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Key details
Duration
Locations
Entry requirements
View full entry requirementsCredit points required
120Course code
Overview
As a graduate of the Master of Business Administration (Executive), you will acquire the skills to lead organisations of all sizes with a forward-thinking approach that goes beyond profit. You will gain a profound understanding of sustainable business practices that genuinely make a difference.
This course will teach you how to run a business profitably while positively impacting society, the economy, and the environment. Alongside traditional MBA core competencies, you will learn to develop effective business strategies, design and implement sustainability initiatives, and master environmental, social, and corporate governance disclosure and reporting.
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to engage in an applied professional business project and choose specialist electives that align with your career goals. This comprehensive curriculum ensures you are well-prepared to meet the demands of future-focused businesses.
Career opportunities
The Australian Government predicts strong industry demand for business degree graduates from a wide range of sectors. As a Master of Business Administration (Executive) graduate, you will be qualified to pursue a range of exciting domestic and international career opportunities.
Graduates can pursue leadership roles in fields such as management, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Additionally, this course is suited for students interested in positions in business operation management, marketing specialists, human resource management and business analysis. This Master of Business Administration (Executive) equips professionals to thrive in the dynamic and ever-changing world of business.
Credit transfers and advanced standing
Pathways
Pathways for Higher Education to Higher Education
For information about credit transfer available to students with complete or incomplete study at this or other Institutions refer to Pathways for Higher Education to Higher Education
Credit transfer
For further information on credit transfer and how to apply visit ASK CDU
Credit transfers and advanced standing
Credit transfer
For further information on credit transfer and how to apply visit ASK CDU
Fees
Non-Commonwealth supported places
Full fee paying places are available in this course.
Information about fees and charges can be found at Fees and Payments.
Why study business at CDU?
Learn from internationally-recognised academics when you study business at CDU. Future-proof your career with accredited courses built on sustainable business practices and innovation. You'll graduate ready to make an impact on the global market.
- #2 Australian university for postgraduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
- Industry experts with experience in Australia, the Asia Pacific and beyond
Why study business at CDU?
Learn from internationally-recognised academics when you study Business at CDU. Future-proof your career with accredited courses built on sustainable business practices and innovation. You'll graduate ready to make an impact on the global market.
- #2 Australian university for postgraduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- Industry experts with experience in Australia, the Asia Pacific and beyond
Why study business at CDU?
Learn from internationally-recognised academics when you study business at CDU. Future-proof your career with accredited courses built on sustainable business practices and innovation. You'll graduate ready to make an impact on the global market.
- #2 Australian university for postgraduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- Choose to study online, on campus, part-time or full-time as it suits you
- Industry experts with experience in Australia, the Asia Pacific and beyond
Why study business at CDU?
Learn from internationally-recognised academics when you study Business at CDU. Future-proof your career with accredited courses built on sustainable business practices and innovation. You'll graduate ready to make an impact on the global market.
- #2 Australian university for postgraduate employment outcomes (GUG 2024)
- Industry experts with experience in Australia, the Asia Pacific and beyond
What will I study?
The Master of Business Administration (Executive) will provide you with the opportunity to develop serious understanding of sustainable business practice in our rapidly changing world. You will complete units focusing on strategic management, human resource management, accounting, economics, leadership, data analytics, marketing, entrepreneurship, and business research skills. You will gain significant experience on applied business project through a capstone unit.
Course structure
In addition to the core units, you will be able to specialise in business units such as executive leadership, global human resources, accounting for managers and entrepreneurship.
A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 120 credit points as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated. Students are required to:
- Complete the eight compulsory core units
- Complete the four specialist elective units
| Unit type | Credit Points | Specific requirements |
| Core units (8 units) | 80cp | Compulsory core units totalling 80 credit points as per list of units detailed below: BUS508 Business Analytics |
| Specialist Electives (4 units) | 40cp | Specialist Elective units totalling 40 credit points selected from the list of available units detailed below: ACT508 Accounting for Managers (available from 2026) |
| 120cp | Total Credit Points |
Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure) (120cp)
- See the Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) in the Units and Courses Policy.
