Master of Business Administration

The Griffith University Master of Business Administration is a 1.5-year postgraduate degree for people who want to move into management or sharpen the way they run an organisation. You study full time over three trimesters, or part time if you are working. The course is built around core units in strategy, leadership, finance, marketing, operations and organisational behaviour, then a set of electives that let you push into an area such as international business, entrepreneurship or project management. Griffith runs its MBA through the Griffith Business School, which holds AACSB International accreditation, the same stamp you will see on leading business schools worldwide. That matters if you plan to work across borders, because it signals the degree meets a recognised international standard.

How the degree is structured

Everything at Griffith is measured in units of study and credit points. A standard unit is worth 10 credit points, and you need to complete a set number of points to graduate, the exact total is on the official course page. The MBA is coursework-based, so instead of a full research thesis you finish with a capstone unit that pulls together what you have learned. In that capstone you typically work through a live business problem for a real organisation, often in a team, and present your recommendations to the client. Some students choose a research project or a work-integrated learning placement instead, depending on the electives they pick. If you have an undergraduate degree in business, you may be able to enter a shorter version of the MBA; if your first degree is in another field, you take the full program.

What you actually learn

You will learn how to read a balance sheet and a profit-and-loss statement well enough to question them. You will practise making decisions with incomplete information, because that is what managers do. You will study how teams behave, how to negotiate, how to manage a budget, and how to lead people who do not report to you. There is a strong emphasis on case discussion and group work, so you spend a lot of time in small rooms arguing about what a company should do next. Assessment is a mix of exams, reports, presentations and group projects. By the end you should be able to walk into a management meeting, understand the numbers, and put forward a plan.

Who it suits

This MBA suits people with a few years of work experience who want to step up, an engineer moving into project leadership, a nurse moving into health administration, a small-business owner who wants to grow. It also suits international students who want an Australian qualification and a period of post-study work rights. As a student visa holder you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after you graduate 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 Department of Home Affairs website for the current rules. English requirements for entry are set by Griffith; international applicants usually need IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework postgraduate programs, though some courses ask for higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and Griffith's own English programs are accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own separate English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 011433F. Confirm all entry requirements, fees and intake dates on the official Griffith University page before you apply.

• General manager or operations manager, running a business unit, a branch or a division in retail, manufacturing, logistics or professional services.
• Project manager, construction, infrastructure, IT and government projects across Australia.
• Management consultant, advisory firms and internal strategy teams in banking, health and the public sector.
• Marketing or business development manager, consumer goods, technology, tourism and education providers.
• Finance manager or financial analyst, banks, insurance, superannuation funds and corporate finance teams.
• Human resources manager, recruitment, workplace relations and organisational development.
• Health services manager, hospitals, aged care and community health organisations.
• Entrepreneur or small-business owner, starting or scaling your own venture.

Australian employers in these fields include the major banks, the big four consulting firms, mining and resources companies, state and federal government departments, and not-for-profit organisations. Griffith has campuses in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, so graduates often stay in South East Queensland, but the MBA is portable, the skills transfer to any industry that needs someone to manage people, money and strategy.