Yearbooks

Programme: MBA Modular

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
07254010 Gordon Institute of Business Science
Credits Duration
Minimum duration of study: 1 year Total credits: 180

Programme information

See General Regulation G.31.

The Dean has the right of authorisation regarding matters not provided for in the General Regulations or the GIBS regulations.

Prescribed modules, LEAD 1 and 2, a compulsory research project (which has to be completed in the final year of study) and a compulsory international tour are required. 

The language of tuition for the MBA is English.

In the event of deferral of studies due to extenuating circumstances, a student must complete the degree one year after the graduation of his/her cohort class. Failure to complete the degree within this period will disqualify a student from further registration. Any student who fails more than two core modules will be deregistered from the programme.

Admission requirements

  1. A bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification is required for admission to the MBA degree studies.
  2. A pass in Mathematics at Grade 12-level or another qualification in Mathematics or Statistics or Mathematical Statistics deemed adequate by the Dean of the Institute.
  3. Work experience deemed adequate and applicable by the Dean of the Institute.
  4. The Dean of the Institute may set additional admission requirements.
  5. Candidates will be subjected to a selection process.

Other programme-specific information

Potential electives 

GIA 804 Contemporary issues in governance 804
GIA 807 Advanced valuation techniques 807
GIA 810 Contemporary issues in ethics 810
GIA 811 Contemporary issues in information and knowledge management 811
GIA 812 Contemporary issues in finance 812
GIA 813 Contemporary issues in investment 813
GIA 814 Contemporary issues in organisational development 814
GIA 815 Contemporary issues in strategy 815
GIA 816 Contemporary issues in stakeholder management 816
GIA 817 Contemporary issues in innovation 817
GIA 819 Contemporary issues in leadership 819
GIA 821 Contemporary issues in general management 821
GIA 822 Contemporary issues in the environment of business 822
GIA 823 Contemporary issues in organisational behaviour 823
GIA 827 Reputation management 827
GIA 829 Competition and regulation 829
GIA 832 Microfinance and inclusive banking 832
GIA 834 Ethics and leadership 834
GIA 835 Competitiveness of South Africa Inc. in the global economy 835
GIA 837 Strategic opportunities from information, communications and media technologies 837
GIA 838 Business law 838
GIA 842 Sports marketing 842
GIA 844 Financial derivatives 844
GIA 847 Black economic empowerment 847
GIA 848 Competitive intelligence 848
GIA 850 International business strategy 850
GIA 879 Imagination for the business mind 879
GIA 886 Contemporary issues in dynamic markets 886
GIA 891 Contemporary issues in global business 891
GIA 897 Macroeconomic forces and micro economic consequences 897
GIB 800 Creative and innovative thinking 800
GIB 801 Managing human capital 801
GIB 802  Financial modelling 802
GIB 803 Mergers and acquisitions 803
GIB 804 Building brands 804
GIB 805 Expert negotiator 805
GIB 806 Strategy in private equity 806
GIB 807 Information and knowledge management 807
GIB 808 Strategy and general management 808
GIB 809 Investment finance 809
GIB 810 Operationalising strategy 810
GIB 818 Strategic finance and value creation 818
GIB 820 Competitiveness and economic development 820
GIB 826 Institutional money management 826
GIB 828 Technology and emerging markets 828
GIB 830 Strategy and technology 830
GIB 831 Business opportunities and innovations in Africa 831
GIB 833 Economics of organisational strategy 833
GIB 836 Scenario planning and strategic thinking 836
GIB 839 Innovating business at the base 839
GIB 840 Woman in leadership 840
GIB 841 Consumer behaviour in dynamic markets 841
GIB 843 Effective execution and project management 843
GIB 845 Understanding dynamic markets 845
GIB 846 Innovation for future fitness (sustainability) 846
GIB 849 Business connectedness in Southern Africa 849
GIB 851 Leader as Coach 851
GIB 853 Corporate governance 853
GIB 855 Customer centric strategy 855
GIB 856 Multinational enterprise business strategy 856
GIB 883 Contemporary issues in personal effectiveness 883
GIB 886 Contemporary issues in research 886
GIC 802 Digital marketing 802
GIC 806 The lean start-up 806
GIC 807 Services marketing 807
GIC 808 Marketing metrics 808
GIC 810 Doing business in India 810
GIC 811 Leading through storytelling 811
GIC 814 The moral leader 814
GIC 819 Understanding business in China 819
GID 802 Supply chain and logistics 802
GID 804 Contemporary issues in sustainability 804
GID 806 Contemporary issues in African management 806
GID 807 Sustainable business 807
GID 808 International elective 808
GID 809 International elective 809
GID 810 International elective 810
GID 811 International elective 811
GID 812 International elective 812
GID 819 Global economic governance and business diplomacy 819
GID 821 Sales leadership 821
GID 823 Strategy and execution 823
GID 850 Personal leadership development 850
GID 851 Advanced entrepreneurship 851
GID 852 Strategy renewal 852
GID 853 Sales and business development 853
GID 854 Strategic leadership decision-making 854
GID 856 Business valuation and deal structure 856
GID 857 Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation 857
GID 858 Dealing with change and change immunity 858
GID 879 Developing markets 879
GID 898 Managing in frontier and emerging markets 898
GIE 815 Contemporary issues in entrepreneurship 815
GIE 817 Contemporary issues in marketing 817
GIE 818 Contemporary issues in human resources 818
GIE 829 Persuasion – the art and science of influence 829
GIE 880 Contemporary issues in supply chain management 880

