Z2C Associate Degree in Applied Business

Overview 2020

Entry Requirements: See entry requirements

Duration: Minimum 2 Years, up to a maximum of 5 Years
Duration
Duration refers to the minimum and maximum amounts of time in which this course can be completed. It will be affected by whether you choose to study full or part time, noting that some programs are only available part time.

Location

Entry Requirements: See entry requirements

Duration: Minimum 2 Years
Entry requirements

Location

Graduation from the Associate Degree in Applied Business can provide an entry opportunity for those who have not worked in business settings, accelerate progression through a graduate's present organisation, or open up new career paths and opportunities.

The Associate Degree in Applied Business is for future leaders and managers who want to learn the skills required to make it in the modern business world. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or an assistant manager looking to step up to the next level, this program is a great stepping stone to a new or accelerated career.

The program combines core business subjects covering areas such as management, finance, marketing and planning with a choice of electives in students’ areas of interest. The course content has been developed in consultation with industry experts and they are actively involved in its delivery.

The first year serves as a foundation year, where you’ll learn the skills to apply your new business knowledge to a range of situations. In the second year, you’ll have an opportunity to choose a pathway to employment or higher study.

A key feature of the course is the focus on hands-on learning, where students develop knowledge and skills through work integrated learning opportunities such as industry placements, fieldwork, case studies and applied research. This aims to enhance students’ problem solving, communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills by allowing them to ‘learn through practice’. It has been designed to make university study a little less daunting—and a lot more practical.

Employment pathway

Students wishing to pursue a career in business who don’t wish to continue on to a Bachelor degree should choose this pathway. Due to the practical focus and industry-based syllabus, you’ll be considered ‘workplace ready’ after two years of (full time) study.

Higher study pathway

In the course of your foundation year, you may decide that you’d like to continue your education beyond the Associate Degree level. The higher study pathway prepares you to undertake a Bachelor degree after completing your Associate degree. You’ll be eligible for two years of full credit in the University of Tasmania’s Bachelor of Business Administration.

The program is available for full-time and part-time study across all campuses in Tasmania and is delivered through a combination of online study, face-to-face classes, practical workshops and tutorials.

Completing our Associate Degree in Applied Business will give you:

a pathway to a great career in business across a range of industries
in-depth knowledge of contemporary business concepts and practices
practical skills to take straight into the workplace
opportunities to advance in your areas of interest
the skills to help you meet personal career development goals
credit towards a Bachelor Degree at the University of Tasmania.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the Associate Degree in Applied Business, graduates will be able to:

Identify, analyse, and evaluate personal goals and pathways for paraprofessional employment and further learning.
Articulate evidence and value of learned academic and practice knowledge and skill to a range of audiences.
Apply and communicate academic knowledge of business disciplines within the contemporary business environment.
Apply and communicate practical business skills within the contemporary business environment.
Demonstrate adaptability in the context of emerging digital and innovative landscapes through cognitive, technical, and creative thinking skills.
Model the principles of sustainable business practice and resource management through ethical and professional conduct within a collaborative framework

Practical experience

Experiential education and work integrated learning approaches are central to the Associate Degree in Applied Business. Students will therefore learn through project and problem-based learning activities such as field work, case studies (local and international), action learning, design thinking, simulated environments, placements, data for decision making, wicked problems and more. These approaches ensure practical experiences are placed at the centre of learning and assessment and that students have the opportunity to develop work-related skills, knowledge and behaviours.

In the first year of an associate degree, students are introduced to learning through practice and exposed to authentic experiences that develop skills and understandings related to industry, community or global needs. Students engage with (i) a range of methods and approaches to practice, (ii) principles and perspectives such as values, ethics, empathy and leadership in real world scenarios, (iii) reflection and deliberative thinking as a means of developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and aspirations, and (iv) ways of understanding problems and developing solutions through active inquiry.

A key component of the course, which is established in the first year, is a Practice Manual. The Practice Manual contains all portfolio requirements for the course, including the Professional Development Plan (PDP) and is a collection of evidence that highlights personal, academic and professional development. Dedicated teachers are in coaching roles to support you to continuously develop your Practice Manual over the duration of the course. This involves working with you to determine what evidence best highlights your ability to apply theory in practice, and what activities and experiences showcase your achievement in terms of transferable skills, professional attributes, technical skills and knowledge, and so forth.

The second year of an associate degree builds on the concept of learning through practice by introducing students to more complex learning experiences. Students are therefore introduced to (i) discipline-based skills and knowledge in dynamic practice situations, (ii) concepts of managing effective relationships and communicating with others, (iii) the development and use of adaptive leadership skills and how these skills relate to innovative and entrepreneurial practice, and (iv) the nature of responsible, accountable and reflective workplace skills, and creative and critical thinking relevant to para-professional practice. In addition, students are expected to exercise self-awareness, initiative and judgement to manage themselves and professional relationships effectively. On completion of the two years, students are expected to have a fully developed Practice Manual that highlights all their achievements, including the development of transferable skills and professional attributes, so they leave with a tangible asset that showcases what industry are looking for.

