Diploma in Public Administration

Purpose

This qualification is directed to current or prospective employees in the public sector and related environments. The department will capacitate public officials with advanced knowledge in public administration and introductory skills and expertise in finance, control measures and development activities that support and enhance public service delivery. The qualification will also allow the learners to specialise in one of the following: public management, local government, supply chain management or disaster risk management. This qualification will enable learners to understand the role and their impact on the broad public sector environment. In addition, the underpinning principles of the qualification are built on strategic partnerships and community engagements.

The purpose statement is expanded in the proposed curriculum and is crystallised into two main aspects namely the common public administration core and modules pertaining to the various specialisations. For example, the intended outcome for "designing and executing programmes and projects for all spheres of government" will contribute to the effective implementation of the national development plan of the government.

Rationale

In view of local and global transformation, the adoption of the new public management movement and transformation of the higher education landscape primarily due to the new Higher Education Qualifications Sub -Framework (HEQSF) has become a necessity. It has become imperative to review and transform the existing curriculum and qualifications to ensure relevance and applicability within the local and international arenas. Consequently, the department of Public Administration at this institution embarked on a process to facilitate this review of its current programme offerings.

The programme review and design process took into account the National Skills Development Strategic III and international bench marking practices against North London School and other relevant stakeholders in the field of public administration.

In light of the above, various gaps were identified in the current offering, hence highlighting the need to improve and amend the current curriculum and introduce new areas of specialisation. As such, this qualification will address the needs of all spheres of government (national, provincial and local) needs to capacitate public officials' management capacity through developing competence in Leadership, Programme and Project, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Disaster and Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, Ethics and Integrity.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The structure of this Diploma in Public Administration makes the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) possible. This provider based qualification may therefore be achieved in part through the recognition of prior learning, which includes formal, informal and non-formal learning and work experience. The learner is thoroughly briefed on the mechanism to be used and support and guidance is provided. Care is taken to ensure that the mechanism used provides the learner with an opportunity to demonstrate competence and is not so onerous as to prevent learners from taking up the RPL option towards gaining a qualification.

If the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this qualification the appropriate credits should be assigned to the learner. Recognition of Prior Learning will be done by means of Integrated Assessment as mentioned above.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entrance requirements are

• Senior Certificate (SC).

Or

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) with an endorsement for Diploma Studies.

Or

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV) at NQF Level 4 with an endorsement for Diploma Studies.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level 5 and 6 totalling 368 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 5, 104 Credits

• DUT Cornerstone 101 (Institutional GE), 12 Credits.
• Academic Literacy and Practice (Institutional GE), 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Technology (Faculty GE), 16 Credits.
• Public Management and Administration, 16 Credits.
• Governance and Politics (Dept. GE), 12 Credits.
• Time and Stress Management (Faculty GE), 8 Credits.
• Quantitative approaches to Management Sciences (Faculty GE), 8 Credits.
• Public Finance Management 1, 12 Credits.
• Law for Life (Institutional GE), 8 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 6, 36 Credits

• Administrative Justice (Dept. GE), 16 Credits.
• Global Environmental Issues (Institutional GE), 8 Credits.
• Work Preparedness for Management Sciences (Faculty GE), 12 Credits.

Specialisation 1, Public Management

Modules at NQF Level 5, 40 Credits.

• Financial Literacy (Faculty GE), 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Economics, 12 Credits.
• Business Communication and Information Literacy for Management Sciences (Faculty GE), 16 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 6, 188 Credits

• Fundamentals of Research, 12 Credits.
• Public Policy Management, 12 Credits.
• Public Sector Economics, 12 Credits.
• Public Human Resource Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Programme and Project Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Monitoring and Evaluation 2, 12 Credits.
• Public Finance Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Procurement and Logistics Management, 16 Credits.
• Public Human Resource Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Monitoring and Evaluation 3, 16 Credits.
• Public Finance Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Public Management Practice 3A (WIL), 8 Credits.
• Performance Management, 16 Credits.
• Public Management Practice 3B (WIL), 16 Credits.

Specialisation 2, Supply Chain Management

Modules at NQF Level 5, 44 Credits.

• Supply Chain Management 1, 16 Credits.
• Micro Economics, 12 Credits.
• Business Communication and Information Literacy for Management Sciences (Faculty GE), 16 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 6, 184 Credits.

• Fundamentals of Research, 12 Credits.
• Supply Chain Management 2, 16 Credits.
• Macro Economics, 12 Credits.
• Commercial Law 1, 16 Credits.
• Logistics Management, 16 Credits.
• Risk Management, 16 Credits.
• Public Finance Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Supply Chain Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Supply Chain Management Practice 3A (WIL), 8 Credits.
• Public Finance Management 3, 16 Credits.