Examinations and pass requirements

  1. The minimum pass mark for each module is 50%, provided that a subminimum of 45% has been obtained in the examination. The minimum pass mark for the research project is 50%.
  2. A candidate who has failed more than two core modules may not continue his studies for the MBA degree, except with the approval of the Dean of the Institute. Such a student may appeal the decision with the GIBS Academic Committee. If the Academic Committee rules in favour of re-admission of the student for the next academic year due to extenuating circumstances, the student may be granted credits for modules.
  3. Should a candidate fail an elective module, he/she may repeat the elective module or an equivalent as determined by the Dean of the Institute.
  4. Full attendance, and completion and assessment of all requirements, are necessary for the Global module and Business strategy courses.

Minimum credits: 27

Core modules

  • Module content:

    Knowledge creation is a hallmark of a master’s degree and the integrative business research project provides you with an opportunity to apply theories and concepts that you have learned in the core modules to a business problem and also to gain experience in planning and implementing a complex research project. It thus serves as a capstone of the MBA learning experience.

    View more

  • Module content:

    *Attendance module only
    Available from the relevant international institution.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module is designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to analyse and interpret financial information. Actual financial statements are analysed, and participants are expected to be familiar with real cases in the current financial press. You will become familiar with how financial statements such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements are structured. Various methods of critically evaluating them in order to make conclusions about the company’s financial strength or weakness, and future possibilities such as financial failure or the probability of takeover will be discussed. Management accounting provides managers with timely and appropriate information – firstly in order to understand the cause and behaviour of costs and to meaningfully allocate these costs to products, customers and inventories; secondly to assist in planning, budgeting and decision making; and finally in order to measure performance. This module is intended as an introduction for individuals who will plan, make business decisions and evaluate the performance of business units using information derived from the accounting system.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module explains both how human resource systems should support the achievement of strategic objectives in context, and how line managers should manage people to achieve those objectives. Module topics include the management of strategic human resources (aligning HR and business strategy, succession planning, and the war for talent), management of HR-firm infrastructure, training and development, managing employee contributions (performance management and industrial relations), and integrating HR strategies and business strategies. The role of the line manager in managing performance will be considered, and underpinned by an overview of the causes of human behaviour in organisations. The module will include case studies to illustrate unique problems and approaches to HR strategy. You will learn the strategic value of effective management of human resources and how alternative HR strategies deliver different results.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module teaches a systematic approach to marketing decision making in order to match continuously changing market opportunities with the internal resources of the company in terms of production capacity, people and finance. Key topics include understanding the market and the customers, analysing marketing opportunities, developing marketing strategies, planning marketing programmes, and assessing new directions for marketing, particularly the impact of e-business. By critically examining an extensive theoretical base of marketing literature, and reviewing local and international case studies, you will develop the skills and insights required to formulate and evaluate an effective marketing strategy within the context of overall corporate objectives. You will evaluate the changing role of marketing in the knowledge economy, and how marketing interfaces with other functional areas within the organisation.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module examines how an organisation’s structures, systems and processes contribute to its competitive position. This involves management of the processes whereby inputs such as labour, materials and equipment are converted to products or services that meet customers’ needs at an acceptable cost. Improving performance cross-functionally and across the value chain is an important focus. Topics include functional versus corporate operations strategy, operations’ reactive role, service-delivery systems design, process choice, quality management and improving operations, time and productivity, aligning operations to markets, and the impact of technology developments on the service-delivery system. You will be able to analyse an operating system’s efficiency in terms of process design, capacity and quality of service, and make recommendations to improve its design or operation. You will have a greater appreciation of the need to manage integrated processes across the value chain to achieve business success.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This course is based on the premise that everyone has the capacity to succeed in an entrepreneurial setting, although some people may have a greater propensity to succeed than others. The intention of this course is to demystify the phenomenon broadly referred to as entrepreneurship; to make it easily understood as a business concept, readily accessible as a career option and practically applicable as a style of management. The course provides a broad perspective on entrepreneurship and its strategic importance and social relevance. It also provides an understanding of and approach to managing the issues involved in pursuing an entrepreneurial career path. It integrates different aspects of the MBA in developing a business plan for a potential entrepreneurial idea, and thus provides a practical application of concepts dealt with in other MBA courses.

