Specialist Certificate in Leadership (Professional Services)

This unique qualification is a practical leadership development course focused on the professional services industry, comprised of a targeted suite of specific leadership and management capability-building programs.

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

Programs are offered intensively in an executive education 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 three subjects comprising one core 12.5 point subject and two 6.25 point elective subjects.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
2. • either
3. – an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification, and three years of documented relevant professional experience, or
4. – ten years of documented relevant professional experience which demonstrates the capacity to undertake the course successfully.
5. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
6. 2. In ranking and/or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:
7. • prior academic qualification and performance; and/or
8. • the professional experience.
9. 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
10. 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.
• It is University 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 University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: 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 and departments in professional services firms. 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 firm performance
• Explain how leadership impacts on firm performance, both positively and adversely, and the critical role frontline service employees make to service quality
• Understand their role and personal ability to effect improvements to service processes, intra-organisational collaboration, and communication to achieve a client-centric firm
• Understand the different behaviours and actions required of leaders, vis-à-vis individual contributors
• Demonstrate the ability to coach and support others to maximise their service performance.