Master of Business Administration

Purpose

The Master of Business Administration is designed to enable a learner the ability to develop a management career to the fullest, at an accelerated pace. The Degree supplies these three main value propositions: Networks, Brand and Skills. The skills include the "hard skills" of management, economics, finance, marketing, operations and accounting, and the "soft skills" which include leadership, teamwork, ethics and communication.

The qualification focuses on the development of key attributes and skills of senior and middle managers in public and private sector organisations. The qualification is designed to build your individual management skills with a focus on the application of knowledge in business organisations.

Rationale

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) builds skills and competencies that can be used to find plausible solutions to concurrent managerial and business issues more so in the developing world which continues to face significant problems in the social, public and private sectors.

The MBA is designed for learners who wish to cultivate their career prospects. As individuals, they acquire a range of managerial competences and skills and, at the same time, build self-confidence. As professionals, learners improve their promotion prospects, create new career opportunities, and become part of a network of business professionals.

Possible career opportunities in Management Consulting, Financial Services, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Investment Banking, and in Investment Management.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution's assessment of prior achievement and learning policy addresses the criteria for the application of these types of assessment in terms of articulating learners into the qualification. The Institution recognises prior learning in the case of learners applying for admission into a qualification not previously having obtained any formal qualification at a higher education institution. Such learners are therefore those who apply for admission into the qualification based on industry experience and/or the successful completion of a variety of short learning qualifications, informal skills qualifications or incomplete qualifications.

Entry Requirements

Admission to the qualification is subject to academic selection criteria. The learner must have

• A Relevant Bachelor Honours Degree or Equivalent.

and

• At least three years' managerial experience.

This qualification comprises 12 compulsory modules and 2 modules which are electives, at NQF Level 9, totalling 200 Credits.

Compulsory Modules: 184 Credits.

• Mini-dissertation, 60 Credits.
• The Changing Business Environment, 12 Credits.
• Integrated Accounting, 12 Credits.
• Finance and Responsible Investment, 12 Credits.
• Marketing and Customer Engagement, 8 Credits.
• Managing Strategic Resources and Operations, 12 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 12 Credits.
• Leadership Development, 12 Credits.
• Economics for a Sustainable World, 12 Credits.
• The Human Factor in Sustainable Organisations, 12 Credits.
• Strategic and Responsible Innovation Management, 8 Credits.
• Global Strategic Analysis and Management, 12 Credits.

Elective Modules: 16 Credits (choose 2)

• Environmental and Waste Management, 8 Credits.
• The Entrepreneurial Process: Starting Successful New Ventures, 8 Credits.
• Managing Around the World, 8 Credits.
• Corporate Governance, 8 Credits.

