UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) PGDip Course
The Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice is an accredited postgraduate qualification offering immediate benefits. The programme:
- Accelerates personal growth.
- Develops crucial business skills, especially for complex environments.
- Builds business and industry competence.
- Teaches you how to excel and succeed without compromising on values or ethics
- Shows you how to achieve sustainability and profitability while adding value.
- Is modular – so you implement what you learn in your workplace to the immediate benefit of your organisation or industry.
- Allows you to demonstrate what you are learning as you are learning it, adding instant value.
The programme consists of one nine-day and three eight-day, full time courses. Each course addresses a specific learning goal and relates to one of the main research competencies of the UCT Graduate School of Business. The last day of each course involves an integrated case in which you can demonstrate your learning.
Due to the intensity of the programme applicants need to demonstrate a high level of personal motivation, stamina and initiative. In addition applicants must show a willingness to work in a group situation and an ability to tolerate and manage pressure and conflict and are assessed with this in mind.
GSB PGDip ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Age and work experience
- Applicants should be at least 25 years old and have a minimum of 3 years’ relevant work experience.
- A graduate level qualification or NQF level 7 equivalent is also required. Applicants without a degree may be considered through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) route.
Interview
May be required. Applicants will be informed
The Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice has been set up as a modular programme four-course programme. All five specialisation streams share the same three core courses, with the specialisation stream comprising the fourth course.
CORE COURSE 1: Values-based Leadership
Become a leader who inspires and adds value – without compromising on the bottom line.
On this course students will:
- Experience personal leadership growth
- Establish their individual “ground rules” and gain self-awareness
- Put in place a framework for future enhancement and development (lifelong enhancement)
- Acquire tools for personal reflection and insight
- Learn integrative thinking
- Take part in action learning and system thinking tools
- Do an integrated case study
The programme has the following learning objectives:
- Students will be able to identify and evaluate the core constructs of leadership and its application to local and global contexts;
- Students will demonstrate an appreciation of different perspectives and worldviews; and
- Students will appreciate the relevance of personal concerns on leadership enhancement and identify and articulate their personal value systems.
Topics covered include:
- Complexity, Organisations and Learning
- Values Based Leadership
- Personal Development
- Integrative thinking
- Transformational Leadership
- Business Model Innovation
- Action learning (an introduction to the project)
- Systems Thinking Tools
- Integrated case study
CORE COURSE 2: Building Business Acumen
Gain vital managerial knowledge, tools and techniques to be an efficient and effective manager.
On this course students will:
- Learn business concepts and theories that underpin management practices
- Be introduced to financial statements and finance
- Develop personally.
- Understand core principles of Marketing
- Be introduced to Operations and Lean Management
- Gain insights managerial practices on People and Organisation Management
- Do an integrated case study
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to Financial Statements / Finance
- Personal Development
- Managerial Statistics
- Marketing
- Operations and Lean Management
- Human Resource Management
- Integrated case study
CORE COURSE 3: Emerging Markets in Context
Become flexible and agile in uncertain economic times. Gain managerial and leadership insights to master diverse national and international contexts.
Learn to understand global economic, social and political trends and developments and how they may directly or indirectly impact on an emerging market economy such as South Africa. On this course students will learn:
- To understand the different challenges businesses and leaders face when they operate in diverse national and international environments
- How to adapt to diverse cultures and institutional environments and operate in conditions of uncertainty
- About the various roles of business on sustainable development issues
- How to do business in Africa and internationally
- The role and interplay of business, government and society
- The role and importance of business ethics
- An integrated case study
Topics covered include
- Economics
- Management and Sustainability
- Personal Development
- Strategy
- Doing Business in Africa
- International Business
- Business, Government and Society
- Governance and Business Ethics
- Integrated case study
Course designs are updated and adapted annually, therefore the topics listed for each course can be considered as a guideline of what students can expect to be covered on each course
