Graduate Certificate in Business Administration

This program enables managers with extensive relevant experience but without a prior undergraduate degree in a business discipline to advance their management thinking through four foundation courses as a stepping-stone to more advanced courses within the Master of Business Administration. Griffith's business administration programs are built on three core values that are crucial to doing business in the 21st century: responsible leadership, sustainable business practices and an Asia-Pacific focus. Griffith University offers a number of study options for Business Administration including our fully flexible program . Find out more about our Business Administration programs.

This program enables managers with extensive relevant experience but without a prior undergraduate degree in a business discipline to advance their management thinking through four foundation courses as a stepping-stone to more advanced courses within the Master of Business Administration. Griffith's business administration programs are built on three core values that are crucial to doing business in the 21st century: responsible leadership, sustainable business practices and an Asia-Pacific focus. Griffith University offers a number of study options for Business Administration including our programs.

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, an applicant must:

• have a minimum of six years equivalent full-time work experience which includes:
• four years of relevant work experience and
• two years in a role demonstrating leadership experience.

Leadership can include direct supervisory experience and/or change management in an organisational or project-specific setting.

Evidence of work experience must include a detailed work history (roles, responsibilities and achievements).

Upon request, applicants may be asked to provide:

• An Applicant Statement of Leadership Experience (maximum 750 words). To demonstrate relevance of work experience, applicants will need to provide a statement detailing examples of applied leadership skills and how their experiences will be complemented by the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration program along with a sound knowledge of the Griffith Business School values.

From 2025:

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, a student must have:

• A minimum of five years full-time (or equivalent) relevant ^professional experience, which includes three years of relevant work experience and two years demonstrating management/leadership experience, OR
• A recognised Bachelor degree (or higher) in any discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale; and have a minimum three years full-time (or equivalent) work experience post-degree which includes
• two years of relevant work experience and
• one year in a role demonstrating leadership experience

^Professional experience: A professional role for example in: Business, Commerce, International Business, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Supply Chain Management, Health Care Administrator, Consultant, IT Manager, Operations Manager, Strategy, Business Analysis, Public Service, Banking, or other related areas. Experience as an Owner, Manager or Team Leader would also be considered relevant professional experience.

A candidate's application must also include:

1. A two-page CV
2. A one-page statement of motivation (see guidelines)

Guidelines for Statement of Motivation (Compulsory)

You are required to write a max. one page statement of motivation, outlining your reasons for applying for the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration. Your statement can include:

• highlighting your career aspirations and how this qualification will help you achieve them
• describing your short-term and long-term career goals and how you plan to leverage the Graduate Certificate to reach these goals
• explaining how the program aligns with your professional development needs
• describing your leadership experience (direct supervisory and/or change management or project specific setting)

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0
• OR a minimum score of 575 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19)
• OR no score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR a minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• OR an overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

International students who successfully complete the Direct Entry Program (DEP) will satisfy the English Language requirements for this Griffith degree.

The Direct Entry Program (DEP) is not available for Domestic students.

Applicants should refer to the English language requirements section of the following University procedure for exceptions to these overall requirements:

• Admission Procedure

If you do not meet the University's specified English language requirements, you may wish to contact the Griffith English Language Institute to increase your eligibility for entering a Griffith University program. This Institute offers a number of English language and other courses at both its Brisbane and Gold Coast branches.

• Griffith English Language Institute

Studying the Graduate Certificate program at Griffith University will provide you with insight into the skills and knowledge required for senior management positions in a wide range of industries and in sectors.

The Griffith Graduate Certificate in Business Administration has taken online education to a new level to meet the fast-changing needs of a modern, global student community. This program is designed for you to study online, but you can choose our fully flexible option which allows you to alternate between online and face-to-face modes of attendance to meet your individual needs.

Career Development

The opportunity to boost your career does not end when you graduate from your Graduate Certificate in Business Administration. All students are invited to sign up as a member of the Griffith Master of Business Administration (MBA) for Life program, providing access to networking opportunities, events and current business trends.