Master of Business Administration

What you'll learn:

1. Lead the future of business: Build in-demand capabilities in emerging technologies, innovation, and strategic thinking to solve complex, real-world challenges.
2. Deliver impactful customer outcomes: Harness data, digital tools, and best-practice frameworks to design and optimise end-to-end customer experiences.
3. Make confident, strategic decisions: Strengthen your expertise in business law, strategy, and sustainable value creation to lead responsibly and manage risk.
4. Tailor your MBA to your career: Choose electives or specialise in Project Management, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, or Human Resource Management to match your goals.

What is a Master of Business Administration (MBA)?

Lead the next era of business with Swinburne Online’s future-focused Master of Business Administration — a qualification built for real-world impact.

Whether you’re preparing to lead a team, scale a business, or launch your own venture, this is the course for professionals with ambitious goals.

You’ll explore the latest thinking in leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship, alongside a focus on ethical practice and social responsibility. By combining digital innovation and immersive learning, this MBA allows you to drive change within any industry and take your career to the next level.

Who is this course for? 

• Aspiring leaders and managers who want to formalise their experience with a master's level qualification that offers a deep dive into a specific field.
• Ambitious career changers looking to pivot into a new industry by backing their existing experience with targeted expertise in high-growth areas.
• Established professionals ready to break through to senior and executive management by adding strategic business foundations and advanced technical knowledge to their existing toolkit.

How you’ll study 

• The Master of Business Administration (MBA) runs across three Teaching Periods per year. 
• Expected study load isbetween 8–10 hours per unit, per week. 
• Set your own study pace by taking one or more units per Teaching Period. 
• You’ll have 24/7 access to your online classroom, discussion boards, and learning content.  
• Learning is delivered through interactive materials, including videos, quizzes, podcasts, diagrams, and written content. 

Why choose Swinburne Online’s Master of Business Administration?

• A Range of Advanced Specialisations: Specialise your MBA to align with your career goals by choosing one of four focus areas (Project Management, Digital Marketing, Human Resource Management, or Cyber Security).
• Career-Ready Portfolio: Build a portfolio of work ready to show to future employers.
• Immersion Units: Study in signature immersive online simulations and collaborative sessions where you’ll work on real industry challenges
• Flexible Options: Progress from a Graduate Certificate into the MBA, or enter directly into the MBA if you meet the entry requirements.

Recommended study pattern

The MBA Specialisations

Swinburne Online’s MBA offers the flexibility to focus on subjects that match your career goals. By choosing one of four specialisations, you can tailor your degree to a specific industry and objective. This focused approach helps you stand out to employers and build the exact skill set needed to excel in your chosen field.

If you don’t want to do a specialisation, you can choose your four electives from a wide range of elective units. These units come from the specialisation areas. You can mix and match these to suit your interests or career goals.

Our Specialisations are:

• Project Management
• Cyber Security
• Digital Marketing
• Human Resource Management

What you’ll study

To qualify for the award of Master of Business Administration, you must complete 150 credit points (part- or full-time) comprising:

• Eight (8) core units (100 credit points)
• Four (4) units comprising a Specialisation or electives of your choice (50 credit points)

Students admitted based on successful completion of the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma of Business Administration are not required to repeat units completed. 

Core Units

Future-Fit Innovation (ENT60011)

Emerging Technology (INF60019)

Technology & Innovation Emersion (INF60020)

Law for Entrepreneurs (LAW60007)

Sustainable Value Creation (MGT70008)

Sustainable Strategy & Leadership Immersion (MGT80006)

Customer Experience Management (MKT70021)

Business Strategy (MGT80002)

Electives

Choose 4 electives of your choice to create the MBA that works for you

OR

Choose one of our Specialisations below to truly stand out in your chosen path

Project Management Specialisation

Lead complex initiatives with confidence. You’ll master strategic planning, risk management, and innovative delivery—skills essential for driving impactful outcomes across industries.

You must complete the following units:

Project Management for Innovative Outcomes (PRM60002)

The Risk Management Spectrum (PRM60003)

Strategic Project Management (INF70005)

Operations Management (SCM60001)

Cyber Security Specialisation

Get prepared to protect organisations in a rapidly evolving digital world. Gain critical skills in threat detection, ethical decision-making, and cyber law—empowering you to lead confidently in the fight against cybercrime.

You must complete the following:

How to Think Like a Hacker: An Anatomy of Cyber Attacks (CYB60001)

Cyber Security Operations Management (CYB60002)

Cyber Security Law, Policy and Ethics (CYB60003)

Networks and Cybersecurity Frameworks (CYB60004)

Digital Marketing Specialisation

Be empowered to craft bold, data-driven strategies that connect with consumers and fuel business growth. From global digital campaigns to understanding buyer behaviour, you’ll gain the creative and analytical skills needed to lead marketing in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

You must complete four (4) of the following:

Data Empowered Marketing (MKT60011)

Consumer Behaviour (MKT20025)

Global Digital Marketing (MKT70017)

Marketing Management (MKT60010)

Human Resource Management Specialisation

Lead people-focused strategies that drive innovation and performance. Explore key areas like diversity and inclusion, employee relations, and creative problem-solving—giving you the tools to shape thriving, future-ready workplaces in a world where strong leadership and talent strategy are more vital than ever.

You must complete Human Resource Fundamentals and then choose three (3) units from the following:

Employee Relations (HRM60013)

Human Resource Fundamentals (HRM60018)

Managing Workplace Diversity and Inclusion (HRM70012)

Behaviour in Organisations (HRM60016)

Award requirements

To qualify for the award of Master of Business Administration, students must complete 150 credit points comprising of:

• Eight (8) core units (100 credit points)
• Four (4) units comprising a specialisation or electives (50 credit points).

Students admitted based on successful completion of the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma of Business Administration are not required to repeat units completed.

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

Indicative total fee $39,672

The amounts shown here are 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.

Study on your own terms with this forward-thinking university.

It offers a wide range of study options, from pre-apprenticeships, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhDs, including online degrees with Open Universities Australia. Swinburne is known for career-oriented education and encouraging lifelong learning.

Learn more about Swinburne University of Technology

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QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

19

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

15

To gain entry into this course, applicants must have at least one of the following:

• a recognised bachelor’s degree in a related discipline; or
• a recognised bachelor’s degree in any discipline plus a minimum of two years equivalent full-time relevant experience; or
• a recognised graduate certificate in a related discipline.*

* Related graduate certificates include Swinburne Online’s Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, Graduate Certificate in Project Management and Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Management.

Recognition of Prior Learning

• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) lets you gain credit based on skills and knowledge from your work experience, life experience, or formal training.
• Like credit transfer, this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Flexible Entry and Exit Options

One of the reasons professionals choose our MBA are the flexible options built within.

If life happens, and you decide to stop studying before completing your MBA, the units that you have completed may entitle you to a Graduate Certificate (four units) or Graduate Diploma (eight units).

This means you can still exit with a postgraduate qualification.

Equally, if you decided that you’d like to start slow before tackling an MBA, you can choose to begin with a Graduate Certificate and then continue into your MBA. Depending on the Graduate Certificate you choose, units completed will not have to be repeated in your MBA and your Graduate Certificate may count towards your Specialisation.

Credit for Prior Learning

If you have completed recent prior studies you may be eligible to request course credit or subject exemptions to reduce the duration and cost of your program.

Credit for prior learning evaluates your previous studies related to your chosen subjects.

This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, where every applicant is assessed individually.