Why Graduate Diploma in Business Administration?
Bring your career and leadership potential within reach – on your own terms.
In this 100% online diploma, you’ll get familiar with financial management. Strengthen your interpersonal skills. Boost your confidence and professionalism. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset and learn to drive innovation in the complex business enterprises of the future.
You’ll level up your leadership story, increase your earning potential and stand out in a competitive job market.
Overview
This 100% online diploma is completed part-time over 1.3 years, with courses delivered sequentially in six-week blocks.
You’ll learn how to encourage innovation and turn ideas into action. You’ll strengthen your intellectual and emotional self-awareness. Develop problem-solving skills. Advance your interpersonal communication. Gain accounting, economics and marketing insights.
You’ll build your capacity to identify and assess entrepreneurial opportunities. Get confident mobilising people to solve problems and face adversity. Learn how to use research to support sustainable business growth.
You’ll graduate equipped for higher-level leadership roles, or ready to continue straight on to our online MBA.
Key features
Build financial literacy, strategic skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. - Network with peers and industry leaders.
- Study marketing, accounting, economics and business research.
- Develop your communication, decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
- Get support from our expert academic, personal and career advisors from day one.
- Use credits from this qualification on your path to a master’s degree.
What you'll learn
Our Graduate Diploma in Business Administration is flexible and evidence based. We promote agile thinking, encouraging you to ask, explore and debate big questions, instead of fixating on ‘right’ answers.
The program delivers sequential courses in six-week blocks. This format will keep you focused and regularly achieving new goals.
Our 100% online curriculum means you’ll be able to log in and study whenever works best for you, on any internet-connected device. You can meet and network with your peers easily through regular online collaboration. These fellow students will be experienced managers just like you, all working across different industries.
Through future-oriented courses, you will:
- Improve your financial literacy
- Study the language and concepts of accounting
- Learn how to effectively lead and influence people
- Unpack marketing from a management perspective
- Develop your creative, experimental, agile and entrepreneurial thinking
- Learn to recognise opportunity in a crowded competitive market
- Gain the tools to enhance your ethical decision-making
- Explore your evolving leadership story and philosophy
- Identify areas for ongoing personal and professional development.
You’ll also learn about research processes and methodologies, investigating business research as a managerial decision-making tool.
At the end of the program, you’ll have the option to extend your studies further with our online Master of Business Administration.
What courses you'll study
Complete 48 units comprising:
- 48 units for all Core courses
Complete 48 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
Leadership and Influencing
|
Course code
BUSI5091
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Marketing for Managers
|
Course code
BUSI5092
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Entrepreneurial Mindset
|
Course code
BUSI5093
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Accounting and Financial Management
|
Course code
BUSI5094
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Research for Managers
|
Course code
BUSI5095
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Managerial Economics
|
Course code
ECON5014
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Innovation Management
|
Course code
BUSI6048
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Managing People and Organisations
|
Course code
BUSI6049
|
Units
6
|
Career outcomes
We’ll give you the skills to step into higher-level leadership positions, whether in private companies, government departments or NGOs.
You could lead an engineering company, found a distillery, take charities to the next level or manage a boutique hotel. You might be a marketing executive for a global fashion brand. Perhaps you’ll work at Adelaide Oval, leading impactful sponsorship and sporting events.
You could also be a:
- Manager
- Business development manager
- Business consultant
- Sales manager
- Entrepreneur.
Or, further elevate your professional capabilities and status by continuing on with our online MBA.
Industry trends
If you’re a leader in a large company, a director, a government advisor or working on a purpose-driven enterprise, today’s market demands specific skills. Whether you’re managing family business succession, creating new ideas as an employee or building your own venture, you need an entrepreneurial mindset. Spotting opportunities and managing risks is key.
Adelaide University will develop your agile and entrepreneurial thinking, your innovative drive and your problem-solving skills so you can succeed. With more than 2.5 million businesses trading in Australia, the field has never been brighter (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022).
Accreditation
Adelaide University is working through relevant approvals for program accreditation ahead of students commencing in 2026.
Your study experience and support
Studying 100% online with Adelaide University means joining a dynamic community of learners – all supported by dedicated teams committed to your success. From day one to graduation, you’ll have access to comprehensive academic, student and technical support teams to ensure you get the most out of your online learning journey.
Student support services
Need help with enrolments, managing your study load, or setting your academic goals? Our student support team is here to assist. They’re your first point of contact for advice and are available seven days a week, including out-of-hours and on weekends. Get the help you need – when it suits you.
As an online student, you’ll also have access to our specialised on-campus student support services. Whether you’re looking for career advice, health and wellbeing support, international student assistance, accessibility services, or something else, we’ve got you covered. Visit the Support webpage to explore the services available.
Online academic support
From understanding course content to tackling assignments, writing, and referencing, our expert academics are here to guide you. Available seven days a week, they’ll provide personalised support to help you progress through your studies.
Tech support
We’ve got your back when it comes to technology. Our IT support team is available 24/7 to resolve any tech challenges you might face. With fast response times and tailored solutions, we’ll ensure nothing stands in your way. You’ll also enjoy free access to software downloads required for your program.
Study hours
Adelaide University’s 100% online programs offer the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. You can engage with course materials at any time that works for you – there’s no need to log in at set times. To stay on track, we recommend setting aside 10 to 15 hours per week for each course, but you can adapt your schedule and your study load to suit your needs.
Assessment
All assessments, including exams (if required) are conducted 100% online – so you’ll never need to travel to submit an assignment or sit an exam. Depending on your program, your assessments might include:
- An industry-relevant project or case study
- An online presentation
- Essays and reports.
