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Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance
The Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance is a postgraduate program, fully accredited by all relevant higher education authorities, confirming the academic rigour and quality of the program.
The Graduate Diploma provides comprehensive knowledge and skills in the essential elements of good governance principles, and is valuable preparation for any professional responsible for the sound governance of organizations including public sector agencies. It is the industry standard qualification that provides a platform for a senior career in governance.
The Graduate Diploma is designed and taught by leading law and business academics and expert practitioners in corporate and public sector governance.
The subjects are listed below in the recommended (but not prescribed) study sequence. Students would choose between completing either the public sector stream or the private sector stream for the first two subjects.
To be eligible for entry into the Graduate Diploma, you must hold a university degree or degree-equivalent qualification which meets the entry requirements of CSA.
Graduate Diploma subjects
Individual subjects
If you do not wish to undertake the Graduate Diploma, you may enrol in single subjects, for which no previous qualifications are necessary. A certificate is provided on the successful completion of each subject.
Professional accreditation — CPD
Accountants and solicitors should be entitled to claim credit for Graduate Diploma subjects under their CPD and MCLE requirements. See the CPD/MCLE rules of your relevant association(s).
Click here to order your free copy of our current education handbook.
Corporate governance practices are an important component of market integrity.
Company secretaries are at the front line for preservation of Australia’s
outstanding reputation for capital markets’ integrity.
Belinda Gibson, Commissioner, Australian Securities & Investments Commission
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Key dates
Semester 1, 2010
Semester 2, 2010
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State date: 9 August 2010
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Assignment due date: 5 October 2010
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Exam date: Week commencing Monday, 15 November 2010
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Features of the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance
Any professional who wants to demonstrate their commitment to capable governance
and administration, and establish a solid foundation for their career, should
consider the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance.
Jane McAloon FCIS, Group Company Secretary, BHP Billiton
The Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance is designed for busy people who are forging important careers.
As a student you will:
- undertake practical, real life learning with a strong corporate or public sector focus
- receive learning materials written by corporate governance practitioners and leading academics
- access online resources to enhance your learning
- network with corporate governance professionals, company secretaries and other senior managers to share experiences and challenges
- have the choice of attending either weekly or Saturday tutorials (for some subjects) or studying by distance with online support
- participate in workshops and study groups which maximise discussion and individual learning opportunities.
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Learning with the experts
CSA is privileged to have some of Australia’s leading business and law academics and corporate executives as course directors, guest presenters and subject authors. Course directors are handpicked to ensure that students are exposed to optimum levels of technical knowledge, professional experience and communication skills. In addition, we invite guest presenters with strong industry involvement and acknowledged expertise to reinforce the applied focus for which our Graduate Diploma is well known.
Our course directors include:
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Kevin Adams, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business, RMIT University
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Dr Geoff Airo-Farulla, State Director - Queensland and Northern Territory, Commonwealth Ombudsman
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Marco Bini, Director, Policy and Coordination, Victorian Auditor General's Office
- Glenn Burke, Principal, Proactive Business Advice
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Caron Cobarg Sugars, Executive Director, Risk & Advisory Services, KPMG
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Angus Corbett, Senior Lecturer in Law, Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney
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Laurie Factor FCIS, Senior Lecturer, School of Business Law, Curtin University
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Leah Fricke FCIS, former Head of Legal and Compliance, Allianz Global Investors
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Andrea Hall, Partner, KPMG
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Jason Harris, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney
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Andrew Horne FCIS, Group Company Secretary & General Counsel, Thakral Holdings Group Ltd
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Hugh Lennerts FCIS, Consultant Company Secretary & former Company Secretary, Marine Produce Australia
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Diana Lohrisch, Partner, McCullough Robertson Lawyers
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Catherine Maxwell FCIS, Senior Manager, Secretariat, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority
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Vanessa Mitchell, Former Senior Lecturer, School of Law, Victoria University
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Chris O’Meara, Barrister-at-Law
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David Taplin, Director, Taplin & Associates
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Philip Thomas FCIS, Managing Director, Oakland Group Pty Ltd
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Lawrence Tutton FCIS, Former Company Secretary, GUD Holdings Ltd
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Barry Underwood, Executive Officer, The Audit Office of New South Wales
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John Walter FCIS, Former Executive Manager, Group Secretariat, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Leading guest presenters include:
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Dr Brad Bowes FCIS, Group Company Secretary, Brisbane Airport, Corporate Pty Ltd
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Shaun Driscoll, Company Secretary, Village Roadshow Limited
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Melissa Grundy, Manager — Issuers, ASX
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John Hatton FCIS, Company Secretary, Commonwealth Bank Australia
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Phil Khoury, Joint Managing Director, Cameron Ralph Pty Ltd
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Anthony Niardone FCIS, Assistant Company Secretary, Wesfarmers
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Donna Neill, Managing Consultant, Beilby
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Stephen Partington FCIS, Company Secretary & General Counsel, Ten Network Limited
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Alan Worsley, Senior Policy Lawyer, ASIC
Subject Advisory Committees
Subject advisory committees constantly review and update learning materials to ensure they reflect current law and practice.
