Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management at Richmond School of Business is a practical, 1.5-year qualification for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or middle-management roles. It sits at the diploma/advanced diploma level of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which means it's vocational rather than a university bachelor's degree. You'll study how organisations run day to day: managing budgets and financial plans, leading and developing teams, building business relationships, handling workplace conflict, and making operational decisions that stick.

How the course is structured

Like most Australian vocational qualifications, it's delivered in semesters or trimesters, and you accumulate units of study that each carry credit points. There's no giant research thesis at this level. Instead, the final part of the course usually pulls everything together through a capstone-style project or a simulated workplace scenario where you apply what you've learned to a real business problem. Some providers also build in a work placement or industry project, because this field values people who can show they've actually supervised a team or managed a budget, not just read about it.

What you'll actually learn

You'll come out able to write an operational plan, manage a project from start to finish, lead a team through change, and use emotional intelligence when things get tense. You'll also cover risk management, workplace policy, and how to communicate with people from different backgrounds. Assessment is mostly practical: case studies, role-plays, reports and presentations rather than long written exams. That suits people who learn by doing.

Who it's for

This course suits three groups. First, people already working in a job who want formal recognition before going for a supervisor role. Second, school leavers or career changers who want a shorter, job-focused qualification instead of a three-year bachelor degree. Third, international students who want an Australian qualification and a pathway into further study, such as a bachelor's degree with credit for prior learning. English requirements are published by the institution: IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is common, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the school's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. International students on a Student visa can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while studying, and may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream after completing the course. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 107613D. Check the official page for current unit lists, intake dates and fees.

• Team leader or supervisor, retail, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, customer service
• Office or administration manager, small to medium businesses, professional services firms
• Project coordinator, construction, events, marketing, government agencies
• Operations coordinator, transport, warehousing, healthcare administration
• Frontline manager, banking, insurance, call centres, community services
• Small business owner or manager, running your own operation or a franchise

Australian industries that hire advanced diploma graduates include retail and wholesale, accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance, transport and logistics, and public administration. Some roles count toward skilled migration, but you should check the current occupation lists and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) requirements on the Department of Home Affairs website.