Specialisation 3, Local Government

Modules at NQF Level 5, 44 Credits.

• Local Economic Development (LED), 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Economics, 12 Credits.
• Business Communication and Information Literacy for Management Sciences (Faculty GE), 16 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 6, 184 Credits.

• Fundamentals of Research, 12 Credits.
• Local Government Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Public Sector Economics, 12 Credits.
• Public Human Resource Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Programme and Project Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Monitoring and Evaluation 2, 12 Credits.
• Municipal Finance Management 2, 12 Credits.
• Public Human Resource Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Monitoring and Evaluation 3, 16 Credits.
• Municipal Finance Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Public Management Practice 3A (WIL), 8 Credits.
• Performance Management, 16 Credits.
• Public Management Practice 3B (WIL), 16 Credits.
• Local Government Management 3, 12 Credits.

Specialisation 4, Disaster and Risk Management

Modules at NQF Level 5: 60 Credits.

• Development Management 1, 12 Credits.
• Disaster and Risk Management 1, 12 Credits.
• Disaster Risk Reduction 2, 12 Credits.
• Legislation and Policy, 12 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Disaster Risk Management, 12 Credits.

Modules at NQF Level 6, 168 Credits.

• Disaster Response and Recovery 2, 16 Credits.
• Disaster Risk Governance 2, 12 Credits.
• Development Management 2, 16 Credits.
• Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Capacity Development 2, 12 Credits.
• Disaster Risk Reduction 3, 16 Credits.
• Disaster Response and Recovery 3, 12 Credits.
• Information Management and Communication, 12 Credits.
• Disaster and Risk Management Practice 3A, 12 Credits.
• Development Management 3, 16 Credits.
• Disaster and Risk Management Practice 3B, 16 Credits.
• Disaster Risk Governance 3, 16 Credits.

1. Design and execute programmes and projects for all spheres of government.
2. Prepare and execute budget for all spheres of government.
3. Develop, analyse and implement policies in the public service.
4. Conduct good practices as it relates to people management.
5. Execute and evaluate public sector processes and practices.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Programmes and projects are defined, described and explained.
• The different spheres of government are explained.
• The elements of well-designed programmes and projects are explained.
• The structure, functioning and characteristics of the spheres of government are discussed.
• The inter-governmental relationships between the different spheres of government are discussed.
• The effective programmes and projects are designed for all spheres of government.
• The programmes and projects are executed for all spheres of government.
• Current and existing programmes and projects are monitored.
• Current and existing programmes and projects are analysed and evaluated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Budgets are defined, described and explained.
• The elements of well-designed budgets are explained.
• Budgets are prepared and executed for all spheres of government.
• Current and existing budgets are monitored.
• Current and existing budgets are analysed and evaluated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The regulatory framework is defined, described and explained.
• The elements of well-designed regulatory frameworks are explained.
• Policies are formulated for all spheres of government.
• Policies are implemented for all spheres of government.
• Policies are monitored for all spheres of government.
• Current and existing policies and programmes are analysed and reviewed.
• Policies are evaluated for all spheres of government.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• The elements of well-designed Human Resources (HR) regulatory frameworks are explained.
• HR Policies are formulated for all spheres of government.
• HR Policies are implemented for all spheres of government.
• HR Policies and Practices are monitored for all spheres of government.
• Current and existing HR policies and practices are analysed and reviewed.
• HR Policies and Practices are evaluated for all spheres of government.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Public sector processes and practices are defined, described and explained.
• The elements of well-designed public sector processes and practices are explained.
• Effective public sector processes and practices are implemented for all spheres of government.
• Current and existing public sector processes and practices are benchmarked against national and international best practices.

Integrated Assessment

The following are standard statements for integrated assessment. However, these statements could be reworded within the context of the qualification.

• Assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, so that an integrated approach to assessment is incorporated into the qualification in the Practice modules for all streams in the third year of the Diploma in Public Administration:
• Learning, teaching and assessment are inextricably interwoven. In project assessments conducted at all levels, the assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values shown in the qualification have been integrated.
• Assessment of fundamentals and critical cross-field outcomes is integrated as far as possible with other aspects and uses practical contexts. A variety of methods must be used in assessment and tools and activities must be appropriate to the context in which the learner is working or will work. Where it is not possible to assess the learner in the workplace or on-the-job, simulations, case studies, role-plays and other similar techniques have been used to provide a context appropriate to the assessment.
• The theoretical and practical components have been assessed together. The assessor makes use of a range of formative and summative assessment tools methods and assess combinations of practical, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

Formative assessment is provided through

• Portfolios.
• Simulations.
• Workplace assessments and practical workbooks.
• Written assignments.
• Written tests.
• Case studies and case presentations.
• Peer group evaluation.
• Face to face contact with students.