Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma: Environmental Management is designed to provide learners with advanced knowledge, practical skills and awareness of the ethical values required by integrating the wide-ranging contextual, conceptual and practical issues involved in Environmental Management in South Africa in particular.

Rationale

The Qualification is aimed at addressing the need for sound leadership in the Environmental Management field. It targets learners from different professional backgrounds such as government, Non Governmental Organisations and private organisations who seek to make a contribution to a wide range of environmental issues and to provide leadership in integrating the concept of environmental sustainability into the broader South African society and economy. The qualification is intended to produce thoughtful and sensitive leaders who combine specialised in-depth knowledge in Environmental Management with the emphasis on environmental, social and management issues, supported by a strong understanding of the natural science basis of environmental systems.

It is assumed that learners accessing this qualification are able to critically read, analyse and reflect on study material and relevant literature at NQF Level 8.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The RPL candidates have to develop a comprehensive portfolio of their experience demonstrating that they are on equal footing with those who had formal training as far as knowledge, competencies and skills are concerned. The portfolio is assessed by three members of the Programme Committee and may also involve an in-depth interview.

Access to the Qualification

Learners aspiring to access this qualification must be in possession of a

• Bachelor's Degree in one of the following major subjects: Geography and Environmental Studies, Sociology, Economics, Public and Development Management, Geology, Botany, Zoology, Agricultural Economics, Logistics, Forestry, Ecology/Nature Conservation, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Surveying or any related qualification.

Or

• Bachelor of Technology: Town and Regional Planning or other applicable fields.

The qualification consists of six compulsory and two elective modules at NQF Level 8, each worth 15 Credits.

Compulsory Modules

• Environmental Issues.
• Environmental Ethics.
• Environmental Law.
• Environmental Economics.
• Environmental Governance.
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS).

Elective Modules (Learners are to choose 2 elective modules)

• Sustainable Development.
• Development Planning and Environmental Analysis.
• Any other elective module from the Sustainable Development Department.

Or

• A recognised programme from another Department, approved by the Programme Coordinator.

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the most significant global environmental, social and economic challenges that face humankind and show insight into the solutions suggested by the universal commitment to sustainable development.
2. Apply various concepts related to development planning and environmental analysis and the role of analysis in knowledge-building, science and research, policy-making and implementation for sustainability.
3. Apply the economic criteria of efficiency and sustainability in decision-making, have a clear understanding of the meaning of economic value and be able to identify the economic values derived from an environmental asset (e.g. a wetland).
4. Recognise and conceptualise the ethical and value based dimensions of environmental issues, environmental decision-making and environmental management.
5. Apply the economic criteria of efficiency and sustainability in decision-making.
6. Acquire basic knowledge of environmental policy instruments, governance processes and institutional frameworks as well as an appreciation for the socio-political contexts within which environmental governance takes place.
7. Develop a clear understanding about the scope and nature of key environmental issues, the causes thereof and our limited understanding of complex ecological processes.
8. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the scope and nature of Environmental Law.
9. Understand and operate an entry-level GIS package as an analytical tool for decision support in environmental planning and decision-making.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

The qualification develops all the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes.

The following Assessment Criteria are applied in an integrated way to modules and specialised learning areas, where applicable, to determine competence in the Exit Level Outcomes:

• The different interpretations of sustainable development that currently exist are recognised, understood and applied.
• The interface between the natural and the human environment (social-ecological systems) is understood.
• The sustainable development theory and its application to a real world problem are critiqued.
• The town or regional profiling of the socio-economic characteristics of communities, including poverty, social, economic and environmental analyses are interpreted and presented.
• Understanding of the context of science, research and analyses, namely complexity, uncertainty, diversity, the political nature of knowledge is demonstrated.
• Methods of how census data can be extracted using SuperCross and how they can be processed into useful information (socio-economic indicators), using Microsoft Excel and Word, are explored and applied.
• The procedure of completing a cost-benefit analysis and the use of economic incentives (e.g. taxes) for environmental management decision-making are understood and applied.
• The economic causes of environmental degradation are identified.
• The policies and strategies that are used in Environmental Management to resolve environmental issues are assessed in ethical terms.
• The relationship between context, structures and processes and its application on case studies in environmental governance is understood.
• The international conventions and the associated relevance for Environmental Management are understood.
• The significance of the Constitution regarding the environment and how public bodies in the different spheres are entrusted with legal authority and competencies to manage the environment are researched and presented.
• The South African environmental legislation in general and the Environmental Management Act as the principal environmental statute are understood.
• Five practical GIS computer applications are planned, designed and explained.
• Individual and group spatial environmental project problems related to own work-related environmental issues using GIS technology are prepared and reported on.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment

Learning and assessment are integrated. Continual formative assessment is required in order to provide learners with feedback on their progress in the achievement of the learning outcomes.

Summative assessment

A variety of assessment schemes, including individual and group case studies, individual and group presentations, individual assignments and written tests is utilised. Assessment will ensure engagement with both theory and practice. There will be more than one assessment opportunity per module.