Diploma in Administrative Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with applied competence to perform and/or supervise administrative functions in a business enterprise. Qualifying learners will have the competence to apply appropriate concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of the fields of business and administrative management to unfamiliar but relevant contexts. Learners will also be equipped with knowledge and skills to communicate effectively and to utilise information management systems. In addition, depending on their choice of elective modules, learners will be able to apply either Human Resource(HR) Management and Organisation Effectiveness, or Financial Management principles as areas of specialisation.

Rationale

The lack of adequate management and business management skills in South Africa plays an important role in the high failure rate in the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise(SMME) arena. This qualification will provide a set of very important and essential skills to support national efforts to equip prospective business managers and entrepreneurs to produce better economic results. The qualification focuses on the financial, economic and business management aspects of commerce. It includes important business-related modules to ensure a balanced perspective of modern corporate business to inform the environment within which the graduates must operate. Learners will develop depth and specialisation of knowledge, together with practical skills through work integrated learning, to enable graduates to apply their learning in the workplace.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

As per institutional policy, Credits towards this qualification may be obtained by means of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate National Qualifications Framework(NQF) Level 4.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework(NQF) Level 6 totalling at 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 96 Credits

• Communication for Academic Purposes 10, Credits.
• Business Management, 24 credits.
• Administrative Management I 24.
• Information Literacy I, 2 Credits.
• Life Skills I, 2 Credits.
• Computer Literacy, 10 Credits.
• Administration I, 24 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 5, 72 Credits.

• Financial Accounting IA, 12 Credits.
• Economics I, 24 Credits.
• Financial Accounting IB, 12 Credits.
• Financial Management, 24 Credits.

or

• Quantitative Techniques 24, Credits.
• Human Resource Management I 24, Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness I, 24 Credits.

Compulsory Modules Level 6, 120 Credits

• Business Management II, 24 Credits.
• Administrative Management II, 24 Credits.
• Administrative Management III, 24 Credits.
• WIL in Administrative Management, 24 Credits.
• Business Management III, 24 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 6, 72 Credits

• Financial Accounting IIB, 12 Credits.
• Financial Accounting IIA, 12 Credits.
• Financial Management IIA, 12 Credits.
• Financial Management IIB, 12 Credits.
• Taxation I, 24 Credits.

or

• Human Resource Management II, 24 Credits.
• Human Resource Management III, 24 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness II, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the main areas or practices in the fields of business management and administrative management, including an understanding of and an ability to apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of the fields to unfamiliar but relevant contexts.
2. Present and communicate complex information coherently, using appropriate academic and professional or occupational conventions, formats and technologies for a marketing context.
3. Demonstrate an ability to select and apply appropriate computer software applications, procedures or techniques within a defined context.
4. (Elective) Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the main areas or practices in the field of human resources management including an understanding of and an ability to apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of the discipline to unfamiliar but relevant contexts.
5. (Elective) Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the main areas or practices in the fields of financial management and quantitative techniques including an understanding of and an ability to apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of the discipline to unfamiliar but relevant contexts.
6. Evaluate own performance against given criteria; identify and address task-specific learning opportunities in a project-based context, in terms of specified fields or practices where appropriate to the discipline.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be used in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Develop an appropriate staff development plan, supervise staff according to supervisory principles, manage Cultural diversity in the workplace, coordinate administrative, apply Quality assurance principles and control Costs.
• Prepare Data printouts and produce spreadsheets.
• Administer Stock systems and Remuneration systems. Determine Costs of manufactured products and prepare Contract accounts.
• Practically demonstrate an understanding of the marketing, human resources, purchasing and general management functions in an enterprise. Demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between the functional areas in an enterprise and applying them to a practical situation.
• Practically illustrate general management principles to all the functional areas in an enterprise.
• Demonstrate the ability to predict the influence of a particular event on all the functions of the enterprise.
• Plan and organise the work environment and work practices appropriately.
• Complete a project in an administrative working environment.

Integrated Assessment.

Formative Assessment

Learning and assessment are integrated. Continual formative assessment is done so that learners are given feedback on their progress in the achievement of learning outcomes. The scheme of work includes assignments based on the learning material and learners are given feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and limited numbers of outcomes. Class and semester tests as well as assignments, tutorials and syndicate group discussions. These assessment methods are useful in assessing, and giving feedback to learners in terms of foundational competence.

Summative Assessment

Summative Assessment is concerned with the judgement of the learning in relation to the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification. Such judgement includes Integrated Assessments which test the learner's ability to integrate the larger body of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are represented by the Exit Level Outcomes as a whole. Examinations, projects, laboratory reports or equivalent assessment such as a portfolio of evidence assess a representative selection of the outcomes practiced and assessed in the formative stage. Summative assessment also tests the learner's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module." semester tests and final end-of the year examinations with the emphasis on assessing foundational competence and some practical competence.