Postgraduate Diploma in Media Management

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Media Management produces qualifying learners that are employable and able to transform the management and operations of the media firms with requisite generic work skills such as decision-making analysis, critical reasoning, analytical skills, creative and conceptual skills.

The qualification equips learners with

• Critical methodologies that allow them to assess complex situations to make informed decisions at workplaces.
• Research skills, marketing and advertising skills, content management skills, distribution and circulation skills. All of which are needed by the media industry across the world.

The qualification will provide specialised knowledge to people entering or working within the media industry, who wish to succeed in middle management positions within the public, commercial or community media sectors. It also aims to provide learners with the foundational knowledge they need to start as media entrepreneurs.

Rationale

Research and broad observations show that Africa - indeed, most of the world had a lack of qualified and skilled managers in the media. The management of media is widely acknowledged as being critical in ensuring the sustainability of these organisations. This qualification seeks to address these skills gaps, to cover the field of media management holistically, critically including all the elements that make media organisations succeed or fail, more so now with permanent change engulfing all organisations.

The qualification equips learners with a range of creative decision, critical thinking and analytical skills. The qualification aims to transform their media organisations financially and to ensure that there is a need for a multiplicity of diverse and divergent media in a democracy so that citizens are accurately and adequately informed about news and events and have broad information and news choices.

Issues about gender transformation and equality and equity in media workplaces were embedded into the qualification so that these aspiring media managers would be able to bring about meaningful transformation in their staff and also mainstream gender-aware and sensitive news content in their media. The media managers would, therefore, need high-level grounding both theoretically and practically in understanding and knowing how they could be the catalysts of the changes that have been articulated above.

The qualification equips learners with holistic knowledge, and simulated work competencies (including actual work skills during the one-month-long internship which learners do during mid-year at media companies of their choices) of how to manage and lead media organisations professionally, ethically and profitably at a time of rapid and incessant change brought on by a range of technologies and social and political disruptions. The media organisations in South Africa and internationally, which employ these learners, have acclaimed this qualification.

The typical learners are recent university learners or those who have already been working in media but did not have a formal qualification in media management but do have a first degree in any academic discipline from a recognised university. The learners have gone on to work in a variety of areas such as content management; management of media distribution; financial management; research on editorial matters; marketing and advertising.

The qualification seeks to bring together learners with a diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds and to provide them with a holistic understanding of how successful media organisations operate within different contexts. The learners will be able to promote social justice and ethical practice within the media industry and in the broader society.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL admission will be made following the institution's RPL policy. Learners wishing to be admitted through the RPL process are required to have had five years of work experience; a diploma or an advanced certificate in the cognate field (for example Journalism; Marketing Management; Advertising and Branding; Business Management, Business Studies); and must submit a full CV detailing their work experience, as part of the initial assessment process. Furthermore, such learners are required to submit an academic essay of 1,000 words or a media project that demonstrates their capability and competencies of undertaking postgraduate study.

The learner's application for RPL admission is reviewed in line with the RPL policies, and the institution's admission policies, and guidelines. All assessments and related activities are carried out in line with the institution's assessment policies and other policies governing teaching and learning.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor's Degree, NQF Level 7 with a major in Journalism and Media Studies

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

Compulsory Modules, 120 Credits

• Media Management Contexts, Policy and Institutions, 12 Credits.
• Managing Audiences, Advertising and Marketing, 12 Credits.
• Managing Media Distribution and Circulation, 12 Credits.
• Media Economics and Financial Planning, 12 Credits.
• Managing Media Convergence, Digital and Social Media, 12 Credits.
• Media Management and Leadership, 12 Credits.
• Human Resource Management, 12 Credits.
• Managing Media Content, 12 Credits.
• Portfolio, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of relevant theories and principles with a specialised understanding of how these can be applied in the holistic and strategic management of a media enterprise.
2. Apply the skills and knowledge they need to perform effectively and ethically in the management of a media enterprise.
3. Communicate professionally.
4. Articulate an understanding of the nature of academic endeavour and the importance of lifelong learning, and the relevance of both to the management of media enterprises.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1

• Articulate an understanding of theories and principles relevant to the management of a media enterprise.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the context within which media organisations operate and how economic, regulatory and political constraints, as well as how professional principles, impact on media management practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2

• Lead and work in teams, taking into account the need for cultural and gender sensitivity.
• Perform tasks independently without supervision.
• Identify, analyse and deal with concrete problems in media management by providing evidence-based solutions and theory-driven arguments.
• Retrieve, evaluate and make use of relevant information in solving media management related problems.
• Conduct fundamental qualitative and/or quantitative research that will enable them to function more effectively as media managers.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3

• Present and communicate both academic and professional work effectively through presentations, written assignments, and appropriate a professional discourse.
• Make use of computer technology in preparing written reports and delivering effective presentations.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relevance and nature of academic endeavour and the importance of life-long learning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4

• Assess and assimilate a framework against new information and advances in the management of media enterprises.
• Access new information from libraries, the Internet and other appropriate sources.
• Acquire and apply new information to address changing circumstances, thus fostering the need for life-long learning.

Integrated Assessment

Each of the core modules will include the following assessment tasks, each of which will count towards 50% of the mark for each module:

1. Course work

The course work component of the course includes

• assignments based on readings, research and problem-based questions, and
• class presentations.

1. Examinations: Learners will write one examination for each core module during the examination blocks. The exams formats will vary depending on the nature of a particular course, but will generally take one of the following two forms:

• An oral exam in which s need to make presentations in which they demonstrate how they would apply concepts and theories covered in the course to real-world examples.
• A take-home exam in which s will apply concepts and theories in addressing particular problems they are likely to encounter in the media industry.

3. Portfolio: Learners have two choices when it comes to the presentation of their final portfolios, namely

• They may present a written portfolio of between 4000 and 5000 words. The written portfolio will account for 100% of the portfolio mark or 20% of the overall mark for the qualification.

Or

• They may present a written portfolio of between 4000 and 5000 words (see portfolio guidelines) and make an oral presentation of the primary lessons addressed in the portfolio. The final portfolio mark will be divided equally between the written and oral portfolio presentations.