Master of Business Administration
Choose your specialisation
Accounting
With strong links to industry partners and professional bodies, the accounting specialisation provides a strong theoretical and practical foundation.
Business Analytics
This specialisation focuses on machine learning in business and the skills used to deliver insights from data through visualisation techniques.
Business Information Systems
The Business Information Systems specialisation teaches students how businesses can exploit technology to improve their decision making.
Digital Marketing
Learn to build businesses with confidence by understanding how to use traditional and data-led marketing strategies with this Digital Marketing specialisation.
Entrepreneurship
This specialisation gives you the tools to develop the mindset needed to lead and manage high-growth organisations through innovation.
Finance
This specialisation delivers a practical and theoretical approach to Finance and has strong links with industry partners and professional bodies.
Financial Technologies
This cutting edge FinTech specialisation blends theory with practical applications, giving you the expertise to accelerate your career.
Human Resource Management
This specialisation is designed to give you the essential theoretical skills and practical experience to create dynamic workplace cultures.
International Business
Learn how to do business within an international context during one of our innovation study tours or internship placements in Europe, America, or Asia.
Project Management
This specialisation equips you with real-world experience, and the tools, knowledge, and innovation, to manage diverse, complex projects.
Research
Become familiar with writing a research plan and then using this knowledge to conduct practical research and write a business research thesis.
Supply Chain Innovation
This specialisation is co-designed with industry partners and uniquely combines supply chain management, design thinking and data analytics.
Social impact
Create and lead positive social change with a Swinburne postgraduate course in Social Impact - for professionals seeking deeper skills and a more meaningful future.
Overview
Develop your entrepreneurial and leadership strengths with the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Renowned for its industry connections, our MBA delivers practical learning with a focus on leadership and change, innovation and entrepreneurship, ethical practices, and social responsibility. It equips you with the capacity to start new ventures and initiate organisational improvements.
You're invited to our 2025 Study Expo
Join us this January to meet academics, browse courses, get application help, explore our Hawthorn campus and find out all you need to know about starting in Semester 1.
Upgrade your skills
- Knowledge of management activities
- Leadership motivation, competence, and skills (interpersonal skills)
- Ability to audit internal and external environments and build strategies (conceptual skills)
- Emotional intelligence (EQ), digital intelligence (DQ), and cultural intelligence (CQ)
- Problem solving and design thinking
- Capable of responsibly addressing stakeholders' interests
Stretch your career further
Students can enhance their career opportunities by gaining additional leadership and management skills – an important asset in a today’s complex and changing business environment. The below examples demonstrate the types of roles graduates can attain.
- Middle manager to top manager
- Manager in both manufacturing and service firms
- Manager in private as well as public sectors
- Intrapreneur/Entrepreneur
- Expatriate manager
Key codes
International student visa
International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.
Professional accreditations
Industry partners
Why Swinburne?
MBA ranked global top tier by US CEO Magazine
Top 5% of the world’s higher education business schools
91.1% of graduates found employment within 4 months of finishing.
The median income for PG graduates one year out is $79.5K
-
I engineered my MBA with a strategic path. I did some international business, strategic foresight, innovation and consulting units as electives. It gave me the ability to think laterally, to look at a situation and develop my own analytical models, and to use strategic frameworks to communicate a solution to the problem. I wouldn't have been able to work in my current job without my Swinburne MBA.
Richard , Master of Business Administration
Fast track your course*
A fast-track course gives you the same qualifications as a ‘regular course’, but is completed in a shorter amount of time. Designed for those who already have business or industry experience, you’ll participate in workshops, with assessments based on the workplace.
*Example fast-tracked durations:
Qualifications
Applicants are required to have completed one of the following:
- a bachelor degree (or higher award) in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent or
- the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (available to International applicants only)
Applicants who have additional qualifications are eligible to enter the program with Advanced Standing and may be able to complete the program in less than two years.
1 year duration (full-time, or equivalent part-time)
Applicants who have completed one of the following may be able to complete the program in 1 year of full-time study (or equivalent part-time study):
- the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration; or
- an honours bachelor degree in a related discipline
1.5 year duration (full-time, or equivalent part-time)
Applicants who have completed one of the following may be able to complete the program in 1.5 years of full-time study (or equivalent part-time study):
- a bachelor degree in a related discipline; or
- a graduate certificate in a related discipline; or
- a bachelor degree (or higher award) in any discipline and have two years relevant work experience* or
- the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (available to International applicants only) PLUS either previous related discipline Higher Education Study, OR a minimum of two years relevant work experience*
* Relevant professional/managerial experience and evidence of academic capability will be determined by the Faculty PVC (or delegate) with reference to faculty-determined guiding principles. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application.