Applied Corporate Law
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Professor Michael Adams FCIS (Chair), Head of the School of Law, UWS
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Jeff Fitzpatrick, Lecturer, Law School, Flinders University of SA
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Jason Harris, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology, Sydney
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John Hatton FCIS, Company Secretary, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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Diana Lohrisch FCIS, Partner, McCullough Robertson Lawyers
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Vanessa Mitchell, Former Senior Lecturer, School of Law, Victoria University
Applied Administrative Law (public sector option)
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Dr Matthew Groves (Chair), Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University
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Louise Marcroft, former Business Analyst, NSW Department of Premier & Cabinet
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Damian McKenzie-McHarg, Director, North East Water
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Professor John McMillan, Commonwealth Ombudsman
- John Scott, Director Regional Coordinator, NSW Department of Premier & Cabinet
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Dr Colin Sharp, Managing Director, P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L.
Corporate Accountability: Meetings and Disclosure
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Lawrence Tutton FCIS (Chair), Former Company Secretary, GUD Holdings Ltd
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Ian Gilmour FCIS, Director/Company Secretary, Gilmour & Company Pty Ltd
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Melissa Grundy, Manager — Issuers, ASX
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Andrew Horne FCIS, General Counsel / Group Company Secretary, Thakral Holdings Group Ltd
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Chris O’Meara FCIS, Barrister-at-Law
- Simon Pordage FCIS, Company Secretary, Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited (AFIC)
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Hugh Quelch FCIS, Chief Executive Officer, IOOF Friendly Society
Public Sector Accountability and Transparency (public sector option)
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Dr Colin Sharp (Chair), Managing Director, P.E.R.S.O.N.A.L.
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Kathy Gibson, Senior Lecturer, School of Accounting & Corporate Governance, University of Tasmania
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Dr Matthew Groves, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Monash University
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Patricia Lee, Manager, Integrated Investment Team, Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment
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Stephanie Mancell, Deputy Director Professional Development Department, The New South Wales Bar Association
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Emeritus Professor Richard Mulgan, Public Policy Program, Crawford School of Economics & Government, Australian National University
Corporate Governance
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Phillip Lipton (Chair), Senior Lecturer, Department of Business Law & Taxation, Monash University
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Dr Jennifer Bartlett, Senior Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology
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Lyndal Drennan, Principal, Drennan Associates
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Leah Fricke FCIS, Former Head of Legal & Compliance, Allianz Global Investors
- Lawrence Tutton FCIS, Former Company Secretary, GUD Holdings Ltd
Risk and Compliance
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Damian McKenzie-McHarg (Chair), Director, North East Water
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Mark Bender, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Business Law & Taxation, Faculty of Business & Economics, Monash University
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Nathan Hodge, Senior Associate, Minter Ellison Lawyers
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Jeff Krins, Partner, HRLegal
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Peter McGee, Head Risk Management, Enstar Australia Ltd
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David R White FCIS, Former Regional Governance Director, Vodafone Asia-Pacific
Corporate Financial Management
Corporate Accounting
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Robert McLachlan FCIS (Chair), Financial Director STW Diversified Companies, STW Ltd
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Kevin Adams, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business, RMIT University
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Michael Wilson, Lecturer, School of Accounting, University of Western Sydney
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Learning resources
Subject materials
Comprehensive learning materials comprising subject notes and readings have been developed by CSA and are regularly reviewed by our subject advisory committees. The cost of these learning materials is included in the enrolment fee. In addition, we have negotiated with publishers substantial discounts on all prescribed textbooks for our students. (See Content for textbook details.)
Online learning support
Online Learning Centre
The Online Learning Centre provides additional resources for you to use while studying with CSA. Access to the Online Learning Centre is included in your enrolment fee. It offers you:
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all your subject notes online (in addition to the hardcopy you receive)
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access to a comprehensive online library service
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an assessment guide to help you tackle your assignment and exam
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sample exam papers and solutions to help you prepare for exams.
