Graduate Certificate of Business Administration
PostgraduateSWI-BUS-GCE2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Business leadership essentials
Study the core units of business leadership, including marketing management and innovation. Build leadership skills. Become a clear communicator and ethical decision maker. Get strategic about your business career and consider upgrading to an MBA.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 8 months full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Graduate Certificate of Business Administration
About this degree
Decision-Making
Learn how to make informed judgments and take action in any environment.
Problem-Solving
Explore the issues that can confront any business and develop techniques for tackling them.
Leadership
Lead a workplace towards success and innovation.
Entrepreneurial Marketing
Strategically position an organisation in a competitive environment.
Step Into Leadership
Make your move into a key leadership role with the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration. If you are a seasoned professional without a tertiary or postgraduate degree, the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration is the perfect way to translate your experience into a recognised postgraduate qualification.
Gain entry through either three years relevant work experience or undergraduate study, and develop your strategic, leadership and entrepreneurial skills to help you thrive as a business professional. If you meet the entry criteria and have substantial work experience, contact our Course Consultants to discuss potential Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for your professional background.
Fast-Track Your Career
In as little as eight months, your coursework will equip you with the skills to capitalise on opportunities, think critically and lead an organisation to success in any field, including commerce, education, arts, engineering, IT and health. Gain practical skills that you can apply in your current workplace, and fast-track your career with a university qualification, professional network and job opportunities without putting your life on hold.
Pathway to Advanced Qualifications
The AACSB-accredited Graduate Certificate of Business Administration contains the first four units of, and is a pathway to, the Graduate Diploma of Business Administration and the Master of Business Administration. Swinburne University’s MBA has a Tier-1 rating and is in the top Online MBAs in CEO Magazine’s 2022 Global Rankings.
Why study with us?
- No prior study needed: If you have three of more years of relevant work experience, you can jump directly into your Graduate Certificate of Business Administration with Swinburne Online.
- Pathway to a top-tier MBA: When you have completed your graduate certificate, you may use your completed units towards Swinburne Online’s MBA.
- Career growth: Accelerate your career progression and earning potential with a skillset designed to meet the business demands of the future.
- Swinburne quality: Upon completion of your online Graduate Certificate of Business Administration, you will receive exactly the same globally recognised postgraduate qualification as Swinburne’s on-campus students.
- Validate Your Knowledge and Skills: Transform your existing knowledge and work experience into a postgraduate qualification you can proudly add to your resume.
- Study when and where you choose: With no compulsory live classes or attendance requirements, you can create a study schedule that fits around your work and family commitments.
Recommended study pattern
Accounting Systems and Reporting (ACC60008)
Opportunity Discovery (ENT60006)
Behaviour in Organisations (HRM60016)
Marketing Management (MKT60010)
Award requirements
To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Business Administration students must complete 50 credit points comprising of:
- Four (4) core units of study (50 credit points).
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $18,160
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.
Swinburne University of Technology leads the way with innovative and new ways of teaching, learning and thinking. It offers a wide range of study options, from pre-apprenticeships, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhDs, including online degrees with Open Universities Australia. Swinburne is known for career-oriented education and encouraging lifelong learning.
Learn more about Swinburne.
Explore Swinburne courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 19
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 14
How to apply
Swinburne University of Technology manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to Swinburne University of Technology who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
To gain entry into this course, applicants must have one of the following:
- a minimum of three years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience, or
- a recognised bachelor’s degree in a related discipline, or
- a recognised bachelor’s degree in any discipline plus a minimum of two years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience.
If you are applying as an international student, please view the English language requirements.
A minimum of three years equivalent full-time relevant professional experience.
If you are applying as an international student, please view the English Language Requirements.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Speak to a Course Consultant about applying for RPL.
Career opportunities
Your pathway to industry
You are already well on your way to accomplishing your big career goals; now is the time to equip yourself with the qualification you need to accelerate your progress and take your career to the next level. Your Graduate Certificate of Business Administration will teach you practical techniques to plan and deliver effective, comprehensive business strategies that respond business objectives within a complex environment.
Your practical learning aims to equip you with skills you can take straight into your next senior leadership role, and is designed to quickly accelerate your career progression and earning potential in just about any field.
Your graduate certificate also opens a pathway for you to advance your knowledge and expertise by continuing with a Master of Business Administration.
Graduates of the Graduate Certificate of Business Administration may be able to secure the following jobs:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Responsible for the overarching strategic planning of the future of a business
- Strategic Manager: Provides a strategic approach and insight into business operations
- Executive General Manager: Develops strategies and policies to achieve future business goals
- Chief Operating Officer (COO): Directs business operations to meet budgetary and financial targets.
Jobs looking for you
A survey of recent Swinburne Online graduates revealed that 90% of Business alumni were employed full-time. This comes as no surprise as the 2021 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey revealed that worldwide, demand for graduate management talent has now returned to its pre-pandemic high.
A Graduate Certificate of Business Administration from Swinburne Online signals to employers your readiness to take on contemporary business challenges within a senior leadership position.
Launch your own business
Swinburne Online’s Graduate Certificate of Business Administration is not only for those wanting to open doors to upper-management positions in their industry. If you are an entrepreneur or business owner ready to upscale your team, output, customer base and profit margin, this course can offer you a clear and practical pathway to take your business to the next level. No matter the size of your business, we can equip you with the skills you need to realise your capabilities and potential.
A ready-made professional network
When you complete a Graduate Certificate of Business Administration with Swinburne Online, you will be rewarded with not only a top-tier postgraduate qualification, but also a valuable network of like-minded business professionals. Forge connections, motivate one another and share opportunities and ideas that you can continue to draw upon long after graduation.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Chief Executives and Managing Directors | N/A^ | Up 10.8% |
Corporate General Managers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
General Managers | N/A^ | Up 59.7% |
Management Consultants | N/A^ | N/A^ |
^ There is no data available