Specialist Certificate in Leadership

This unique qualification is a leadership development open program, comprised of a targeted suite of specific leadership and management capability-building subjects.

The program design is highly flexible, allowing participants considerable autonomy in following their development needs.The program is designed to offer life-long learning opportunities for professionals seeking to extend their business, managerial and leadership skills and knowledge.

Subjects are offered intensively in an executive education or intervention-based (‘gap’) format to a diverse cohort of professionals ranging from early-career to senior leaders.

The learning experience includes lectures, case studies, group discussions, simulations, and critically, participant-designed workplace interventions.

Course structure

The Specialist Certificate in Leadership consists of four 6.25 point subjects comprising two core and two elective subjects.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• either – an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification, and three years of documented relevant professional experience, or – ten years of documented relevant professional experience which demonstrates the capacity to undertake the course successfully.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic qualification and performance; and/or
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The Specialist Certificate in Leadership welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and degree policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the degree.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

The University is dedicated to providing support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Intended learning outcomes

Learning goal

Graduates of this program will develop individual capacity for leadership and enhanced ability to maximise the effectiveness of their teams, departments or organisations. Participants will acquire new or improve their existing knowledge, skills and capabilities to drive increased performance.

Learning objectives to achieve this goal

On successful completion of this certificate students will be able to:

• Identify key issues related to leadership style(s) and team and overall business performance
• Explain how leadership impacts on organisational performance, both positively and adversely
• Understand their role and personal ability to effect practice of leadership within their teams, departments and broader organisations
• Demonstrate the ability to coach and support others to maximise their workplace performance.