Duration
Study one unit across a seven-week study period, allowing you to complete your Graduate Certificate in Change Management within 8 months. It's recommended that you spend approximately 20 hours per week on your postgraduate study. Our 100% online Graduate Certificate in Change Management program allows you to study when it suits you and you are not required to be online at a specific time.
Fees
$17,284 for all 4 units. FEE-HELP is a Commonwealth Government loan scheme that helps eligible full-fee paying students pay all or part of their tuition fees. FEE-HELP is available for this program.
Units
Study one unit each seven-week study period with our multi-award-winning Block Model. Assessments are delivered at the same time each study period, allowing for deep and focused learning.
Study intakes
There are six study periods each year, allowing you to begin your Graduate Certificate in Change Management at the start of any study period. You will study one unit at a time over the seven-week study period. If required, you are able to skip a study period.
July, Aug, Oct
Why study the Graduate Certificate in Change Management Online?
Expand your network
VU Collaborate, our intuitive online learning environment, makes it easy to connect with like-minded students, obtain feedback from academics and leverage a supportive professional network.
Learn from industry leaders
You will benefit from the unique industry connections of our academics and facilitators, as well as VU’s strong reputation in the business community.
Gain enterprise skills
All course content is written with a strong and consistent emphasis on employability, ensuring it meets industry standards and delivers the enterprise skills employers demand.
Overview
Change is inevitable, but it’s never easy.
Become a source of value for tomorrow as you gain skills to navigate ambiguity in your organisation and to successfully lead change as an iterative and innovative process, rather than a reactive process.
VU Online’s Graduate Certificate in Change Management is designed for tomorrow’s leaders who can drive change and adjust quickly to new business conditions.
Upon completion, you can continue your studies to earn the Master of Business Administration (Change Management), where you can unlock your full potential as a change leader.
Graduates can undertake a diverse and rewarding career path both locally and overseas. Depending on your career goals and skill set, studying a Graduate Certificate in Change Management with VU Online will open up numerous roles that may interest you.
- Consultant
- Senior Manager
- Change Management Consultant
- Human Resources Manager
- Project Manager
- Coach or Trainer
- Operations and Logistics Manager
Why choose VU Online?
Flexible study
Study 100% online, accessing experiential academic content in text and video form when it suits you. Study one subject at a time with VU’s award-winning Block Model®.
Support 7 days, including evenings
Get the support you need, when you need it. Connect with your academics, facilitators and peers in each unit and benefit from 1:1 personalised support from specialist academics via email, phone or video call.
Pathway to a top-tier MBA
A Graduate Certificate is your stepping-stone to the world’s most in-demand business qualification. VU’s MBA course is highly regarded and was ranked a tier-one MBA in CEO Magazine’s 2023 Global Rankings.
What you will study
This course covers four core areas of change management. Each unit of study lasts for seven weeks.
Globally, organisations are adopting agile principles to optimise project delivery and efficiency in the face of rapidly changing conditions. In this unit, students learn the fundamentals of agile project management (APM) as well as the scrum methodology for managing change projects in dynamic settings. Students will contrast agile and waterfall, learn where APM is most applicable and useful, and assess how agile is leveraged to successfully implement projects on time with an explicit focus on stakeholder requirements. Students will also consider alternative ways of framing change initiatives either as incremental or transformational events within an organisation to foster new ways of thinking. These effective project management skills prepare them to successfully lead agile project teams, enabling their teams to deliver what their customers want faster and with better quality than traditional project management methods.
This unit develops contemporary understanding of organisational design, organisational change and development through contextualisation of common challenges for change in both traditional and new organisational forms. Students are challenged through interrogation and critical reflection on practices and theories of critical and conventional theories and models of change. Students will advance their diagnostic skills, competencies and processes in assessing the need for change, and the development, implementation, and evaluation of change strategies at all organisational levels. Solutions to complex change management problems will be derived in a socially and culturally responsible manner, where students will advocate and substantiate recommendations grounded in scholarly literature to demonstrate professional responsibility and accountability.
