Advanced Diploma in Project Management

Purpose

The aim of this programme is to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to follow a successful career in Project Management. The programme provides the theory and application of the principles of Project Management to ensure that students have the capacity to develop and grow intellectually. The main purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with graduate level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in Project Management and its related disciplines that provide opportunities for personal intellectual growth, gainful employment and rewarding contributions to society. The qualification will thus enable students to make a valuable contribution to the world of Project Management practice and in the process enable them to continue and further their discipline-based studies.

The second purpose of this qualification is to provide South Africa with significant numbers of Project Managers who meet the intellectual, technical and personal requirements for direct entry into local and international project management professional bodies and for entry into Postgraduate qualifications required for the higher professional designations. The qualification should also facilitate entry into Postgraduate academic research programmes in order to ensure that the local and international leadership base of innovative and knowledge based economic and scholarly and professional activity is widened.

One of the main aims of qualification is to allow for the practical application of acquired theory. Although structured to address the theories of project management and related disciplines, the qualification is designed in such a way that all components of the qualification contribute towards practical reciprocity with the Project Management industry.

To promote a philosophy of lifelong learning, the programme aims to provide learners with improved articulation options, thus enhancing learners' chances of accessing higher level qualifications at other institutions.

Rationale

The modern business world needs participants with knowledge and understanding of Project Management principles and practice to contribute to the continuing success of the enterprise and so building up the economy as a whole. Successful businesses improve the standard of living of its owners, managers and employees and create prosperous communities and a prosperous nation.

The management of all aspects of a business using Project Management principles leads to a more successful completion of the work through better definition of the task at hand and the end product, the management of time and processes, the effective utilisation of resources particularly human resources, up-to-date communication between team members which assists commitment to the project and ethical procurement and management processes. This ultimately contributes to the sustainability of the organisation involved in the project.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Learning that has been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal means is recognised for the fulfilment of the requirements of this qualification or part of the qualification. It is required that through assessment practices, the learner should demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification. Recognition of Prior Learning is performed by means of an Integrated Assessment.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow for

• The granting of access to the qualification for those learners who do not meet the minimum entry requirements.
• The granting of advanced standing to the learner for the qualification through the granting of exemption for some of the modules.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entrance requirements are

• A Diploma or National Diploma in Project Management or Management at NQF Level 6.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at NQF Level 7 totalling 130 Credits.

• Introduction to Project Management, 10 Credits.
• Corporate Project Management, 10 Credits.
• Project Execution and Control, 20 Credits.
• Project Time Planning, 30 Credits.
• Project Cost Management, 30 Credits.
• Project Quality and Risk Management, 30 Credits.

1. Understand project management in the wider context of a business environment and in relation to society in modern South Africa.
2. Effectively apply the essential methods, procedures and techniques of project management to a project.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of contract administration, basic legal compliance and ethical conduct within project management in particular and management in general.
4. Communicate business and project management information coherently and reliably using appropriate and professional formats.
5. Manage and participate in a project management team.
6. Understand the concept of management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• A well-rounded and systematic knowledge of the traditional pillars of Project Management such as time management, cost control and quality assurance within a project management context is demonstrated.
• The key terms, concepts, laws, principles, rules and theories of Project Management are understood and applied in a Project Management environment.
• An understanding of the knowledge areas in the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) is understood and explained.
• The integration of project management principles with a systems approach is and the positive effects of such an approach from a corporate management perspective are understood.
• The interrelatedness of the different areas and phases of project management s and how actions, ideas or developments in one phase impact on the others is understood.
• The key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of projects are used in the administration of a project.
• Project Management knowledge and principles are used to solve well-defined problems both routine and unfamiliar within a familiar context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Project Management specific planning software is used.
• Project scope development techniques are applied to define the project and determine key aspects such as timelines and expenditure.
• Time management techniques such as Gantt charts are applied in managing a project to ensure completion on time.
• Costs are controlled so as to remain within budget and overruns are dealt with timeously with the parties concerned.
• Quality management techniques and measures are applied to ensure the final product meets expected requirements and criteria.
• Legal and ethical Human Resources Management approaches are used throughout the management of the project.
• Risks associated with the project are identified and strategies to limit or eliminate them are developed and applied where necessary.
• Organisational procurement policies and procedures are adhered to when acquisitions are made.
• Close out procedures are applied at project end.
• Appropriate Project Management tools are evaluated, selected and applied to a specific project.
• The key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of projects are used in the administration of a project.
• Project Management knowledge and principles are used to solve well-defined problems both routine and unfamiliar within a familiar context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The code of ethics and professional behaviour of own or an organisation are understood and applied.
• Contracts are administered in compliance with the terms of the contract and through the application of the organisation's code of ethical practice.
• The legal consequences of breaches of contract and unethical behaviour for the individual and for the organisations in a contract party are understood.
• The ethical and social implications of management decisions and actions on the organisation, community and society at large are understood.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Basic communication conventions, writing skills, information and communication technologies, business information systems and reporting procedures are used to communicate project management progress.
• Communication is done at the correct time at the correct level using the appropriate method of communication for the specific reporting audience.
• The importance of the control and distribution of information for the success of a project is understood.
• Information flow is managed and data analysed and synthesized in order to bring clarity to the Project Management process.
• Qualitative data is interpreted in the context of client satisfaction.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Independent and team work is successfully executed with responsibility taken for own decisions.
• A team is effectively lead to complete a project.
• Organizational behaviour, is understood and the principles are applied to successfully complete a project/task/responsibility.
• Planning and consulting and showing an awareness of professional standards and ethics is applied in a team context in an organisation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• A distinction is made between management and administration with an indication of when and where they overlap.
• The traditional managerial concepts of planning, organising, coordinating and controlling are understood and the necessity for each to be optimally implemented on an on-going basis for a successful manager and business is explained.
• The way in which project management supports and is integrated into the general management processes is explained in terms of the success of the business as well as in the completion of a project.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no student is disadvantaged. Learning, teaching and assessment are in line with each other.

The term 'Integrated assessment' implies that theoretical and practical components should be assessed together. During integrated assessments the assessor should make use of formative and summative assessment methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies. A variety of methods must therefore be used in assessment. Tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the student is working. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies and other similar techniques should be used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment. Assessors should assess and give credit for the evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience.