Yearbooks

Programme: PGDip Business Administration Business Studies

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Code Faculty
07220012 Gordon Institute of Business Science
Credits Duration
Minimum duration of study: 1 year Total credits: 120

Admission requirements

  • Subject to the provisions of General Regulations G.1.3 and G.54 a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification is required for admission to the postgraduate diploma. 
  • The requirement of an exemption assessment on preparatory work as determined by the Dean must be complied with. 
  • The Dean may set additional admission requirements. 
  • Candidates will be subjected to a selection process.

Additional requirements

Refer General Regulation G.55.
Prescribed courses, workshops and company or field visits form part of the programme.

Examinations and pass requirements

  1. The minimum pass mark for each prescribed module is 50%.
  2. In the case of methodology modules, credit for the module will be obtained through an exam. Exam entry is contingent on adequate progress with the online component of the work, and a subminimum of 45% must be obtained in the examination.
  3. In the case of thematic studies, students must have obtained a minimum of 50% for assignment submissions.
  4. A candidate who has failed more than two modules may not continue with his/her studies for the diploma, except with the approval of the Dean.

Minimum credits: 120

Core modules

  • Module content:

    This module helps students to understand the value of a research-focused approach to business in an era of rapid social and technological changes, globalisation and “big data”. This model reviews some of the basic elements of research, conceptualised as a systematic engagement with evidence and prior knowledge, and will require of students to start applying that understanding to current dynamics in the business context.

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  • Module content:

    This module aims to expose students to a number of key topics related to quantitative research methodology with the purpose of equipping students with the ability and skills to successfully execute a quantitative research project. More specifically the module intends to provide students with an understanding of the philosophies underlying quantitative research, a selection of research methods used to collect primary data for a quantitative research study and also to ensure that they are able to draw a sample to collect quantitative data from respondents. The module also attempts to equip students with the ability to develop a conceptual model in order to illustrate the proposed relationships between variables.

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  • Module content:

    This module aims: to expose students to some of the underlying philosophy of qualitative research and why this is relevant for research in Africa; to help students understand the difference between quantitative research and qualitative research; and to provide guidelines for conducting research using i) grounded theory ii) case study methods iii) narrative research. By the end of the module, students will: i) have an appreciation of the richness of qualitative research methodology, and will be better able to assess whether a qualitative research method is appropriate for their own research, ii) receive broad guidelines how to conduct rigorous qualitative research employing case study, grounded theory methods or narrative research, and iii) have practice designing and performing a qualitative research study.

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  • Module content:

    This module helps students to conceptualise a research design. It covers how the choice of a research design relates to the chosen analytic method (Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research or Mixed Methods). Students are expected to relate the research question to the research design and to justify the selection of a given design for a given problem. The objectives of the module are to help students: make informed decisions about their research design; and understand the implications of selecting a given research design in particular around the research questions that can be answered.

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  • Module content:

    This module aims to guide students to read existing research and especially theories in an appreciative manner. They need to identify the main theories explaining a real-world phenomenon of their choice, and to explain how the theories have been used.

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  • Module content:

    This module aims to guide students to read existing literature and especially theories in a critical manner. They need to highlight the ‘blind spots’ of the main theories that have been used to explain their chosen phenomenon, and to explain how alternative perspectives may help better explain it.

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  • Module content:

    This modules aims to guide students to develop their own conceptual models. They need to integrate existing literature with their own critical understanding, and to propose an alternative framework for making sense of a phenomenon they have observed.

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  • Module content:

    This module aims to help researchers and students make the transition from the classroom to research in the ‘real world’. The emphasis is on demonstrating how business dynamics are better understood with the use of theory or models, measurement concepts and methods, qualitative and quantitative modes of observation, identifying causes, the logic of control variables, and the design of experiments and quasiexperiments. Students will also be required to communicate these complex ideas in a language that is deemed credible by scholars, but nonetheless accessible to business audiences.

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The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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