Online classroom
The fully interactive online classroom provides additional resources and a highly flexible means of communication for students studying by distance mode. The online classroom features:
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fortnightly chat sessions with your course director and other students
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some of these chat sessions will be with practitioners and other governance professionals sharing their experiences and answering your questions on particular topics
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discussion boards to post questions to your course director and other students
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direct email contact with your course director and with other students enrolled in your subject via the distance mode.
Please note: The online support program for Corporate Accounting and Corporate Financial Management differs from the program for other subjects. Due to the nature of the subject matter for these two subjects, chat sessions will be held monthly. Full support is provided to students on a group and one-to-one basis as required.
Try the online learning centre
To view a sample version of the CSA Online Learning Centre click here. You can explore the complete subject outlines for all subjects and samples of the subject notes.
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Workload guidelines
Tutorial mode
Each weekly tutorial session is two hours long. Subjects run for a semester over 12 consecutive weeks, with a one-week mid‑semester break, or in block Saturday sessions. You are also expected to devote a minimum of four hours a week to private study.
Distance mode with online learning support
You should allot a minimum of six hours per week to private study and participation in the online learning activities.
All students will also be expected to devote appropriate time to assignment writing and exam preparation.
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Advanced standing arrangements
To maximise the recognition of the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance, CSA has established advanced standing arrangements with selected universities. On entry to an MBA or other postgraduate business and law programs, our graduates are entitled to seek credits or specific subject exemptions from participating universities.
Please contact CSA for an update on participating universities and the nature of the advanced standing credits and exemptions available.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the requirements for admission to the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance?
A. To be admitted to the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance you must hold a university degree or degree-equivalent qualification which meets the entry requirements of CSA. There are no prerequisites for single subject enrolments.
Q. Which subject should I do first?
A. Please refer to the structure for the recommended order of study.
If your aim is to complete the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance you may be eligible for exemptions based on your prior studies. Click here for details.
If you need more specific advice in relation to your enrolment, please phone the Director, Education & Training on 1800 251 849 or (02) 9223 5744.
To receive a free copy of our current handbook click here.
Q. How will I be assessed?
A. For each subject, the assessment consists of a three-hour open book exam plus a written assignment.
If you enrol in a single subject the assessment is optional, although if you later wish to convert to the Graduate Diploma, assessment is mandatory. See assessment guide for details.
Q. How difficult are the exams?
A. They are professional examinations with an emphasis on the candidate's ability to apply the knowledge in a practical context. The failure rate is usually less than five per cent of candidates sitting.
Q. How do I find out if my degree meets the requirements of CSA?
A. We can advise you over the phone or via email, as to whether or not your degree will meet CSA entry requirements. To confirm your eligibility we will need a certified copy of your academic transcript from your university, listing the subjects you completed and your results. This should be sent to our Education Administrator.
Q. Who recognises the quality of the program and the Graduate Diploma?
A. State Higher Education authorities have registered CSA as a higher education institution and accredited us to award the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance. This means that our program is acknowledged as of high quality and at an appropriate postgraduate level.
Q. What should I do if I anticipate problems finishing any subject in the normal one-semester timeframe, if I am enrolled by distance mode?
A. All subjects studied by the distance mode may be extended to the next consecutive semester at no additional cost with updated materials supplied. Full online learning support is available during the second semester. However, no further extensions are permitted.
Q. What should I do if I anticipate problems finishing any subject in the normal one-semester timeframe, if I am enrolled by tutorial mode?
A. Where a student fails to complete the assessment components for subjects studied by tutorial mode, they are able to complete them in the following semester with updated materials supplied by CSA. They are not permitted to attend tutorial classes, unless they pay the full enrolment fee for this subject. However, no further extensions are available.
Q. If I fail a subject can I re-sit at a later date and what are the charges?
A. Where a student fails an exam, they are able to re-sit the exam in the following semester by paying a resit fee of $100. Where a student fails an assignment, they are able to submit the following semester's assignment by paying a fee of $50.
Q. What are the requirements for membership of ICSA?
A. Membership of CSA is obtained by completion of the Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance together with relevant work experience.
Q. What are the differences between the Graduate Diploma and the Certificate in Governance Practice and Administration?
A. The Certificate course is a vocational, not a higher education qualification like the Graduate Diploma, and is not externally accredited. The only pathway to becoming a Chartered Secretary is the Graduate Diploma.
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