Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Management

Purpose

Engineers start their careers as trainees, then become professional engineers and eventually either become specialised engineers or managers. When they become managers, they either manage organisations as a whole, or they manage other engineers and/or technical organisations. These engineering managers need to be confident decision makers with respect to the evaluation and acquisition of engineering expertise.

Furthermore, graduates who wish to move into technical management careers need specific management skills in order to succeed in these specialised environments. The qualification will provide the working professional with the necessary knowledge to undertake advanced reflection and development as engineering managers.

More specifically the qualification will provide the learner with the capability of

• Assessing management initiatives within a technical environment.
• Planning management initiatives within a technical environment.
• Implementing management initiatives within a technical environment.
• Maintaining management initiatives within a technical environment.
• Planning, conducting and finalising a research project within the context of Engineering Management.

Rationale

There is a continuous need of properly trained engineers who can manage various types of projects for their organisations and who can lead technological innovation and organisational change. The primary purpose of a Postgraduate Diploma is to enable engineering professionals to develop in areas required for professional purposes, most often wider than their original field of specialisation and in order to be more effective in the workplace.

Due to the growth in engineering projects in Southern Africa and the world, and a shortage of qualified engineering managers, there is a huge demand for these persons in a wide variety of industries.

Industry in turn, needs technical managers with advanced knowledge and skills in order to contribute to infra-structure and economic growth, to the benefit of the community at large. It has been established that many employers are keen to support their employees/learners, financially or otherwise, to be equipped as engineering managers.

It is assumed that the learner is competent in the knowledge, skills and values associated with a Bachelors Degree at NQF Level 7.

Recognition of Prior Learning

The Recognition of Prior Learning for the Postgraduate Diploma: Engineering Management, NQF Level 8, may be used to

• Grant admission to learners who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission.
• Grant learners credits towards the achievement of the qualification.

Access to the Qualification

To gain access to this qualification learners require

• An appropriate Bachelor of Technology, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Engineering Degree.

OR

• An equivalent recognised tertiary qualification.

Candidates who do not meet the minimum requirement for admission can be admitted on the basis of a portfolio of recognised comparable competencies, knowledge and experience. Recognition of Prior Learning applications are considered by a departmental committee within the guidelines of the Faculty and the University.

Learners need to complete

• All 7 Compulsory Modules at NQF Level 8, totalling 84 credits.
• One Optional Module at NQF Level 8, totalling 8 credits.
• Any one other Postgraduate Module at NQF Level 8, totalling 30 credits, offered by the University and approved by the Faculty.

Compulsory Modules

• Engineering Statistics, 12 Credits.
• Engineering Economy, 12 Credits.
• Production Management, 12 Credits.
• Operations Research, 12 Credits.
• Project Management, 12 Credits.
• Introduction to Engineering Management, 12 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 12 Credits.

Electives Modules - Choose one

• Systems Engineering, 8 Credits.
• Systems Architecture, 8 Credits.
• Health Systems Engineering, 8 Credits.
• Supply Chain Measurement and Management, 8 Credits.
• Programming for Managers, 8 Credits.
• Literature Study 1, 8 Credits.
• Literature Study 2, 8 Credits.
• Workplace Portfolio 1, 8 Credits.
• Workplace Portfolio 2, 8 Credits.

Plus one other Module for 30 Credits, approved by the University and the Engineering Faculty for this qualification at the time of enrolment.

Total: 122 Credits

1. Assess management initiatives within a technical environment.
2. Plan management initiatives within a technical environment.
3. Implement management initiatives within a technical environment.
4. Maintain management initiatives within a technical environment.
5. Plan, conduct and finalise a research project within the context of Engineering Management.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

This qualification aims to address all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• The role of managers as decision makers is explained in terms of requiring managerial input and judgement.

> Range: Managers include Financial, Project, Production, Operations and Engineering.

• Basic financial statements, including a Du Pont analysis, are analysed and explained for a company.
• The basic concepts and background of operational and production management are explained.
• Probability theory is explained.
• The net present value (NPV) is explained as the basic concept underlying corporate finance.
• Contemporary policies and approaches specific to South Africa are explained.
• Free cash flow is calculated for a company.
• Statistical techniques are used to analyse data.
• Optimisation problems are identified for operations research.
• The different and divergent business areas, in general, are explained.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• A new project is structured within an appropriate organisation type.
• Optimisation problems are formulated for operations research.
• A project is planned using a budget and work breakdown structure (WBS) which incorporates risk management.
• The project is scheduled using time, resources and cost.

> Range: Scheduling includes critical path method (CPM) and programme evaluation and review techniques (PERT).

• Time-cost trade-offs are completed for the project.
• The requirements from divergent and separate entities and the integration required is explained.

> Range: Divergent and separate entities may include departments, cost points and profit centres.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• The complexities of company valuations are explained.
• Capital budgeting techniques are explained and applied.
• Optimisation problems are solved for operations research.
• Fundamental operations and production management relationships are derived using basic mathematics.
• Correct contract types are used to procure project resources.
• The principles of general and technical management are explained.
• The basics of people management is explained.

> Range: People management includes industrial legislation and labour relations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• A financial project analysis and evaluation is completed.
• Statistical Techniques are used to solve engineering problems.
• Optimisation problems are verified for operations research.
• Scientific techniques are applied on operations production management type problems.
• The project is controlled using techniques.

> Range: Techniques include Earned Value Analysis and Critical Ratios.

• Activities are prioritised, planned and managed within a project.
• Software programmes are used to execute a full project.
• The impact of technology and knowledge management is articulated from a systems development perspective with an organisation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• A survey of relevant literature is conducted to engage in a topic being researched.
• Appropriate referencing method is used.
• A research argument is formulated.
• Appropriate data gathering methods are selected and used.
• Research ethics are followed and applied to research.
• A research proposal is compiled.
• Research findings are presented to an audience of peers.

Integrated Assessment

Learners' progress is monitored and a learner centred approach is followed and assessment in the qualification is aligned with the University's Assessment Policy. However, the exact assessment methods are closely related to the design of each Module.