Universities and Online Degrees Guide

North West University

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management

The Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management in Public Administration is offered by North West University.

Program Length: 1 YEAR.

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management offered by the North-West University at the Faculty of Humanities

The PGDip in Public Management aims to instil a commitment to the public good. The programme equips public managers with appropriate managerial and leadership skills to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality services to the people of our country, thereby contributing to the advancement of South Africa as a democratic, developmental state.

The language of instruction for this qualification is English.
This qualification is offered in the following manners:

• Limited contact (For individual students - Compulsory contact sessions offered in Potchefstroom only)
• Distance mode (Departments that prefer an in-house programme can contact the School to obtain a provisional course schedule and a quotation. The in-house programme is then offered via "distance mode" of delivery; as per an agreed contact schedule and at a location as per the request by the Department. A minimum of 20 delegates must enroll for the programme to be presented via this mode of delivery)

The minimum duration is one year and the maximum duration is three years, calculated from the date of first registration.

Programme Purpose:

In view of the rationale for the development of the PGDip in Public Management, the primary purpose of this qualification is to develop in public managers a commitment to the public good, and to equip them with appropriate and necessary managerial and leadership skills to ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality services to the people of our country, thereby contributing to the advancement of South Africa as a democratic, developmental state. 

Not only will students master essential knowledge in different focus areas of the public sector, but they will also develop effective managerial, leadership and problem solving skills, and learn to analyse and implement policy directives.  Such skills are necessary to facilitate the country’s transformation by promoting stability at the political-administrative interface while increasing responsiveness of public officials and accountability to citizens. 

Furthermore, the PGDip aims to develop the ability to do basic research within the sector, effectively work within teams, lead teams in task completion, and to take responsibility for personal and team goals while realising the importance of ethical and professional behaviour in the public sector.

Public Management is seen as an important contributor to the realisation of South Africa as developmental state. The qualification will help providers in higher education to establish appropriate curricula in Public Management related fields. During the design of the curriculum, consideration was given to specialisations and career opportunities in the field with specific reference to the SMS Competency Framework. Successful completion of the qualification will further prepare students from the South African public sector for study on Masters' level.