Western Sydney University
Graduate Certificate in Start Up Scale Up
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Learn the fundamental skills integral to starting or scaling up a business to meet new regional or global demands.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Start Up Scale Up is designed for innovative students and small-to-medium enterprises providing a unique opportunity to engage with the University’s business and technology incubator environment. You will learn fundamental business skills integral to starting a business or scaling a business up in order to meet new regional or global demands or leading intrapreneurial innovation in an organisational context. You will have the option to choose two of four subjects in the areas of Innovation, Creativity, Digital Technology and/or Management Capabilities to allow you to personalise your learning. The program also includes a capstone applied learning subject that provides hands-on experience in the creation of a new business or business innovation.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 40 credit points. Unless otherwise indicated, each subject is worth 10 credit points.
Core subject
Students must complete this core subject:
- Start-up (20 credit points)
Alternate subjects
Select two subjects from the following:
- Entrepreneurial Management Capabilities
- Innovation, Creativity and Foresight
- Innovation for New Markets
- Innovation Through Digital Technology
Entry requirements
Applicants must meet one of the following:
- Successfully completed an undergraduate degree or higher, in any discipline.
- Successfully completed an associate degree, advanced diploma or higher, in a business discipline.
- Have a minimum of three years of full-time equivalent managerial/professional work experience in any field.
- Other evidence of general and professional qualifications and demonstrated potential to pursue graduate studies.
Applicants seeking admission on the basis of work experience must support their application with a Statement of Service for all work experience listed on the application.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Produce an authentic resource or artefact using discipline-appropriate written and verbal skills suited to the audience and context.
- Work together using teamwork skills to achieve team goals and coproduce outcomes in a professional or enterprise context.
- Produce and justify an argument in a professional or enterprise context using relevant, discipline-appropriate information (textual or numerical).
- Propose a well-formulated solution to a professional or enterprise problem that considers wider professional or enterprise contexts (including global).
- Evaluate professional or enterprise practice in relation to culture and diversity in discipline-appropriate contexts (including First Peoples/global) and make recommendations.
- Evaluate economic, social and environmental enterprise and professional behaviour and make recommendations for responsible practice.
Career outcomes
As a graduate of this degree, you can look forward to a broad range of exciting career opportunities in different sectors and industries. Below are some examples:
- Small business
- Business innovation
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $8,699 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 40 credit points per semester or year.
Student fees may vary in accordance with:
- 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.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.