Master of Business Administration Online
2 years part-time
MBAOL
Eligible for Fee-HELP. Learn more
March 2024
Online
Course Overview
The University of Adelaide's 100% online MBA degree offers the practical, real-world learning you need to progress your career. Cultivate your strategic, innovative and personable leadership skills with our purposeful and holistic curriculum from a university ranked in the top 1%* worldwide.
Connect with our expert advisors for academic, personal and career support.
Why study business with us?
Complete MBA
Drive real-world results with solid business acumen and practical leadership skills.
FEE-HELP available
Enrol today and you can get a FEE-HELP loan to pay all or part of your tuition fees. Learn more
Free coaching
We provide time management tips, helpful resources or administrative guidance when you most need it.
Start now
With six intakes a year, you decide when to start. Access your program 24/7 — and complete your research online.
100% online
Collaborate through interactive sessions and video seminars. Work, study and play whenever suits you.
International reputation
Get noticed with a formal, AACSB-accredited qualification from a university in the global top 1%*.
Flexible online learning
The University of Adelaide's 100% online MBA degree offers managers a world-class pathway to transformational growth.
How long is each master of business administration subject?
Courses in our online MBA are delivered one at a time in six-week blocks, keeping you focused and regularly achieving goals. You have the flexibility to start when you’re ready.
What is the program structure?
The online Master of Business Administration comprises twelve courses, separated into three stages. There is the option to study the graduate certificate, the graduate diploma and the masters separately.
- Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (first 4 courses)
- Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (first 8 courses)
- Master of Business Administration (all 12 courses) or
- Master of Business Administration (Health Management)
To learn more about what you’ll study in each course, download the program brochure.
What should I expect from the online Master of Business Administration?
- weekly interactive webinar tutorials to ask questions and deepen your knowledge
- weekend drop-in sessions with your tutors
- discussion forums with your peers and tutors
- course readings, case studies and guided research
- real-world based assessments
The University of Adelaide has partnered with Pearson, the world’s leading global learning company, to deliver this degree 100% online. The Partnership has been established to deliver the very best experience and learning outcomes to all our students. Students will be awarded a University of Adelaide qualification and this degree meets the University's highest quality standards.
*QS Graduate Employability Ranking 2022.
What skills will I gain?
What skills will I gain?
Through our online MBA you will acquire qualities that will truly set you apart, including:
- socially responsible and future-focused management, leadership and entrepreneurial skills
- the ability to mobilise people to address common challenges
- the capacity to set, adapt and achieve enterprise-wide objectives
- highly developed capabilities in collaboration, interpersonal communication and staff motivation
- high-level skills in innovation, business strategy, marketing and systems thinking
- a thorough grasp of how to employ basic and applied research to support sustainable business growth.
Meet our alumni
“The MBA gave me wonderful generalist knowledge from a leadership perspective—knowledge that can be applied across multiple industries and beyond the one that I’m currently in.”
Geoff Birt, MBA Online Graduate and banking professional.
Contact us now
Contact us now
Get your questions answered
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 8.30am to 5pm (ACST/ACDT), Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm (ACST/ACDT).
We can help you with:
- entry requirements
- curriculum
- key dates & intakes
- your unique situation
- finance.
Business career paths and opportunities
The skills gained from our online MBA can be applied to a range of professions, including those in the banking industry. Improve your financial literacy and ability to assess financial performance through our wide range of courses. Learn more about our MBA online graduate and online banking professional, Geoff Birt here.
A postgraduate business administration degree is often a pre-requisite for a consulting role, especially once you reach a more senior level and wish to progress within your field. The range of analytical skills you will gain will help you tackle any future consulting project and give your future clients confidence in your abilities.
Our MBA students graduate with a firm grounding in the key skills required to successfully run a public or private organisation including strategy, financial management, marketing and leadership. The broad curriculum is designed to be adapted to a wide variety of government and not-for-profit functions.
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Leadership and Influencing - MANAGEMT 7123OL
The types of challenges that business leaders face today need individuals, including ourselves, to change. Understanding yourself is therefore paramount.
In this MBA subject, you will explore your leadership story, philosophy, and areas for improvement.
Using current development models, you will deepen your intellectual and emotional self-awareness. You will also learn how to adapt your leadership style, tools and behaviours to motivate your entire team.
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Accounting and Financial Management - MANAGEMT 7126OL
The purpose of this online MBA course is to improve your financial literacy and your capacity to assess the financial performance of an organisation.
