Master of Business Administration (Sustainable Business)

Degree Level Postgraduate

Years

Australian students

Start Date
January
March
June
September

Campus
City West

Duration
1.5 year(s) full-time

Program Code
DMMA

Study as
Full-time or part-time

Fees
$AU 30,000 per 1.0 EFTSL for students enrolled in 2017

Entry requirements
Applicants seeking admission to the program will normally have:

a) A minimum of three (3) years full time management experience (including experience in supervision and financial management) and a recognised university undergraduate degree or equivalent professional qualifications;

or

b) A minimum of seven (7) years full time management experience (including experience in supervision and financial management) and either:

A Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from the University of South Australia with an average of at least Pass Level 1 (55%), or an equivalent qualification from the University of South Australia or from another recognised university;
or
A Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of South Australia with an average of at least Pass Level 1 (55%) across at least four courses, or an equivalent qualification from the University of South Australia or from another recognised university.

All applicants are also required to submit two referee reports and a detailed curriculum vitae outlining management experience.

View full entry requirements Hide full entry requirements

The last intake for this specialisation is in SP6 2015.

Aim

The Master of Business Administration (Sustainable Business) qualifies individuals for professional practice in senior organisational management and leadership positions in international business environments, through the application of an advanced body of knowledge in the field of organisational management and leadership, with an emphasis on the program area of specialisation.

Qualities developed by the degree are drawn from contemporary organisational management and leadership practice and include strategic thinking, ethical conduct, leadership, an international perspective, international business management, the ability to think critically, and the ability to work both collaboratively and with a high level of autonomy and accountability.

Content & Structure

This program comprises 54 units of study, normally completed as 12 courses of 4.5 unit value each, plus a structured Commencement Seminar.

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The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia are combining their strengths to create a new university for the future, Adelaide University, opening in January 2026.

From 4 August 2025, the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia will no longer be accepting applications for new students.

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What courses you'll study

Course name	Area and cat no.	Units
COURSES and SEQUENCING:			Rule(s): 1
FIRST:
Contemporary Management Skills	BUSS 5244	4.5
THEN - in any order (subject to pre-requisite requirements)
.....these six courses:
Ethics, Governance and Sustainability	BUSS 5385	4.5
Strategic Marketing	BUSS 5245	4.5
Accounting for Decision Making	BUSS 5247	4.5
Responsible Leadership	BUSS 5389	4.5
Managerial Finance	BUSS 5249	4.5
International Business	BUSS 5251	4.5
.....any one of these three courses:
Managerial Economics	BUSS 5248	4.5
The Law for Managers	LAWS 5016	4.5
Elective 1		4.5	Rule(s): 2
.....and three specialisation courses:
Specialisation elective 1		4.5	Rule(s): 3
Specialisation elective 2		4.5	Rule(s): 3
Specialisation elective 3		4.5	Rule(s): 3
CAPSTONE COURSE - to be done only after all non Specialisation and General elective courses are completed:
Strategic Management M	BUSS 5390	4.5

Electives

Course name	Area and cat no.	Units
Specialisation electives
Social Planning and Community Issues	ARCH 5022	4.5
Energy Management for Sustainability	MFET 5029	4.5
Sustainability in Assets and Facilities	BUIL 5020	4.5
Seminar in Sustainability	ENVT 5007	4.5
Sustainable Development	POLI 5023	4.5
Energy and Society	MENG 5005	4.5
Managing Sustainable Value Chains	BUSS 5327	4.5
Economic, Social and Environmental Analysis	BUSS 5328	4.5
Climate Change and Corporate Management	BUSS 5359	4.5
Research and Global Sustainability	BUSS 5373	4.5
Sustainability and Ethical Accounting	ACCT 5026	4.5
Environmental Impact Assessment N	ARCH 5041	4.5
Sustainable Development Assessment	ENVT 5036	4.5
Specified electives
Complexity and Management	BUSS 5379	4.5
Climate Change and Corporate Management	BUSS 5359	4.5
Business in China	BUSS 5329	9
Business Process Improvement	BUSS 5352	4.5
Business Application Project	BUSS 5294	4.5
Executive Business Project	BUSS 5254	4.5
Topics in Management C	BUSS 5018	4.5
Self Directed Management Study	BUSS 5032	4.5
Global Business M	BUSS 5048	4.5
Management Research and Consulting	BUSS 5050	4.5
Contemporary Issues in Managing Change	BUSS 5071	4.5
Contemporary Issues in Project and Operations Management M	BUSS 5148	4.5
Information Strategies for Management Decisions	BUSS 5075	4.5
Topics in Management	BUSS 5077	4.5
Entrepreneurship and Innovation	BUSS 5080	4.5

Rules & notes

Rules

1. All students are required to attend a structured Commencement Seminar. No grade is awarded for this.

2. Electives are to be chosen from a range of specified elective courses set out in the electives schedule or, subject to Program Director approval, from courses in other postgraduate programs at the University of South Australia or from other recognised higher education institutions.

3. Specialisation electives are to be chosen from a range of specialisation elective courses set out in the electives schedule or, subject to Program Director approval, from courses in other postgraduate programs at the University of South Australia or from other recognised higher education institutions.

Notes

1. The Master of Business Administration is designed as a nested program, with credit transfers and articulation pathways from the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and the Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.