Graduate Certificate in Business Administration

Graduates of this course are well-equipped, innovative leaders, capable of managing teams and complex projects. With enhanced communication and leadership skills, you can critically engage with stakeholders and drive positive change in the business. This expertise allows you to take on supervisory and management roles across a range of industries.

Skills and tools in this course:

1. Demonstrate and apply integrated theoretical and practical knowledge.
2. Develop excellent communication through precise language, structured expression, and strategic enhancement.
3. Develop self-directed leadership capabilities grounded in accountability, ethical judgment, and reflective practice.
4. Gain insight into ethical, legal and responsible business principles.
5. Apply core business principles effectively across diverse social, cultural, and organisational contexts.
6. Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills through principled negotiation, persuasive communication, and constructive collaboration.

The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration at QUT Online offers a clear path to deepen your leadership capability and earn a globally respected qualification. Study at a leading business school ranked in the global top 1%. We’re Australia’s first business school to achieve triple international accreditation – a distinction earned by fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide. Whether you’re ready to step into new responsibilities or seeking to formalise your experience with a recognised postgraduate credential, this course is designed to help you think strategically, lead with clarity, and solve complex problems with creativity and purpose.

Build practical leadership skills, sharpen your strategic thinking, and shape your future — all through a flexible, fully online experience that fits around your life and career.

Graduates gain real-world practical insights into today’s technologically driven business landscape, helping to unlock new opportunities for both personal and career growth. Whether you’re preparing to lead teams, manage change, or formalise your business expertise, this program offers a future-focused pathway into senior roles. 

This graduate certificate forms one-third of the QUT Master of Business Administration (MBA). Students who successfully complete this course with a minimum grade point average of 4.5 (on a 7-point scale) have the option of articulating into the MBA Program.

Recommended study pattern

Students must complete a total of 48 credit points (4 units)

Core units

• Leadership: Managing Self and Teams
• Marketing Strategy & Management
• Accounting and Financial Management
• Strategy & Systems Thinking.

Award requirements

To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, students must complete a total of 48 credit points.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $20,000

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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12

6-month program

• A recognised bachelor degree in any field with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.50 (on QUT's 7-point scale) and a minimum three years full-time post degree work experience* with minimum of two years relevant professional work experience and one year minimum supervisory/management experience; or
• A recognised postgraduate degree in any field with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.50 (on QUT's 7-point scale) and a minimum three years full-time post degree work experience with a minimum of two years relevant professional work experience* and one year minimum supervisory/management experience; or
• A minimum of five years work experience* with a minimum four years relevant professional work experience and one year minimum supervisory/management experience).

*Relevant work experience indicates an applicant’s capacity to contribute to workshop discussions and the wider student body. To enable us to assess your work experience, a current curriculum vitae providing details of your roles, responsibilities and achievements is required.

Additional entry requirements:  

You must submit responses to the following mandatory reflective questions:

• Motivation to complete the QUT MBA
• Intended contribution to the cohort
• Work/life/study balance strategy
• Current leadership philosophy
• You may also be required to attend an interview with the MBA Director or nominee.

A minimum of five years work experience with a minimum four years relevant professional work experience and one year minimum supervisory/management experience).