Postgraduate Diploma: Organisation Development

Purpose

The primary purposes of the qualification, closely tied to the rationale, serve to consolidate, advance and deepen students' professional knowledge and expertise in the field of Organisational Development and change management, including the choice to develop their research capacity in the methodology and techniques of the field. In this regard the qualification serves to educate and train professionals who can potentially contribute to the development of new knowledge in the profession at postgraduate level leading to enhanced career and employment prospects.

The qualification provides qualifying students with comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of the principles, major theories and paradigms, methods and technology of the science and practice of the field. It equips students with the required advanced and specialised intellectual and practical skills to prepare for professional registration with the South African Board for Personnel Practices.

In this qualification, graduates who have elected the research module will have possibilities for further study in higher education programmes, such as master's degree studies in Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

Rationale

The rationale for the qualification is to provide in-depth, specialised education, training and scholarship in the field and practice of Organisation Development (OD) and change management at postgraduate level. The profession of OD as an area of specialisation in the field of industrial and organisational psychology has become increasingly relevant in the modern era. This is evidenced by the burgeoning research-based publications devoted to the application of OD and change management theory, processes, methods, techniques and technologies in the studying, understanding and improving of human work behaviour, the psychological conditions of workers and organisational performance and effectiveness in multi-culturally diverse local and global socio-economic, socio-political and legal work contexts. The Postgraduate Diploma (OD) focuses primarily on enabling working professionals and students to undertake advanced reflection and development by means of a systematic survey of current thinking, practice and research methods in the area of OD and change management.

The qualification further prepares those students, or professionals, who elect to do so, for a cognate research-based master's qualification. The research elective of the qualification deepens the student's and professional worker's expertise in conducting and reporting applicable OD-related research under supervision and utilising their research findings to improve the effectiveness, performance and quality of work life of individuals, groups, organisations and communities in the global and African context.

The qualification also prepares graduates for specialised professional employment.

Candidates accessing this qualification should

• Be able to read and critically evaluate academic text in English and communicate information and their own ideas orally and in written text that is grammatically correct, well structured, clear and concise, using accepted standards of scientific and academic writing (NQF Level 7).
• Be able to independently and responsibly plan, schedule and take responsibility for the success of their learning in a structured and Open Distance Learning (ODL) tuition environment and appropriately manage their time according to required outcomes.
• Be able to identify, access, retrieve and integrate information from scholarly or professional literature.
• Be able to use technology to access and participate in the various modules that comprise the qualification by means of online delivery and also use the library and other electronic services in support of the learning (myUnisa) and any other additional resources related to the qualification modules.
• Have access to the South African media.
• Have well-rounded knowledge about the theoretical and practical aspects of the field of industrial and organisational psychology.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning will be applied in line with the regulations of the Quality Council for Higher Education and the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy of the University of South Africa.

Students who are (or have been) registered for this or another related qualification (or even for some of the same related subjects) at another higher education institution will be allowed to enter mid-stream. Such students will retain credit for modules that have been passed, after recognition by the previous institution and the Dean of the College of Economic and Management Sciences, University of South Africa.

Exit in mid-stream

Students who want to switch to another cognate qualification or other modules at this institution may do so subject to certain limits. They will retain full credit for modules that have been passed.

Access to the Qualification

Learners wishing to enrol for this qualification need an appropriate Bachelor's Degree with specialisation in Industrial and Organisational Psychology.

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 8: 120.

Compulsory modules (5)

• Organisation Development and Change Approaches (IOP4864): 24 credits.
• Organisation Development Interventions (IOP4865): 24 credits.
• Organisation Diagnosis (IOP4868): 12 credits.
• Managerial and Organisational Psychology (IOP4862): 24 credits.
• Research Methodology (EMS48RM): 12 credits.

Electives (students choose one additional module)

• Change Management (IOP4867): 24 credits
• Research project report in Organisation Development (IOP4868): 24 credits

Total credits at NQF level 8: 120.

1. Demonstrate coherent and critical understanding founded on a comprehensive and systematic knowledge base of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in economic and management sciences, theory and paradigms, professional practice and ethical standards in the areas of OD and change management, diagnosis and intervention design.
2. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge, informed and critical understanding of the different approaches to OD and change management, the functioning of organisations as systems, organisational diagnosis and OD interventions at individual, group and organisational level.
3. Critique theory and research methodologies, methods and techniques relevant to the field of OD and demonstrate advanced scholarship by critically and systematically reviewing knowledge and processes of knowledge production and interrogating multiple sources of knowledge in the OD field.
4. Use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address complex, abstract and/or real-life problems in the workplace, drawing systematically on own knowledge of ethical standards, theory and paradigms, research methods, techniques and technologies in the OD and, if elected, the change management field.
5. Conduct qualitative and quantitative organisational diagnosis to identify areas for organisational improvement and utilise the outcomes of the diagnostic surveys to create new knowledge and solve problems in the field of OD and in their professional work context.
6. Demonstrate capacity to manage and self-assess learning tasks autonomously, professionally, responsibly and ethically with due consideration for own continued professional growth and development.

