Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business
UndergraduateTAS-SMB-CTF2024
Kick-start your career in today’s business world
An online business course to get you started in the workplace or further business studies. Build on the basics of the contemporary business environment with electives including finance and marketing. Set yourself up for success as a small business owner.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 6 months full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Practice and reflect on business knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attributes to develop and enhance career opportunities
- Apply business processes and strategies within the contemporary small business environment
- Communicate recommendations to enable small business improvement
The Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business aims to prepare graduates to commence a practitioner pathway with the ability to identify, analyse, and apply on contemporary business concepts and practices in real business contexts through the combination of theory and practice. It does this with an understanding that jobs of the future will be impacted by rapid technological and social change.
Post completion of this qualification, graduates will be able to apply interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in order to:
- Commence a practitioner pathway to become a team leader and/or small business owner in business environments
- Facilitate articulation into the Applied Business diploma and associate degree
The interdisciplinary nature of this qualification draws upon established disciplinary fields such as finance, marketing, and management and facilitates business and wellbeing enhancement through the inclusion of The Wellbeing Toolkit and Lean Thinking.
A key to the distinctiveness of the Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business is its adoption of applied, blended, and online styles of learning. The program requires students to develop knowledge and skills within an authentic learning approach. Students will be able to situate this work within the not-for-profit, for profit, and/or government sectors that operate within the business environment context. Student performance will be measured via a schedule of assessment tasks which exemplify authenticity and enable students to evidence their learning in their own Practice Manual.
Recommended study pattern
For students undertaking full-time study the following study pattern is recommended.
Completion of 4 subjects from the schedule below:
- 1 core subject
- TAS-ZAA131 Applied Business Foundations
- 3 of the following electives:
- TAS-ZAA132 Managing People
- TAS-ZAA133 Financial Decision Making
- TAS-ZAA134 Business Marketing
- TAS-ZAA135 Professional Communication
- TAS-ZAA140 Lean Thinking
- TAS-ZPP101 Professional Skills in Practice
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 4 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 6 months from commencement.
- 1 core subject
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 $8,160
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.
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- 19
Entry requirements
- Partially completed an undergraduate course 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 at the equivalent AQF level, unless otherwise specified.
Completed the TCE or an equivalent qualification
Successful completion of 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.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Study method requirements
Information on Undergraduate Certificates beyond 2025
The Australian Government has currently determined that Undergraduate Certificate programs will not extend beyond 30 June 2025. If you are enrolled in an Undergraduate Certificate, this means that you will need to complete all required units in 2024 to graduate before this deadline.
Should you not be able to complete all required units in 2024, we can support you to continue your study with us in the Diploma of Applied Business OR Diploma of Agribusiness OR Diploma of Applied Science OR Diploma of Applied Health and Community Support, where you will receive full credit for all the Undergraduate Certificate units completed so far.
Career opportunities
A career in business can quite literally take you anywhere, and depending on the industry you’re interested in, you may find yourself in variety of roles in the lifetime of your career. Jobs requiring business skills are growing fast, with employers often now demanding formal qualifications for those applying for roles.
Some of the careers projected to grow over the next 3 years include Advertising and Marketing professionals (+21.7%), Human Resource Professionals (+15.7%), Accountants (+9.7%), and Finance Managers (8.9%)*.
By completing the Undergraduate Certificate in Small Business, you can transition into further study with full credit towards a Diploma of Applied Business, Diploma of Agribusiness, Diploma of Applied Science, or Diploma of Applied Health and Community Support.
*Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business five-year projections from May 2019 to May 2024.
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.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
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
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
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.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.