Diploma in Operations Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with appropriate knowledge and skills as well as applied competence to enable them to manage aspects of operations and supply chain in the manufacturing and service industry. Qualifying learners will be able to ensure an organisation becomes more productive, efficient and effective. An aspirant Operations Manager will be able to co-ordinate and manage operational tasks as supervisors at second tier managerial positions through all phases, namely plan, lead, organise and control in different contexts. Successful Operations Managers will have acquired professional skills, allied to proven experience.

Rationale

The qualification will assist learners in managing processes in a manufacturing or service environment. With this qualification, a typical learner will be one that is able to think logically and apply problem solving techniques to problems. Typical positions that learners could fill are production planners, supervisors, schedulers and other entry level management positions within the manufacturing and service environment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This qualification may be achieved in part through the recognition of relevant prior learning and through prior experience as a practitioner in the field of Operations Management. Structured means for the assessment of individual learners against the exit level outcomes of the qualification will be performed in-line with the RPL Institution Policy, on a case-by-case basis. Such procedures, and the assessment of individual cases, are subject to moderation by independent-assessors. The necessary evidence as required by the exit level outcomes, and presented by the student, should meet the following principles: currency of evidence, sufficiency of evidence, validity of evidence and authenticity of evidence.

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 modules at National Qualifications Framework Levels 5 and 6 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 168 Credits

• Communication for Academic Purposes, 10 Credits.
• Operations Management I, 24 Credits.
• Operations Management Techniques I, 24.
• Life Skills, Credit 2.
• Organisational Effectiveness, 24 Credits.
• Financial Principles in Operations Management, 24 Credits.
• Information Literacy I, 2 Credits.
• Computer Literacy, 10 Credits.
• Management Principles and Practice, 24 Credits.
• Work Dynamics I, 24 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6,192 Credits

• Operations Management Techniques I, 24 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness II, 24 Credits.
• Operations Management II, 24 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness III, 30 Credits.
• WIL in Operations Management, 30 Credits.
• Organisational Effectiveness III, 30 Credits.
• Operations Management Techniques III, 30 Credits.

1.Demonstrate detailed knowledge of, and the ability to apply general management principles in the field of Operations Management, including an understanding of and an ability to apply the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of management in the context of the manufacturing and service industry.

2.Demonstrate an ability to evaluate, select and apply appropriate methods, procedures or techniques in Operations Management.

3.Demonstrate an ability to identify, analyse and solve problems in unfamiliar contexts, gathering evidence and applying solutions based on evidence and procedures appropriate to the field of Operations Management.

4.Demonstrate an ability to evaluate, select and apply appropriate methods, procedures or techniques in processes of productivity improvement within in Operations Management.

5.Demonstrate an ability to present and communicate complex information reliably and coherently using appropriate and professional or occupational conventions, formats and technologies for Operations Management.

6.Demonstrate an ability to make decisions and act appropriately in familiar and new contexts, demonstrating an understanding of the relationships between systems, and of how actions, ideas or developments in one system impact on other systems.

7.Demonstrate an ability to select and evaluate different sources of information, to select information appropriate to the task, and to apply well-developed processes of analysis, synthesis and evaluation to that information within the context of Operations Management.

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

• Select appropriate technique(s) correctly selected and analyse a particular set of data.
• Analysis of quantitative results are correct and propose alternative solutions for sound decisions and evaluate different solutions.
• Apply the cost calculations projected over varying time horizons and at varying rates correctly. Calculate and compare the costs of alternative solutions are correctly. Interpret the cost figures correctly.
• Execute the functional analysis of work is correctly. Demonstrate the principles of organising according to best practises.
• Design work according to individual and group needs.
• Describe and apply the systematic recording and investigation of work data correctly. Execute the procedure and method studies in a scientific way.
• Analyse work data and identify and develop improvements to ensure optimised work processes Identify, report the improved systems and write proposals. Propose measures to maintain improved systems. Apply correctly, the relevant ergonomic measures to optimise the work environment. Evaluate and report on impact of improvements in terms of productivity and efficiency and where possible calculate in monetary terms.
• Determine scientifically, the resources required for the execution of work by using relevant techniques.
• Determine scientifically, information requirements for management control systems. Propose systems to ensure the implementation of sound systems for the efficient utilisation of resources.

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.

Summative Assessment

• Examinations, projects, laboratory reports or equivalent assessment such as a portfolio of evidence after Work Integrated Learning assess a representative selection of the outcomes practised 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 in a real world scenario.

Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

• The learners will be placed for a period of 3 months in their 3rd year. The WIL programme is registered for separately as an individual module. The main emphasis of the WIL activities is to gain real world practical experience in a professional environment.