Elective outcomes

1. Apply knowledge of and insight in the theory and principles of research and the process of conducting research to a particular complex and/or real-life problem in the form of a research proposal.
2. Use a range of specialised knowledge, skills, research methods, techniques and technologies and ethical standards relevant to the profession in planning and implementing a research project and, using the resources of an academic/professional discourse, write up under supervision a research report which meets the standards of scholarly/professional writing.

Critical Cross-Filed Outcomes

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes include those specified in the Exit-Level Outcomes of the qualification and those specified in the learning outcomes for approved modules for the coursework and research option and as appropriate to the student's field of practice.

This qualification promotes, in particular, the following Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

• Identify and solve challenging, complex and real-life human behaviour and organisation system-related problems in the professional work context and make decisions using advanced critical and independent thinking.
• Autonomously collect, analyse, research, organise and critically evaluate information and make sound judgements, reflecting critical self-reflection and a consideration of consequences and ethical standards.
• Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community by taking full responsibility for their own work, decision-making and use of resources.
• Organise and manage themselves and their own activities responsibly and effectively, develop their own learning strategies which sustain independent learning and academic or continued professional development and interact effectively within the learning or professional group as a means of enhancing learning.
• Communicate effectively using visual and/or language skills in the mode of oral and/or written presentations. This includes researching, reviewing, evaluating, producing and communicating information in specialised contexts in order to develop creative responses and insights, rigorous interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation. This includes operating effectively within a system, or managing the system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements of the system.
• Develop sensitivity to diversity and individual uniqueness and understand similarities shared with others. This includes identifying and addressing ethical issues based on critical reflection on the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
• Promote responsible citizenship by contributing towards the psychological wellbeing of others, quality of work life within the organisation, and the performance and effectiveness of the organisation as a whole, including the full personal development of individuals, and the social and economic development of society at large.
• Develop a comprehensive and systematic theoretical knowledge base in OD and a practical macro vision, taking into account socioeconomic, sociopolitical, legal and multicultural factors influencing economic, business and people management internationally, nationally and locally.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes

The following set of generic Assessment Criteria apply to the qualification as a whole

• Current research and multiple sources of scholarly or professional literature are reviewed, critiqued and evaluated in an intellectually independent manner and sound theoretically judgements are made by using well-reasoned, theory-driven and evidence-based arguments.
• Diagnoses of human psychological functioning at individual, team and organisational level in an organisational system context and other complex problems related to organisational performance and effectiveness are accurately identified, critically reviewed, evaluated and interpreted by taking into consideration the socio-economic, socio-political and legal contexts, including professional and ethical standards.
• Standard procedures, processes or techniques to theoretically deal with or empirically investigate unfamiliar complex, abstract or real-life world problems that influence the performance and effectiveness of the organisation as a system are appropriately applied.
• Analyses and interpretation of theoretical, quantitative and qualitative data and information are independently conducted demonstrating coherent and critical insight by means of well-rounded, theory-driven and evidence-based arguments and critical self-reflection.
• Judgements and conclusions are made based on information and data and are clearly communicated to specialist and non-specialist audiences using the resources of academic/professional discourse appropriately, reliably and accurately.
• Critical self-assessment is done reflecting an awareness of taking responsibility for own activities, ethical behaviour and continued professional development in the field of OD.
• Reasoning, viewpoints, insights and ideas proffered reflect an acceptable social sensitivity in the student's relationship and interaction with others and work in the scholarly and professional work environment.
• Ethical decisions which affect knowledge production or complex organisational or professional issues are made with social sensitivity and awareness of consequences in an autonomous manner.

Integrated Assessment

For the qualification to be awarded, a candidate must have successfully achieved the outcomes of each of the compulsory/core and elective modules that constitute the qualification.

Evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills, attitudes and expertise) and of the candidate's ability to achieve the purpose of the qualification as a whole, is required by means of comprehensive and integrated assessment (constituting a range of formative and summative assessments). Continuous formative and summative assessment methods are used in the form of written assignments and exams, and the supervision of a research project.

Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. The student's summative assessment mark will comprise a year mark (10%) that will be gained from the specified number of compulsory assignments and a written examination in each module which comprises 90% of the total summative assessment mark. The pass mark shall be a minimum of 50% acquired from both continuous and summative assessment in a proportionate ratio; 75% shall constitute a pass with distinction.

Assessors should assess and give credit for evidence of learning that has already been acquired through formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience.

Lecturers responsible for the module and external markers (assessors) will act as assessor practitioners in accordance with the Unisa Assessment Policy. Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. Student support will be provided in accordance with Unisa ODL and Learner Support policies and guidelines.