Universities and Online Degrees Guide

The Independent Institute of Education

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership

The Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership in Business and Management is offered by The Independent Institute of Education.

Program Length: 1 YEAR.

Subjects: 9.

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership offered by the Independent Institute of Education at the Faculty of Commerce

The IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Business Leadership (PGD BL) is a management development programme aimed at all managerial levels showing potential with the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary for successful general business management and effective leadership. It focuses specifically on the fundamentals of operations to integrate all relevant disciplines such as banking, finance, human resources, and marketing into the overall operational plan of the organisation. The qualification has a practical hands-on focus and incorporates the challenges of the 4th Industrial Revolution. With a strong focus on problem-solving and leadership competencies; this qualification is designed to prepare learners for professional and/or managerial roles in private, public, developing and non-profit sectors. It will enhance your ability to manage with competence and lead with purpose. The programme complements functional understanding with a holistic approach, through providing you with the relevant perspectives and skills required to operate effectively in a managerial role and lead effectively across functions and cultures, with strengthen knowledge and skill sets. During the degree the emphasis will evolve from an operational to a more strategic perspective of leadership in a business context.

The PGD BL is taught by seasoned academics and industry experts with extensive leadership backgrounds in national and international business environments.

Career Opportunities

This programme is based on a needs analysis conducted within South Africa business leaders. It is specifically designed to equip students with skills required to branch into various roles such as:

• Banker
• Corporate General Manager
• General Manager
• Human Resources Manager/HR Business Partner
• Finance Manager
• Managerial and Leadership Positions

Duration: 
1 year full-time
2 years part-time

Curriculum:

7 Compulsory Modules

Management Theory and Practice (15 credits)

This module establishes the foundation for management, which is critical to the efficient and effective operations of a business as well as the overall accomplishment of strategic objectives. South African managers today are faced with myriad challenges including dealing with the fast pace of change and market demand, labour relations, skills shortages and issues of business ethics.

Talent Management (15 credits)

This module provides an overview of talent management and its importance within an organization. Successful organizations are those that have an all-encompassing approach to talent and performance management, are able to link tools, systems, people and processes together to motivate employees to work at their peak, keep them aligned with the culture and corporate objectives, and build future leaders throughout the enterprise.

Organizational Learning and Development (15 credits)

This module explores the fundamental principles, processes, theories and praxis of organizational learning and development. Continuous learning and development is paramount to increase organizational performance, productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, and to gain a competitive edge at large. Offered on a blended model delivery this unit provides students with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of a “learning organization” as well as the critical aspects of continuous learning and development, including on-the-job and off-the-job methods of developing the relevant mind-set, skills, knowledge, expertise and behaviours.

Management of Business Information and Knowledge (15 credits)

In this module students will explore the value of data, information and knowledge in a business. Students will study the theory and application of the management of organizational knowledge for creating business value and generating a competitive advantage. The focus will be on how to manage knowledge and where it fits into Intellectual Capital Management.

Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (15 credits)

This module develops students’ understanding of the processes and complexities involved in starting and managing new entrepreneurial as well as innovative business ventures. This involves inculcating the fundamental principles, skills, mind-set, attitudes and behaviours required of a successful entrepreneur who is able to apply creative and innovative means to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of their business.

Strategic Leadership (15 credits)

This module is designed to equip students with the skills necessary for strategic thinking, planning and organizational innovation. In addition, the module will provide the leadership capability necessary to inspire and enable teams to innovate and improve performance towards strategic goals.

Ethics and Corporate Citizenship (15 credits)

This module introduces prospective managerial leaders to the complex interface that exists between business and society. It aims to inculcate the principle that businesses, through good managerial leadership, ought to be ethically accountable to the society beyond the economic responsibilities of entities to shareholders. This module conceptualises management responsibility as it applies to various stakeholders. It provides an opportunity to students to rationalise practical ways of addressing challenges in an ethical manner. This is facilitated through frameworks that aid understanding of common patterns of success and failure in managing ethics and corporate responsibilities.

Elective Modules

Future of Banking (15 credits)

This module explores the technology advances in banking and how it is changing the relationship between customers and their banks and also the manner in which they manage their finances. This module specifically focuses on the digital disruption and assist banks or people working in the financial services sector with the fundamental changes required in doing business. This module prepares bank staff or people in the financial services sector with these changes within a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and umbiguous) world. It equips students with the skills required to face the future with confidence and the ability to produce creative and innovative solutions.

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (15 credits)

The module is designed to strengthen the appreciation and application of fundamental principles of corporate finance that are applicable to the day-to-day business and personal interaction. It is structured to introduce the basic framework for structured analysis and understanding how value is created in an organization. This will be achieved by presenting the student with a practical guide through the following topics: Analysis of financial and other information, time value of money, capital budgeting, raising capital and fundamentals of earnings based valuations and free cash flow valuations.