Diploma of Business

The Diploma of Business at Sheridan Institute of Higher Education is a one-year qualification that gets you straight into the working parts of a business. You study how organisations plan, market, staff and account for what they do. Expect units in areas like management principles, marketing, business communication, accounting basics and the legal and economic setting Australian businesses operate in. Assessment is a mix of exams, reports, group projects and presentations, so you build the written and spoken skills employers ask for.

How the qualification is structured

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). They are shorter and more applied than a bachelor degree, which normally runs three years. At Sheridan, the year is split into semesters or trimesters, and you enrol in units of study that each carry credit points. You need to pass the required units and accumulate the credit points set out in the course rules to graduate. Because the diploma is nested under the bachelor awards, credit you earn can often be counted towards a related bachelor degree at Sheridan or elsewhere, subject to the receiving institution's rules. Confirm the exact unit list, credit-point totals and any articulation arrangements on the official course page before you apply.

Skills you gain

You learn to read a profit and loss statement, write a business case, run a small project, analyse a market and work in a team to a deadline. Communication units sharpen your report writing and presentation skills. You also pick up the digital literacy to use spreadsheets, databases and business software confidently. These are the day-to-day capabilities that make you useful in an office from the first week.

Who it suits

The diploma suits school leavers who want a practical start before committing to a full degree, people already working who need a formal qualification for promotion, and international students looking for an Australian qualification that can lead into further study. It is also a sensible pathway if your Year 12 results do not meet direct entry requirements for a bachelor degree. International applicants need to meet English proficiency requirements, commonly IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for courses at this level, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institute's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. While studying, a student visa generally allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight during term. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period that depends on your qualification and circumstances. Check the current rules with the Department of Home Affairs.

Sheridan Institute of Higher Education is a small independent provider, so classes tend to be personal and you are not just a student number. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register under course code 093566C. Always confirm fees, intake dates, English requirements and unit details on the official Sheridan page or the CRICOS listing before you apply.

• Administration officer – keeps an office running, manages records and supports a team. Hired across government, health, education and private firms.
• Customer service officer – handles enquiries and complaints in banking, insurance, retail and telecommunications.
• Sales support officer – prepares quotes, processes orders and looks after customer accounts in wholesale and manufacturing.
• Accounts clerk – handles invoices, payments and basic bookkeeping for small and medium businesses.
• Marketing assistant – helps run campaigns, updates social media and prepares reports for agencies and in-house teams.
• Project support officer – maintains schedules, minutes and budgets on construction, IT and government projects.
• Small business operator – runs your own venture with a better grasp of cash flow, marketing and compliance.
• Further study pathway – graduates often continue into a bachelor degree in business, accounting or management, with credit for completed units.