Overview of the program
The programme will focus on the strategic competencies of HR leaders in delivering business value in pursuit of the overall business goals of an organisation. The programme has been designed with inputs from top HR Directors, business executives and thought leaders, thereby ensuring a cutting-edge approach to HR best practices aligned to the realities and complexities of the new world of work. The PG Diploma offers a development opportunity to graduates in any field seeking to augment their qualifications with core HR Management knowledge and skills as well as to examine the strategic application of the HR function in organisations. The introduction of this post graduate qualification will also facilitate the upward career mobility of middle managers in various disciplines requiring people management skills.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic HR Management will be a programme with a modular/blended learning mode of delivery (physical and online learning) at the Stellenbosch University main campus. There are 8 direct contact hours of classes per module, 8 hours per day for the block of introductory contact time (this introductory contact block is thus a week long) followed by presentation of outcomes achieved at the end of the programme. Students will be required to have online contact and to do independent self-study, assignments, and application in a work environment. The duration of the programme is one year for students who want to complete it in an accelerated way, or two years for students who need more flexibility in terms of their workload and other personal or family commitments. Information and communication technology mediated lectures and discussion groups will be employed to facilitate the learning experience for students.
Mode of Presentation
The programme is presented in a modular hybrid mode combining online learning with occasional face-to-face sessions.
Programme Content:
The unique value proposition of the programme is as follows:
- Its focus is strategic in ensuring that HR work is elevated to the strategic level in organisations by driving effective business strategy;
- Global, emerging market and local HR best practices are integrated into the programme from a future world of work perspective;
- Individual and group online learning accelerates the learning and networking experience;
- All outcomes are applied in the workplace and culminate in clear outputs relevant to the workplace and presented and signed-off by a panel of experts;
- The content and outcomes of the different modules cover global best practices in HR Management, while also meeting the national HR standards and competencies of the SA Board for People Practices (SABPP);
- The programme is presented by top level industry experts;
- An integrated assessment ensures that students obtain overall competence in all of the eight modules.
The programme will focus on four market segments:
- HR Practitioners who are interested to progress to HR Managers;
- HR Managers who are aspiring to become HR Directors;
- HR Directors who are keen to update their HR knowledge;
- Line Managers and other specialists who want to improve their people management skills.
The eight modules of 15 credits each add up to a total of 120 credits. The modules are as follows:
- Strategic HR Management and Ethics
- Strategic HR Development and Coaching
- Talent Management
- Employment Law
- Employment Relations
- Organisation Behaviour
- Compensation Management
- HR Metrics
Admission requirements
The entrance requirement is a first degree in any field, but access to the Internet and involvement in people management as part of your portfolio of work experience is essential to complete practical assignments in the workplace. In addition to your first degree and three years' working experience, your qualifications and experience must comply with the recognition of prior learning (RPL) regulations of the University, the Faculty and the Department of Industrial Psychology. Applicants must confirm their employment status and access to a work site for the practical component of the programme. The criteria for selection include academic achievement and professional work experience. A final average of 55% in your last year of study will provide you with access to the final short-list of students.
Application and enquiries
Applications are open and close on
01 October for International candidates and 30 October for South African candidates
Please apply by completing Stellenbosch University Postgraduate application form by clickinghere
The following must accompany the application for admission:
Please click
here to view and download our brochure.
For more information or to apply, contact the Programme Administrator, Ms Rahkeenah Peters at
indpsych@sun.ac.za / 021 808 3012