University of Canberra
Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 8 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Develop your leadership toolkit with contemporary frameworks and advanced people-first leadership approaches to guide your school community to reach their full potential.
Course overview
Become a pillar of school and system success with the ability to understand and implement strategies to empower, support and encourage development in your staff and students, resulting in school and educational landscape improvement.
Gain a people-first leadership perspective, study 100% online and accelerated to fit around your life and work, gain a toolkit to respond to contemporary challenges in education, benefit from the STEM Education Research Centre’s (SERC) evidence-based methodologies aligned to ACARA curriculum needs, experience dedicated support at every stage and start anytime with intakes open every two months.
Key facts
31st August, 2026
26th October, 2026
What you will study
The Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership Online comprises four units.
Complete the following four units:
- Education Leadership and Change
- Leading, Learning, Teaching and Curriculum
- Leading and Developing Educators
- Educational Management and Administration
Entry requirements
To be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership, applicants must have one of the following:
- Current registration as a teacher at a proficient level or higher with an Australian regulatory authority/registration authority.
- A three-year undergraduate degree in Education or a relevant field as approved by the University of Canberra and at least three years' FTE professional experience in education.
- Graduate and/or postgraduate education qualifications as approved by the University of Canberra.
English language requirements
You can demonstrate your proficiency in a number of ways, including through an approved English language test or recognised past study taught and assessed in English.
The Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership requires an overall IELTS Academic score (or equivalent) of 6.5, with no band score below 6.0.
Contact the university or visit its website for more information.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Your previous studies can be acknowledged as credit towards your postgraduate studies, provided that they meet the relevant course requirements.
If you receive an offer of enrolment and you’ve undertaken prior learning, you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning. The procedure is governed by the university's Recognition of Prior Learning policy. Contact the university for more details.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
The Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership is designed for existing education professionals looking to develop leadership and management skills and gain the credibility to apply for more senior positions in the education sector. Career outcomes may include roles such as:
- Curriculum coordinator or specialist
- Deputy principal
- Early childhood director
- Education assessment specialist
- Educational policy developer
- Executive principal
- Executive teacher
- Head of department or faculty
- Instructional leader
- Principal
- School leader
- School policy adviser or developer
- Student wellbeing manager
- Year adviser
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative cost per unit in 2026: $2,956.25 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Indicative total cost in 2026: $11,825 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of four units.
Student fees 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.
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 with the cost of a university course.
Who You Will Learn From
Dr Janet Smith
Master of Education Course Director
The University of Canberra’s online Master of Education and Graduate Certificate in Education courses have been designed to provide teachers with ideal practical professional development and career-building opportunities, allowing them to shape their future education/professional pathways and enhance their skills and knowledge.
Dr Ilyse Resnick
Associate Professor
Spatial reasoning is a foundational aspect across the STEM disciplines. Importantly, spatial reasoning skills can be learned and improved. When educators are prepared with strong spatial reasoning skills and spatial tools to teach spatial reasoning and related STEM content, students’ STEM learning improves.
Murray Campbell
Lecturer in Education, Educational Consultant, Expert Educational Leader and Practitioner
Today’s modern educational leader needs to understand their role as a leader of people, of systems, of learning, whilst being able to champion the needs of their students within an environment that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. The University of Canberra’s online Master of Education and Graduate Certificate in Education courses provide educators with the opportunity to build their capacity to lead effectively in such times.
Dr Bernard Brown
Senior Lecturer in Education
While much attention has been given to improving teachers’ capacity in recent years, the role of school leadership remains fundamental to achieving enhanced educational outcomes for all students. For educational leaders, the ongoing acquisition of knowledge about leadership practice and the application of that knowledge is crucial.