Advanced Certificate in Management

Purpose

The Advanced Certificate: Management is an intermediate, post-school Higher Education qualification designed to equip the learner with the skills necessary to function in a variety of management contexts relevant to South African businesses.

The qualification would be suitable for

• A person who wishes to enter a middle management position.
• A person who has achieved another qualification in an applied area of practice or a non-vocational area and seeks a more business-oriented qualification.
• An employed person wishing to enhance, develop or formalise his/her skills and knowledge with a qualification in this area.

The qualification is designed to produce learners who are able to work in the varied management functions needed by most, if not all, businesses.

In line with the requirements of the Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF), the qualification is "primarily vocational or industry oriented" and provides a sound basis for learners wishing to proceed with further studies. The qualification will thus provide an "intermediate level of higher education knowledge" and ensure that the qualifying learner is able to "apply such knowledge and competence in an occupation or role in the workplace" (HEQF).

Rationale

The current skills deficit across all sectors means that there is a premium placed on staff who are qualified and able to perform across the key areas of management and administration (whether of processes, people or information). The current skills shortage requires that employees be equipped with the skills and knowledge of several areas key to the transformation of the South African economy and that they are able to contribute to the positive performance of their employing institution.

The Advanced Certificate: Management addresses these needs at a number of critical levels by promoting the development of knowledge and skills in the areas of management, human resources, management accounting, project management and corporate citizenship. The qualification plays a significant part therefore in the development of potential and existing junior managers and successful completion of this management qualification enhances the learner's likelihood of being employed and ensures career progression possibilities.

The qualification builds the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required by persons at introductory level studies. At the same time, the qualification prepares learners for further learning in the same or related areas of study, thus laying a firm foundation for lifelong learning and career development. The qualification is designed to enable learners to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to operate confidently in and respond to the challenges of the South African socio-economic context. In this regard, it clearly addresses existing and potential skills gaps.

The qualification meets the needs of many sectors for business education and management.

It is assumed that Learners are competent in English at NQF Level 4.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Learners who do not meet the entry requirements may gain admission to this qualification through the recognition of formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at NQF Level 5 or a functional equivalent.
• In addition, mature age applicants and applicants with NQF Level 5 qualifications will be considered individually.
• RPL access may also be considered for applicants with non-South African tertiary education experience.
• RPL may be used to grant learners credits towards the qualification.

Access to the Qualification

Learners aspiring to access this qualification must be in possession of a Higher Certificate in an appropriate field or equivalent.

The qualification comprises 5 Compulsory modules and 1 Elective module at NQF Level 6, each of which is worth 20 Credits.

Compulsory Modules

• Management and Leadership.
• Workplace Relations.
• Integrated Business Strategy.
• Financial Management.
• Global Corporate Citizenship II.

Elective Modules (Learners are to choose 1 module)

• Advanced Monitoring and Evaluation for Managers.
• Applied Project Management.
• Marketing Management Practice.

1. Apply management and leadership techniques within a work environment to drive and influence performance.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the key aspects of employment relations and the core labour legislation impacting on the relationship.
3. Apply strategic leadership and analyse emerging political, economic, technological and social trends that are vital to good strategic decisions.
4. Analyse and interpret financial statements and utilise budgeting techniques.
5. Conduct an analysis into the core management areas of an organisation as part of strategy and report on the findings.
6. Demonstrate global corporate citizenship through application of the 10 basic principles contained in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) with specific reference to business conduct nationally and globally.

• Range: Human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

Qualifying learners will be required to demonstrate competence in the following Critical Cross Field Outcomes

• Identify, systematically examine, critically evaluate and solve problems in which responses display that responsible decisions have been made, using critical and creative thinking.
• Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.
• Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation.
• Self-manage skills development from the range of experiences and learning opportunities available.
• Transfer skills and continuous learning to an organisational setting.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Best practice management standards within a work environment are applied.
• Good management processes and practices within a business unit are implemented to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Authentic leadership behaviours to improve workplace performance are established.
• A variety leadership styles to apply in different leadership situations are adopted.
• People in the work environment are supported by reinforcing sound management and leadership practices, behaviours and processes.
• Continuous improvement is implemented by working effectively in a changing environment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• An understanding of the key components of employment relations is demonstrated and the interplay between employment relations and its broader environment is debated.
• Employers' organisations, trade unions and the role of the state are compared.
• The core and other labour legislation impacting on employment relations are compared and explained.
• An understanding of the nature and approaches of collective bargaining and negotiation is demonstrated.
• The key elements of industrial action and strike handling are understood.
• An organisation's strategy and policy, procedures and practices relating to employment relations are evaluated and recommendations formulated.
• Industrial democracy, participation and cooperation are understood.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The nature of strategy and the strategic management process are understood.
• The macro-, industry- and internal environment are analysed and interpreted.
• A strategy is developed and a strategic report prepared.
• An understanding of strategy implementation through strategic leadership and organisational alignment is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• The goal of financial management is understood.
• A financial statement analysis is conducted.
• Working capital management is understood.
• Current budgeting techniques are applied.
• The time value of money is calculated.
• Capital budgeting techniques are applied.
• Investment decisions and financial instruments are understood.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• A systematic research approach is understood and applied.
• Basic quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are applied.
• Basic quantitative data is analysed and incorporated.
• The fundamentals of organisational assessment are understood.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• The 10 basic principles contained in the United Nations Global Compact are understood.
• How to conduct business while promoting peace is understood.
• How to operate safely and ethically in the global financial markets is understood.
• The importance of good corporate governance from a global perspective is understood.
• Insights gained in all four basic value areas to case studies and scenarios are applied.

Integrated Assessment

The quality of the assessment is vital in order to provide credible certification and recognition of achievement. The institution makes every effort to ensure credibility in assessment through the application of clear and rigorous procedures and practices. These procedures and practices are controlled by the principles of fairness, validity, reliability and practicability. By implementing these principles, all parties concerned (including learners, learning institutions and employers) may be assured of the credibility of the assessment process. It is in this way that accurate information about the learner's performance against the assessment criteria may be provided.

Integrated Assessment is used extensively across the qualification, particularly in the case studies. Self and formative assessment takes place through case studies, assignments, including the writing of proposals and financial plans. Summative assessments are integrated into the learning in that they take place at the end of each of the constituent modules of the qualification.