Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management at Southern Cross School of Business gives you practical management skills you can use straight away. It's a diploma-level qualification, so it sits below a bachelor degree on the Australian Qualifications Framework, and it's built for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or middle-management roles, or who already work in those roles and want a formal qualification to back up what they know.

What you actually study

You'll work through units of study covering the things managers deal with every day: leading and managing a team, developing and using emotional intelligence, managing budgets and financial plans, implementing operational plans, managing recruitment and onboarding, and workplace relationships. There's a strong focus on communication, problem solving and decision making. Assessment is competency-based, which means you're judged on whether you can actually do the task, not just whether you can pass an exam. You'll produce business documents, lead simulated or real team activities, and work through case studies drawn from Australian workplaces.

How the course is structured

The Advanced Diploma runs for 1.5 years. Australian vocational qualifications are usually delivered in semesters or trimesters, and you'll enrol in a set number of units each study period until you've completed the required credit points. There's no research thesis at this level, that's for master's and doctoral degrees. What you get instead is a practical, skills-based qualification. Some providers include a work placement or industry project as part of the course, so ask Southern Cross School of Business directly about placement arrangements.

Where it sits on the AQF and what it leads to

On the Australian Qualifications Framework, an advanced diploma sits between a diploma and a bachelor degree. It's a recognised qualification in its own right, and it can also give you credit towards a bachelor degree if you decide to keep studying. If you're an international student, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available after you finish, depending on your visa situation, check the Department of Home Affairs website for current rules. While you're studying, your student visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight.

Who it suits

This course suits people who want management skills without committing to a three-year bachelor degree. That includes school leavers who want a fast route into a supervisory role, people already working in retail, hospitality, administration or logistics who want to move up, and international students looking for a shorter, practical qualification in Australia. English requirements are IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, or an accepted equivalent like TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 104724K, check the official page for the current figure and confirm all details with the provider before you apply.

• Team leader or supervisor, retail, hospitality, call centres, warehousing and logistics.
• Office manager or administration manager, professional services firms, government departments, not-for-profits.
• Operations coordinator, manufacturing, transport, health services, construction.
• Frontline manager, banking, insurance, community services.
• Small business owner or manager, running your own operation or a franchise.
• Project support officer, assisting with planning, budgets and reporting on projects.

These roles exist across most Australian industries. The qualification also gives you a pathway into further study, a diploma or advanced diploma can count towards credit in a bachelor degree at many Australian institutions.