Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Construction Project Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to provide further education and specialised training opportunities through distance learning for suitably qualified persons/learners in the field of Engineering Construction Project Management (ECPM) within the building and construction environment.

The qualification addresses the needs, challenges and required resources.

These needs and challenges arehighlighted in the objectives included in the National Development Plan (NDP), National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) and the needs identified by Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JipSA) scarce skills within the public and private sector.

Rationale

This qualification addresses the real need within the

• Building and construction environment.
• Construction industry.
• Public sector in terms of providing professionally qualified individuals that can render the appropriate Critical Path Method (CPM) support.

This qualification is, therefore, essential to address the existing market gap and needs. Currently, there are numerous learners involved in the construction industry with a National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 7 qualification from the previous technical institutions. These individuals cannot obtain entry into undergraduate qualifications in traditional institutions. The rationale behind this qualification is that such persons/individuals who find themselves in such a will be able to enrol for a qualification. This qualification will not only address the present gap in the construction industry but will also allow successful learners of the qualification to continue with an NQF Level 9 qualification. This qualification aim at:

• Supporting the national initiatives deliver employees with specialised knowledge; and skills.
• Updating the current level of knowledge by being exposed to the latest training and practices applicable to the field of construction project management.

Research related to the state of construction project management within the public as well as the private sector illustrates the need to formalise further education and training of employees functioning in the construction domain. There is a market gap to capacitate and empower existing incumbents and prospective persons working in the construction sector. Achievingthis need can only be through delivering advanced, trained persons in construction project management principles and practice. The Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) (2006) identified city, urban and regional planning, engineering and infrastructure development skills and capacity as a priority in terms of the Department of Higher Education's List of Occupations in High Demand (2016) (OFO). The qualification or project manager is identified as a management need, ranked 9th in terms of the needs hierarchy. he Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) of 2012/13 echoes the same sentiment. It identifies three sectors for leveraging market growth inclusive of specialist capacity development, knowledge transfer and development facilitation within which construction project management is fundamental.

Furthermore, the NDP (2010-2030) includes specific guidelines for skills development in the public and private sectors to enhance public infrastructure development and construction in supporting the roll-out of such qualifications. The New Growth Path (NGP) (2011) identifies, a bold, imaginative and effective strategy to create some 5 million jobs by 2020 . These initiatives in context to the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) includes in the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) (2012) pivots. The pivots are on the:

• Development and availability of a formally educated and trained human resource base to support the construction industry
• As a critical role player in successful development and delivery in terms of the NDP.

Various professional bodies for the built environment (PROCSA constituents) develops the Professional Consultants Services Agreement Committee (PROCSA) (2013. The professional bodies prescribe the scope of services by project stage that applies to construction project management. The proposed qualification will capacitate learners to apply these practice principles to the interdisciplinary environment within which construction project management functions. National Treasury formulated the Supply Chain Management (SCM) (2015/2016) model for infrastructure procurement and delivery that is a critical consideration in project management education and training. It applies to delivery by all organs of state and thus guides accountable project management and delivery. The National Treasury Standard for Infrastructure Management and Delivery (NTSIMD) (2015/2016) was used to guide the development of this construction project management qualification and will capacitate and empower learners in the application of best practices and principles.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution endorses the view that Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) constitutes an essential element of the transformation of access and admissions policies at education institutions in South Africa. The transformation of access and admissions policies to intend to:

• Increase participation.
• Broaden access to higher education in order to produce learners with the skills and competencies necessary to meet the human resource needs of the country.

The RPL concerns the provable knowledge and learning a learner has acquired.

