Apply for this course by 6 July to study in this intake
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Master of Leadership
PostgraduateUND-LDR-MAS2025
Contemporary management skills to build and lead a winning team
Get set to deliver effective leadership at work and in your community. This postgraduate business course teaches transferrable and long-lasting management skills. Become an ethical leader with strong planning, negotiation, and transformation abilities.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 6 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- Approx. 1.5 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 12
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Master of Leadership
About this degree
On completion of this program students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Apply the management skills necessary to lead a team in the business community;
- Apply the management skills necessary to plan and manage a financially sustainable business;
- Create strategies to identify and seize business opportunities through the use of contemporary management theory;
- Apply the skill gained in their area of specialisation in complex national and international scenarios;
- Develop processes and practices needed to meet the regulatory environment under which a business operates;
- Create community and customer engagement strategies;
- Effectively analyse and manage ethical matters;
- Employ critical reflection to encourage on-going learning to maintain and improve professional knowledge and skills;
- Be able to think critically, reason and use judgment in preparation for of their professional practice;
- Use evidence-based research in preparation of professional analysis and advice.
The Master of Leadership is aimed at emerging or current executive level professionals who wish to either further progress their career, or concrete their current position. The program focuses on key knowledge/skills and attributes (both strategic and hands-on) required to successfully lead a dynamic and continually changing commercial environment. Applicants are expected to have a minimum of two years relevant industry experience plus an undergraduate degree (or similar.)
Recommended study pattern
To be eligible for the award of Master of Leadership students must complete a minimum of 300 Units of Credit chosen from the subjects comprising:
225 Units of Credit from nine (9) Compulsory Courses
- PHIL6020 Ethical Issues in Professional Life
- RSCH7002 Scholarly Reading and Writing OR ARTS6000 Literature Review
- BUSN5750 Organisations: Power, Leadership and Transformation
- BUSN5290 Negotiation Skills
- BUSN5600 Strategic Management and Planning
- BUSN5620 Leadership: Theory and Practice
- BUSN5680 Leading Change
- BUSN5740 Strategic Workforce Issues
- ARTS6001 Professional Project
Plus 75 Units of Credit from three (3) elective Courses
- BUSN5000 Economics for Managers
- BUSN5100 Accounting for Managers
- BUSN5500 Digital Marketing Strategy
Award requirements
To be eligible for the award of Master of Leadership students must complete a minimum of 300 Units of Credit chosen (total 12 subjects).
Exit points
If a student has completed sufficient courses to meet the requirements of the Graduate Certificate in Business or the Graduate Diploma in Business, they may transfer to that award and immediately apply for graduation with that award.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$33,300
Indicative total fee $49,950
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.
The University of Notre Dame Australia is committed to delivering an excellent student experience, alongside a high standard of teaching, research, and training. As a leader in ethical education, Notre Dame aims to develop students’ critical reasoning and their ability to make ethical decisions—crucial skills to progressing their careers and leading purposeful lives. At Notre Dame, students navigate their future with an ethical education online.
Learn more about UNDA.
Explore UNDA courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 38
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 38
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Master of Leadership applicants must also meet the following specific requirements.
• A recognised undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualification) plus a minimum of five years’ experience in managerial and/or supervisory and/or leadership roles; OR
• A Graduate Diploma in a business discipline.
Where the applicant does not meet the criteria above, Notre Dame may approve admission to this course if satisfied that
• the applicant has sufficient background and/or experience in management/supervision; and
• the applicant has the skills necessary to complete postgraduate studies.
Defined as the successful completion of secondary education or a Bachelor’s degree in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada or the Republic of Ireland.
Students who have English as an Additional language and are admitted on the basis of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment, or an equivalent English language proficiency assessment, are only admitted if they have attained n overall IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0.
All English language tests are valid for two years from the date of completion
Applications for Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be considered and reviewed on a case by case basis by UNDA's Student Administration.
Career opportunities
Student completing a Master of Leadership will be best positioned to take on leadership roles in both their professional careers and their personal lives as members of community organisations. Leadership skills developed in the course are both everlasting and highly transferable between roles, functions and industries.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Services Managers | N/A^ | Up 54.3% |
| Human Resource Managers | Over $120K | Up 85.7% |
| Management and Organisation Analysts | $93K to $120K | Up 56.8% |
| Management Consultants | $93K to $120K | N/A^ |
| Organisation and Methods Analysts | $93K to $120K | N/A^ |
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Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.