CQUniversity
Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership)
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Advance your leadership capabilities through hyperflexible online study, developing contemporary business knowledge and practical leadership skills to support career progression.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership) from CQUniversity is a postgraduate qualification designed for emerging business leaders seeking to strengthen their leadership capabilities and support career progression. Delivered through hyperflexible online study over 0.5 years full-time or one year part-time, the course allows you to study when and where it suits you, with self-paced learning and no unit or assessment deadlines.
You will develop contemporary business and leadership capabilities through study in strategic marketing, people, leadership and culture, communication, disruption, innovation and entrepreneurship. Using problem- and activity-based learning, the curriculum develops practical skills in solving business problems, creating innovative solutions and identifying new business opportunities while preparing you for leadership in contemporary business environments.
On successful completion, you will graduate with the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership). The course provides a seamless pathway to the Graduate Diploma of Business Administration (Leadership) and the Master of Business Administration (Leadership), with credit awarded for completed units as you progress through the qualification suite.
Key facts
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership), you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.
Core units
- People, Leadership and Culture
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Communication and Disruption
- Strategic Marketing
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold one of the following criteria:
- A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) bachelor's degree or a higher equivalent qualification.
- A completed AQF diploma with two years of relevant business experience.
- Five years of relevant business or managerial experience.
Relevant business or managerial experience includes a working knowledge of how a business operates, for example, budgeting, staffing, project management, financial reporting, process management or human resources.
Professional experience must be shown in a letter of employment which is presented on a company letterhead as well as signed and dated by a delegated authority. The letter must contain position title, duties performed and length of service.
English language requirements
Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of one of the following criteria:
- A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent).
- An AQF diploma level qualification.
- Bachelor's level qualification study for a period of at least two years full time with a minimum overall GPA of 4.0 completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or United States of America.
If you do not satisfy any of the above criteria, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores below:
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic): Overall band score of at least 6.0 overall with a minimum 5.5 in each subset.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Requires 550 or better overall and minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper Based Test), or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet Based Test).
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic): Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46.
- Occupational English Test: Grades A or B only in each of the four components.
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between the final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate. Each student will be assessed individually.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
If you are seeking to begin or progress your career in management and leadership, a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (Leadership) is a good place to start. In this course you can expect an affordable, fresh, relevant and compelling graduate educational experience. The course is widely regarded as the graduate certificate of choice for aspiring business professionals. Skills are developed to ensure ambitious managers are equipped to lead individuals, teams and organisations.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $7,488 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 24 credit points (normally four units) per year.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
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 with the cost of a university course.