Master of Business Administration

Purpose

This qualification is designed to provide learners with the knowledge and skills to business management challenges and to provide possible opportunities as required to enhance economic growth in the country. On the completion of this qualification, learners will be able to:

• Execute all the managerial functions and leadership roles in an integrated way and according to prevailing codes of conduct within any organisation.
• Understand global business issues, and the potential contribution that business can make to solve these issues.
• Apply previous and newly acquired knowledge and experience to complex business issues in a range of contexts.

Rationale

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification is designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills that will enhance the skills of general business managers and to contribute to the growth of entrepreneurs. The success of the South African economy requires that this country produce a supply of general managers and entrepreneurs. This qualification covers the main disciplines of management through its modules which include a research module. The research module introduces learners to the broad range of business management. This qualification is suitable for learners who currently serve at middle management and senior management levels that need to enhance their effectiveness and career development as managers. This qualification is designed in consultation with over 60 industry stakeholder groups in business, government and civil society to ensure that it is properly aligned to the market needs as far as possible.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is applied for learners who do not hold a relevant Bachelors Honours Degree or equivalent NQF Level 8 qualifications. The applicants of this type have to be at least 35 years old. Applicants are assessed for their business experience and other factors including age, academic history, length of time in a management position and overall impression as to their potential to successfully complete the Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification. It is further required that all applicants for RPL are approved by the University's senate before they are granted full acceptance status into the MBA. Given the historical legacy of this country, it is necessary to acknowledge prior learning as a valid entry criterion into the MBA qualification.

Entry Requirements

• A four-year cognate Bachelor's Degree at NQF Level 8;

Or

• A Postgraduate Diploma (Business Administration) at NQF Level 8,

Or

• An applicable Honours degree;

Or

• Learners must have work experience or 3 years' business-related or management experience.

This qualification comprises of compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level 9, totalling 186 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 126 Credits

• Business Analysis and Research Methodology, 9 Credits.
• Applied Decision Making, 9 Credits.
• Leadership and Corporate Accountability, 9 Credits.
• Corporate Strategy, 9 credits.
• Environment of Business, 9 Credits.
• Dynamics of Competitiveness, 9 Credits.
• Innovation and Design, 6 Credits.
• Entrepreneurship, 6 Credits.
• Integrated Research Project, 60 Credits.

Elective Modules, 60 Credits (choose five)

• Building personal effectiveness, 12 Credits.
• Business in context, 12 Credits.
• Managing demand and supply, 12 Credits.
• Finance, 12 Credits.
• Innovation, entrepreneurship and technology, 12 Credits.
• Leadership and culture, 12 Credits.
• Managing stakeholders, 12 Credits.
• Strategy, 12 Credits.

1. Execute all the managerial functions and leadership roles in an integrated way and in accordance with the prevailing codes of conduct within any organisation.
2. Use,research to understand business issues and recommend potential solutions that may be applied to solve these issues.
3. Apply previous and newly acquired knowledge and experience to complex business issues in a range of contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Decision making is applied to solve real complex problems and a corporate strategy is developed for a business entity.
• Management is compared with leadership and the relationship with each other is analysed.
• Transactional leadership with transformational leadership are compared and contrasted.
• The idea of strategy at corporate and business unit levels is understood.
• Application of various analytical frameworks used in arriving at the choices (decisions) involved in defining enterprise and business strategy are appreciated.
• The dynamic nature of the relationship between corporate, business unit and functional priorities is understood.
• Analytical processes in strategy formulation in real situations are applied.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• A research project as required is designed and executed.
• Research findings are analysed and reported, valid conclusions are drawn and appropriate recommendations are made.
• Critical thinking with logic coherently meeting the standards is encouraged.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Entrepreneurial opportunities within the dynamic market framework are contextualised.
• Critical tasks, risks and challenges in seizing an opportunity and building a business are described.
• Alternative sources of funding are listed and the advantages and disadvantages of alternative sources of funds are described.
• A feasible business model and the understanding of the entrepreneurial process is comprehended and designed in order to identify, define and seize the opportunity.
• Contents of a useful and usable business plan are described and the benefits of preparing a business plan are explained.
• A business idea and a business model are explained to a potential investor or to relevant entrepreneurship stakeholders.
• Innovative ideas to market a new venture or a business project on a small budget are generated in order to make the first round of sales.
• Challenges in growing an entrepreneurial venture or new business project are described and strategies that can be implemented to alleviate such challenges are explained.

Integrated Assessment

The different modes of delivery of the qualification have appropriate policies and procedures for internal assessment; internal and external moderation; monitoring of learners progress; explicitness, validity and reliability of assessment practices; recording of assessment results; settling of disputes; the rigour and security of the assessment system; RPL; and for the development of staff competence in assessment.

Compulsory modules for the MBA require at least three assessments (typically an individual assignment, group assignment and examination) in line with prescribed weightings. All examinations and most assignments are assessed by the instructor leading the module In keeping with the assessment policy, and to ensure that the process results in fair and valid assessment, the entire assessment process is subject to a layered checking and rechecking process that ensures the integrity of the overall assessment and its place in the qualification as a whole.

In line with the University requirements, external examiners are appointed for all qualifications and they are required to approve all examinations and to ensure that assessments by internal examiners are both reliable and valid. In the case of the research report a third examiner is appointed in a case where there is a discrepancy greater than 8% between the external and the internal examiners.

Any changes recommended by external examiners are noted by the Committee which reviews all marks and examination reports from both internal and external examiners before approving final marks. All module marks are evaluated in a final marks meeting every year which is chaired by the Dean.