You will be introduced to the language and key concepts of accounting including:
- time value of money
- capital budgeting
- risk-return paradigm
- financing capital expenditure.
You will grow your foundational business knowledge of balance sheets, cash flow reports and earnings statements.
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Marketing for Managers - MANAGEMT 7124OL
Generating revenue, no matter the source or sector, requires marketing. This online MBA course offers an introduction to the purpose, nature and roles of the marketing discipline and how it applies to managers.
This course will equip you with the skills to:
- evaluate markets
- uncover consumer and buyer behaviour
- target specific business opportunities
- keep adjacent functions customer orientated.
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Entrepreneurial Mindset - MANAGEMT 7125OL
An entrepreneurial mindset is now essential for more than just those in the start-up sector. This online MBA course will enable you to cultivate and evaluate profitable opportunities, no matter the business setting. The aim of this course is to empower you with the entrepreneurial attitude and skill set, such as:
- the ability to recognise business opportunities
- fluid and adaptive decision-making skills
- the agility to experiment and problem solve
- the resilience to navigate ambiguity and uncertainty
- a strong bias to action.
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Innovation Management - MANAGEMT7127OL
Innovative enterprises outperform their non-innovative counterparts in terms of growth, financial performance, and employment. This online MBA course will equip managers with the know-how and tools to create, develop and manage breakthrough innovations in business. This online MBA course primarily explores the ways to turn ideas into successful outputs.
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Manage People and Organisations - MANAGEMT 7128OL
Smart processes, structures and a positive workplace culture can amplify your vision as a leader. In this online MBA course, you will examine the key influences and tools to enhance effective management action.
The course will primarily focus on human factors that are dealt with by managers on a day-to-day basis including:
- ethical decision-making
- mobilising and developing staff
- managing interdependencies
- analysing issues.
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Managerial Economics - ECON 7244OL
External environmental factors have major implications for your business. Managerial Economics will teach you the link between economic principles and everyday business decision-making. For example, how to allocate scarce resources to meet enterprise goals will be addressed. Other economic theories covered include:
- contract theory
- managerial behavioural economics
- game theory
- pricing.
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Research for Managers - MANAGEMT 7131OL
This online MBA course introduces research tools you can use to reduce uncertainty when making important managerial decisions. You will be provided with an overview of:
- the research process, framework, structure, and methodology
- the difference between basic and applied business research
- research for strategy development.
The course concludes with your final research project proposal, which University staff will use to assign you a supervisor for your final unit.
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Strategic Alignments - MANAGEMT 7129OL
Leaders play a core role in strategy development. An effective business strategy outlines a vision, direction and framework for key decisions to be made. They also motivate an organisation to orientate towards a common goal.
Learn how to link an organisation’s objectives, structure, resources and business environment to achieve higher enterprise performance.
A three-step approach will be followed in this course:
- Understanding the business environment (what can be done?)
- Selecting actions (what and why?)
- Implementation (how?)
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Systems Thinking - MANAGEMT 7130OL
Today's complex business challenges need solutions that address the bigger picture. Systems thinking focuses on the relationships and interactions between elements and their environment.
This online MBA course is designed to help you take action in the interconnected fields of finance, economics, markets, people and nature.
You will discover the merits of non-linear decision making and ways in which managers can make use of the nature of systems.
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Research Project - MANAGEMT 7133AOL & 7133BOL
The purpose of the final research project is to take the learning out of the classroom and into the workplace. Students are able to work in teams (from two to three students) or one-on-one with supervisors.
The final research project is the equivalent to two courses and will span two online teaching periods.
The MBA research project will involve:
- conducting unique research
- analysis
- preparing a report
- making a final presentation.
Academic entry requirements
Collaborative learning is at the core of our online MBA. Activities and exercises will require you to problem solve and draw on real-world business examples. As such, relevant work experience is important for your success.
To be eligible, you need to meet one the following requirements:
- A completed undergraduate bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of 2 years' relevant work experience.
- No degree, completed GMAT with a score of >500 and a minimum of 2 years' relevant work experience.
- A completed university Graduate Certificate in Business Administration.
If you do not meet the above entry requirements, you may be eligible to study our Graduate Certificate in Business Administration.
English language requirements
In order to meet the English language proficiency requirements for our 100% online postgraduate programs, you must be able to demonstrate that you meet the minimum English Language requirements.
Typically, if English is your first language you will not be required to provide evidence of English language proficiency. You will also not be required to provide evidence of English language proficiency if you are an Australian citizen, Australian Permanent Resident (visa status) or hold a passport from one of the following countries: Canada (English-speaking provinces only), New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
To learn more, visit the English Language Proficiency Requirements for detailed information about these requirements, including acceptable English language tests.
We also recommend that you speak to an Enrolment Advisor to discuss options that are specific to your circumstances. You can schedule a call here.
How to apply
To apply for the University of Adelaide’s online MBA, you first need to create an account via the University of Adelaide Application Portal.
Once you have verified your account, please complete your online application form and upload the following supporting documents:
- valid photo ID (passport or driver's licence)
- proof of citizenship / permanent residency (this can also be a passport)
- transcripts from your completed Bachelor degree or equivalent
- change of name documents if applicable (e.g. marriage certificate)
- English language requirements (if you are an international applicant).
For assistance with your application, please contact us on 1300 293 830.
When can I start?
There are six intakes into the MBA program throughout the year: January, March, May, July, August and October. Applications typically close four weeks before the online teaching period commences. Check out the Important Dates page for further details.
What is the total cost of an MBA?
$59,832 or $4,986 per course (2024 fees).
Find more information on fees for domestic students, including annual fees and fee increases, in the Fees (domestic students) section.
Is there FEE-HELP available?
Yes, Australian citizens are eligible for a HELP loan. You must also be enrolled in a program with the University of Adelaide by the enrolment deadline (census), and have not reached the HELP loan limit.
Once you have been offered a place in the University of Adelaide program, you will be able to apply for a HELP loan as a part of the enrolment process. Please see our FAQs page for further details.
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Does the MBA have an AACSB accreditation?
Yes, the MBA has an AASCB accreditation. AACSB accreditation is known, worldwide, as the longest-standing, most recognised form of specialised accreditation that an institution and its business programs can earn. Accreditation is a voluntary, non-governmental process that includes a rigorous external review of a school's mission, faculty qualifications, curricula, and ability to provide the highest-quality programs.
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What is the MBA research project?
The research project involves applied research conducted within a workplace and can be completed alone or in teams. Students play a significant role in defining their research project. The project will begin in the Research for Managers course and will have the opportunity to be refined in following courses. Research projects will also be supported by a research mentor who will provide guidance throughout the course.
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Do students have the option to start their research project research in their own time, prior to the course commencing?
It is recommended that students do not commence the research project until they get to the research project subject. Students can conceptualise their projects prior to starting, however, ethics clearance for collecting primary data must be received before data is collected from participants, otherwise it cannot be used.
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Can students pick an IT focused project in their MBA research subject?
Yes, students can pick an IT focused project on any industry.
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Can an MBA student use work experience to gain course credits?
You may apply for credit on the basis of informal learning (including but not limited to learning gained during work experience, volunteering, internships, or workplace training), however, note that this is normally in conjunction with previous study in order to meet the 80% course equivalence noted above.
Where work experience is a requirement for entry into the program, informal learning is only considered where an applicant has specialised course knowledge (eg. specialised work experience or workplace training combined with an undergraduate degree in a specialised area etc). Contact an enrolment advisor for more information.
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Can I do an MBA without a degree in Australia?
You can do an MBA without holding a degree in Australia. The University of Adelaide offers an online Graduate Certificate in Business Administration pathway program into its online MBA, for students without prior education. The online Graduate Certificate in Business Administration makes up the first 4 courses of the online MBA so students can easily transition into an MBA.
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If someone wishes to continue onto the MBA from a GCBA, what are the entry requirements for these students?
A pass is all that is required.
Get in touch
Get in touch
Our Expert Advisors are available
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 8.30am to 5pm (ACST/ACDT), Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm (ACST/ACDT).
We can help you with:
- entry requirements
- curriculum
- key dates & intakes
- your unique situation
- finance.
Download a brochure now
Download a brochure now
Request a brochure to learn more about:
- learning and career outcomes
- curriculum
- entry requirements
- application process
- research project online
- assessments and more.
How to apply
Create an account to start your application
Applying for the online Master of Business Administration is a quick and easy process. Find out if your application was successful in as soon as 2-5 days.
Want to better understand the application process?
Book a 1:1 call now with our enrolment advisors and we can walk you through the application process — from how to meet the entry requirements through to enrolling in your first subject.
