Business Practicum
Stand out to potential employers by completing a consulting project in a student team at an Australian-based organisation. Offered in both a semester-long and an intensive format.
Benefits of the Business Practicum
By participating in Business Practicum, you will get the opportunity to:
- Apply your classroom theory, and use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to solve a realistic business scenario
- Enhance your teamwork and communication skills, and demonstrate your ability to collaborate with stakeholders
- Receive guidance from an academic mentor and a project organisation mentor
- Gain confidence in managing yourself and feel ready to start employment
- Access industry networks and stand out to employers with proven project management experience
The upcoming intakes of the Business Practicum will be:
Intake | Location |
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Winter Term 2025 | Sydney (intensively taught over 2 weeks) |
Semester 2 2025 | Melbourne |
Semester 1 2026 | Melbourne |
Key Dates
Key dates for each intake can be found below. Please note that the 2025 Business Practicum dates will be published here in February 2025. Students offered a place in Business Practicum are required to participate in all listed activities. If you are unable to commit to one or more of these dates, please do not apply.
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Activity
Date Applications open Monday 24 March Applications close Sunday 13 April Selection outcomes Thursday 17 April Induction Training Day Friday 4 July
Attendance mandatoryLMS modules due Friday 4 July Students arrive in Sydney Sunday 6 July
(students must arrive by 2pm on this date)Subject teaching dates Monday 7 - Friday 18 July Students depart Sydney Saturday 19 July -
Activity
Date Applications open Monday 28 April Applications close Sunday 18 May Selection outcomes Friday 23 May Induction Training Day Friday 25 July LMS modules due Friday 25 July Subject teaching dates Monday 28 July - Friday 24 October
Selection Criteria
We are looking for a diverse group of students who will be ambassadors for the University of Melbourne. Entry is competitive as there are limited places available in each intake. The below criteria should help you determine whether you would be a strong candidate for the Business Practicum program. Please note that all entry requirements below must be fulfilled to be considered:
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Faculty of Business and Economics students:
Students enrolled in an approved FBE/MBS graduate degree are eligible to apply. Please check the University of Melbourne handbook (click on Further information > Related Handbook entries. If your course is not listed, you will need to seek approval from your Program Director) or with Course Planners at Stop 1 if you are unsure whether the GBP can be taken as part of your current degree.
Please note that students undertaking the Master of Commerce (Finance) are generally ineligible to apply, due to limited elective options available in the course.
Non-Faculty of Business and Economics students:
Degree
Stream
Eligibility
Master of Engineering
Biomedical
Eligible to apply, no approval required
Master of Engineering
Electrical
Master of Engineering
Mechanical
Master of Engineering
Software
Master of Information Technology
All specialisations
Master of Software Engineering
Business
Master of Software Engineering
General (no specialisation)
Master of Information Systems
General (no specialisation)
Eligible to apply but must obtain written approval prior to application close date. See below for more information
Master of Software Engineering
Artificial Intelligence
Master of Software Engineering
Cyber Security
Master of Software Engineering
Human Computing Interaction
Master of Software Engineering
Distributed Computing
Master of Digital Marketing N/A Eligible to apply but must obtain written approval prior to application close date. See below for more information
Master of Marketing Communications
Not eligible for this subject
If you are enrolled in a course that requires you to obtain written approval from your Program Director, please follow the below process:
- Find the name and contact details of your Program Director. Their contact details can be found on the handbook entry for your enrolled course.
- Email your Program Director
To include in your email:
- Student ID number
- Full name
- Enrolled course
- Subject code/name you’re seeking approval for (e.g. BUSA90485 Global Business Practicum) - Forward approval email to mbs-practicums@unimelb.edu.au
Students who have already completed the Global Business Practicum subject (BUSA90485) may submit an expression of interest to participate in the Business Practicum, but will be placed on a waiting list and only offered a place based on availability.
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Due to limited spaces, entry into the Business Practicum is competitive. Selection is based on a WAM for all postgraduate subjects successfully completed at the selection date, and is contingent on permission from the Subject Coordinator.
The minimum WAM requirement for the subject is 70% and the Selection Committee considers the following when allocating places:
- academic performance
- an overall match of skills, experience and interests to the available projects.
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- Students enrolled in a MBS program or eligible non-MBS program must have completed a minimum of 50 points of their program at the time of application.
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Before applying, you should ensure there is space in your study plan for this subject. You can do this by adding the subject as ‘planned’ although this is not a requirement at the time of application.
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At time of application:
Students are required to submit an updated CV to their BP application. The selection committee will use your CV to assess your suitability for the subject.If you receive an offer:
Students who receive an official offer for the BP must also submit their CV with evidence that the CV has scored a 'green' rating on the University of Melbourne's Smart Resume platform. View the sample CV guide and find out more about preparing your CV.The Careers & Employability Team has produced a video which demonstrates how to use the Smart Resume platform and its Smart Editor tool to achieve a green zone rating. Access the video on the Resources page in MBS Career Elevation.