1. To understand the rapidly evolving business context and the scale of global sustainability challenges and opportunities from environmental, cultural, economic, technological and governance perspectives, critical reflection on the role of business in the twenty-first century multicultural; interdisciplinary multi-stakeholder exchange and learning.
2. Develop an understanding and working knowledge of the core concepts, principles and techniques of financial accounting, management accounting, and the contemporary nature (and the value and challenges) of reporting on social and environmental performance.
3. Evaluate key principles of financial management and their practical application covering the issues of risk and return, portfolio analysis, asset pricing, the cost of capital, capital budgeting and capital structure.
4. Examining the power of marketing and how it is applied to greatest effect and for the greatest social good.
5. Markets and organisational strategies are analysed, and real marketing problems are solved.
6. Understand the fundamental underpinning for the design of sustainable business strategies by focusing on how to achieve the efficient and effective management of resources and operations.
7. Examining the role that people, structures, culture, group dynamics, motivation, knowledge, leadership, power and control can all play in determining success for an organisation and how leaders and managers can effect change towards sustainable outcomes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• A critical awareness of current problems and new insights in the sustainable development debate and their relevance to business is demonstrated.
• Theoretical arguments and concepts are applied to the analysis of empirical case studies.
• Knowledge and understanding is applied to evaluate alternative solutions to business dilemmas.
• Regulatory frameworks, evolving economic concepts, changing social values and their relevance to business are explained.
• The complexity, interconnection and interdependency of social, ecological, economic and governance systems is explained.
• Different worldviews and stakeholder perspectives and their relevance to business in building shared values are appreciated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• How to plan, control, report upon and analyse organisational activity from both finance is understood.
• The core concepts, principles and techniques of both financial and management accounting are explained.
• The concepts underpinning social and environmental accounting and integrated reporting are evaluated.
• Accounting/financial formula and financial statements and other accounts are utilised and analysed.
• Accounting/financial models in a real-world context are applied and critically analysed.
• The reporting of non-financial aspects of organisational performance is critically assessed.
• Conclusions from structured and unstructured problems are analysed and drawn.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The concepts of risk and return in financial markets are explained and evaluated.
• How to construct a portfolio and calculate returns using asset pricing models is demonstrated.
• The principles of valuing securities and how their sensitivity to interest rates can be assessed are appreciated.
• The concept of cost of capital is explained and is estimated for a corporation.
• The attractiveness of real investment projects based on expected cash flows and cost of capital are evaluated.
• How to manage financial risk, including the use of derivatives is explained.
• The challenges of introducing ESG factors in investment decisions are assessed.
• Theoretical arguments based on analytical reasoning are developed.
• Financial data and problems in the light of established theories are interpreted.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• The role of marketing in both commercial and social marketing contexts and in different cultural market places is explained.
• The impact of marketing on consumption and behaviour change is evaluated.
• The drivers and processes involved in consumer and organisational buyer behaviour are assessed in order to evaluate their utility and impact on marketing strategy.
• How organisations can develop successful segmentation, positioning, branding and communication strategies are explained.
• How the tools of marketing can be applied in social contexts is demonstrated.
• A coherent marketing plan, based on a sound understanding of consumer behaviour is developed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• An integrated and holistic perspective when making strategic recommendations are demonstrated.
• Develop sustainable strategies with an eye to responsible stewardship of financial, social and natural resources; often approaching this challenge in an uncertain and changeable landscape.
• Connecting with others by developing authentic, effective and productive relationships is demonstrated.
• Engaging with others, in order to explore, innovate and create new ways of working is demonstrated.
• The mindset and behaviours necessary to lead to change is evaluated.
• Working effectively and collaboratively within teams - drawing on authentic self is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Appropriate theoretical principles to analyse complex organisational problems is applied.
• Solutions to the transformation of business processes in pursuit of greater efficiency are supplied.
• Analytical findings are presented effectively.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome7

• Effective skills in open-mind enquiry, critical analysis and reflection practice are demonstrated.
• Different approaches and perspectives to organisational analysis are identified.
• The issues of sustainability as they relate to organisations are explained and evaluated.
• Different schools of thought in relation to organisation studies and aspects of human resource management are compared.
• How different organisational perspectives imply different approaches to organisational practice are critically articulated.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment strategies are carefully aligned with the exit learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria of the qualification. Different types of assessment choices for the assessment of the learners' performance. In the MBA qualification, three continuous assessment opportunities per module are compulsory, one of these must be a formal written semester test, the others must be in the form of assignments (single or groups), projects (single or group), oral presentations, essays, and case studies (single or group) or a combination of these.

Different methods of formative assessment (e.g. class tests, essays, orals, semester tests and practicals) will be used in the different modules and will be communicated to the learners prior to the module commencing through the Modular Guide.

Summative assessment will take place at the end of the each semester. In order to pass a module, the learner needs a Final Modular Mark of at least 50%. This mark is made up of a combination of the Formative Assessment (Continuous modular mark) Mark (50%) and the Summative Assessment (Examination) Mark (50%). These marks shall carry equal weight in the computation of the final mark.