Graduate Diploma of Business Management (GradDipBus)

The Graduate Diploma of Business Management at Asia Pacific International College is a one-year postgraduate qualification for people who want a grounding in how businesses run, without committing to a full MBA. It sits at graduate diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, which places it between a bachelor degree and a master's. You come out with a recognised postgraduate qualification, and if you decide to keep going, the credit you earn can often be counted towards a master's degree.

What you study

The course covers the core areas of business management: organisational behaviour, marketing, accounting and finance, operations, and strategy. You will look at how Australian organisations plan, budget, lead teams and make decisions. Assessment is a mix of exams, reports, group projects and presentations, the same pattern you would meet in most Australian postgraduate business courses. The exact units and credit points are set out by the college, so check the official course page for the current list.

How it is structured

Australian postgraduate courses are built on units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. A full-time load is usually four units per semester or trimester, and you need to pass a required number of credit points to graduate. This graduate diploma is one year full time, and many colleges offer a trimester model, which means three study periods a year rather than two. Some schools also let you study part time, which stretches the course over a longer period.

Skills you gain

You finish with the ability to read a balance sheet, build a budget, analyse a market, manage a project and lead a team. You will be expected to write clearly, argue a case with evidence, and present to a group. Those skills transfer across industries, and they are what employers ask about in interviews.

Who it suits

This course suits three groups: recent graduates from any discipline who want business skills before entering the job market; people already working who need a formal qualification for promotion; and career changers moving into management, administration or operations. It also works as a stepping stone if you are not ready for a full master's, or if your undergraduate grades do not meet direct entry requirements for an MBA.

As an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you graduate, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets you stay and work in Australia, provided you meet the requirements. English entry is usually IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. The Department of Home Affairs also sets its own English threshold for the Student visa. Confirm the current tuition, intake dates and English requirements on the official CRICOS listing and the college's page before you apply.

• Business development officer, working in professional services, manufacturing, retail and technology firms across Australia.
• Operations coordinator, logistics, healthcare administration, government agencies and not-for-profits.
• Marketing coordinator, advertising agencies, e-commerce businesses and consumer goods companies.
• Project administrator, construction, IT and consulting firms that run client projects.
• Management consultant (junior), boutique consultancies and the internal strategy teams of larger organisations.
• Account manager, banking, insurance, telecommunications and business-to-business sales.
• Team leader or supervisor, hospitality, retail, aged care and community services.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own venture or a family business.