Documents substantiating relevant experience are required, clearly detailing roles and duration, as well as evidence of formal and non-formal learning. Where relevant experience is used for the basis of admission, no further recognition for prior learning/credit can be granted on that basis.
Applicants are required to have completed one of the following:
- a bachelor degree (or higher award) in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent or
- the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (available to International applicants only)
Applicants who have additional qualifications are eligible to enter the program with Advanced Standing and may be able to complete the program in less than two years.
1 year duration (full-time, or equivalent part-time)
Applicants who have completed one of the following may be able to complete the program in 1 year of full-time study (or equivalent part-time study):
- the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration; or
- an honours bachelor degree in a related discipline
1.5 year duration (full-time, or equivalent part-time)
Applicants who have completed one of the following may be able to complete the program in 1.5 years of full-time study (or equivalent part-time study):
- a bachelor degree in a related discipline; or
- a graduate certificate in a related discipline; or
- a bachelor degree (or higher award) in any discipline and have two years relevant work experience* or
- the Postgraduate Qualifying Program (available to International applicants only) PLUS either previous related discipline Higher Education Study, OR a minimum of two years relevant work experience*
* Relevant professional/managerial experience and evidence of academic capability will be determined by the Faculty PVC (or delegate) with reference to faculty-determined guiding principles. Applicants will be required to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with their application.
Documents substantiating relevant experience are required, clearly detailing roles and duration, as well as evidence of formal and non-formal learning. Where relevant experience is used for the basis of admission, no further recognition for prior learning/credit can be granted on that basis.
Admission requirements
Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.
English language requirements
Satisfactory completion of one of the following:
- IELTS overall band of 6.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 6.0
- Swinburne’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced level) with overall 70%, all skills 65% or above
- or equivalent measures available at English language requirements.
Need to undertake an English assessment for entry?
A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) can now be done at our Hawthorn campus.
Credit transfer
Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Recognition of prior learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Finding your fit
At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.
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Master of Supply Chain Innovation
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Master of Project Management
How credit points work
To qualify for the award of Master of Business Administration students must complete 16 (or equivalent) units (200 credit points) comprising:
- 4 foundation units (50 credit points)
- 8 core units (100 credit points)
- 4 units comprising one specialisation or 4 elective units (50 credit points)
Your units
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Accounting Systems and Reporting
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
ACC60008 |
|
Marketing Management
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
MKT60010 |
|
Behaviour in Organisations
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
HRM60016 |
|
Opportunity Discovery
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
ENT60006 |
|
Economics
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
ECO80001 |
|
Corporate Financial Management
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
FIN80005 |
|
Business Strategy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
MGT80002 |
|
Leadership for Innovation
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
MGT80005 |
| Foundation units | |
|
Business Information Systems
Foundation unit, 12.5 credit points |
INF60007 |
|
Management Analysis and Problem Solving
Foundation unit, 12.5 credit points |
MGT60040 |
|
Business Sustainability and Social Impact
Foundation unit, 12.5 credit points |
MGT60042 |
|
Future Management Skills
Foundation unit, 12.5 credit points |
MGT60043 |
Want to see the full range of electives?
Learn about all the electives you can take in the course handbook.
Nested programs
The Master of Business Administration encompasses a comprehensive suite of interconnected programs. Discover more about the initial stage:
Your specialisation units
Add your specialisation
Add your specialisation for a more personalised experience.
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$36,320
Total fee* ($AUD)
$72,640
2025 fees
Yearly fee* ($AUD)
$46,560.00
Fees are estimates only
The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2025 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.
Fees are estimates only
The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year, based on a standard study load per year. Fees are assessed according to actual study load each semester, with variations to study load resulting in tuition fee adjustments. These fees generally include the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and are subject to annual review. Enrolled students will receive reasonable notice of any fee changes before payment is due.
How do I pay my fees?
FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.
International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.
To pay your fees:
- log in to My Finances
- check your Australian bank account details are correct
- check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe
- pay using your preferred payment method.
Eligibility for FEE-HELP
You’re eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if you are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or UniLink or OUA course at Swinburne, and you:
- are an Australian citizen doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
- hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
- hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens
- are undertaking bridging study for overseas trained professionals and will be living in Australia for the duration of this study
- have not exceeded the new combined Help Loan limit.
The HELP limit is the maximum amount you can borrow from the government in your lifetime towards your education costs. It is fixed and cannot be topped up.
Student services and amenities fee
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
The fee shown in the capped amount for 2025.
This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.
This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown is the capped amount for 2025.
Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365
SSAF fee* ($AUD)
$365
Scholarships
Scholarship applications for 2025 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals.
Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.
When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.
Apply through an agent
Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.
Apply directly
Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online!