The importance of technological change and innovation within organisations has become increasingly critical as businesses struggle to achieve and maintain competitive advantage in a fast changing global market. The speed of technological change has not only brought innovation and efficiency but has also created a challenge for many organisations that still grapple with its complexity. Often the relationship between technological change and organisational change is not comprehended which leads to significant innovations being resisted, becoming victim to competing ideas, or failing to be sustained. This unit of study will help students learn how new technologies are aligned and implemented within organisations to remain competitive. Using insights from case studies and real life examples, students will be able to analyse problems and challenges relating to technological change and design solutions.
Prescriptions on "best" ways to change organisations are in abundance. Yet what most organisations experience when they attempt to change is not as straightforward as the prescriptions suggest. Change, whether internally generated or externally confronted, is not a neat and clearly marked journey from a present state to a desired state. The complexity that surrounds organisations is not in designing the change journey but in dealing with complex relations with human behaviour. As such, the central debate in the field is, can employee behaviour and attitude be "managed and controlled" during change implementation? This unit will focus on the debate and will provide students with an opportunity to critically evaluate and articulate various models of change and help appreciate the complex and paradoxical nature of managing organisational change. Students will have an opportunity to learn from real life case examples that will include both success and failure stories of managing change. Using insights from the case examples, students will be able to analyse problems and challenges relating to managing change in their own organisation.
Entry requirements
When you apply to study with VU, we’ll take into consideration your prior study, work experience and current skills. If eligible, you can also apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), so you can make your next career move even sooner.
- Completion of an Australian Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a similar discipline; OR
- Applicants with a minimum of five years approved work experience will be considered for admission to this course.
Fees & FEE-HELP
A Graduate Certificate in Change Management from VU Online costs $4,321 per unit*, taking the total for 4 units to $17,284*.
This depends on the number of units you study and whether you are eligible for Advanced Standing, which is assessed after you submit your application.
10% discount for alumni
If you’ve previously completed a qualification with us (and didn't apply through an agent), you may be eligible for a 10% discount.
Note that you may be eligible for the Australian Government’s loan scheme, FEE-HELP. The loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying students with the cost of a university program. It can be used for all or part of the tuition. To determine your eligibility, visit the FEE-HELP website.
*2027 student fees are shown and are subject to change.
For more information on fees and student support, download a brochure.
Want to learn more about this course?
What our students say
I am receiving a lot of support from my facilitators and my Student Success Advisor, who boosts my confidence and self-esteem.
What our students say
It was personally satisfying connecting and collaborating with a range of industry professionals. Many have become valuable work contacts, some even lifelong friends and career mentors.
What our students say
The flexibility, relevance and opportunity that VU Online brings to higher education are testaments to excellence in teaching and learning.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Our Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is an alternative pathway to entering into our MBA program. The Graduate Certificate in Business Administration is essentially the first 4 units of our MBA and those without an Undergraduate can be considered as applicants provided that they meet and have 5 years of full-time work experience. Once this is completed, these units are transferred into the overall MBA program.
Depending on each individual and the industry they’re in, the overall aim for an MBA graduate is to be able to elevate their career and gain valuable leadership skills. That may translate into running a successful small business to leading multi-national corporations. Our graduates have undertaken diverse and rewarding career paths both locally and overseas.
Potential career leadership roles include:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Director of Business Development
- Senior Managing Consultant
- Marketing/Communications Director
- Human Resources Director
- Financial Manager
An MBA has been designed to take your career to the next level in order to achieve your professional goals. This may come in the form of potential promotions, salary increases, or new business and leadership opportunities. We believe that completion of an MBA will not only enhance one’s learning and confidence, it will also help to open up new opportunities for growth.
Yes, and we are also ranked among the world’s top 2% of universities.
VU Online's MBA can be completed within 2 years, part-time at a minimum. However, you can complete this within 5 years as part of our flexible block model structure.
Our Online MBA focuses on business leadership through career-based teaching and learning. This is to ensure our MBA graduates develop the problem solving and financial skills to meet ever-changing industry standards and the enterprise skills today's employers expect. Students will focus on areas such as strategic management, ethics, financial analysis and organisational change – skills that are essential for all future leaders, in any industry. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with a community of like-minded peers via our intuitive and immersive online learning environment. Each student can share their own professional industry experiences and participate in collaborative online sessions.
