Diploma of Sport / Diploma of Leadership and Management
In collaboration with the Richmond Football Club, we are offering a Dual Diploma that is aimed at developing the next generation of leaders within the sports industry. If you are passionate about sports and have an interest in the business sector, this course is for you.
Students will learn how to enhance athlete performance, manage people and teams, and become a leader. Upon successful completion of the dual diploma, students may be eligible to progress into a related course or degree at Swinburne.
Duration
1 year
Intakes
External Venue (February) - View application and start dates
Study mode
- Full-time

This is a nationally approved vocational course that is recognised throughout Australia.

Richmond Institute of Sport Leadership
The Richmond Institute of Sports Leadership, in partnership with Swinburne and Richmond Football Club, offers a unique pathway aimed at developing the next generation of leaders within the sports industry.
Course information in detail
- Course detail, course structure and units of study.
Course description
This dual diploma is designed to challenge students in their understanding of sports and athletic development, sports coaching, and business knowledge. Overall, it provides a solid base for future employment in the sports industry or in business and leadership positions.
The program includes training delivered in a face-to-face mode, with a combination of theory & practical sessions and project-based learnings which will be applied to ‘real life’ scenarios. Students will attend three face-to-face sessions during the week which is staggered over one year of full-time study. The delivery follows Victorian high school term dates calendar each year.
Individual support sessions are also scheduled each day which students have the option to attend if they need any further support with their training and assessments.
Students also participate in high-performance practical sessions over the duration of their learning and can expect to participate in physical activity each day of attendance, which is adapted to all physical abilities.
The program is grouped into four key thematic areas - Managing Athlete Performance, Managing the Business, Coaching the Team, and Becoming a Leader.
As a part of the course, students are encouraged to complete 100 hours of industry work placement. These placements must be relevant to the course where students can apply skills and knowledge into a sport or leadership context.
Students will have the potential to be inducted as a Richmond Football Club volunteer and have the chance of working in a range of departments and community programs including AFL & AFLW matches.
Course structure
Units of study
Careers and graduate outcomes
- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives and graduate skills.
Career opportunities
The following are indicative job roles for this qualification:
- Competition manager
- Program developer
- Talent development manager
- Sport development manager
- Leisure and recreational facility coordinator
- Leisure and recreational facility program development
- Sport and recreation community development officer
- Sport and recreation administration
- Sport and recreation event management
- Sport and recreation consumer business officer
- Pathways with further study into Business (multiple streams) and Exercise Science
Aims and objectives

Graduate skills
- Professional communication: stakeholders, volunteers, competition staff, athletes and businesses
- Team leadership, accountability, appropriate assistance, interpersonal relationships, monitoring and compliance
- Problem solving, managing risks, negotiation, strategy and resource allocation, unforeseen issues
- Taking initiative, change management, relationship building, responding to feedback, continuous improvement
- Planning and organisation, records, multiple task management, selection processes, OHS policy
- Self-management, legal and ethical responsibilities, critically reviewing own strengths and weaknesses, assessing feedback on own performance and determining strategies for improvement, networking
- Open sharing of knowledge and experience and suitable usage of information technology related to management and planning.
Pathways and scholarships
- Pathways.
Course fees and requirements
- Fees, entry requirements and non-year 12 entry.
Course fees
Entry requirements
Expressions of interest and Application process
- Step 1: Complete the below expression of interest form.
- Step 2: Attend an open day at Richmond Institute – either in person or online. Submit a Personal Profile for Assessment form if interested in the course.
- Step 3: We’ll call you to conduct a brief interview. This is just to make sure the course is right for you!
- Step 4: If successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer for a position from Richmond Institute.
- Step 5: If successful, you’ll receive your official Swinburne offer via email. This includes information on how to accept your offer, enrolment, and to confirm start date.