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Communications Studies

Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Business

Is your business career in need of a skill pick-me-up to enhance your employment opportunities? In six months, you can develop knowledge and skills in a specialised and in-demand area of business, enabling you to stand out to employers or take that next step in your career.

Level
8
Credits
60 (0.5 EFTS)
Campus
Mt Albert
Start dates
February or July
Duration
Full-time for 6 months or part-time for 1-2 years

Programme overview

Business as ‘unusual’ is the new normal, and whole industries are changing in response to a series of unprecedented demands and issues. With each new disruption, organisations are faced with new challenges and opportunities. What will ensure their survival is employees who are on-the-ball, thrive on the unknown, and constantly upskilling.

This postgraduate certificate will extend and deepen your knowledge and capabilities in a specialised area of applied business: choose from business analytics, digital marketing, advanced HR, leadership and supply chain & logistics.

When you graduate you will have acquired additional skills and knowledge to gain employment in specialist roles or move into higher level roles with your existing employer. You will also be able to further your postgraduate study by enrolling in the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Business.

Highlights

  • Acquire and update your business capabilities. No prior experience in business is needed.
  • Applied learning. Utilise case studies and projects to apply theory and skills to real-world situations.
  • Blended course delivery. Learn in a variety of different ways from facilitated workshops and interactive lectures to online learning, presentations and discussions, and self-directed learning.
  • Boost your earning potential. New skills and technical knowledge will allow you to move up the ranks within an organisation.
  • Flexible timetable. Weekday classes with online delivery options to support your learning.
  • Further your knowledge and skills. Develop the business acumen and strategic skills you need to perform well at the highest levels within an organisation.
  • Industry connections. Benefit from applied learning and collaborate with industry stakeholders in addition to the necessary theoretical learning.
  • Progress into further postgraduate study. Graduates of this programme will be eligible to move into the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Business.
  • Small classes. Facilitated by expert lecturers with strong industry connections and experience.
  • Upskill quickly. Take the next step in your business career by adding additional knowledge and skills to your kete of learning.

Programme structure

The Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Business is a 60-credit programme that can be studied over one semester full-time or part-time options available. The programme is made up of 1 core compulsory course (Strategic IQ) and three specialisation courses at Level 8.

Specialisations

Our specialisations reflect current industry practice and areas of high demand for employment and include:

Business Analytics

Please note: this specialisation is only offered part-time.

When leveraged effectively, business analytics can be used to solve business problems, predict market trends, and increase efficiency, productivity, and revenue. In this specialisation, you’ll be introduced to the fundamental principles of data science and the techniques and tools of managing and using data in decision-making. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of concepts, procedures and computing techniques for enterprise data mining with applications to different industries and explore storytelling in data analytics for improving organisational outcomes.

Compulsory Core and specialisation courses for this specialisation are as below.

  • Strategic IQ (Compulsory).
  • Data Analytics (Specialisation).
  • Adaptive Business Intelligence (Specialisation).
  • Analytics Storytelling (Specialisation).

Digital Marketing

Marketing has always been about connecting with your audience at the right time and in the right place. In today’s business world, that place is online. In this specialisation, you’ll gain practical experience in developing inbound marketing and online advertising campaigns for an organisation. You’ll also learn how to use and analyse web data to optimise digital marketing tactics and support organisational decision-making.

Additional industry certifications you may be able to achieve include:

  • Industry Certification in Inbound Marketing
  • Industry Certification in Online Advertising
  • Industry Certification in Web Analytics

Compulsory Core and specialisation courses for this specialisation are as below.

  • Strategic IQ (Compulsory).
  • Inbound Marketing (Specialisation).
  • On-line Advertising (Specialisation).
  • Web Analytics (Specialisation).

Leadership

Leadership may not be a one size fits all, but the fundamentals remain the same. Strong business leadership drives organisational performance by creating an environment that inspires employees to do their best. In this specialisation, you’ll examine the practical skills and knowledge required to successfully lead and manage change, critically evaluate the skills, knowledge and abilities of effective leadership from a diverse range of cultural approaches, and learn how to build an inclusive culture that enhances employee and organisational performance.

Compulsory Core and specialisation courses for this specialisation are as below.

  • Strategic IQ (Compulsory).
  • Leading and Managing Change (Specialisation).
  • Developing Tomorrow's Leaders (Specialisation).
  • Building Workplace Culture (Specialisation).

