The Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration programme (“PGCBA”) is the stepping- stone towards an MBA qualification. On completion of this postgraduate certificate students have two options:
- continue to a Postgraduate Diploma with LEB carrying a 120 credit exemption which can go towards an MBA top-up degree with an LEB partner university; or
- enroll on an MBA with an LEB associated university in the US with 12 credits transfer. These flexible pathways enable students to choose their preferred pathway and degree to meet their individual needs.
Overall Programme Outcomes
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.
Assessments
Varied assessment tasks and/or instruments will be employed in assessing learning outcomes as set out below.
(a) Multiple Choice Questions.
(b) Reflective Learning Log.
(c) Management Report.
Entry Requirement
- 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 a 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.
Advanced Standing / Exemptions / Credits Transfer (APL)
Consideration for the above for students admitted onto the programme may be considered either at the beginning of a programme, or beyond the beginning of a programme, through an assessment of that student’s prior learning, whether certificated or un-certificated. The process for making such a decision is known as the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a matter of academic judgment exercised by the appointed panel considering applications and approvals of APL.
Where cohorts of students are to be admitted with advanced standing on a regular basis, the arrangement should be subject to an Academic Progression Agreement.
Programme Structure
The PGCBA accrues 60 credits over four (4) modules as set out as mentioned below.
- Managing Business Strategy (15 credits)
- Marketing Management (15 credits)
- Project Management (15 credits)
- Managing Human Capital (15 credits)
Overview of the 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 o nline learning portal. In addition, academic expectations, regulations and the concept of independent learning are also covered, and an induction will be delivered through a pre-recorded video.
- There are four modules of 15 credits each.
- To complete the programme and gain the PGCBA award, students must successfully complete and earn a total of 60 credits.
- Generally, each semester/term will be delivered over duration of 3 weeks per module where the cycle of delivery will follow a prescribed unit planner over a 12 week duration.
- Those who are unable to fully complete the PGCBA qualification can receive transcript with level 7 credits earned. Students are required to complete their PGCBA between a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months from the time of enrolment as a student.
Module 1: Managing Business Strategy
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Apply the appropriate models, techniques and theories to produce an environmental audit of the external and internal environment for an organisation.
- Identify issues and challenges associated with developing an effective corporate strategy.
- Assess the major strategic management theories and concepts concerning the processes of strategic planning and implementation.
- Critically analyse and evaluate the alternative strategic directions an organisation may consider to employ and propose the most appropriate strategic option for execution.
- Formulate a Strategic Plan.
Module content includes:
- The Concept of Strategy and how it benefits the organization vision, mission and objectives.
- Transformation of the External Strategic Environment and the Consequences and the Influence of the Internal Environment on Current Practice.
- Key Strategic Techniques for Analysis.
- Strategic Development, namely Acquisitions and Mergers, Joint ventures and Alliances, and Divestment.
- Strategy Implementation.
- Strategic Performance Analysis.
- Strategic Plan
Module 2 – Managing Human Capital
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding that to engage successfully in processes of human capital management, their thinking needs to go beyond such dualisms as thinking and acting, structure and culture, strategy and implementation, and see each of these as different facets of unified processes in human and organisational life;
- Analyse and evaluate the choices presented in approaches to human capital management practices and how these relate to the overall strategic way an organisation handles its changing environment and the range of stakeholders with which it deals; and
- Critically appraise current managerial practices to inform the way they can contribute to the strategic direction of human capital resourcing, and develop appropriate and relevant solutions to employment management issues in their organisations.
Module content includes:
- Historical view of work, work today and workers’ psychological contract.
- Essence of organisational strategy, human capital strategy.
- Human Capital Management (HCM) roles in structures, culture and policy as well as strategic Human Capital (HC) partnership and alliance.
- The Workplace Relations.
- New Roles and Challenges for HCM including Talent Management.
- Human Capital Trends and Organisation Culture
Module 3 – Marketing Management
Upon completion of this unit, learners will be able to:
- Undertake a situation analysis such that it is possible to develop a concise understanding of the marketing environment.
- Use situation analysis findings to formulate a marketing strategy that will fit the company and its environment link to the Marketing Mix.
- Formulate a marketing plan that provides for the implementation and control of chosen strategies.
Module content includes:
- Introduction to Marketing Management.
- The Environment Influence and its Management.
- Marketing Strategies.
- Product Planning & Screening.
- Promotion Strategy.
- Advertising Strategies.
- Global Marketing.
- Pricing Policies & Strategies.
- Marketing Analysis and Formulating a Marketing Plan.
- Implementation, Evaluation & Control.
Module 4 – Project Management
- Upon completion of this unit, learners will be able to:
- Develop and define project scope.
- Apply project management knowledge in a practical setting.
- Use project planning and management techniques.
Module content includes:
- The nature of projects.
- Scoping and initiation.
- Risk Management.
- Time and activity planning.
- Links to motivation, team management and other theories.
- Project selection.
- Managing the project lifecycle.
- Project documentation.