Our Online MBA focuses on business leadership through career-based teaching and learning. This is to ensure our MBA graduates develop the problem solving and financial skills to meet ever-changing industry standards and the enterprise skills today's employers expect. Students will focus on areas such as strategic management, ethics, financial analysis and organisational change – skills that are essential for all future leaders, in any industry. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with a community of like-minded peers via our intuitive and immersive online learning environment. Each student can share their own professional industry experiences and participate in collaborative online sessions.
Aside from our general MBA, you can also streamline into Finance, Change Management and Economics for Business.
Unfortunately not. You will have to know which specialisation you would like to do, prior to enrolling in our MBA (i.e. Finance, Change Management or Economics for Business). You will have to complete your specialisation units, before completing the remaining core MBA units.
There are options to take more than one unit at a time, but this is not generally recommended for individuals who are working full time. To take more than 1 unit at a time, a student must make an application and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
The cost of postgraduate programs like a graduate certificate in change management varies across institutions and depends on factors such as delivery mode, number of units, and eligibility for financial support. Many students studying change management courses also access government loan schemes such as FEE-HELP to assist with tuition costs without paying upfront.
The Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online is delivered fully online over four units, allowing students to study one unit at a time. Eligible students may use FEE-HELP to support their postgraduate study. This structure gives you flexibility to balance work and other commitments while building skills in change leadership and organisational transformation.
Change management is widely regarded as a valuable field of study, particularly in workplaces experiencing ongoing transformation. Organisations across industries regularly undergo digital change, restructuring, cultural shifts, and strategic realignment, all of which require professionals who can guide people through uncertainty and complexity. Studying an online graduate certificate in change management can strengthen your ability to lead initiatives, manage resistance, and improve outcomes during periods of change.
The Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online supports this capability by focusing on practical, real-world change leadership skills that can be applied across a range of industries and roles, making it a strong option for professionals looking to step into or formalise change-focused responsibilities.
A graduate certificate in change management is designed to develop the knowledge, tools, and strategic mindset required to plan, implement, and sustain organisational change. These programs typically explore why change is needed, how to manage change processes, how to engage stakeholders, and how to evaluate outcomes to ensure change initiatives are effective and sustainable.
The Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online aims to build capability in organisational change, agile project and change management, innovation, and managing complexity, grounding theory in practical leadership applications that reflect real workplace challenges.
Yes, formal certification in change management can be achieved through recognised academic qualifications as well as professional credentialing bodies. Academic pathways such as a graduate certificate in change management provide a postgraduate credential that demonstrates your understanding of change theory, frameworks, and applied practice, which many employers recognise as evidence of capability and commitment.
The Graduate Certificate in Change Management from VU Online offers a structured academic pathway for professionals seeking formal recognition of their change leadership skills, and it can complement or precede industry certifications offered by professional bodies such as Prosci or the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP).
Change management roles are often regarded as well remunerated due to the strategic importance of guiding organisations through transformation. Professionals responsible for leading change initiatives are valued for their ability to minimise disruption, support workforce engagement, and help organisations achieve long-term objectives, which contributes to strong earning potential over time.
Completing formal study such as the Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online can support career progression into more senior or specialised change roles by strengthening both credibility and practical expertise.
Change managers are generally positioned within senior or specialist business roles, reflecting the level of responsibility involved in leading organisational transformation. While remuneration varies by industry, experience, and role scope, change management is commonly associated with strong earning potential relative to many other business functions.
Formal qualifications such as the Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online can help support progression into higher-responsibility roles by strengthening both strategic capability and professional credibility.
Becoming a change manager in Australia typically involves a combination of education, workplace experience, and ongoing professional development. Many professionals start with a background in business, management, human resources, communications, or project management, then build specialist knowledge through change management courses or postgraduate study.
The Graduate Certificate in Change Management at VU Online provides a focused entry point for developing change-specific skills, helping professionals formalise experience, transition into change-focused roles, or support career advancement in transformation-driven environments.
Still have questions?
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