Adelaide University
Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
- Course Type: Graduate Diploma
Learn to prioritise people for business success.
Course overview
Become a strategic human resources leader with Adelaide University's one-year Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management.
Learn how to attract, engage and retain employees. Become a strategic and confident communicator equipped to respond to staff challenges. Apply the financial literacy and analytical skills essential for strategic decision-making. Study entrepreneurial thinking and the skills to foster innovation and resiliency. Acquire an understanding of marketing principles, including employee engagement, company branding and internal communications.
Deepen your knowledge of strategic HR management, talent acquisition, employee development and retention. Understand workforce planning and the digital platforms used in people analytics. Learn how to leverage data to become a strategic, data-driven decision maker. Engage in an elective to deepen your knowledge in an area of interest.
As a human resources manager, you’ll be equipped to shape company culture, drive change and help organisations stay competitive.
Key features
- Learn from industry experts and leading scholars in human resource management.
- Gain an advanced understanding of complex human resource management (HRM) systems and digital tools.
- Develop expertise in core areas such as people analytics, strategic thinking, leadership and performance.
- Undertake an elective aligned to your interests and career goals.
- Study best practices and emerging human resource management concepts, theories, principles and methods.
- Emerge with advanced expertise to shape company culture, drive change and help organisations stay competitive.
Key facts
July, 2026
What you will study
Students must complete 48 units comprising 42 units for all core courses and six units for electives. Each course is worth six units.
Core courses
Complete 42 units for all of the following:
- Entrepreneurial Thinking
- People, Leadership and Organisational Performance
- Marketing
- Accounting Principles for Decision Makers
- People Analytics
- Talent Acquisition and Development
- Managing Employee Performance and Rewards
Electives
Complete six units from university-wide electives.
Entry requirements
Admission criteria
To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.
- A completed bachelor's (AQF level 7) or bachelor's honours (AQF level 8) degree or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution; OR
- A completed nested or related graduate certificate (AQF level 8) or higher or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution; OR
- A completed Advanced Diploma (AQF level 6) or higher in a related field from a registered training organisation (RTO).
Recognition of Prior Learning
Adelaide University is committed to recognising the contribution of students’ prior learning towards their program requirements.
Credit may be granted for formal, informal and non-formal learning, with guidance on eligibility provided to prospective students in a clear, transparent and publicly available credit framework.
Credit determinations will be:
- Evidence-based, equitable and transparent.
- Academically sound.
- Applied consistently, fairly and subject to review.
Credit will be granted for prior learning that is relevant and equivalent to the learning required for the courses for which credit is sought.
Credit will only be granted if it:
- Maintains the credibility and integrity of the program for which credit is sought.
- Does not contravene the conditions of the program’s professional accreditation.
- Does not disadvantage the student’s ability to achieve the expected course or program learning outcomes.
For more information, contact the university or visit its website.
Outcomes
Adelaide University’s Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management equips you to lead and manage people while driving organisational success.
- Discover emerging HRM concepts, theories and principles and explore the strategies to attract, engage and retain talent.
- Understand how marketing relates to employee engagement, company branding and internal communications.
- Learn to make informed decisions and justify expenditures in accounting principles.
- Explore how to align HR strategies with organisational goals and the impact of HR strategies on the bottom line.
- Find out how entrepreneurial thinking equips HR professionals with innovative, strategic and adaptive approaches.
- You'll also explore how talent acquisition and development are central components of human resource management (HRM), understanding how organisations attract, hire, retain and nurture talent to meet business goals.
- Gain an understanding of managing employee performance using human resource management (HRM) systems and digital tools.
- Study people analytics, including how to leverage data insights, analytics tools and statistical models.
- Gain actionable insights to improve workforce decision-making, employee engagement and organisational performance.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $36,000 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Fee-paying programs require the full tuition fees for your study, which can be deferred partly or in full to a FEE-HELP loan. Where the duration of the program is less than one year, the total cost of the program is displayed.
A student’s fee may vary depending on:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.