Diploma · national qualification
Diploma of Business
This diploma suits people who already know their area of work and want the skills to manage the people, money and resources around them.
- How long it takes
- 6 to 18 months
- full time at TAFE NSW
- What it costs
- From $12,565
- Full fee at TAFE Queensland
- How you can study
- Online or on campus
- Taught by
- 46 providers
- Every state and territory
Is this course right for you?
What the Diploma of Business asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- an interest in guiding and supporting others at work
- a willingness to think through problems rather than just follow instructions
- good communication skills for leading a team
- some comfort with numbers and budgets
Before you start
The qualification has no set entry requirements, but each provider can add its own.
Diploma or Certificate IV?
The Diploma of Business is a higher level than the Certificate IV in Business. The diploma covers managing budgets and financial plans, managing business resources and developing workplace policies and procedures for sustainability.
See the courseWhere this course can take you
No job needs this course on its own, but it can help with the work below.
Jobs this course can help with
None of these jobs needs a set qualification.
Airport Manager
Airport managers run the day-to-day operations of an airport, keeping terminals, airside movements and tenants working safely and on schedule.
Median pay$124,800 (estimate)
Bank Manager
A bank manager runs a bank branch, making lending decisions and managing the staff and the results the branch is measured on.
Median pay$110,000
Call Centre Manager
A call centre manager runs a contact centre's day-to-day operations, setting service targets and making sure customers get through to someone who can help them.
Median pay$114,700
Correctional Facility Manager
Correctional facility managers run a prison, remand centre or youth detention facility, accountable for its security, for the staff who deliver it and for how people in custody are treated.
Median pay$166,400 (estimate)
Depot Manager
A depot manager runs the daily operations of a transport or distribution depot, making sure freight, vehicles and staff are where they need to be on schedule.
Median pay$79,000 (estimate)
Equipment Hire Manager
Equipment hire managers run the day-to-day hiring of plant and equipment, keeping the fleet available, compliant and earning so construction, mining and farming customers can get on with their work.
Median pay$83,200 (estimate)
Facilities Manager
Facilities managers keep a building running day to day, overseeing the maintenance, services and compliance that let the people inside it work.
Median pay$109,200 (estimate)
Fleet Manager
Fleet managers look after the vehicles an organisation runs, from maintenance and compliance to fuel costs and the drivers who use them.
Median pay$137,900
General Manager
General managers run the day-to-day operations of a business, a site or a division, and answer for how it performs.
Median pay$148,200 (estimate)
Hotel Manager
Hotel managers run the day-to-day operations of a property, from the front desk and housekeeping to food, beverage and maintenance, with the profit and loss in their hands.
Median pay$95,000
IT Operations Manager
IT operations managers keep an organisation's systems, networks and support teams running, so the technology staff and customers depend on stays available and secure.
Median pay$127,400 (estimate)
Learning and Development Manager
Learning and development managers work out where a workforce's skills fall short and build the training that closes the gap.
Median pay$84,200 (estimate)
Office Manager
Office managers keep a workplace's day-to-day administration, facilities and staff running so everyone else can focus on their own jobs.
Median pay$90,000
Operations Manager
Operations managers keep an organisation's routine work running, coordinating the staff, processes, budgets and suppliers it depends on to deliver.
Median pay$114,400 (estimate)
Partnership Manager
Partnership managers build and manage the commercial relationships a business has with other organisations, and are judged on what those relationships deliver over time.
Median pay$111,800 (estimate)
Regional Manager
A regional manager oversees a group of branches or sites, setting budgets and targets and answering for how each one performs.
Median pay$111,800 (estimate)
Retirement Village Manager
Retirement village managers run the day-to-day operations of a village, from the budget and maintenance to the services that help older residents keep living independently.
Median pay$109,200 (estimate)
Sports Centre Manager
Sports centre managers run the day-to-day operations of a sports or recreation facility, keeping programs staffed, courts and pools in use and the site safe.
