How Long Does an MBA Take in Australia?

Overview

How long does an MBA take? Most MBA degrees in Australia take 18 to 24 months to complete. While the potential timeframe ranges from 12 months to 4 years, the vast majority of students operate within this 1.5 to 2-year range.

A key consideration in defining program duration is the number of subjects a student completes. Twelve subjects is the most common number for an Australian MBA. However, extended programs of 16 subjects are also offered by many universities.

Assuming a student attempts 12 subjects, this requires three semesters of full-time study on campus. Since the standard academic year contains two semesters, the degree typically takes 1.5 years, or 18 months. For online learners, 24 months is the usual timeframe as they generally attempt a new subject every two months.

Program Length

The time it takes to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is not uniform. It depends on the program size in terms of the number of subjects. Full-time vs part-time study is important as well. Accelerated study, where students learn year-round, is another factor.

MBA length based on program characteristics

MBA Program Type	Subjects	Accelerated	Full-Time	Part-Time
Accelerated	12	Yes	12 months (1 year) Fast-track on campus	24 months (2 years) Modern online
Regular	12	No	18 months (1.5 years) Standard program	36 months (3 years) Part-time MBA
Extended	16	No	24 months (2 years) Full campus experience	48 months (4 years) Laborious MBA

Based on Lerna Courses knowledge and research.

The duration of an MBA ranges anywhere from 12 months to four years. A 12-month MBA has only 12 subjects and students study full-time for all three trimesters in a year. By contrast, four years are required for a 16-subject MBA where a student studies part-time (50% load) for two semesters per year.

How quickly can you get an MBA?

The fastest timeframe for earning an MBA in Australia is 12 months or one year. This is the time it takes to complete the minimum 12 subjects required. It also assumes you do an accelerated program that allows you to participate in three semesters annually instead of the standard two terms.

Extended vs regular length

The regular length of an MBA program in Australia is 12 subjects. To be more specific, most programs are structured to have 10 or 11 coursework subjects and a capstone project at the end, which is sometimes double-weighted.

The other common length, which we refer to as extended, is 16 subjects. This is a longer form. In US terms, it requires 48 credits rather than the standard 36.

You don't have to do 16 subjects to earn an MBA. Many 12-subject courses are available around Australia. However, some universities only offer 16-subject programs, and others require you to do this many subjects if you haven't studied business and management at university before.

Accelerated learning

In Australia, a course is accelerated when you study over the summer months. As a consequence, you go from attending two semesters each year to three trimesters. For full-time students, that allows you to increase the number of subjects you do per year from eight subjects to twelve.

A similar accelerated arrangement for online programs is to have six study periods per year, each lasting around two months. Whatever the arrangement, accelerated learning means that you study essentially year-round apart from small breaks between trimesters or study periods.

An accelerated study mode allows a 12-subject MBA to be completed in just 1 year. An extended, 16-subject MBA will take four trimesters, which is 16 months. Accelerated study allows you to finish an MBA in two-thirds of the normal time.

How long does an MBA take part-time?

We normally think of part-time study as a 50% load. That means a student attempts two subjects per semester or trimester, and one subject per study period in the case of online learning.

Going part-time doubles the length of an MBA if you study consistently with a half load. A traditional, extended MBA will take four years. An accelerated normal-length course, including many MBA online courses, can be completed in two years.

Is an Australian MBA Worth It?

Taking into account how long it takes to get an Australian MBA, as brief as one year full-time or two years part-time, the degree will normally be worth it if you can capitalise on the qualification.

Graduates can enjoy the salary benefits that come from holding a Master of Business Administration degree. MBA graduates in Australia are estimated to earn around $114k annually. Considering the high upside, going for an MBA seems like a good investment of time.

Tuition fees for these programs range from about $30k to over $100k. However, it's estimated that the average cost of an MBA is under $50k for both international students and those enrolled in online courses. FEE-HELP loans are available for Australians to cover up-front costs.