Associate Degree in Business

2 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

RMIT University

Program Overview

This two-year Associate Degree in Business at RMIT gives you a strong, hands‑on foundation in the essential areas of business — from marketing and management to HR and accounting. It’s ideal for someone who wants real-world skills, immediate employability, or a smooth pathway into a full bachelor’s degree.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1:
In your first year, you’ll take eight core subjects that introduce you to key business concepts — from Marketing Principles and Business Law to Decision Making and Information Systems. You’ll work in small, supportive classes (around 25–30 students), giving you plenty of opportunity for discussion, collaboration, and building confidence in teamwork and business thinking. Through case studies and project work, you’ll begin to see how different business functions interconnect in a real organisation.

Year 2:
In the second year, you dive deeper into more specialised areas: you’ll study units like Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Human Resources Management, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Markets. There’s also a subject on Buyer Behaviour, helping you think strategically about customers. Plus, you’ll pick one elective of your choice, which lets you start tailoring your study toward what you’re really passionate about — whether that’s finance, marketing, or something else. You also have the option to take a Business Internship, giving you hands-on experience in a workplace environment and helping you graduate with something concrete to show employers.

Focus Areas

Marketing, Human Resources, Management, Accounting, Supply Chain

Learning Outcomes

You will graduate able to analyze business problems, work confidently on teams, make data‑informed decisions, and understand the core pillars of a modern organisation.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This program is designed around real-world business needs: many of its subjects embed project-based learning in simulated or real business settings. You’ll graduate with skills that are directly relevant to the workplace — whether you start working right away or move on to further study.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

RMIT is highly regarded for its strong industry connections and work-integrated learning, which means this associate degree isn’t just academic — it’s career-focused. RMIT often performs well in global rankings like QS and THE for employability, thanks to its commitment to preparing students for meaningful, real-world roles.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

This program is all about giving you real, hands-on business experience — not just theory from a textbook. Through the Associate Degree in Business, you’ll dive into group projects with real companies, tackle genuine business challenges, and be guided by professionals who’ve been there and done that. By the time you graduate, you won’t just have academic knowledge — you’ll have practical, business-ready skills you can actually use.

Here are some of the exciting experiential learning opportunities you’ll get in this program:

Embedded work-integrated learning: Many of your subjects are project-based, so you’ll apply what you’re learning by solving real business problems in workplaces or simulated business environments.

Group projects with industry partners: You’ll team up with organisations like Devondale, TAC, Tupperware and others to work on real business challenges, giving you experience that’s relevant and current.

Mentorship from industry: Your teachers aren’t just academics — they’re experienced professionals who help you connect theory to practice, sharing insights from the real business world.

Business Internship elective: In your final year, you can choose an elective to do a business internship, spending 1–2 days a week gaining hands-on workplace experience.

Professional skill development: From case studies and presentations to reports and group assignments, you’ll grow not only academically but also in teamwork, communication, and critical thinking — the skills employers actually want.

Global exposure opportunities: RMIT offers chances to study and work abroad, so you can broaden your business perspective and learn in international settings.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from this associate degree doesn’t just give you a credential — it arms you with practical, real-world business skills and a strong foundation to step into professional roles. Many of our students move directly into business‑oriented jobs or use this as a springboard into a bachelor’s degree.

As for what roles you might land after graduation, here are some typical ones:

Business Analyst — helping companies interpret data, spot trends, and improve operations
Human Resources Coordinator — working in recruiting, talent development, or HR administration
Marketing Assistant — contributing to campaigns, market research, and brand development
Operations or Logistics Officer — coordinating supply chains, managing inventory, or improving processes

Here’s what this means for you:

Career Support: RMIT offers excellent employability services through Career Connect. You can get one-on-one career consultations, help polishing your resume, and support in finding internships or job opportunities.
Hands-on Experience: The degree includes embedded work-integrated learning. You’ll work on real projects, sometimes with companies like Devondale, Zagame Automotive, Tupperware, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and TAC — helping you build a portfolio of relevant experience.
Internship Option: In your final year, there’s an elective for a business internship (one or two days/week for a semester). It’s self-sourced, but it’s a great way to get industry exposure.
Industry Connections: RMIT has a strong Industry Advisory Board made up of senior business executives. This ensures your curriculum stays relevant to the current workplace.
Long-Term Credibility: The associate degree mirrors the first two years of a bachelor’s in business, so the qualification is well-respected and meaningful for both employment and further education.
Graduate Outcomes: By the time you finish, you’ll not only be job-ready but also have a guaranteed pathway into further study (more on that next).

Further Academic Progression:

Once you complete the Associate Degree in Business, you’re guaranteed entry into several relevant bachelor’s programs at RMIT — assuming you meet the criteria. These include the Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Business Professional Practice, and Bachelor of Accounting. Depending on your major, you could be granted credit exemptions (for example, up to two years’ worth in some Bachelor of Business majors), which means you'll finish your bachelor’s faster and more efficiently. If your grades are strong, there’s even the potential to progress into other courses like Bachelor of Laws.

In short: this isn’t just a stop-gap — it’s a meaningful credential, backed by real industry engagement, that sets you up for work or further study. If you like the idea of getting hands-on business experience, building a professional network, and keeping your options open for a bachelor’s later, this could be a really good choice.