Study plan
Students commencing in Intensive 1
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student commencing in Intensive 1 and enrolling in a part time load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to reduce or vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the assumed knowledge for each unit as some 200 units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level. 200 level units have the unit code which includes a number starting with 200.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit | SE = Specialist Elective |
Part-time Study Plan
| Intensive 1 | Intensive 2 | Intensive 3 | Intensive 4 | Intensive 5 | Intensive 6 | ||||||
| Year 1 | |||||||||||
| BUS508 Business Analytics | CO | FIN504 Finance and Investment for the Executive | CO | MAN517 Executive Leadership | SE | MAN500 Strategic Management | CO | MKT504 Marketing for Managers | CO | ENT502 Entrepreneurship | SE |
| Year 2 | |||||||||||
| HRM506 Global Human Resources | SE | HRM504 Organisational Change and Development | CO | ACT508 Accounting for Managers | SE | ECO500 Contemporary Issues in Economics | CO | BUS521 Business Research Skills | CO | BUS622 Applied Business Project | CO |
Students commencing in Intensive 2
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student commencing in Intensive 2 and enrolling in a part time load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to reduce or vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the assumed knowledge for each unit as some 200 units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level. 200 level units have the unit code which includes a number starting with 200.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit | SE = Specialist Elective |
Part-time Study Plan
| Intensive 1 | Intensive 2 | Intensive 3 | Intensive 4 | Intensive 5 | Intensive 6 | ||||||
| Year 1 | |||||||||||
| FIN504 Finance and Investment for the Executive | CO | MAN517 Executive Leadership | SE | MAN500 Strategic Management | CO | MKT504 Marketing for Managers | CO | ENT502 Entrepreneurship | SE | ||
| Year 2 | |||||||||||
| BUS508 Business Analytics | CO | HRM504 Organisational Change and Development | CO | ACT508 Accounting for Managers | SE | ECO500 Contemporary Issues in Economics | CO | BUS521 Business Research Skills | CO | BUS622 Applied Business Project | CO |
| Year 3 | |||||||||||
| HRM506 Global Human Resources | SE | ||||||||||
Students commencing in Intensive 3
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student commencing in Intensive 3 and enrolling in a part time load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to reduce or vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the assumed knowledge for each unit as some 200 units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level. 200 level units have the unit code which includes a number starting with 200.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit | SE = Specialist Elective |
Part-time Study Plan
| Intensive 1 | Intensive 2 | Intensive 3 | Intensive 4 | Intensive 5 | Intensive 6 | ||||||
| Year 1 | |||||||||||
| MAN517 Executive Leadership | SE | MAN500 Strategic Management | CO | MKT504 Marketing for Managers | CO | ENT502 Entrepreneurship | SE | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||||||
| BUS508 Business Analytics | CO | FIN504 Finance and Investment for the Executive | CO | ACT508 Accounting for Managers | SE | ECO500 Contemporary Issues in Economics | CO | BUS521 Business Research Skills | CO | BUS622 Applied Business Project | CO |
| Year 3 | |||||||||||
| HRM506 Global Human Resources | SE | HRM504 Organisational Change and Development | CO | ||||||||
Students commencing in Intensive 4
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student commencing in Intensive 4 and enrolling in a part time load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to reduce or vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the assumed knowledge for each unit as some 200 units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level. 200 level units have the unit code which includes a number starting with 200.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit | SE = Specialist Elective |
Part-time Study Plan
| Intensive 1 | Intensive 2 | Intensive 3 | Intensive 4 | Intensive 5 | Intensive 6 | ||||||
| Year 1 | |||||||||||
| MAN500 Strategic Management | CO | MKT504 Marketing for Managers | CO | ENT502 Entrepreneurship | SE | ||||||
| Year 2 | |||||||||||
| BUS508 Business Analytics | CO | FIN504 Finance and Investment for the Executive | CO | MAN517 Executive Leadership | SE | ECO500 Contemporary Issues in Economics | CO | BUS521 Business Research Skills | CO | BUS622 Applied Business Project | CO |
| Year 3 | |||||||||||
| HRM506 Global Human Resources | SE | HRM504 Organisational Change and Development | CO | ACT508 Accounting for Managers | SE | ||||||
Students commencing in Intensive 5
The Recommended Study Plan provided below is suitable for a student commencing in Intensive 5 and enrolling in a part time load. Students entering this course with advanced standing, or wishing to reduce or vary their study plan due to work, personal, financial or other reasons should use the table as a guide to create an individual study plan.
When designing an individual study plan:
- maintain the basic order in which units are to be attempted; and
- check the assumed knowledge for each unit as some 200 units assume you have completed foundation unit/s in the unit area at a lower level. 200 level units have the unit code which includes a number starting with 200.
| Legend: | CO = Core Unit | SE = Specialist Elective |
Part-time Study Plan
| Intensive 1 | Intensive 2 | Intensive 3 | Intensive 4 | Intensive 5 | Intensive 6 | ||||||
| Year 1 | |||||||||||
| MKT504 Marketing for Managers | CO | ENT502 Entrepreneurship | SE | ||||||||
| Year 2 | |||||||||||
| BUS508 Business Analytics | CO | FIN504 Finance and Investment for the Executive | CO | MAN517 Executive Leadership | SE | MAN500 Strategic Management | CO | BUS521 Business Research Skills | CO | BUS622 Applied Business Project | CO |
| Year 3 | |||||||||||
| HRM506 Global Human Resources | SE | HRM504 Organisational Change and Development | CO | ACT508 Accounting for Managers | SE | ECO500 Contemporary Issues in Economics | CO | ||||
Entry requirements
Admission criteria
Successful completion of a recognised bachelor degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma or master's degree or equivalent international qualification in any field.
Fast-track (Advanced Standing)
Applicants who hold a qualification in a business-related field and have a minimum of four years full-time professional experience in managerial roles may be eligible for a maximum of 40 credit points of block credit. To apply after an offer is made applicants must submit the CDU eform, accessed through the CDU Portal, and provide further documentation in the form of a curriculum vitae (CV) and documented evidence from your employer detailing roles and responsibilities.
International entry pathway
International Pathway Applicants who have completed the CDU International Masters Qualifying Program (ZMQP01) or the Accelerated International Masters Qualifying Program (ZAMQP1) are eligible for entry.
Essential requirements
English language requirements
DOMESTIC STUDENTS
To gain entry into Charles Darwin University, all Higher Education applicants must satisfy the University's English Language Proficiency Requirements for their chosen course of study. From 2025 all applicants will be required to supply evidence of this at the time of application.
The minimum English language requirement for this course can be met by evidencing of one of the following:
| Year 12 | Successful completion of Year 12 within Australia, or an equivalent qualification from an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below). |
| 0.5 FTE Higher Education Study | Successful completion of at least 0.5FTE of higher education study from Australia or an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below). If studies were completed from a country on the extended list, they must have been completed within the past five (5) years. |
| CDU Enabling Course | Successful completion of a Charles Darwin University enabling program of at least 0.5FTE (40 credit points). |
| TAFE Qualification | Successful completion of a recognised TAFE qualification at a Certificate III level or higher from Australia. |
| AHPRA Registration | Current AHPRA registration as a Division 1 or Division 2 nurse. Registration must be current at the time of course commencement. |
| English Test^ | Completion of an approved English test within two years of commencement, meeting the minimum scores outlined in the table below. |
^ Minimum Requirements for English Tests:
| Postgraduate requirements | Undergraduate requirements | |
| CDU ELICOS - English for Academic Purposes | Successful completion of EAP004 | Successful completion of EAP003 |
| International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test | Overall minimum: 6.5 No band below: 6.0 | Overall minimum: 6.0 No band below 6.0 |
| Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) | Overall minimum: 176 No skill below: 169 | Overall minimum: 169 No skill below 169 |
| Pearson Tests of English (PTE) Academic | Overall minimum: 58 No score below 50 | Overall minimum: 50 No score below: 50 |
| Test of English as a Foreign language | Overall minimum: 79 Minimum writing score: 21 | Overall minimum: 60 Minimum writing score: 21 |
IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted, allowing candidates to retake a single skill within 60 days of sitting their initial test. One Skill Retake results are valid for two years from the date of the first test (not from the date of the Retake test) to the date of commencement at CDU.
CDU accepts combined results from two test sittings of IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, or TOEFL, taken within a six-month period, if:
- Both tests were under the same testing system; and
- The overall score in both tests meets the overall minimum; and
- The applicant achieved the section minimum for each section in at least one test.
Recognised English-speaking countries:
| Standard List | Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America. |
| Extended List | Bermuda, Botswana, Cayman Islands, Ethiopia, Fiji, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Seychelles, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe. |
For further details on the English requirements for CDU courses, please refer to the CDU English Language Proficiency Policy.
Most of my lecturers also had industry experience working for multinational companies, giving us insight into real-world scenarios.
Sachin
CDU student
I genuinely believe Darwin is the land of opportunities if you leverage your strengths, abilities and skills.
Ellie
CDU student
Most of my lecturers also had industry experience working for multinational companies, giving us insight into real-world scenarios.
Sachin
CDU student
I genuinely believe Darwin is the land of opportunities if you leverage your strengths, abilities and skills.
Ellie
CDU student
Course details
Inherent Requirements
There are inherent requirements for this course. Students must read and understand the requirements for this course.
Australian qualification framework
This course is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9.
Additional information
Contact details
For further information about the course, enrolment procedures, closing dates and other administrative issues please contact Student Central on:
You make CDU
Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.
Learn about business at CDU
Sushan is from Nepal studying a Master of Business Administration (Professional Practice) at CDU. Hear more about his experience of studying, living, working and playing in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
You make CDU
Together we are a positive force for change in our communities and the world.
Learn about business at CDU
Sushan is from Nepal studying a Master of Business Administration (Professional Practice) at CDU. Hear more about his experience of studying, living, working and playing in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
How to apply
There are many ways to apply to CDU. The method you use depends on your course type, where you live and whether you are a new or returning student to CDU.
Remember to apply early for your best chance at securing an offer to study with us.
SATAC
SATAC is the application channel for residents of NT, ACT, SA, WA, QLD, VIC, NSW or TAS.
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