Why Study / Key Benefits

The Master of Project Management specialising in Social Impact at Swinburne University of Technology is designed for students who want advanced project-management capability while developing knowledge relevant to organisations seeking positive social change. The core programme covers project management principles together with resource management, risk management, business analysis and strategy. The Social Impact specialisation focuses on for-purpose organisations and issues related to their growth, sustainability, competitiveness and ability to attract employees.

Key benefits include:

• Development of project planning, leadership, stakeholder-management and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of strategic project management, risk management, operations and enterprise projects.
• Exposure to social impact, corporate responsibility, social innovation, philanthropy and impact measurement.
• Industry-informed learning, including project-management professionals and real-world projects. Swinburne states that its postgraduate project-management courses involve collaboration with industry partners and guest speakers.
• The programme is offered through Swinburne's business education environment, which the university currently describes as being in the top 5% of the world's higher education business schools. This is a university/business-school indicator rather than a programme-specific ranking.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The 200-credit-point master's structure contains foundation units, core units and the selected specialisation.

Foundation units:

• Business Information Systems – INF60007
• Governing Technology for Business Environments – INF80042
• Business Sustainability and Social Impact – MGT60042
• Future Management Skills – MGT60043

Core units:

• Strategic Project Management – INF70005
• Project Management for Innovative Outcomes – PRM60002
• The Risk Management Spectrum – PRM60003
• Operations Management – SCM60001
• Enterprise Project – PRM80001
• Six Sigma Lean Green Belt – SCM60002

Social Impact specialisation:

• Corporate Responsibility and Accountability – SIP60001
• Social Impact: Entrepreneurs and Social Innovation – SIP60003
• Social Investment and Philanthropy – SIP60004
• Evaluation and Impact Measurement – SIP70014

Disciplines / Specialisations

The selected specialisation for this programme is:

• Social Impact

The broader Master of Project Management also provides other specialisation/elective pathways, including areas such as Accounting, Business Analytics, Business Information Systems, Research and Supply Chain Innovation.

Programme Highlights

• Postgraduate master's qualification.
• Course code MA-PM1.
• CRICOS 102653C.
• 200 credit points.
• Standard 2-year full-time duration.
• Potential 1-year or 1.5-year advanced-standing routes.
• Hawthorn campus in Melbourne.
• Social Impact specialisation.
• Study of strategic project management, risk, operations and enterprise projects.
• Social-impact subjects covering corporate responsibility, social innovation, philanthropy and impact measurement.
• Industry-informed project-management learning and professional engagement.

Career Outcomes

The qualification develops skills relevant to project leadership and management, including:

• Project planning and organisation
• Risk management
• Stakeholder management
• Leadership
• Communication
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Strategic project management
• Operations management

Potential career directions include:

• Project manager
• Project coordinator
• Project officer
• Project management consultant
• Agile coach or Scrum Master
• Project-management-office roles
• Programme or project leadership roles

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• Current course code: MA-PM1.
• Current CRICOS code: 102653C.
• Current published standard duration: 2 years full-time.
• Current published 2027 semester start dates: 1 March 2027 and 2 August 2027.
• International students in Australia on Student visas must study full-time and on campus.
• Relevant professional/managerial experience can support certain advanced-standing routes, but supporting CV and evidence are required.
• Credit transfer/RPL is assessed case-by-case.
• No separate Social Impact-specific English or academic admission requirement is published beyond the Master of Project Management requirements.
• No separate Social Impact-specific professional licence or work-experience requirement is stated on the current programme page.

International Student Visa Requirements

International students intending to study this programme in Australia generally require a Student visa (subclass 500), subject to their individual circumstances.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs currently requires students to:

• Be enrolled in an eligible full-time course in Australia.
• Provide a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Maintain Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Meet the Genuine Student requirement.
• Meet health and character requirements.
• Hold a valid passport.
• Demonstrate sufficient funds where required.
• Provide the documents identified by the Department's current Document Checklist Tool.

Current Student visa work condition:

• Up to 48 hours per fortnight while the course is in session.
• Unlimited work is generally permitted when the course is not in session, subject to the visa conditions.
• The special exemption from the 48-hour limit for master's-by-research and doctoral students does not apply to this coursework master's programme.

Current Student visa application charge:

• From A$2,500 for the main applicant, with limited concessions in specified circumstances.
• Additional costs can include health examinations, police certificates and biometrics where applicable.

Genuine Student requirement:

• Applicants must demonstrate that studying in Australia is the primary reason for the Student visa.
• The online application includes written Genuine Student questions.
• Each relevant question has a 150-word limit.
• Supporting documentation may be required.
• An additional question applies in certain cases, including applicants who previously held a Student visa or who are applying in Australia from a non-student visa.