Advanced Diploma of Human Resource Management

The Advanced Diploma of Human Resource Management is a practical qualification for people who want to work in HR or take on more responsibility for staff in their current job. It sits at the diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework, below a bachelor degree, and is delivered over about 1.5 years. At Business College of Sydney, you study units of study that carry credit points, usually across trimesters or semesters. The course covers the core of HR: recruitment and onboarding, performance management, workplace relations, employment law, work health and safety, payroll and HR information systems, and how to support a diverse workforce.

Assessment is competency-based. You show you can do the task, not just recall the theory. That means writing job descriptions, running a recruitment and selection process, handling a grievance or disciplinary matter, interpreting an award or enterprise agreement, and preparing HR reports for managers. Some providers arrange a work placement or industry project so you can apply these skills in a real workplace. If yours does, it is worth asking how many hours are involved and whether the placement is organised for you.

You finish with skills employers ask for: understanding the Fair Work Act and the National Employment Standards, running a fair and defensible recruitment process, keeping accurate records, and giving advice to line managers. The qualification is not a bachelor degree, so it does not lead to professional membership of the Australian HR Institute on its own. Many students use it as a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for prior study, or as a stand-alone credential to get into an HR coordinator or administrator role.

This course suits career changers, office administrators, team leaders and small business owners who handle their own staff. It also suits people already working in HR without a formal qualification. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your circumstances. Entry usually requires Year 12 or equivalent. International applicants need to meet English requirements, commonly IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall or an accepted equivalent, and the Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa. Check the official CRICOS listing and the college's page for current details, including tuition and intake dates.

• HR coordinator or HR administrator
• Recruitment officer or talent acquisition assistant
• Payroll officer
• Learning and development coordinator
• Work health and safety administrator
• Office manager or team leader with HR duties
• Industrial relations support officer

These roles sit in almost every industry: professional services, health, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, government and not-for-profits. Smaller organisations often hire one person to cover recruitment, payroll and compliance, which is where this qualification fits well. Larger employers have HR teams with specialist roles in recruitment, payroll, workplace relations and learning and development.