RPL involves the applied skills and competencies demonstrated by the applicant and also consideringthe Exit-Level Outcomes obtained using the qualification. The institution acknowledges a valid, reliable and equitable way conducting RPL The learner assessment follows the RPL policy and the Faculty's processes for gaining admission, granting credits to the qualification. The structure of this qualification makes the RPL for access possible.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Construction, NQF, Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 180 Credits

• Construction Law, Policy and Legislation, 16 Credits.
• Strategic Management and Construction Project Management, 16 Credits.
• Construction Project Management Principles, 16 Credits.
• Technology and Construction Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Formulation of Business Plans and Accessing of Funding for Construction, 12 Credits.
• Construction Project Design and Development Practices, 16 Credits.
• Construction Project, 32 Credits.

1. Integrate knowledge of and critical understanding and application of theory, techniques, principles and research methodologies relevant to construction project management.
2. Interrogate multiple sources of knowledge associated with the field of construction project management. The sources include the ability to evaluate and review the knowledge underpinning construction project management in terms of procedures, methodologies and techniques applied and followed.
3. Judge the ethical conduct of team members in construction project management within different cultural and social environments and to effect and implement change in conduct where necessary.
4. Apply accurate, coherent, appropriate and creative presentation and communication practices inclusive of existing as well as new professional construction project management technology to all stakeholders inclusive of clients, public and private sector stakeholders, communities and interested and affected parties, in context to restriction of intellectual property conventions, copyright and rules on plagiarism.
5. Operate effectively within a professional construction project team, organisational entities, institutions and in cooperation with other disciplines. The latter aims to:

• Ensure understanding of the roles of participants
• Solve problems related to construction project management,
• Guide and monitor the progress of a project as part of the task outcomes and application of available resources and technology.

1. Apply self-regulating skills inclusive of the development of new and improved project intervention measures, progress reports, more detailed and useful administrative mechanisms, quality control, planning and time management and application of new construction technologies and material.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply the underlying theory, techniques, and principles included in the modules incorporated in the qualification.
• Interrogate and apply the principles of contract law with an interpretation of different contracts and contract administration.
• Conduct independent research in terms of construction management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Apply the various stages of a construction project.
• Identify and interpret relevant sources related to a construction project.
• Apply the basic concepts and procedures managing a construction project.
• Compile and manage a formal work breakdown schedule for a construction project.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply and development of basic principles fundamental to ethical conduct.
• Determine and apply a code of conduct and to ensure all stakeholders understand and apply the basic principles of ethical conduct.
• Implement and endorse the need not to compromise on ethical standards.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Apply appropriate knowledge and skills of commutation practices inclusive of verbal and non-verbal project communication methods.
• Explain and capacitate construction project teams in the role of vertical and horizontal communication responsibilities.
• Communicate technical information through appropriate concepts, design, documentation, project scheduling and need how and when to intervene in the construction project cycle.
• Identify, convey and enforce restrictions applicable to property conventions, copyright obligations and impact of plagiarism.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Convey a clear understanding of the diversity of construction project teams.
• Develop, implement and manage construction projects.
• Resolve contextualised problems related to construction project management.
• Apply project control through effective project planning, management of networks assured quality, acquisition practices, risk analysis and construction project cost control.
• Identify and implement intervention actions within a construction project.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Display the development of self-regulating skills in terms of improved project intervention strategies.
• Apply project intervention measures during all project cycles.
• Develop and manage administrative tools and processes for construction project management control.
• Promote new construction technology, methodologies and materials.

Integrated Assessment

The learning design of the qualification embeds opportunities for both continuous formative and summative assessments throughout to two years of study. It consists of online written assessment as well as a practical assignment for each of the offered modules. se learners' assessment include the application of learned skills which ensures that the theory learned translates into effective practice. The outcomes as defined and as assessed relates in an integrated manner. It culminates eventually in a formal engineering construction research project in the second semester of the second study year. In this research project, the student needs to illustrate the mastering of discipline-specific knowledge and skills that will be internally and externally assessed. It will include the learners writing and communications skills, computer literacy and ability to critically analyse and effectively evaluate a work-place related engineering construction project. Report writing, graphical analysis and illustration are essential ability and skills to be demonstrated in such a project.