Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration Modules

Semester 1

Economics for Managers (PBA 4801)

Students who complete this module will be able to explain economic phenomena that influence business organisations. They will be able to predict the effect of changes in economic variables; analyse the impact of economic changes on specific business organisations; and revise business decisions by monitoring changes in economic phenomena.

Value Chain Management (PBA 4805)
Students who complete this module will be able to manage value chains for effective organisational functioning. Effective management of the value chain as a system is vital for continual upgrading and improvement.
Leadership and Organisational Behaviour (PBA 4806)
Students who complete this module will be able to lead and manage individuals and teams, and contribute to effective leadership within organisations. They will gain knowledge, values, attitudes, skills and competencies that will enable them to analyse and solve problems related to current leadership challenges in the workplace.
Accounting for Managers (PBA 4807)
Students who complete this module will be able to interpret and evaluate the different types of financial reports; to read and analyse financial statements; understand the capital budgeting process and evaluate a company’s management of working capital. They will further be able to evaluate costing and product-pricing decisions; and evaluate the budgeting process of an organisation.

Information and Knowledge Management (PBA 4808)
Students who complete this module will be able to evaluate the various acquisition methods of data, information and knowledge. They will further be able to evaluate management information and knowledge management systems; explain and evaluate information technology strategy, as well as manage various decision support systems and competitive intelligence tools.

Semester 2

Global Business Environment (PBA 4802)
Students who complete this module will be able to analyse the global business environment with a view to making informed business decisions. They will be able to integrate closed and open systems thinking; to evaluate global business opportunities for purposes of decision-making and design solutions for cross-border business relationships.
Stakeholder Management (PBA 4803)
Students who complete this module will be able to gather, interpret and synthesise information for stakeholder group decision-making. They will be able to explain the influence of various contemporary theoretical perspectives on managing stakeholders; discuss the key institutional and legal frameworks that influence stakeholder group relations and access the relationships between organisations and stakeholder groups. They will also be able to incorporate stakeholder group issues and expectations into business decision-making.

Decision Support Systems for Managers (PBA 4804)
Students who complete this module will be able to explain the art and context of decision-making in business organisations. They will be able to evaluate the impact and consequences of decision-making in business organisations, as well as apply quantitative and qualitative techniques to improve decision-making. They will further be able to explain the importance of creativity and innovation in the decision-making process.
Integrated Management Practice (PBA 4809)
Students who complete this module will be able to synthesise and integrate the eight discipline-based modules of the PGD. They will be able to determine the information that is required of the operating environment of an organisation to make well-informed decisions. Students will have to synthesise and integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills.
Completion of qualification

The PGD is a one-year qualification and students must register for all the modules in this year. If unsuccessful in completing all the modules in the first year students will have a maximum of two years to complete the PGD curriculum successfully. A student may apply for one additional year of study to the Registrar. After this time the student will be removed from the SBL system. Upon completion of the programme, a student will receive the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, conferred by the University of South Africa.

UNISA PGD Programme Modules