Master of Leadership

A new kind of master’s degree that recognises

your experience and builds your capabilities.
• Get your leadership experience recognised and make an immediate impact
in your workplace.
• Complete your master’s degree in 12 months, fast-tracked, while you work.
• 100% online, no on-campus commitments.
• An affordable master’s degree from one of Australia’s top universities.
Overview
The Master of Leadership is not a traditional master’s degree. This
course is specifically designed for experienced professionals, who want
formal recognition for the sought-after capabilities they’ve developed
in their careers.

Fast facts Get recognised by employers for your

Intakes: March, July, November practical leadership skills
Fees: $19,250* (FEE-HELP) Capabilities like problem solving, digital literacy, teamwork
Duration: 12 months (minimum) and critical thinking are highly sought after by employers.
These are the attributes that empower leaders to guide,
Entry requirements: succeed and adapt in a constantly changing, global
Based on performance in a bachelor’s degree and at least five environment. The Master of Leadership recognises these
(5) years relevant work experience (or part-time equivalent), capabilities against recognised standards.
OR attainment of the associated Graduate Certificate of
Leadership.
Alternative pathways are available to applicants without a
Benefit from a ground-breaking way to
bachelor’s degree who are able to demonstrate the required prove your capabilities and expertise
level of relevant work experience. Contact us to further Deakin is the first university in Australia to offer a degree of
discuss your options. this kind, and the only university to incorporate credentials
into a master’s degree.
*2020 course fees. Fees may be subject to change in 2021.

Show you’re already a leader or display

leadership qualities
Get recognition for the leadership capabilities you’ve already
developed through workplace learning and experience. The
Master of Leadership enables you to make an immediate
impact and overcome current leadership challenges in your
business.

Leadership Understand key concepts and

foundations recognise common challenges

Contextualise your experience

Reflective and develop your practice through
practice valuable reflection

Identify and analyse leadership

Strategic challenges in your workplace and
impact apply your skills to create solutions

1 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
Course structure
You will complete two core units of study, 10 Professional Practice
credentials and one double-weighted capstone unit.

Units of study:
Leadership Practice with Impact – core unit
This unit delivers insight and knowledge of practical
leadership techniques and provides you with the tools
needed to enact positive change in the workplace.

Leadership Challenges – core unit

This unit focuses on the contemporary challenges that
leaders and those in leadership positions face in the
workplace. It provides insight into how these challenges
appear and evolve, and gives you the necessary skills to
overcome them through evidence-based decision-making.

Research Project 1B – capstone unit (double

weighted)
Hone your skills by completing a professional project that
demonstrates your expertise and contributes to your field in
a meaningful way by showing how leadership can contribute
to addressing strategic-level issues.

Please note: As part of any master’s degree at Deakin

University, you need to complete the compulsory, zero-
credit-point unit Academic Integrity. This unit requires you
to pass an online multiple-choice test.

What is a Professional Practice

credential?
Credentialling is different from other kinds of study you may
have completed. It’s not about attending lectures or tutorials,
or working on group projects and taking in new information.
It’s about getting recognition for capabilities you’ve already
developed and applied in the industry. It’s also about
deepening those capabilities through a process of critical
reflection.

Each Professional Practice credential assesses a capability

that’s highly valued in leaders, such as critical thinking
and problem solving. They are designed to be completed
between work and other commitments. You can work on
them any time throughout the year.

In addition, you will undertake a capstone unit focused on

workplace-based research to demonstrate and deepen your
expertise.

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Professional Practice credentials
The Master of Leadership recognises your leadership experience in 10 key areas.

The ability to use oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform,

Communication motivate and effect change. This includes communicating to consult or engage
with individuals and groups inside and outside your organisation.

The ability to evaluate information using critical and analytical thinking

and judgment. This includes creative insights gained through perceiving
Critical thinking relationships, breaking away from prevailing mindsets and conceptualising new
possibilities that only become clear after reappraising or restructuring current
thinking, theory and processes.

The ability to use and adhere to appropriate practice, policies and

communication technologies to find, use, analyse and evaluate information to
Digital literacy
benefit your organisation. It also involves identifying and promoting technology
opportunities that optimise customer, process or operational outcomes.

The ability to create, implement and evaluate the success of solutions to

authentic (real-world and ill-defined) problems. It involves working effectively
Problem solving
with colleagues and stakeholders to identify, analyse and resolve problems that
limit business outcomes.

The ability to work and interact with others, including those from different
backgrounds, professions and disciplines. In a professional context, the focus
Teamwork of teamwork is to proactively promote collaboration and synergy within teams
and across wider networks. This includes stimulating relationships in order to
promote collaborative outcomes, knowledge-sharing and goal attainment.

The ability to think, act, relate and respond to socio-cultural elements, based
on understanding the ‘self’ in relation to ‘others’ within the local and broader
Global citizenship community and discipline. This includes demonstrating cultural sensitivity,
regarding and respecting differences and effectively promoting a positive
culture.

