Get the recognition you deserve
Turn the leadership capabilities you’ve acquired through learning and experience into a formal qualification.
Strengthen your leadership skills
Consolidate and expand your leadership capabilities through guided self-analysis, workplace-based research, applied practice and feedback.
Fit your study around your work
Our 100% online Professional Practice courses can be accessed around your schedule and availability.
Build knowledge from your existing experience, not from the ground up
Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Leadership is an innovative, first-of-a-kind* qualification that recognises your leadership experience and develops your leadership skills.
This 100% online course is suited for experienced leaders who value the importance of effective leadership and who want to be recognised for their leadership capabilities. It will provide you with an opportunity to:
- gain a thorough understanding of key leadership concepts
- develop your leadership practice through reflection and evidence-based decision-making
- apply your skills in the workplace to deliver positive change.
You will apply what you've learned, as well as analyse and validate your leadership strengths, with course content that goes beyond theory into practice-based learning.
Entry requirement
Entry into the Graduate Certificate of Leadership will be based on:
- Bachelor's degree in any discipline and two years relevant experience#
OR - three years relevant work experience^
* Deakin is the first university in Australia to develop Professional Practice degrees, combining online coursework units along with several Professional Practice credentials, which recognise capabilities: the skills and knowledge you already have and which you apply in your work. This recognition is gained through written and video testimonies and a portfolio of evidence.
# Applicable to applicants with a bachelor's degree. Work experience must be in a managerial or professional role with evidence of leading teams, including either direct or indirect reports as a supervisor or manager, and operational implementation of strategy.
^ Applicable to applicants without a bachelor's degree. Work experience must be in a managerial or professional role with evidence of leading teams, including either direct or indirect reports as a supervisor or manager, and operational implementation of strategy.
How the course is structured
You complete two coursework units, two Professional Practice Credentials and two stackable short courses.
Download the course guide to learn more about the course structure.
Leadership Practice with Impact
The purpose of this unit is to deliver a thorough grounding in the main leadership theories, concepts, and issues. It is intended as an introduction to leadership and will be the theoretical foundation that the other leadership units are built on.
The Deakin Advantage: Leadership and Professional Development
This unit brings together career development, personal development and professional development. Students commence with a personalised 360-degree feedback diagnosis which provides the foundation for the selection of personal and professional development opportunities that are completed over the duration of their study program.
Please note: As part of any postgraduate degree at Deakin University, you need to complete the compulsory, zero-credit-point unit Academic Integrity. This unit requires you to pass an online multiple-choice test.
Download the course guide to learn more about the coursework units and the course structure.
Flexible and 100% online
This leading-edge postgraduate degree is designed for leaders who need flexibility for when and where they complete their studies.
- This course has no exams and is designed specifically for a 100% online experience.
- Study while you work and immediately apply what you learn to your workplace.
One-on-one support
You’ll be supported every step of the way.
Each student is provided with a Student Success Adviser, who offers non-academic advice and support from enrolment through to graduation.
From tackling the course-work unit readings to submitting a Professional Practice credential testimony, your academics are also available to provide support whenever you need it.
Frequently asked questions
No, a graduate certificate and an honours year are different types of qualifications. An honours program is typically an additional year of study following a bachelor’s degree, often involving a research project and deeper academic focus in the same discipline as your undergraduate degree. It’s usually part of the undergraduate pathway and sits at the same qualification level as a standard bachelor’s degree plus honours.
In contrast, a Graduate Certificate, like Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Leadership, is a postgraduate qualification that sits at Level 8 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. It’s designed for people who already have professional or academic experience and want to formalise and build their leadership skills through structured study. It’s not the same as an honours year, but it can be a pathway into higher postgraduate study such as a master’s degree if you choose to continue.
Studying a leadership course helps you build the skills and frameworks needed to lead teams and organisations effectively. It goes beyond on‑the‑job experience by exploring leadership theory, reflective practice, strategic decision‑making and evidence‑based leadership approaches. Whether you’re stepping into a leadership role for the first time or reinforcing your existing capabilities, structured leadership study gives you tools and insights that can improve your confidence and impact in the workplace.
For example, Deakin University’s Graduate Certificate of Leadership blends academic study with practical application and professional practice credentials. It’s delivered fully online and designed so you can apply what you learn immediately in your current role, helping you validate and expand the leadership skills you already use while gaining a recognised postgraduate qualification.
A graduate certificate is a short postgraduate qualification that typically requires fewer units of study than a full postgraduate degree. It focuses on foundational and practical skills in a specific area and can usually be completed in a shorter period of time, often while you continue working. Graduate certificates allow you to gain formal recognition of your capabilities and can act as stepping stones into higher qualifications.
A postgraduate degree, such as a master’s degree, involves more in‑depth study over a longer duration and often includes a research component or more advanced coursework. Master’s degrees are broader in scope, cover more advanced concepts, and are generally seen as a deeper professional qualification.
At Deakin, the Graduate Certificate of Leadership provides a flexible and focused introduction to postgraduate leadership study and can be a pathway into the Master of Leadership if you decide to build your skills further.
Whether a graduate certificate is “enough” depends on your goals. If you want to strengthen your leadership skills, be formally recognised for your experience, and immediately apply learning in your workplace, a graduate certificate can be a highly practical and worthwhile option. It’s particularly useful for professionals who want targeted postgraduate study without committing to a full master’s degree upfront.
For those aiming for more senior leadership roles or specialised strategic leadership responsibilities, you might later choose to pursue a postgraduate degree such as a master’s. At Deakin University, successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Leadership can also offer a pathway into the Master of Leadership, giving you the option to continue your study and deepen your expertise if you decide to.