EmployMe provides tools, resources and videos to build your skills in job seeking, resume building, interview performance and more.
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Question 1:
In your view, what positive impact should professional management consultants aspire to have on business and society? (max 200 words)Question 2:
What capabilities and experiences will you personally contribute to your Graduate Business Practicum team that will create value for your consulting client. (max 300 words)Question 3:
What personal development and growth outcomes do you aim to achieve by completing a Graduate Business Practicum subject. (max 300 words)We recommend you take some time to consider these questions and prepare your answers before you commence your application.
Cost
Semester 1 & Semester 2 intakes:
The Business Practicum offered in Semester 1 / Semester 2 is the cost of a standard University subject.
Winter 2025 intake:
The Business Practicum offered as a 2-week intensive in Winter 2025 (Sydney) is the cost of a standard University subject PLUS an additional BP Program Fee.
The BP Program Fee covers the following:
- Accommodation for the duration of the program. Accommodation is organised by a partner travel agent and is based on twin-share hotel/apartment.
- Complementary UoM standard travel insurance.
Students will also need to budget for the following additional expenses:
- Airfare to and from Sydney.
- Meals and local transportation expenses while in Sydney.
BP Program Fee - Winter 2025 (Sydney):
Location | BP Program Fee |
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Sydney | $1,294 - indicative fee, to be confirmed |
Deposit and balance payments:
Students who are offered a place in the Business Practicum subject will be required to pay a $500 deposit to secure their place. The balance payment will usually be due 4 weeks later. All payment requirements and deadlines will be outlined in an offer letter.
Before applying for the Business Practicum program, you should undertake desktop research to establish estimated expenses for each location.
Funding
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There are a number of FBE Travel Grants valued at $2,000 for eligible students* to support travel to Sydney for the Business Practicum subject.
These grants will help you to make the most of these amazing study experiences by contributing to many of the costs associated with participating such as the BP Program Fee (accommodation), flights and in-country costs.
Successful recipients will receive the FBE Travel Grant in two parts - a Faculty subsidised BP Program Fee (no requirement for you to pay the BP Program Fee cost upfront), with the remainder of the $2000 to be paid to the student as a grant.
There is no separate application for the FBE Travel Grants, all eligible applicants will automatically be considered.
*Eligibility is based on the data students provided at enrolment. Students are eligible if they meet one or more of the following specific categories: Recognition as an Indigenous Australian, home address is in a low socioeconomic area(as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) and resident of a regional, rural or remote area of Australia.
Find out more
Come along to an FBE Employability Drop-In session to learn more about the Business Practicum and ask any questions you might have about the program or the application process.
We'll next be available at the FBE Student Brunch between 11am - 12pm on Tuesday 8 April.
Applications
Please follow the steps below to complete your application for Business Practicum. Application dates for each BP intake can be found under the Key Dates section above. Please note that you will only be able to access the SONIA placement group and application form while applications are currently open for an intake.
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Access the Sonia Live platform: https://unimelb.sonialive.com/
Click into Faculty of Business and Economics, and then log in using your University of Melbourne student credentials.
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Click on the Placements tab on the menu bar at the top of the page and search for the placement group for the Graduate Practicums subjects. For the 2024 Winter intake, this will be called “2024 Business Practicum_Winter”.
Please note that the Business Practicum placement group will only be open for you to join if applications are currently open for an upcoming intake. If the placement group does not allow you to join, it is likely that applications have not yet opened or have already closed. Check the key dates section above to find out when applications are open for this intake.
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Click the green + Join option. This will give you access to the subject application form which can be found on the Forms tab. You may need to refresh your browser for this to appear.
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Complete all fields of the application form and click submit. Please ensure you take note of the application due date as we do not accept late submissions.
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After the subject application closing date, applications will be shortlisted and applicants will receive an outcome via email.

“Completing the Business Practicum has been the highlight of my degree and I would strongly recommend the subject to any student who is keen to put their degree to the test by taking on the challenge of a real-life business problem”
- Conor Grace, Master of Management (Marketing)
Frequently asked questions
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Yes, there is a full selection process to determine your eligibility and suitability for the program. Selection is not based on existing consulting experience.
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No, Business Practicum participants enrolled in the summer or winter intake will not be permitted to enrol in any other subjects that run in the same period as the Business Practicum intake. Both summer and winter intakes are intensive and will require 100% commitment from students.
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No, students are allocated to teams and companies with specific projects. However, students are given the opportunity to advise their areas of interest which we endeavour to consider when allocating teams. Students will not be allocated to a project where they do not have the technical skills required. Most projects are multi-disciplinary.
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Exchange students can apply, and if they meet the criteria be interviewed. However, they will be placed on a waitlist and only receive an offer if there is spare capacity in the section.
Further information
View this subject in the Handbook.
Read about the experiences of MBS students who completed a consulting subject in Student Stories.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Business Practicum please email: mbs-practicums@unimelb.edu.au