University of the Witwatersrand

Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration

Postgraduate Diploma
in Public Management

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Next start date

08 May 2023

Programme duration

18 Months

6 Start dates - 100% Online - Pay per 7-week module

Next start date

08 May 2023

Programme duration

18 Months

6 Start dates - 100% Online - Pay per 7-week module

Wits School of Governance

Why study through Wits online?

The Wits online learning experience provides the opportunity to advance your career with occupationally relevant online offerings that equip you with skills and knowledge that can be applied at work immediately.

These online offerings are designed to fit into your lifestyle, so that you can study within your schedule, no matter where you are. You learn from the best, receiving expert guidance from lecturers who are committed to academic and teaching excellence that is contextually relevant.

Part-time and flexible studies

Completely online

Academic support from expert Wits lecturers

Learn critical skills that can be applied in your workspace immediately

No travel required

Study within your schedule

Wits School of Governance

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management (PDPM)

Minimum duration: 18 months

Be a part of the solution and change the way the government works from the inside. The 18-month Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management (PDPM) at the Wits School of Governance, will prepare you for professional and managerial leadership roles in the public, development, and not-for-profit sectors. It will also provide you with the knowledge and skills to act ethically and effectively. Enhance your decision-making capacity, learn about conceptual frameworks for public management, and engage critically with the governance debates taking place today.

The PDPM is a post-experience diploma that provides you with key competencies in public management: governance, development, public management, public policy, ethics, and leadership. It focuses on enhancing your problem-solving, information management, and people management expertise that is vital for public sector managers and practitioners who work closely with the public, development, and not-for-profit sectors.

Feedback during this programme is constant and aligns with the exit level outcomes, and incorporates group assessments and peer feedback. Upon completion of this programme, you may qualify for entry to a Wits Master’s degree that demands a public sector qualification as an entry requirement. Entry into the Wits School of Governance Masters programme requires a 65% average.

Admission
requirements

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Modules

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Fees

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Need financial assistance?

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Admission requirements

  • Applicants require a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and preferably two years of relevant work experience in the public, parastatal or non-profit sectors. Students with relevant private sector experience will be considered.
  • The pass mark for these programmes is 50%. Students who achieve an average mark of 65% or more may proceed to the Master’s programme.

Modules

Each module will run over a period of seven weeks.

Module 1 – Governance, Leadership and Public Value              

This module deals with contemporary conceptions of state and society. It seeks to provide students with a thorough understanding of government functioning and administration, government relations with the private sector and civil society, and government interaction within local, national and regional contexts. It examines the public sector and the complex challenges surrounding public administration, as well as the impact of different models of governance and leadership on the distribution of economic and other resources and the creation of public value.

Module 2 – Public Policy              

This module interrogates conceptual and theoretical frameworks of public policy, examines models of public policy making; offers a framework of public policy analysis and explores policy contexts in South Africa, Africa and globally. The module provides students with an understanding of the special challenges facing policy development and implementation and how to overcome them. This includes technical and skills requirements for evaluating policy, managing vested interests, consultation and public relations, monitoring and evaluation, and the management of inter-departmental coordination and relations.

Module 3 – Public finance and performance-based budgeting              

This module introduces students to key concepts in public finance and public sector economics and then analyses public finance issues in the South African context. Key topics include the role of the state in the economy; public expenditure and its impact on economic growth; taxation; fiscal policy; key areas of social policy, including education, health, and social security; and intergovernmental fiscal relations.

Module 4 – Development              

This module reviews different conceptions of and current debates about development, including the role of states and markets in development. It deals with the roles of local communities, global actors, and the private and NGO sectors, as well as the impacts of marketisation and economic deregulation. It also highlights challenges to managing development in emerging economies such as South Africa, including social and economic exclusion, inequality, and skewed gender relations.

Modules 5 and 6 – Strategic Public Management A and B              

This module deals with managerial systems, strategies and cultures; organisational management; human resources management; performance monitoring; and organisational development and change. It focuses on how bureaucracies should be managed to ensure effective policy implementation and examines the research and analysis needed for making effective decisions in organisational settings. The module also covers the development and validation of operational plans for effective and efficient service delivery.

Module 7 – Analytical Methods              

This module covers the analysis and interpretation of quantitative data relevant to public policy research and practice. Students make decisions and communicate findings based on statistical approaches that enable the interpretation of data.

Module 8 – Evaluation              

This module covers the various forms and approaches to evaluation. Looking at the application of evaluation in a range of public and development management contexts and includes detailed debates around evaluation theory and practice. Issues in evaluation regarding sub-Saharan Africa are explored.

Fees

Fees are payable in advance of the start date for each individual module and must be received before the payment deadline for students to register successfully. No upfront deposit is required for the programme.

Payment can be made via EFT through our self-service portal. Please ensure you capture your student number accurately in the reference field to limit delays in registration. Do not include unnecessary alphanumeric characters or punctuation in the reference. Certain banks may take up to three days for funds to reflect in your student account. If the payment does not reflect by the fourth working day, please contact your Enrolment Specialist to follow up.

Fees for 2023

Number of modules  8
Total programme credits 120

 Modules

PADM5243O – Governance, leadership and public value R7,250
PADM5245O – Public policy R7,250
PADM5253O – Public finance and performance-based budgeting R7,250
PADM5248O – Development R7,250
PADM5266O – Strategic public management A R7,250
PADM5266O – Strategic public management B R7,250
PADM5247O – Analytical methods R7,250
PADM5250O – Evaluation R7,250
Total Fees R58,000*

*2023 Pricing

**Module pricing is subject to change in January of each year.

An academic year runs from January to December and fees are subject to annual increases each January. It is recommended that sponsored candidates obtain two quotations for each year of enrolment due to the annual increments and inform their employers or sponsors thereof.

Need Financial Assistance?

If you need financial assistance for this programme, please request information on financing options from your Enrolment Specialist.

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