The continual growth and development in the 21st century requires an accompanying increase in the supply of competent business managers and leaders to manage and lead organisations. The above development has led to an increasing demand for management education and development programmes with certification either from universities or professional bodies.

Aims

The Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration programme (“PGDBA”) can be delivered through the following modes of delivery to cater to the different needs of potential students:

• Fully taught face to face classes.
• Blended Learning which combines face to face classes with Online Learning.
• Fully Online Learning.

This degree aims to:

• To enable the advanced study of organisations, their management and the changing external context in which they operate.
• Equip individuals for and/or development of a career in business and management by developing skills at a professional or equivalent level to assume senior managerial and leadership positions in business
• Development of the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of business and management to complex issues, both systematically and creatively, to improve business and management leadership and practice.
• Enhancement of lifelong learning and personal development so as to be able to work with self-direction and originality and to contribute to business and society at large.

Course structure

The overall programme aims and learning outcomes are derived using both the UK QAA Subject Benchmarking for Postgraduate Business Management (2007) as well as the Bologna Process and European Higher Education Area Qualification Framework (EHEA, 2005). On successful completion of the programme, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of management theories, current issues of management, the development of conceptual frameworks to guide their application within organisations.
• Acquire a strong foundation in key functional areas of business management to enable them to succeed as effective managers/leaders in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.
• Acquire and use a range of concepts, tools and techniques for problem solving and decision-making for analyzing complex and inter-related business scenarios.
• Demonstrate and apply independent research and critical skills enabling the investigation and evaluation of valid and relevant management issues and practices.
• Demonstrate initiative, insight, attitudes of responsibility and ethical leadership in the development of the strategic management agenda in the organization the student works in or expected to work in the future.

PROGRAMME & CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

In designing this programme, the EHEA framework for cycles, credits, workload is used to ensure compliance and facilitate comparability and transfers of credits internationally.

Structure

The PGDBA accrues 120 Credits over eight (8) Common Core Units are given below.

• Managing Business Strategy (15 credits)
• Financial Management (15 credits)
• Marketing Management (15 credits)
• Managing Human Capital (15 credits)
• Managerial Accounting (15 credits)
• Leading Organisation (15 credits)
• Managing Operations (15 credits)
• Project Management (15 credits)

Overview of the PGDBA programme Structure

• All students undergo an online induction workshop, which is not assessed and aimed at acquiring e-learning skills for the use of the Online Learning portal and E library. In addition, academic expectations, regulations and the concept of independent learning are also covered and the induction will be delivered through a pre-recorded video.
• There are eight Common Core Units of 15 credits each.
• Students shall undertake all eight Common Core Units.
• To complete the programme and gain the PGDBA award, students must also successfully complete and earn a total of 120 credits.
• Each semester/ term will be delivered over duration of 4 weeks per module where the cycle of delivery will follow a prescribed unit planner for a full academic year.

Those who are unable to fully complete the PGDBA qualification can receive exit awards based on the number of credits gained. A Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration will be awarded if the said student has acquired a minimum of 60 credits. Students are required to complete their PGDBA between a minimum of 8 months and a maximum of 15 months from the time of enrolment as a student.

Admission criteria for entry

An applicant may be admitted on the basis of evidence to suggest that he/she will be able to fulfill and benefit from the objectives of the programme and achieve the standard required for the award. Criteria used in considering admissions to the programme include, candidates’ language proficiency, working experience, academic and professional qualifications. See the requirements below:

• A Bachelor’s Degree qualification in any subject from a recognised institution.
• A professional qualification equivalent to a degree and a minimum of two years of working experience.
• Mature and high potential candidates without degree or equivalent qualifications but hold Diplomas or Advanced Diplomas with more than six years of work experience of which at least two years are at supervisory / managerial level.
• Mature and high potential candidates without Diploma qualifications but with more than 8 years of work experience of which at least 3 years are at supervisory /managerial levels.
• Demonstrate English Language proficiency in order to participate in the programme taught in English.

Each PGDBA module is assessed by an individual assignment.

Mode A : Fully taught mode - Each taught unit will not have a total of less than 12 hours of face to face lectures and tutorials per module. Online access to the Unit Leader is also available.

Mode B : Blended Learning mode - Each taught unit will have a total of 12 hours of face to face lectures and 18 hours of online tutoring and online interactions with the Unit Leader.

Mode C : Fully Online mode - Each taught unit will have a total of 18 hours of Online Learning, tutorials and interactions with the Unit Leader. Pre-recorded video lectures for each unit will be provided.