Diploma of Leadership and Management

The Diploma of Leadership and Management at Sunbeam International College is a one-year qualification for people who want to step into team leader, supervisor or middle management roles. You study how organisations plan work, manage people and meet their goals. Typical units cover managing budgets and financial plans, leading and managing team effectiveness, developing workplace policy, managing recruitment and onboarding, and building relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Assessment is practical: you write plans, run meetings, respond to case studies and present recommendations, not just sit exams.

How the qualification is structured

As an Australian diploma, this sits at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework, above a certificate IV and below an associate degree. It is delivered over one year, usually across two or three study periods depending on the timetable. Each unit of study carries credit points, and you need to pass all required units to graduate. Some providers build in a final project where you apply what you have learned to a real workplace problem, and many diplomas include a work placement or industry project so you spend time in an actual organisation rather than only in a classroom. Credit may be granted for relevant prior study or work experience, assessed unit by unit.

Skills you build

You learn to write operational plans, read a profit and loss statement, run a performance conversation, manage a project budget, and deal with conflict before it escalates. There is a strong focus on communication and on understanding your obligations under Australian workplace law, including fair work and work health and safety requirements. These are the skills employers ask for when they promote someone from doing the job to leading the people who do it.

Who it suits

This diploma suits two groups. The first is people already working in administration, retail, hospitality or a trade who want formal recognition before applying for a supervisor role. The second is international students who want an Australian qualification and a pathway into a bachelor degree with credit for their diploma studies. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, depending on your circumstances. English entry is usually IELTS Academic 6.0 to 6.5 overall or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic or Cambridge C1 Advanced, and the Department of Home Affairs sets its own separate English threshold for the Student visa. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register, and you should confirm current fees, intake dates and unit details on the official page.

• Team leader or supervisor in retail, hospitality, logistics or customer service
• Office or administration manager in small and medium businesses
• Project coordinator or operations coordinator
• Frontline manager in health administration, aged care or community services
• Assistant manager in tourism, events or facilities management
• Team leader in government or local council administration
• Pathway to a bachelor degree in business, management or commerce with credit