Overview 2023
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the list of distance courses (i.e. online and taken outside Australia) that are offered to international students
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For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
View the current year's course page

“This course is not only studying our own business and how we can improve and change it, but it’s also giving me an understanding and appreciation of where our business fits in the entire global dairy picture.” Read more
The next intake is anticipated to be in 2024, with applications opening mid-2023.
If you are interested in applying, or want further information, please contact Dairy Lecturer Alexander Malherbe.
The Graduate Diploma in Agribusiness is an ideal steppingstone for those currently) working in the dairy industry who wish to improve their management and leadership. Whether you're aiming to bring innovation to your current role or re-enter the industry, this course provides an essential foundation for senior and strategic decision-making positions.
In this online post graduate course you will study Dairy Management designed to enhance your business skills, from operational and technical abilities, to farm management and business strategy.
Created in partnership with Dairy Australia, this course has been developed under the guidance of national industry steering committees for the dairy sector.
Your studies will include the development of a business plan relevant to either growing your business or consolidating it after a period of growth. You will also study a wide range of topics essential to agribusiness operations including leadership, management, finance, marketing and agriculture. And long after you’ve graduated, you’ll be rewarded by the networks you build during the course.
Please note, the specialisation in Dairy Management was previously known as masterclass in Dairy Management.
Learning Outcomes
Practical experience
Three face-to-face workshops will be held in strategic locations across Australia. Each workshop will run over a two day duration, also accessible by distance. This experience will foster peer-to-peer engagement, introduce students to online resources, reinforce course learnings, and provide networking opportunities with agribusiness leaders.
Career outcomes

"The skill sets that people need in farm management roles are completely different to before. University study has taught me to analyse and think critically about my business to ensure that I am making the right decisions for the farm to be successful."
Graduation from this degree can provide opportunities to advance your career in the agribusiness industry, or accelerate your business success as a manager, second-in-charge or owner.
Your previous qualification and experience within the agricultural sector, combined with a Graduate Diploma, will allow you to unlock career growth in senior management or expand into running your own business. Graduates can proficiently lead a team, conduct field work, undertake market research, confidently drive sales and liaise better with suppliers and/ or customers.
Potential types of employers:
- Upstream of the farm: suppliers of seed, fertiliser, chemicals, machinery, stockfeed, labour, finance, business advisory, transport, consultancy, and specialist services such as harvesting contractors.
- Primary production: cropping, horticulture, animal based enterprises, aquaculture, pharmaceuticals, wineries, farm-based tourism.
- Downstream of the farm: processors and value-adders, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, transport and storage operations, logistics, consultants.
Course structure
Each student completes 5 core knowledge units and a specialisation consisting of 3 units. There are 2 Specialisations to choose from: Dairy Management or Horticulture Business.
If you are starting in 2023 you can find your course planner here – this helps you plan what units to enrol in and when.
Core Units
This is the “Human Resources” unit of the GradDip course and covers Leadership theory and HR practice. The unit will contrast the difference between leadership and management, what is required to lead others and lead an agricultural team, team leadership…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
In this unit you will engage in learning activities that focus on business structures and company law and the influence of these on financial planning and decision-making. You will learn to identify the key financial and legal risks to agribusinesses.…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 1 |
View all details for KLA504 Agribusiness Financial Management
This unit examines the relevance and influence of international political, economic, and regulatory trends on agribusinesses, how trade agreements effect export opportunities, and how to mitigate risks when engaging with international agricultural markets. Students will learn how to plan their…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 2 |
View all details for KLA506 Global Trends and New Market Opportunities
In this unit, students will explore aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship that can grow your business through the creation of new opportunities. Students will investigate disruptive and incremental innovations that may contribute to the development of increased efficiencies in production…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 1 |
View all details for KLA507 Agribusiness Innovation and Entrepreneurship
This unit is the culmination of all learnings from this course. By collating previous course work and assignments, students will prepare and deliver a business plan relevant to either growing your business or consolidation. The students plan may cover all…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 1 | ||||
Online | Half Year Period 2 |
View all details for KLA508 Agribusiness Development and Strategy
Choice of Specialisation
Dairy Management
Compulsory
This unit is the mandatory first unit of the course, it is the foundational unit by setting up the student up for the remainder of the units in the course. It introduces the student to strategic management and shows the…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
In this unit, students gain an understanding of the differences between supply and value chain concepts, and the role of a student’s dairy business in a dairy supply and value chain. Students will learn about the key drivers of the…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 2 |
This unit introduces the different types of dairy farming systems and the internal and external alignment of these with production-oriented business practices and value creation. Farming systems are both complex and dynamic and a holistic management approach requires an understanding…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 1 | ||||
Online | Half Year Period 2 |
Horticultural Business
Compulsory
This unit is the mandatory first unit of the course, it is the foundational unit by setting up the student up for the remainder of the units in the course. It introduces the student to strategic management and shows the…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
View all details for KLA501 Horticultural Business Management
Value chain and supply chains are both concerned with the same activities: creating goods or services and delivering them to a customer. However, value chains describe this process in terms of how each business and its components adds value for…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
View all details for KLA503 Agribusiness Value Chains and Supply Chains
In this unit you will learn about the contemporary marketing concepts, tools and strategy that are suitable for use in agribusiness, as well as the theoretical underpinning behind them. These will then be applied to your own business, and considerations…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online | Half Year Period 2 |
View all details for KLA505 Horticultural Marketing and Communication
Entry requirements
For Domestic students
For admission to this degree you need to have:
- An Australian Bachelor Degree, Graduate Certificate or equivalent level standard and a minimum of one year relevant work experience in the agricultural or horticultural sectors; OR
- A minimum of five years approved relevant work experience in the agricultural or horticultural sectors; OR
- Other special circumstances (e.g. post‐secondary qualifications) as approved by the Dean or delegated authority.
Credit transfer
The maximum credit granted will be in accordance with the limits set down in the Student Participation and Attainment Ordinance.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
This is a full-fee course, which means you’ll need to pay the full amount for your studies. Commonwealth Supported Places are not available in this course. However, there are still support options available for eligible students to help you manage the cost of studying this course.
You may be able to fund all or part of your tuition fees by accessing a FEE-HELP loan from the Australian Government. FEE-HELP is a loan scheme that assists domestic full-fee students to pay for University, which is repaid through the Australian Tax System once you earn above a repayment threshold. This means you’ll only have to start repaying the loan once you start earning above a specific amount
Our scholarships and prizes program also offers more than 400 scholarships across all areas of study. You can even apply for multiple scholarships in one easy application.
Further informationDetailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
International students
International students should refer to the International Students course fees page to get an indicative course cost.
Scholarships
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 1300 363 864
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries