Professional Certificate in Workplace Leadership

The Professional Certificate in Workplace Leadership is a leadership development course designed to offer significant practical learning opportunities for a diverse range of early career professionals seeking to develop their business, managerial and leadership skills and knowledge. The course is also suitable for emerging leaders, or those who have been promoted, or seek promotion and wish to develop their leadership capabilities to complement their technical knowledge and expertise, in order to get the most out of themselves and their teams.

The course consists of two subjects both of which have a practical focus. 1. Foundations of Leadership and 2. Leadership in Practice, which must be taken in that sequence for this course.

The Foundations of Leadership subject covers the core knowledge, skills and tools that will position students to be effective organisational leaders. This subject investigates what leadership is, why it is important and analyses the factors that impact upon workplace leadership and the impacts leadership has in an organisational context. Students will begin focusing on leadership of self and then look at the role of leadership in contemporary organisations. Students will develop an individual leadership development plan and demonstrate core capabilities including; interpreting and influencing, planning and problem solving, collaboration, relationship building, listening and communication and self-reflection.

In Leadership in Practice, students will extend their development by learning and applying more advanced knowledge and skills in order to exercise and foster leadership within more complex organisational environments and systems. Drawing on theories and empirical evidence students will devise a plan to overcome a complex personal leadership conundrum. Students will also undertake more complex collaborative leadership challenges and simulations, in order to develop their systems and strategic thinking, decision making, coaching and supporting skills.

The learning experience includes lectures with leading experts, case studies, leadership diagnostics, contemporary readings and resources, facilitated group discussions, and virtual simulations.

On successful completion of this Professional Certificate students will be able to:

• Analyse and evaluate various leadership theories, models and approaches and how they impact upon employee and organisational performance
• Identify and critically evaluate the knowledge and capabilities required for effective workplace leadership
• Develop critical reflection and assessment of their own personal leadership capabilities and how they might be applied in their own organisational context
• Demonstrate the ability to coach and support others to maximise their workplace performance
• Design and implement a personal leadership development plan
• Apply news skills and knowledge in the workplace.

The degree is comprised of two 12.5 point core subjects totalling 25 points.

Students take both core subjects:

1. In ranking and/ or assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

Prior academic qualification and performance; and professional experience.

2. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Student Application and Selection Procedure.

3. Applicants are required to satisfy the University’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

The Professional Certificate in Workplace Leadership welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and degree policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance the student’s participation in the degree.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Overview, Objectives and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this course are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The Professional Certificate of Workplace Leadership will promote the further development of The University of Melbourne’s Graduate attributes.

Academic excellence across disciplines
This Certificate will promote academic and practical excellence, providing graduates with in-depth knowledge of contemporary theories and the skills required to examine and practice effective leadership in the workplace. Graduates from the Professional Certificate of Workplace Leadership will have the capacity to think critically and creatively, analyse and reason and undertake self-reflection. Practical contextual activities and assessment tasks will enable students to apply knowledge, research and analytical skills to solve complex problems within an organisational context. The learning and assessment approaches will facilitate effective oral and written communication and collaboration skills within online environments.

As part of The Melbourne educational experience, The Certificate will prepare graduates to be entrepreneurial and innovative. They will be encouraged to further develop and apply research and inquiry skills to challenges in organisational leadership contexts. The Certificate will foster an attitude and the skills for lifelong learning, courageous thinking and action and a mindset open to evaluating a range of alternative possibilities and viewpoints.

Active citizenship
The Certificate enables graduates to engage with and apply their knowledge and skills in workplace leadership within contemporary local, national and global contexts. Graduates will be able to exercise values-based, inclusive leadership with a high regard for human rights, social inclusion, ethics and the environment. As leaders, graduates are aware of the importance of social and cultural diversity and are able to work collaboratively with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Integrity and self-awareness
The Certificate enables graduates to develop a strong practice in critical self-reflection and to be self-aware and self-directed, well-organised, with the ability to set goals and manage time and priorities. They are able to work independently and to collaborate in diverse groups. Graduates will have a strong sense of professional and personal integrity and will have established an authentic and effective professional identity.

As leaders, the Certificate graduates will be passionate, self-assured and confident of their knowledge, yet flexible, adaptable and aware of their limitations. They are willing to explore, experiment and learn from mistakes and as leaders, encourage others to also do so. They have empathy and concern for the welfare of others and can manage their own well-being.

On successful completion of this program, students should have enhanced their skills in:

• Self-knowledge and regulation
• Taking values-based action
• Systems thinking
• Reflecting critically on their own learning and development
• Understanding and demonstrating ethical behaviour in leadership
• Analysis and problem solving
• Written and oral communication
• Giving and receiving effective feedback
• Strategic thinking and decision making
• Effective teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration (including online)
• Synthesising ideas, theories and data when developing solutions to problems related to management and leadership
• Understanding good governance and business ethics
• Retrieving relevant information from a variety of sources and applying it in their workplaces.