Graduate Diploma in Business

Already have a bachelor's degree? Prepare yourself for postgraduate study in business and economics with the one-year Graduate Diploma in Business.

This programme is designed for students who want to move into postgraduate business study and need a foundation in business concepts. It's also suitable for people who have an undergraduate degree other than business and want to develop skills for a career in business.

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Minimum entry requirements

  • A bachelor’s degree OR
  • Relevant professional qualification or experience approved by the Dean (or representative) to be equivalent to a bachelor’s degree

International student entry requirements

English language requirements

  • IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with all bands 6.0 or higher; or equivalent

English language requirements

Tailor your studies to your needs and career goals, and develop an understanding of business concepts in specific business disciplines of your choice by choosing from a range of courses in the Bachelor of Business.

Most courses from the Bachelor of Business are available for Graduate Diploma in Business students to choose from.

You take eight 15-point courses, of which at least five must be level 7.

You can choose to:

  • Complete any eight courses; or
  • Complete a focus area if you choose five of your eight courses from a specific business subject

Study planner for this programme

Download our study planner to see what your studies could look like in the Graduate Diploma in Business.

Graduate Diploma in Business study planner

Skills you will develop in the Graduate Diploma in Business

The outcome for graduates for the Graduate Diploma in Business are outlines in the Graduate Profile below.

Graduate Profile

Annette Tiaiti
Andrew Davis
Deborah Ward
Annette Tiaiti
Great graduatesAnnette TiaitiTeacher, Parnell District SchoolMaster of Teaching and Learning
Graduate Diploma in BusinessAfter almost two decades of supporting postgraduate students, Annette Tiaiti was ready for a new challenge and enrolled in AUT’s Master of Teaching and Learning.After almost two decades of supporting postgraduate students throughout their university journey, Annette Tiaiti was ready for a new career challenge and decided to enrol in AUT’s Master of Teaching and Learning and retrain to become a primary teacher. Going from her full-time office career to life as a student was a big step, Annette admits, but receiving a scholarship to support her studies made the decision easy.
Read full story
Andrew Davis
Great graduatesAndrew DavisSenior Lifecycle Marketing Manager, ShiftKey, Austin, Texas, USAGraduate Diploma in BusinessBusiness alumnus Andrew Davis is proud of relocating to the USA and landing a senior role at ShiftKey, a tech company that recently achieved unicorn status.Business alumnus Andrew Davis is proud of relocating to the USA and landing a senior role at ShiftKey, a tech company that recently achieved unicorn status.
Read full story
Deborah Ward
Great graduatesDeborah WardCo-Owner/Strategic Director, A-Ward Ltd & Output EnvyMaster of Business
Graduate Diploma in BusinessAs the strategic director of two companies, AUT business alumna Deborah Ward enjoys the challenges a career as an entrepreneur offers.As the strategic director of two companies, AUT business alumna Deborah Ward enjoys the challenges a career as an entrepreneur offers.
Read full story
View all student profiles
Quick facts
Programme code:
AK3709
Level:
7
Points:
120
Duration:
1 year full-time / part-time available
Campus:
City Campus
South Campus
Starts:
3 Mar 2025
21 Jul 2025

Key semester dates
Fees
Domestic
$8,918 - $9,033 (for 120 points)
($7,726 - $7,841 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
International
$36,692 (for 120 points)
($35,500 tuition fees + $1,192 student services levy)
  • Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
  • Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
  • There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
  • International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.

Scholarships

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.

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