    View more

  • Module content:

    The course will introduce students to different challenges faced by the CEO in strategy formulation and implementation. The purpose of the course is to create a deep appreciation of the basic concepts in strategy and their application in real situations both at corporate and business unit levels. The objectives of the course are to provide an understanding of: the determinants of and processes in the formulation and implementation of strategy; an integrated view of the different themes and concepts in strategy and their relevance in different contexts; an integrated view of all the functional areas of management; and the current strategic concerns of South African and International companies in the contexts of significant changes in the business environment. Topics included are corporate strategy, business and competitive strategy, core competencies, strategic intent, growth and diversification models and interface between strategy and leadership.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module is based on a comprehensive business simulation.  Your group will run a company in competition with others, and apply all the disciplines of management to make it successful. You will be required to reflect on the progress of the simulation and draw conclusions about managing the whole enterprise.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This module will prepare students for the global elective by examining what makes countries and companies competitive globally. The concepts introduced at the beginning of the first year in the competitive organisation as part of the orientation programme will be re-visited and students will be helped to draw on their entire MBA experience to develop the critical ability to identify factors that enhance and restrain competitiveness. Special attention is given to the relative competitiveness of South Africa and the countries and regions to be visited, with special reference to the industries that will be studied.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This course examines the often conflicting ethical, social and economic responsibilities of business leaders operating in a dynamic market. The aim of the course is to equip business leaders for the dilemmas and decisions that they face because of the dynamic and complex environment they operate in. The course reviews leadership styles and ethical principles and how these impact the quality of difficult decisions. Also covered are the governance principles and processes required to develop the desired culture of responsibility and appropriate conduct in a business.

    View more

  • Module content:

    This course is designed to provide insight into the role of Innovation and Design and an understanding of how this is achieved in practice. The course covers the types, drivers, challenges and strategies of innovation, open and closed innovation, the connection between innovation and customer value, strategy, strategic capability and execution, the theory of innovation science, the practice of Innovation in action, how to build an appropriate innovation portfolio, and the challenges of innovation within an existing operation.

    View more

  • Module content:

    The subject of business valuation is central to leadership. The major learning objectives of this course will be to make students familiar with valuation methods so that they feel confident making effective financial decisions. Specific outcomes include: analysing historical performance and benchmarking; forecasting drivers of performance and cash flows; effective business modelling and spreadsheet design; estimating the cost of capital; evaluating optimal capital structure and funding decisions; alternative valuation methods (APV, WACC, Multiples); estimating synergies in mergers and acquisitions; negotiating the sale or purchase of a business; deal terms and structuring options for business transactions; leveraged and management buy-outs.

    View more


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.

Copyright © University of Pretoria 2024. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 Corona Virus South African Resource Portal

To contact the University during the COVID-19 lockdown, please send an email to [email protected]

FAQ's Email Us Virtual Campus Share Cookie Preferences