Overview
Gain practical skills for the business sector and beyond with a Certificate IV in Business at Victoria University Polytechnic. You will learn to effectively manage the office administration aspects of a business and gain a focused understanding of today’s business world.
On completion of this course you will have gained knowledge and skills in:
- developing personal work priorities
- creating presentations
- advanced word processing and spreadsheets
- producing business documents
- organising meetings
- completing project work
- carrying out safe workplace practices.
When you graduate, you’ll have the ability and confidence to work in the industry, directing a range of administration tasks. You can take various career paths with these skills, including:
- office administrator
- personal assistant
- project officer
- customer service officer
- receptionist (legal or medical)
- student services officer.
This course is delivered through a combination of face-to-face and remote digital (Zoom) workshops as timetabled, and through student self-paced access to eLearning activities in the Learning Management System.
This course is ideal for anyone looking to take a step into the business sector and gain skills in business administration.
Learning advice
VU’s Learning Hubs are welcoming spaces where you can improve your study and employability skills.
Our students can attend Learning Hubs at one of five VU campuses.
We offer maths, writing, careers and English-language advice, and show you effective ways to study and manage your time.
Our programs include:
- workshops
- drop-in sessions
- peer mentoring
- maths and writing resources
- resume and career guidance.
We also have accessibility support services and counselling services available for all students.
Library & computer facilities
Our campus libraries have photocopying, computing and printing facilities as well as electronic and print resources.
You'll also have access to a rich collection of online resources at any time of the day or night, including:
- databases
- e-learning content for courses
- student email
- student software packages
- social networking tools.
On campus, we make sure that all of our students have access to digital resources. We offer:
- excellent WiFi networks
- more than 4000 computers (PCs and Apple Macs) across our campuses
- a central IT helpdesk for technical help.
Need some advice?
Request a call back from one of our experienced Victoria University Polytechnic course advisers to get your questions answered.
Request a call backTAFE resources
Careers in business
Graduating with a qualification in business from VU Polytechnic will put you ahead of the game. You’ll learn fundamental skills you can apply in any sector, preparing you for a range of careers, including:
- administrative roles in various business areas
- student services officer
- word processing operator
- receptionist
- customer service officer
- personal assistant.
Nationally recognised training
This course is nationally recognised training.
Course structure
The course structure is made up of following core and elective units. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback.
To be awarded the BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business, a student must successfully complete a total of twelve (12) units of competency, comprising of:
- Six (6) core units, and;
- Six (6) elective units, of which
- 2 elective units must be selected from Group A
- up to 4 units may be selected from Groups A – J.
- if not listed, up to 2 units may be selected from a Certificate III, Certificate IV or Diploma from this or any other currently endorsed Training Package qualification or accredited course.
Elective units must be relevant to the work environment and the qualification, maintain the integrity of the AQF alignment and contribute to a valid, industry-supported vocational outcome.
Specialisations
VU Polytechnic currently offers the following specialisations:
- Business Administration
- Leadership (available for Traineeship - industry client only)
To be awarded the BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business (Administration), a student must successfully complete a total of twelve (12) units of competency, comprising of:
*Six (6) core units, and;
*Six (6) elective units, of which
- two (2) elective units must be selected from Group A
- four (4) units must be from Group C.
To be awarded the BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business (Leadership), a student must successfully complete a total of twelve (12) units of competency, comprising of:
*Six (6) core units, and;
*Six (6) elective units, of which
- two (2) elective units must be selected from Group A
- four (4) units must be from Group B.
Course structure and units
VU Polytechnic delivers the electives listed in the ‘course structure and units’ below. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback. Alternative suitable electives are only available via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT).
Core Units
For Domestic & Traineeship - Specialisation Business Administration
Electives Group A - Self-development
Electives Group C - Business Administration
For Traineeship (industry client only) - Specialisation Leadership
Electives Group A - Self-development
Electives Group B - Leadership
Electives Group D, E, F, G, H I, J - Not available
Electives of these groups are not currently offered by VU Polytechnic.
Recognition of Prior Learning and/or Credit Transfers
Previous completion of units at the VU Polytechnic or any other Registered Training Organisation and/or previous attainment of skills and knowledge may be credited towards this course. Units must satisfy the completion rules of the qualification and be assessed as appropriate by the Polytechnic.
Learning outcomes
This course BSB40120 Certificate IV in Business supports participants to develop the skills required for a range of business services job roles.
Individuals undertaking this course will be able to carry out a mix of specialist and moderately complex administrative or operational tasks that require self-development skills, such as:
- well-developed skills and a broad knowledge base to apply solutions to a defined range of unpredictable problems and analyse information from a variety of sources.
- provide leadership and guidance to others with some limited responsibility for the output of others; and may have supervisory performance accountabilities.Through case studies, projects and group-based activities the course seeks to ensure that students develop the practical skills they need to commence work in a business environment.
Fees & scholarships
Fee type for this course: VET
Fee type definitions
The amount you pay for your course depends on whether you’re offered a government subsidised place or a full fee-paying place.
Students who enrol in a:
- government subsidised place pay subsidised tuition fees (the government contributes the rest), and may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee along with any material fees
- full fee-paying place pay the full fee tuition rate (which includes Student Services and Amenities Fee and any material fees).
Calculate your VET course fees.
Find out more about:
- the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- ways to pay your fees
- important fee dates
- how to apply for a VE/TAFE refund
Scholarships & assistance
Apply for a scholarship to help with your study costs.
We can help with fee assistance and advice.
Admission & pathways
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.
If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs.
Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course.As part of the application process, applicants must complete a Pre-training Review (PTR) and undertake a literacy and numeracy (LN) assessment to determine suitability for admission.
Local admission requirements for Traineeship applicants:
As part of the application process, applicants must complete a Pre-training Review (PTR) and undertake a literacy and numeracy (LN) assessment to determine suitability for admission.
- Must have an active employer
- Must have an active Epsilon number prior to commencing the course.
Pathways from VU courses
There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.
Find out more about pathways and credits.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.
You may be able to complete your qualification sooner through formal recognition of your existing skills. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
To receive RPL, we assess your previous work, education and life experiences against recognised qualifications. Applications for RPL can be made prior to enrolling.
Call us on 1300 TAFE VP (1300 823 387) to discuss RPL options with the course manager.
How to apply
Prior to enrolment, all applicants will be required to complete a literacy and numeracy assessment to assist with determining eligibility and to identify learning support needs.
Available start dates:
- 17 July 2023
- 2 October 2023
Before you apply
Before starting your application, please read through the step-by-step VU Polytechnic application process to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information ready to successfully complete your application.
Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:
- Credit transfer/Recognition of prior learning (RPL): If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.
Apply direct to VU
Apply direct to VU using our admission centre, submit applications for one or more courses, track and save your progress and upload additional information.
Already a VU student?
If you are already a VU student, apply direct to VU using our Admissions centre to transfer into this course. Remember it’s best to be accepted into your new course before withdrawing from your current one.
After you apply
- It’s important to check for emails from us (which may go to your spam/junk folder).
- Complete any requests for information by the given dates, otherwise your application may not be considered
Enquire now – TAFE
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Contact VU Polytechnic
Please note that if changes to this course occur, VU will notify students as soon as possible.
At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.