The ability to tell a clear, concise and engaging story based on a vision that
Leading and inspires others to commit to purposeful actions. This involves effectively
engaging with people to improve performance, talent and capability within the
developing people organisation. Leaders must do more than just lead – they need to develop the
capabilities of individuals in order to achieve agreed outcomes.

The ability to empower and encourage people in their work to achieve or exceed
Empowering others the agreed objectives. This includes engaging and motivating people, delegating
sufficient authority and responsibility, and supporting their efforts.

The ability to develop and promote responsiveness and foster the capacity of
Adaptive mindsets individuals, groups and the organisation to be entrepreneurial. This includes
modelling positive attitudes and inspiring employees, professionals and
stakeholders to improve and change.

The ability to promote the achievement of excellence and the attainment of

Driving strategic strategic outcomes. Leaders must be able to evaluate progress by reviewing
results data, analysing results and making informed decisions regarding progress or
improvement opportunities.

3 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
The credentialling process
Our credentialling process involves six steps. See how it works:

Think and reflect

1 Consider the criteria and reflect on your
relevant professional experience.

Choose examples and collect evidence

2 Find examples from your work experience that
demonstrate your professional capability.

Write a short reflective testimony

3 Explain how your evidence fulfils the criteria and
level of the Professional Practice credential.

Submit testimony and evidence

4 Your submission must accurately reflect your
experience and must be your own work.

Video testimony
5 Expand on your skills and experience by
answering a series of questions.

Assessment
6 All assessors are professionals with extensive
leadership experience.

4 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY
Comparing innovation
to tradition
The Master of Leadership has been tailored specifically to recognise
leadership capabilities you have already developed throughout your
career. Through reflection and work-based learning, you will build your
leadership skills and have an immediate impact on current leadership
challenges in your business.

Traditional leadership master’s degree Deakin’s Master of Leadership

Rigid Flexible
Students complete up to 16 units of study over Students complete three units of study (4 credit points), plus
standard semesters or trimesters. 10 Professional Practice credentials that can be completed in
between other commitments.

Time-intensive Time-efficient
1–2 years full-time 12 months (minimum time to completion), fast-tracked while
2–4 years part-time you work

Cost-intensive Cost-effective
$30,000 $19,250* (2020 course fee)

Does not recognise skills and experience Recognises your existing skills and experience
The focus is on teaching a prescribed curriculum Independent assessment and recognition of capabilities you have
with little or no recognition of existing capabilities developed and applied in your leadership roles.
and experience.

Focuses on generic competencies Focuses on workplace learning

Learning that focuses on current leadership Reflect your work experience to build on your knowledge and
competencies at a particular point in time. These skills. You can apply learnings to your job immediately and have
can quickly go out of date as leadership practices an instant impact on business challenges.
change and the workplace rapidly evolves.

*2020 course fees. Fees may be subject to change in 2021.

Graduate with a world-class

qualification in less time, at a
lower cost.

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 Why Deakin?

Ranked top 1% in the world*

Deakin is ranked among the world’s best universities, with a reputation
for producing graduates with highly rated skills and capabilities. Our
postgraduate courses are designed to embody the rigour of the academic
world with the real-world expertise of industry.

Innovative teaching that embodies

industry expertise
Leading the way in Australia with credentialling, Deakin is the only Australian
university to incorporate credentials into master’s degrees. Our courses
are designed by experts in their field and embody the latest practices in
teaching and learning.

Flexible and 100% online

The Master of Leadership is designed for busy professionals, who want to
earn a degree in a convenient and time-effective way, without compromising
on quality. You’ll learn and engage via an interactive learning platform and
have access to experts who are leaders in their field.

*QS Rankings 2019

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Meet the
course director
Dr Andrea North-Samardzic
Dr Andrea North-Samardzic is a lecturer at Deakin University
and the Course Director for the Master of Leadership. Aside
from having a PhD in organisation and management, she
also holds several credentials that demonstrate her proven
capabilities as a course director.

Her commitment to ensuring excellence in the leadership

field extends beyond the classroom, having been published
multiple times in well-respected academic journals and
books, presenting her research at conferences worldwide.

Dr North-Samardzic has also had multiple projects funded,

including ‘Supporting older people who are disadvantaged
with increased access to work through Deakin Professional
Credentials’ in 2018.

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How to apply
Your time is important, so we provide one-
on-one support to make your application and
enrolment process as smooth as possible.

Step 1: Give us a call

Chat with one of our Course advisers before you begin the
application process. They’ll provide advice on whether the course
is suitable for you. If you decide to apply, they’ll guide you through
the process.

Call a Course Adviser

on 1300 043 524
We’re available (AEST):
Monday–Thursday: 9am–6pm
Friday: 9am–5pm

Step 2: Gather your documents

Your course adviser will tell you which documents you’ll need to
complete your application. This usually includes transcripts and
certificates verifying previous studies, as well as evidence of five-
plus years of leadership experience.

Step 3: Apply online

After speaking with your Course Adviser and gathering your
documents, you’re ready start your application.

Deakin Univeristy CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B

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