Overview

Ready to elevate your leadership in education? Swinburne’s hybrid Master of Educational Leadership equips you with the skills to lead with confidence, clarity, and compassion. Learn from industry experts using the latest pedagogical innovations including master classes, personalised coaching, keynotes, and applied workshops.

With a strong focus on behavioural neuroscience, this course enhances your efficacy and influence—making you the natural choice for leadership roles in the education sector.

Check the Master of Educational Leadership course handbook

Upgrade your skills

  • Leadership
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Empathy
  • Communication
  • Coaching
  • Facilitation

Stretch your career further

Students can enhance their career opportunities by gaining additional leadership and management skills – an important asset in a today’s complex and changing business environment. The below examples demonstrate the types of roles graduates can attain.

  • School principal
  • Head of year/department
  • Strategic planner
  • Consultant
  • Center director
  • State or government education leadership roles

Key codes

CRICOS course code
117595G
International student visa

International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.

Strong industry connections and co-creation

In this course each unit includes some sort of work integrated learning experience, allowing you to put your learning into real-world practice.​

Why Swinburne?

Top 500 in the world for education

5 stars for overall experience

5 stars for teaching quality

#1 in Melbourne for support services

Qualifications

Applicants are required to have completed one of the following:

  • a bachelor Honours degree (or higher award) in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent
  • successful completion of a Bachelor degree in any discipline and minimum 2 years work experience in a cognate discipline

Applicants are required to have completed one of the following:

  • a bachelor Honours degree (or higher award) in any discipline from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent
  • successful completion of a Bachelor degree in any discipline and minimum 2 years work experience in a cognate discipline
Admission requirements

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.

English language requirements

Satisfactory completion of one of the following:

Need to undertake an English assessment for entry?

A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) can now be done at our Hawthorn campus.

Credit transfer

Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Recognition of prior learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Finding your fit

At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.

How credit points work

To qualify for the award of Master of Educational Leadership students must complete 100 credit points comprising:

  • Four 4 core units (100 credit points).
4
Core units
=
Master Degree

Your units

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Leadership of Self
Core unit, 25.0 credit points
EDU80061
Leadership of Teams
Core unit, 25.0 credit points
EDU80062
Leadership of Communities
Core unit, 25.0 credit points
EDU80063
Leadership for Innovation
Core unit, 25.0 credit points
EDU80064
Want to see the full range of electives?

Learn about all the electives you can take in the course handbook.

2025 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$25,680

Total fee* ($AUD)

$25,680

Commonwealth Supported Yearly Fee* ($AUD)

$4,627

Commonwealth Supported Total Fee* ($AUD)

$4,627

2025 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$33,880

Fees are estimates only

The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2025 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.

Fees are estimates only

The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year, based on a standard study load per year. Fees are assessed according to actual study load each semester, with variations to study load resulting in tuition fee adjustments. These fees generally include the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) and are subject to annual review. Enrolled students will receive reasonable notice of any fee changes before payment is due.

How do I pay my fees?

FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.

International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.

To pay your fees:

  • log in to My Finances
  • check your Australian bank account details are correct 
  • check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe 
  • pay using your preferred payment method.

Eligibility for FEE-HELP

You’re eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if you are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or UniLink or OUA course at Swinburne, and you:

  • are an Australian citizen doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
  • hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
  • hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens
  • are undertaking bridging study for overseas trained professionals and will be living in Australia for the duration of this study
  • have not exceeded the new combined Help Loan limit.
     

The HELP limit is the maximum amount you can borrow from the government in your lifetime towards your education costs. It is fixed and cannot be topped up.

Eligibility for HECS-HELP

You are eligible for a HECS-HELP loan if you have been offered a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for an undergraduate degree at Swinburne or a UniLink course, and you:

  • are an Australian citizen and doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
  • hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
  • hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens.

Student services and amenities fee

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

The fee shown in the capped amount for 2025.

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown is the capped amount for 2025.

Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$365.00

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$365.00

Scholarships

Scholarship applications for 2025 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals. 

Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.

When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.

Apply through an agent

Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.

Representatives and agents
MA-EDUL
Search for agents

Apply directly

Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online! 

Course code
MA-EDUL
Apply directly
Course code
MA-EDUL
CRICOS code
117595G
Apply directly
Start dates
Location
Last date to apply
Start dates
Quarter 3 Intake
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
02-July-2025
Start dates
07-July-2025
Quarter 4 intake
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
24-September-2025
Start dates
29-September-2025
Start dates
Location
Start dates
Quarter 3 Intake
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
07-July-2025
Quarter 4 intake
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
29-September-2025