Median pay$83,200 (estimate)
Territory Manager
A territory manager looks after sales and customer relationships across a defined patch, usually for a wholesaler, manufacturer or retail supplier.
Median pay$84,200 (estimate)
Workplace Coach
Workplace coaches work one on one or in small groups with employees and managers to build skills, work through performance problems and plan what comes next.
Median pay$96,200 (estimate)
If you study further
A business degree in human resource management
Leads to work as a, median pay $102,400.
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.
What it costs
Paying the full fee
$12,565
across the TAFEs listed below. Private providers set their own fees.
| TAFE | State | Full fee |
|---|---|---|
| TAFE Queensland | QLD | $12,565 |
TAFE QueenslandQLD
- Full fee
- $12,565
Fees as each TAFE shows them on its website, read 20 September 2026. Private providers set their own fees.
Where you can study this course
There are 46 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Website for Melbourne Polytechnic (opens in a new tab)
Melbourne Polytechnic
13 campuses, VIC
3.7from 485 Google reviews
What students like
- Some teachers are supportive and go out of their way
- Student services offer understanding and compassion
What to weigh up
- Messages to staff can go unanswered
- Enrolment mistakes can take time to fix
- Course page for TAFE NSW (opens in a new tab)
TAFE NSW
13 campuses, NSW
4.0from 2,410 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- How long
- 6 to 18 months
What students like
- Teachers are supportive and ready to help
- Staff are helpful and friendly
- Course content is practical and industry relevant
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Some find front desk staff less helpful
- Website for Victoria University (opens in a new tab)
Victoria University
11 campuses, NSW, QLD, VIC
3.9from 1,562 Google reviews
What students like
- Lecturers are friendly, supportive and approachable
- Studying one subject at a time through the block model
- Staff are welcoming and ready to help
What to weigh up
- Admin can be hard to reach after you finish
- Website for Stanley College (opens in a new tab)
Stanley College
4 campuses, SA, WA
4.3from 882 Google reviews
What students like
- Finance staff are patient and explain fees clearly
- Student services staff are friendly and helpful
- Trainers explain clearly and give practical examples
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Website for Charles Darwin University (opens in a new tab)
Charles Darwin University
12 campuses, NSW, NT
4.2from 619 Google reviews
What students like
- Admin and support staff are helpful
What to weigh up
- Units vary depending on the lecturer
- Feedback on assessments can vary
- Website for Swinburne University of Technology (opens in a new tab)
Swinburne University of Technology
8 campuses, VIC
4.0from 1,190 Google reviews
What students like
- Lecturers and tutors are supportive and want students to succeed
- Student HQ and support staff are helpful and responsive
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- You may be passed between departments
What students like
- Lecturers are approachable and care about learning
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Course page for TAFE Queensland (opens in a new tab)
TAFE Queensland
2 campuses, QLD
4.1from 2,040 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
What students like
- Teachers are helpful and supportive
What to weigh up
- Poor communication from admin
What you’ll learn
12 units: 5 that everyone takes and 7 you choose.
- Coaching others to think critically
- Budgets and financial plans
- Managing business resources
- Sustainability policies and procedures
- Leading workplace communication
- Developing workplace policies
See all 5 core units
Core units
Everyone completes these. Select a unit to see what it covers.
Loading the details for BSBCRT511…
Loading the details for BSBCRT511…
Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?
Questions people ask
Who is this qualification for?
It suits people who already know their area of work and want skills to manage the people, money and resources around them. It prepares you for Business Services roles that may include frontline management accountabilities, with moderately complex tasks in a specialist field.
Do I need experience or other qualifications first?
The qualification itself has no entry requirements, but individual providers can set their own conditions. Check with the provider you choose before you enrol.
How is it different from Certificate IV in Business?
The Diploma of Business is a higher level than the Certificate IV in Business. The diploma covers managing budgets and financial plans, managing business resources and developing workplace policies and procedures for sustainability.