Supply Chain & Logistics

Please note: this specialisation is only offered part-time.


Supply chain and logistics management is critical to business performance and customer satisfaction. This specialisation focuses on applying theoretical principles and analytical techniques to optimise and improve supply chain, distribution logistics and warehouse operations. This includes a group project where you’ll develop procurement strategy, policies and processes to improve an organisation’s supply chain, and using real-world business problems, gain a better understanding of warehousing and distribution operations.

Compulsory Core and specialisation courses for this specialisation are as below.

  • Strategic IQ (Compulsory).
  • Procurement Management (Specialisation).
  • Supply Chain Design (Specialisation).
  • Warehousing and Distribution (Specialisation).

Advanced HR

Please note: this specialisation is only offered part-time. 


Effective HR management helps bridge the gap between employee performance and an organisation’s strategic objectives. This specialisation focuses on data-driven people practices; how to implement modern HR practices that create cutting-edge employee experiences in the workplace, the application of technology to analyse employee data to improve performance, and what causes an organisation’s culture to develop and how to build an inclusive culture that enhances employee and organisational performance.

Compulsory Core and specialisation courses for this specialisation are as below.

  • Strategic IQ (Compulsory).
  • Employee Experience (Specialisation).
  • Workforce Analytics (Specialisation).
  • Building Workplace Culture (Specialisation).

 

Admission requirements

What you will need to study this programme. 


Domestic students

Academic requirements

You must have completed at least one of the following:

  • A recognised bachelor’s degree (or higher) in a relevant discipline with merit achievement deemed to be a grade average of B- or higher; or
  • A professional qualification in a relevant discipline, recognised as being equivalent to merit achievement in a bachelor’s degree or equivalent; or
And meet one of the English entry requirements;

Non-Academic requirements

  • Provided sufficient evidence of aptitude or appropriate work or other life experience that would indicate a successful outcome in the qualification.

Don’t meet these Academic requirements?

For more information, download the programme regulations (PDF 393 KB)

Courses and timetables

For more details on the courses including timetables, please click on the course names below.

Courses Credits Aim
Strategic IQ (BSNS8000) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course enables students to build the strategic thinking skills required to contribute to smarter and more nimble organisations able to adapt to new realities and build competitive advantages in highly competitive landscapes.
Leading and Managing Change (BSNS8010) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to crucially examine the practical skills and knowledge required to successfully lead and manage change.
Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders (BSNS8011) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course critically evaluates the leadership skills, knowledge and abilities everyone needs to be a leader.
Building Workplace Culture (BSNS8012) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students’ will critically examine the nature of organisation culture and how to build an inclusive culture that enhances employee and organisational performance.
EX Employee Experience (BSNS8020) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to understand the employee experience and use technology to design and implement best Human Resource (HR) practices to improve employee and organisational performance.
Workforce Analytics (BSNS8021) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course enables students to use employee and business data for more effective decision making to improve employee and organisational performance.
Data Analytics (BSNS8030) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to understand the fundamental concepts of big data, its applications and apply analytical methods to solve data-driven organisational problems.
Analytics Storytelling (BSNS8031) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to apply analytic techniques to communicate compelling business stories for improving organisational outcomes.
Inbound Marketing (BSNS8040) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to understand inbound marketing strategy and use technology to implement inbound marketing initiatives in an organisation. Students will also achieve Industry Certification in Inbound Marketing.
Online Advertising (BSNS8041) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to understand online advertising strategy and use technology to implement online advertising initiatives in an organisation. Students will also achieve Industry Certification in Online Advertising.
Web Analytics (BSNS8042) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to use and analyse web data to optimize digital marketing and to support organisational decision making. Students will also achieve Industry Certification in Web Analytics.
Procurement Management (BSNS8050) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to develop procurement strategy, policies and processes to optimise supply chain performance.
Supply Chain Design (BSNS8051) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to apply methodologies and technologies to design effective supply chains of organisations.
Warehousing and Distribution (BSNS8052) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) This course will enable students to apply theoretical principles and analytical techniques to optimise distribution, logistics and warehouse operations.
Adaptive Business Intelligence (ISCG8043) 15.0 credits (0.125 EFTS) To critically review the application of business intelligence in industry, commerce, and research. To comprehensively examine a wide range of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and their role in achieving adaptive business intelligence.