Career outcomes

I’ve been tempted over a number of years to go to university but I got to that stage in my career where I decided if I was going to get into bigger and better roles I needed to get the tertiary education on my résumé.

Phil McCulloch
Associate Degree in Applied Business

Read more

Career Outcomes

Graduation from the Associate Degree in Applied Business can provide an entry opportunity for those who have not worked in business settings, accelerate progression through a graduate's present organisation, or open up new career paths and opportunities. It will also provide a clear articulation pathway into the Bachelor of Business Administration. This course provides graduates with paraprofessional level of business knowledge and practice applicable across industries. The career options of graduates may also be influenced by their chosen specialisation. A graduate's chosen specialisation might lead them to paraprofessional-level roles within that industry.

New to Applied Business and never worked in the industry before?

For those graduates new to Applied Business, this qualification could assist you to gain roles such as trainee positions with managers, team leaders, field officers, and researchers.

Already working and want to fast track or leverage off past experience?

For those graduates already working in Business, an Applied Business qualification may enable you to progress from assistant positions to managerial roles, lead a small team, become specialists, salespersons and liaise better with suppliers or customers.

Potential types of employers:

Small and medium businesses;
Accountancy firms;
Financial services;
Event organisations;
Sport organisations;
Tourism organisations;
Health and well-being consultants;
Non-for-profit organisations; and
Project management companies.

Articulation into further study

Articulating into the Associate Degree in Applied Business will be in line with the University's standard application for credit process. Please see the Articulation/ Credit webpage for more information. Applications for credit can be made upon application to the Associate Degree in Applied Business course.

Students seeking full credit will need to complete the full articulation pathway within the Associate Degree in Applied Business and apply for the Bachelor of Business Administration. This will require students to undertake 4 x 12.5% subjects from the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics in their second year.

Students wishing to articulate from the Associate Degree in Applied Business into other University of Tasmania bachelor programs may gain credit, subject to the receiving faculty/college's discretion.

The progression diagram will give you an idea of how Associate Degrees can help launch you into a Bachelor degree

Course structure

The Associate Degree in Applied Business is a two-year full-time (or equivalent part-time) course comprising of a combination of 16 topic areas, each with an embedded work integrated learning component. The program is offered over four teaching terms of 10 weeks.

The first year of the Associate Degree will serve as a foundation year. The second year of the degree will allow students to choose either an employment-based pathway or a pathway into higher level study.

For assistance with enrolment, please email U.Connect@utas.edu.au or call 1300 826 663.

Applied Business Year 1 (Z2C & Z1B)

Students must enrol in two units per term, if studying full time.

Year 1

Term 1

ZAA131

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Hobart	Term 1
Hobart	Term 3
Launceston	Term 1
Launceston	Term 3
Cradle Coast	Term 1
Cradle Coast	Term 3

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Hobart	Semester 1
Launceston	Accelerated Study Period 1
Hong Kong Universal Ed	Semester 1

Location	Study period	Attendance options		Available to
Hobart	Semester 2
Launceston	Accelerated Study Period 3
Hong Kong Universal Ed	Semester 2

Associate Degree in Applied Business (Z2C)

Overview 2020

Entry Requirements

Duration

Duration

Location

Entry Requirements

Duration

Location

Employment pathway

Higher study pathway

Career outcomes

Course structure

Applied Business Year 1 (Z2C & Z1B)

Year 1

Contemporary Business Environments

A choice of one unit from

Professional Communication

The Business of Leisure

Good Governance

Inventory Control and Warehousing

Supplier Relationship Management

Exploring Health and Wellbeing

Computer Networks

Managing People

A choice of one unit from

Organisation of Sport and Recreation

Contemporary Tourism

Contract Management

Supply Chain Management in Contemporary Organisations

Procurement Processes and Strategies

Contemporary Business Environments

Business Finance

A choice of one unit from

Sport and Recreation Administration

Tourism Visitor Engagement

Value Chain Management in Agribusiness

Health and Community Services in Australia

Quality Management

Design Thinking & Digital Innovation

Business Marketing

A choice of one unit from

Lean Thinking

Designing Events

Agribusiness and Feasibility

Year 2

Data for Decision Making

Managing Events

Leading People

Engaging Communities in Health and Wellbeing

Business Planning and Decision Making

Leisure Planning

Digital Tourism Visitor Economy

Industry Project

Contract Management

Value Chain Analysis and Strategy

Ethical Hacking

Managing Projects

Hospitality Management

Leisure Facility Management

Managing Revenue

Transport and Freight Strategies

Information Security

Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking

Industry Project

Category Management

Year 2

Data for Decision Making

Introduction to Markets and the Economy

Choose one of the following Streams

Theories of Work and Organisation

Services Marketing

Applied Human Resource Management

Business Planning and Decision Making

Managing Projects

Human Resource Management in Action

Consumer Behaviour

Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking

Entry requirements

Domestic applicants with higher education study