Diploma of Applied Business
UndergraduateTAS-ABS-DIP2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Get real business skills that unlock opportunities
Prepare for the workforce with essential industry skills and understanding. You’ll explore the main functions of a contemporary business. Cover marketing, decision making, people management, and more. Step up to a new or enhanced business career.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 9 Feb 2025,
- 6 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 8
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Diploma of Applied Business
About this degree
On successful completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- Apply and reflect on business knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attributes to develop and enhance career opportunities.
- Apply and communicate business processes and strategies within the contemporary business environment to analyse business performance.
- Communicate proposals for business improvement to a range of audiences.
- Analyse the principles of sustainable business practice, resource management, and ethical and professional conduct.
The Diploma of Applied Business is your pathway to business success – for future leaders and managers. The program aims to prepare you with the ability to identify, interpret, apply, communicate and reflect on contemporary business concepts and practices in real business contexts through the combination of theory and practice.
Our program combines core business subjects covering areas such as management, finance, marketing and planning with a choice of electives to hone a skill set that aligns with your career goals. It is a pathway for you to do further professional development or a pathway into the Bachelor of Business.
The Diploma of Applied Business will help you build on your experience to develop the business skills you need to respond to opportunities in the workplace and to meet the challenges with confidence. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an assistant manager looking to step up to the next level, this program is a great stepping stone to a new or accelerated career.
Recommended study pattern
For students studying full-time, the following study pattern is recommended.
8 subjects including:
4 Core Subjects
- TAS-ZAA131 Applied Business Foundations
- TAS-ZAA132 Managing People
- TAS-ZAA133 Financial Decision Making
- TAS-ZAA134 Business Marketing
2 Discipline Electives
Select 2 from the following list:
- TAS-ZAA140 Lean Thinking
- TAS-ZAA144 Designing Event
- TAS-ZAA146 Managing Contracts
- TAS-ZAA150 Procurement Processes and Strategies
- TAS-ZAA152 Managing Projects
- TAS-ZAA156 Supply Chain and Logistics Management
- TAS-ZAD121 Design Thinking
- TAS-ZAD123 User Experience (UX) Design
2 UTAS Electives
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 8 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-3 years from commencement.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $15,350
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
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- 20
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 19
Entry requirements
- Partially completed an undergraduate program at Diploma level or higher (or equivalent). You must have completed at least one subject of study (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points), at 100 level or higher and which may include 100 level subjects completed in the UTAS Diploma of University Studies. If you have failed any subjects, your application may be subject to further review before an offer is made; OR
- Completed the UTAS University Preparation Program (or an equivalent qualification offered by an Australian University).
Successful completion of one OUA open access subject of study (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points) at the equivalent AQF level, unless otherwise specified.
Completed the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) or an equivalent qualification
Completed a Certificate III or higher (or equivalent) in any discipline.
Applicants without senior secondary, tertiary or VET / TAFE study can complete a personal competency statement.
Applicants may be eligible for an offer if they have relevant work and / or life experiences which demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this program.
Students who have completed a cognate Undergraduate Certificate to Z1B Diploma of Applied Business may articulate into Z1B Diploma of Applied Business with up 50 credit points of advanced standing. Cognate undergraduate certificate courses for Z1B Diploma of Applied Business are:
- Z0C Undergraduate Certificate in Community Support
- Z0D Undergraduate Certificate in Agriculture
- Z0L Undergraduate Certificate in Agribusiness
- Z0M Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business
- Z0N Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Design
- Z0P Undergraduate Certificate in Fermentation
- Z0Q Undergraduate Certificate in Applied Technologies
The following non-cognate Undergraduate Certificates may also be considered for articulation into the Diploma of Applied Business with up to 50 credit points of advanced standing:
- 30B Undergraduate Certificate in Auditing and Assurance
- 30C Undergraduate Certificate in Climate Accounting
- 30D Undergraduate Certificate in Taxation
- 30E Undergraduate Certificate in Marketing Analytics
Students who complete Z1B Diploma of Applied Business may articulate into one of the Bachelor of Business programs or other Bachelor degrees with up to 100 credit points of advanced standing.
Career opportunities
Graduation from the Diploma of Applied Business can provide an entry opportunity for those who have not worked in business settings, accelerate progression through a graduate's present organisation, or open up new career paths and opportunities.
New to Applied Business and never worked in the industry before?
For those graduates new to Applied Business, this qualification could assist you to gain roles such as trainee positions with managers, team leaders, field officers, and researchers.
Already working and want to fast track or leverage off past experience?
For those graduates already working in Business, an Applied Business qualification may enable you to progress from assistant positions to managerial roles, lead a small team, become specialists, salespersons and liaise better with suppliers or customers.
Potential types of employers:
- Small and medium businesses
- Accountancy firms
- Financial services
- Event organisations
- Sport organisations
- Tourism organisations
- Health and well-being consultants
- Non-for-profit organisations, and
- Project management companies
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Contract, Program and Project Administrators | $93K to $120K | Up 25.4% |
Office Managers | $75K to $93K | Down 1.8% |
Personal Assistants | $75K to $93K | Down 2.6% |
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
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You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
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When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
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