Advanced Diploma in Management

Purpose

The purpose of the Advanced Diploma in Management is to develop the applied and practical competencies of the learner in the acquisition, understanding and application of strategic management principles. It provides an intensive, focused and applied specialisation within the field of management to ensure that graduates have a deep and systematic understanding of current thinking, practice, theory and methodology in the field of management and the world of business.

Graduates should be able to explain strategic management decisions in the contexts of management and interpret the external impact of such decisions. The graduate should also be able to reflect on her/his managerial decisions and applications to assess the effects in the holistic context of Management. Learners will gain skills in operations, risk, international and project management as well as to conduct scientific research to make strategic decisions. Learners will be able to solve problems as they gain a holistic understanding of each function on top management, tactical and operational level to be able to implement decisions for organisational sustainability.

The AdvDip (Management) is designed to empower learners to gain a set of skills, values, attitudes and knowledge to enable them to:

• Contribute to the development, growth, competitiveness and sustainability of organisations.
• Plan, lead, organise, control, formulate, strategise, execute, measure and improve business processes, practices, systems and solutions.
• Contribute through sound research to the development of organisations, processes, systems and solutions.
• Comply with good governance, strong ethical principles and quality performance standards when implementing, managing and improving business practices.

Rationale

The AdvDip (Management) is designed to produce a graduate with the following profile

• Will be able to have a grounding in strategic and financial management skills so that they can understand, work with and manage business data through environmental scanning for growth and sustainability.
• Will be able to meet with the requirements to ensure they have a holistic knowledge of management for all aspects of a business, including operations, risk management, international management and project management to ensure innovative practices.
• To be a unique and well-balanced Manager who can apply an integration of theory, practical and reflexive skills.
• Who will be able to manage people, opportunities and challenges in the industry?
• Have a toolkit of knowledge, principles, values and attitudes to become the ideal managers.
• A well-rounded manager that satisfies business requirements.

Those embarking on the Advanced Diploma qualification will be provided with more specialised, contemporary and strategic level management skills, knowledge and attitudes which will distinguish them from a Diploma graduate. There is a vast number of Management Diploma graduates who are not yet strategically equipped to manage others within a contemporary management environment. Those completing the Advanced Diploma will be sufficiently qualified to potentially escalate or progress in their careers within which they currently are employed, or those wishing to enter the market with a competitive edge. The value of the qualification will thus be the added strategic level knowledge and will expose learners to research, and to take strategic and financial decisions to benefit the industry.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Department accepts Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as an integral part of education and academic practice. It acknowledges that all learning has value and accepts the challenge posed by the assessment of prior learning and awards credits that are aligned with Faculty qualifications to promote lifelong learning. The purpose of the institutions' RPL policy, which directs the Faculty's RPL procedure, is to recognise prior learning to provide access into qualifications, grant advanced placement in qualifications and grant credits for modules on the principles and processes that serve as a basis for departmental RPL practices.

The Department follows the institution's RPL Policy which requires the formation of a departmental RPL Committee to review RPL applications. The Committee compromises at least three appropriate members in a Department, including an Advisor, Assessor and Moderator. An advisor acts as a facilitator between the RPL role players or as an evidence facilitator who may or may not be the Head of Department. The functions of the committee are to:

• Monitor and review the RPL policy and procedures within the Department.
• Oversee the RPL process and establish quality management in the Department.
• Manage the administration of the RPL process according to the RPL sub-committee guidelines as approved by the Faculty.
• Advise the Faculty RPL sub-committee of the Department's recommendations.

Entry Requirements

• An appropriate 360 Diploma at Level 6.

Or

• Bachelor's Degree in the field of Management.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 120 Credits

• Strategic Management, 12 Credits.
• Financial Management A, 12 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 12 Credits.
• Operations Management, 12 Credits.
• Risk Management, 12 Credits.
• Financial Management B, 12 Credits.
• Management Practice, 24 Credits.
• International Management, 12 Credits.
• Project Management, 12 Credits.

1. Systematically plan, organise, lead and control activities in order to contribute to the development, growth, competitiveness and sustainability of business organisations.
2. Strategically formulate, plan, execute, measure and improve business processes, practices, systems and solutions.
3. Contribute through sound financial practices and research to the development of organisations, processes, systems and solutions.
4. Find solutions to challenges through practical case studies through strategic management practices that create an understanding of the three levels of management.
5. Comply with good governance, strong ethical principles and quality performance standards when implementing, managing and improving management business practices.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Identify and explain the functions of management.
• Evaluate how managerial activities will lead to the development, growth, competitiveness and sustainability of business organisations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Analyse strategic methods to formulate, plan, execute, measure and improve business processes, practices, systems and solutions to improve productivity and sustainability.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Conduct research to develop sound financial practices to enable organisations to achieve objectives.
• Evaluate how conducting and interpreting research can enhance organisations to develop and improve processes, systems and solutions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify and create practical strategic solutions to challenges facing management at all three levels.
• Construct strategic solutions that can assist managers at all levels.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Identify the characteristics of business leadership.
• Explain the importance of performance standards when implementing, managing and improving management business practices.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment takes place in accordance with the institution's Assessment Policy. The Advanced Diploma in Management implements three summative assessments during the module, and one final summative assessment at the end of the module as the means of learning evaluation. The lecturer for each of the abovementioned modules determines the assessment method to be used in each instance.

Specific assessment regulations are determined by the Faculty Board and approved by the Senate. Programme specific assessment criteria, rules and regulations, are communicated to learners in all learning guides. The development and implementation of assessment methods are based on the institution's principles of assessment. A variety of 'fit for purpose' methods of assessment is used by the assessor/s within a module to assess the learners as defined by the learning outcomes.

Assessments include the following outcomes-based activities

• Observation of real or simulated tasks, e.g. practical exercises/demonstrations, role-plays, presentations.
• Evaluation of a product after a task has been completed, e.g. projects, assignments, case studies, portfolios, artefacts, logbooks, reflective journals.
• Questions, oral or written, used either separately or in combination, e.g. tests examinations, including short or long questions, essays, multiple-choice questions, etc.

All assessment activities are accompanied by a memorandum/assessment marking guide.

The number and range of assessment methods used are included in the Learning Guides. Every assessment opportunity carries a predetermined weight that takes the integration of the outcomes into account.