Master of Business Administration

Purpose

This Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a general management qualification for learners with significant relevant work experience, which will contribute to their learning, personal and career development.

The primary purpose of this MBA Degree is to prepare learners to become innovative and dynamic managers in a broad range of organisations, including entrepreneurial organisations and private and public institutions. Furthermore, the purpose is to foster strategic, innovative and entrepreneurial thinking in a global business context. Finally, the qualification will enable learners to solve complex business problems through critical analysis of dynamic and global business environments.

Upon successful completion of the qualification the learner will be able to

• Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic knowledge base of business administration as a broad field, as well as the ability to apply the knowledge base to a wide range of business-related contexts.
• Measure, manage and lead the organisation's performance on the triple bottom line (social, economic and environmental performance) through effective strategic management.
• Manage people in the organisation effectively.
• Demonstrate a high level of the specialised knowledge and skills in the chosen area(s) of specialisation by utilising the tools and techniques to commensurate with their chosen area(s) of specialisation and demonstrate the ability to apply it in the organisation.
• Show mastery in conducting a rigorous applied research project in the business environment of a selected organisation and being able to apply the relevant research methods and techniques.
• Demonstrate the capacity to manage learning tasks autonomously, professionally and ethically.

Rationale

The strategic intent is to review the current Master's Degrees in Business Administration (MBA) and Business Leadership, as well as those submitted previously to the Department of Higher Education (DHET) for approval and to the Council for Higher Education (CHE) for accreditation. While the current Masters of Business Administration (MBA) focuses on business administration in general, the envisaged qualification will focus on managing organisations in the global economy. This new focus involves exploring business opportunities and relationships with Brazil, Russia, India and China and African countries. In enhancing the particular needs; scenarios, case studies and coursework will be focused on assessing the business environments involved. Although the curriculum for this degree has a strong practical and professional orientation, it has retained a generalist and broad character.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This qualification can be achieved in part through the Recognition of Prior Learning. Within the context of the MBA, learners applying for the qualification through the RPL route will be required to submit a portfolio of evidence illustrating their knowledge, skills and experience in the field.

Entry Requirements

• Bachelor Honours Degree.

Or

• Postgraduate Diploma.

Or

• 480 Credit Bachelors' Degree.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at NQF Levels 8 and 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 8; 24 Credits

• Economics for Managers, 12 Credits.
• Accounting for Managers, 12 Credits.

Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 9; 132 Credits

• Managing Human Capital, 24 Credits.
• Strategic Management, 24 Credits.
• Value-based Management, 12 Credits.
• Strategic Financial Management, 12 Credits.
• Corporate Governance and ethics, 12 Credits.
• Integrated Management Project (Research component), 48 Credits.

Electives Modules at NQF Level 9 (Choose any two of the following electives)

• Applied Business Informatics, 12 Credits.
• Strategic Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Financial Reporting and Analysis, 12 Credits.
• Strategic Supply Chain Management, 12 Credits.
• Operations Management, 12 Credits.
• Strategic Sustainable Marketing, 12 Credits.
• Strategy in a Global Context, 12 Credits.
• Advanced Labour Law, 12 Credits.
• Business Research, 12 Credits.

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic knowledge base of business administration as a broad field, as well as the ability to apply the knowledge base to a wide range of business-related contexts.
2. Measure, manage and lead the organisation's performance on the triple bottom line (social, economic and environmental performance) through effective strategic management.
3. Manage people in the organisation effectively.
4. Demonstrate a high level of specialised knowledge and skills in the chosen area(s) of specialisation by utilising the tools and techniques to commensurate with their chosen area(s) of specialisation and demonstrate the ability to apply it in the organisation.
5. Show mastery in conducting a rigorous applied research project in the business environment of a selected organisation and being able to apply the relevant research methods and techniques.
6. Demonstrate the capacity to manage learning tasks autonomously, professionally and ethically.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Appropriate and creative methods, techniques, processes or technologies from a variety of business and management disciplines are selected, designed, and applied to complex practical and theoretical business and management problems.
• A wide range of business and management skills are used to address complex and challenging business and management problems.
• The consequences of business and management solutions generated are comprehensively understood.

. Interventions at an appropriate level in a system, based on an understanding of hierarchical relations in the system are done, the intended and unintended consequences of the proposed business and management interventions are addressed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Strategic theories and frameworks are applied in a business context.
• Successful strategic decisions are formulated and executed.
• Agility to adapt strategy to a changing national and international environment is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• A wide range of human capital management techniques, skills and knowledge is used to identify, conceptualise, design and implement methods of enquiry in order to address complex and challenging leadership problems.
• The consequences of the human capital interventions proposed are appreciated.
• Human capital management interventions at the personal, team and organisational level in a system are made, based on an understanding of hierarchical relations in the system, and the intended and unintended consequences of their proposed interventions are addressed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• A comprehensive and systematic knowledge base of the relevant concepts and theories of their chosen area(s) of specialisation is demonstrated.
• Integration of all concepts and theories to develop sustainable functional and strategic recommendations based on areas of specialisation.
• A comprehensive understanding of the consequences of the recommendations that they generate is demonstrated.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• An understanding of qualitative and quantitative research is demonstrated and strengths and limitations for providing information and options in an uncertain organisational environment are evaluated.
• Models of businesses are developed and an ability to conduct research into business and management issues with the minimum guidance is displayed.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Full responsibility for own work is taken, and processes are led and initiated and systems are implemented and accounted for, to ensure good resource management and governance practices in the context of business and management.
• Own learning strategies which sustain independent learning and professional development is developed.
• Autonomous ethical decisions which affect complex organisational or professional issues are made and contribution to the development of ethical standards in the context of business and management is done.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessments in each module will be required as a means to assess learning and provide feedback to learners. Formative assessments will contribute towards a year mark, which will contribute 50% of the final mark in most modules.

With the exception of the integrated management project, which requires a research report, all modules will require a venue-based summative assessment. Alternatively, a portfolio of assessment may be conducted where appropriate. The mark obtained in the summative assessment will further contribute 50% to a learner's final mark.