth it considering the low investment required. The versatile, high-impact course has only four subjects. Even a modest salary increase could justify the expenses. The career and personal benefits can easily outweigh the study costs, including your time and tuition fees.
Although a graduate certificate may not be as prestigious as a master's degree and is shorter than a graduate diploma, securing one indicates your ability to succeed in postgraduate study. Completing the course also presents the option to further your studies with a graduate diploma (four more subjects) or an MBA (eight more subjects, depending on prior learning).
Will a GradCertBusAdmin help to get a promotion or better job? It certainly can, by enhancing your knowledge and credentials. As well as demonstrating commitment to professional development, graduates are well placed to given fluent responses to management questions during job interviews.
Related: Are Graduate Certificates Worth It in Australia?
Types of Courses
Decision making with analytics
If you're interested in learning more about business analytics, you can do a course exploring the topic. With data proliferation and rising computing capabilities, decision-makers will increasingly benefit from knowing how to use business analytics to inform strategy.
Provider: James Cook University
Design thinking and technology
Expand your product development and technology skills with a future-looking course. You can learn skills to make the creative design process systematic and destined for success. Design thinking is a valuable skill to acquire, enabling you to improve a business by (a) understanding customers and (b) making small and large changes in your approach based on feedback.
Provider: RMIT University
Next-generation classic
Core business disciplines are accounting and finance, economics, marketing, management and leadership. A course covering just these subjects is a classic business administration program. Adding a contemporary focus means that students learn the fundamentals for success in the future economy.
Provider: UTS Online
What You'll Study (Course Structure)
The courses normally cover essential knowledge areas for managers. The curriculum likely includes (a) marketing for managers (b) accounting and finance and (c) leadership and management. Analytics is also increasingly being offered.
The course should accelerate your development as a manager broadly. As well as acquiring practical skills, you'll discover what sort of capabilities are required to be a successful manager. This qualification offers a blueprint for a longer learning journey.
- Data Analysis and Decision Modelling
- Marketing Strategy, Analytics and Development
- Management and Leadership Skills
- Information Management and Analytics Technology
- Design Thinking for Business
- Leadership & Management
- Marketing for Managers
- Financial Analytics for Managerial Decisions
- Accounting for Decision Makers
- Leadership and People
- Managerial Economics
- Marketing in the Age of Technology
Study Online Part Time
Online business administration courses are widely available in Australia. Many students prefer online learning since you have the flexibility to study as a working professional.
When you study online as a postgraduate student, you don't need time off work. While you'll have lectures, weekly tasks, instructors and classmates, all activities can be attended to at your convenience.
The courses listed on this page are 100% online and accelerated, meaning you can study year-round. Online universities divide the calendar year into 6 study blocks. Students complete an individual subject from start to finish during each block.
Related: Part time MBA Courses Online in Australia
Graduate Jobs
The qualification is a general one and can be thought of as a mini-MBA. Graduates have gone down the MBA path without doing the whole program. You add a postgraduate business management qualification to your name, and that can be from a leading Australian university.
Brevity and relevance are among the important advantages of graduate certificate programs compared to masters degrees. You earn a qualification approximating a masters quickly and cheaply and in a targeted fashion.
Graduate jobs are anything managerial, where you're placed in charge of people and/or operations. You'll be particularly advantaged if you need to demonstrate an interest and expertise in supervising and managing. A grad cert in business admin shows you're prepared to be a leader.
Business administration is a core role that's found across all industries and job sectors. Jobs we associated with postgraduate qualifications include general manager, account executive, human resource management, sales manager, program manager, and more (refer Mallory).
Entry Requirements
Admission rules vary by business school. You may be admitted on different combinations of academic achievement and work experience. Professional experience, especially in supervisory or management roles, is helpful, as is a bachelor degree or strong GMAT result.
To enroll, you must have a bachelor degree in a cognate discipline and two (2) years’ business experience OR an honours degree or postgraduate studies in any discipline and two (2) years’ business experience OR four (4) years’ business experience in a managerial role OR other qualifications or practical experience assessed as equivalent to the above.
Course costs are $3,700 per subject in 2024. FEE-HELP is available to eligible students.
Online programs are unavailable to international students on a student visa.
Entry requirements: A bachelor degree or equivalent, or higher-level qualification, in any discipline with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 1.0 (out of 4.0) OR a bachelor degree or equivalent, or higher-level qualification, in any discipline and a GMAT score of 550+ OR you may be considered with 5+ years work experience.
Tuition fees are $4,680 per subject in 2024. FEE-HELP Australian government loans are available.
Applicants must demonstrate one of the following:
- A bachelor degree (or equivalent) with at least 60% of subjects completed at pass level, and 2 years' full-time post-degree job experience
- Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score of 550+, with verbal 25, quantitative 35 and AWA 4.0
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE General Test) score of 307+, with verbal 148 and quantitative 156
- Applicants lacking an academic qualification may be considered with 4+ years of relevant job experience and a general capacity for tertiary education.
Tuition fees are $4,383 per subject in 2024. FEE-HELP is available with the support of the Australian Government.
Key dates are based around 6 intakes annually, in Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Aug, Oct.
Fully online programs are not available if you are an international student on a student visa.
FAQs
Business administration refers to activities that range from filing documents through to establishing corporate goals for a company. When discussing careers, it is important to consider the student's background and the program type.
At a postgraduate level, the study field creates career opportunities in supervision, coordination and management. Learning outcomes for graduates include management-level knowledge of accounting, finance, economics and marketing. As well, graduates have become familiar with management and leadership principles.
By studying this discipline, you enhance your ability to manage people and operations. For instance, you may have enhanced financial literacy, a greater range of management strategies at your disposal, and improved knowledge of approaches to marketing.
To capitalise on your studies and earn a high salary, you should have other professional competencies however. To be a manager and leader, you need more than just executive skills. You also need industry-relevant competencies, whether that's in finance, healthcare, engineering, information technology, human resource management, business analytics, or something else.
Based on a sample of five courses from Australian universities, the subjects that come up most often are:
- 5/5 courses: Management and Leadership | Marketing
- 4/5 courses: Accounting and Finance
- 1/5 courses: Analytics | Design Thinking | Economics | Entrepreneurship | Sustainability | Technology Management