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CRICOS code (International applicants): 089180M

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Professional accreditation

USQ is registered with the (PMI)® as a Global Registered Education Provider (R.E.P.). A study of project management at USQ earns professional development units towards certification with PMI including towards the Project Management Professional (PMP)®.

PMI, PMP and Project Management Professional (PMP) are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

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Program aims

The aim of the Graduate Diploma of Business is to enable students to acquire a body of specialised knowledge and skills across a range of business disciplines and contexts to meet their specific professional workplace needs or as a pathway for further learning.

The selection of the courses or discipline specialisation chosen will be influenced by the demands of the work environment and the interests of the student. The entry requirements of articulating programs should be considered when choosing courses.

Students who have completed the Graduate Diploma of Business are not eligible to enter the Master of Business Administration or Master of Project Management until they satisfy the required minimum of two years' full-time relevant professional work experience in business.

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Program objectives

The objectives of the Graduate Diploma of Business are to produce graduates who are able to:

• understand the concepts and essential theories and skills associated with a discipline area or areas related to business

• demonstrate cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise business knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems

• evaluate and communicate theoretical concepts to transfer business knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences

• demonstrate advanced business knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning.

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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 08. Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Completion of an Australian university Bachelor degree in the area of business, or equivalent.

• English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.

For candidates who have a Bachelor degree (AQF level 7) or equivalent in a non-business related discipline from a recognised institution, USQ’s Graduate Certificate of Business provides an articulation pathway into the Graduate Diploma of Business.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Graduate Diploma of Business is comprised of eight units of postgraduate courses as follows:

Students who have completed the Graduate Diploma of Business and do not have a minimum of two years' full-time relevant professional work experience in business are not eligible to apply for entry to the Master of Business Administration or Master of Project Management until they have satisfied this work experience entry requirement.

Please note: To be eligible to enrol in the Advanced Research specialisation in the Graduate Diploma of Business, students must have completed a Masters Level (AQF 9) qualification in a business-related area with minimum GPA of 5.0 (B average) for the last 4 units of that program. Students who do not meet this requirement cannot enrol in and . Where possible students should complete before enrolling in .

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 4 years to complete the Graduate Diploma of Business.

Specific specialisations

In this section:

• Big Data and Visualisation specialisation
• Business Administration specialisation
• Business Leadership specialisation
• Crisis Management specialisation
• Digital Marketing Analytics
• Digital Transformation specialisation
• Emergency and Disaster Communication specialisation
• Enterprise Leadership specialisation
• Finance specialisation
• General specialisation
• Global Business Management specialisation
• International Business specialisation
• Professional Communication specialisation
• Project Management specialisation
• Strategic Human Resource Management specialisation
• Strategic Marketing specialisation
• Sustainable Business specialisation

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Big Data and Visualisation specialisation

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Business Administration specialisation

The Business Administration specialisation is recommended for students who want to articulate into the Master of Business Administration .

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Business Leadership specialisation

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Crisis Management specialisation

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Digital Marketing Analytics

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Digital Transformation specialisation

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Emergency and Disaster Communication specialisation

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Enterprise Leadership specialisation

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Finance specialisation

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General specialisation

Any four courses from the Master of Business Administration, Master of Project Management, Master of Business and Innovation , Master of Professional Accounting or Master of Information Systems or from other USQ postgraduate programs as approved by the Program Coordinator in the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.

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Global Business Management specialisation

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International Business specialisation

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Professional Communication specialisation

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Project Management specialisation

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Strategic Human Resource Management specialisation

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Strategic Marketing specialisation

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Sustainable Business specialisation

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IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the .

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Other program requirements

Students must maintain good standing in this program. Please refer to the .

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Articulation

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Business a student may articulate into the Master of Business Administration , Master of Project Management or Master of Business and Innovation provided they meet other program entry requirements.

Students who have completed the Graduate Diploma of Business and do not have a minimum of two years' full-time relevant professional work experience in business are not eligible to apply for entry to the Master of Business Administration or Master of Project Management until they have satisfied this work experience entry requirement.

Students who wish to gain maximum credit for courses completed in the Graduate Diploma of Business upon entry to the Master of Business and Innovation must choose two named specialisations from the Master of Business and Innovation.

Students who wish to articulate into the Master of Business Administration , Master of Project Management or Master of Business and Innovation must meet the program admission requirements before applications for credit will be considered.

Students who wish to gain maximum credit for courses completed in the Graduate Diploma of Business upon entry to the Master of Business Administration should choose the Business Administration specialisation plus a named specialisation from the Master of Business Administration.

Students who wish to gain maximum credit for courses completed in the Graduate Diploma of Business upon entry to the Master of Project Management should choose the Master of Project Management foundation courses plus a named specialisation from the Master of Project Management.

Students who successfully complete the Graduate Diploma of Business can complete a relevant articulating Masters award (Master of Business Administration, Master of Business and Innovation or Master of Project Management) by undertaking a further four units if they return to study within three years of completing the Graduate Diploma of Business. This is subject to the eight Graduate Diploma of Business courses being fully embedded within the relevant articulating program. If students enrol in a non-articulating program, or return to study after three years, the normal USQ credit rules will apply.

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Exit points

After successful completion of 4 units of study students may exit with the Graduate Certificate of Business.

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Credit

Credit may be granted on the basis of equivalent courses undertaken at postgraduate level. In order for credit to be granted, the claim must meet the following specific requirements:

• the course passed was taken at least at Masters or equivalent level

• the course was passed within 5 years prior to the application (courses up to 10 years old may be considered if evidence is provided that the applicant has been employed in that field)

• the course passed is equivalent in objectives, content and weightings to a course prescribed in the Graduate Diploma of Business program, or alternatively, the course is suitable as an elective

• where the student has taken out an award from a recognised tertiary institution and is claiming credit on the basis of courses completed to meet the requirements of that program, the maximum credit on the basis of such courses shall be no greater than 4 courses for the Graduate Diploma of Business

• credit approved in this program will not automatically apply to other programs offered by the USQ.

Note: Where credit is granted, maximum and minimum duration will be adjusted in the same proportion as the credit, for example, where the maximum of 50 per cent credit is granted, maximum and minimum duration will be reduced by one-half.

Recommended enrolment pattern

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Recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.

Please refer to the program structure. Students requiring assistance should contact the Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts.