Henley’s Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice an essential bridge to the Henley MBA

Henley Business School – Africa’s Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice (PG Dip) is a postgraduate management practice programme that gives students the necessary tools they need to effectively manage a business and move on to Henley Africa’s MBA programme.

This NQF Level 8 course offers students a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to manage a business. Through experiential and action learning, students get to tackle and solve real business problems, and in the process experience the disruption and expansion of their worldview. As part of the course, they get experiential learning through immersions on the African continent.

The PG Dip is ideal for middle to senior managers with three or more years of management experience and an NQF Level 7 qualification (a Bachelors Degree or advanced diploma). The part-time programme runs over 10-12 months, with 21 attendance days over the course of the five-module programme.

In the Systematic Management Practice module, students learn to integrate systems thinking and learning into management practice and knowledge. They explore theoretical, contextual and practical perspectives through topics such as systems thinking, critical thinking, multiple perspectives, ethics, the organisational environment, stakeholder analysis and reflective learning, among others.

Students learn how value is measured and how to make informed business decisions through the Innovative Wealth Creation module. They learn to analyse, evaluate and design organisational delivery systems and processes using relevant models and frameworks; how to identify the nature and purpose of financial information; and how to take financial criteria and consequences into account in their decision making and problem-solving. The module also covers budgeting, customers and stakeholders, strategic planning, value management, capital structure and finance, risk management, shareholder value and more.

The Managing Value Systems module teaches students how to design and implement appropriate frameworks for managing and improving the performance of value streams in their organisations. They learn about the effects of growth, development and change on the internal environment, and to understand how internal resources meet business demand.  Topics covered include human performance systems, performance management, organisational development and strategy, building and leading teams that work, developing and retaining talent, values-driven leadership, mentoring and coaching as well as managing transformation, change, diversity and inclusion.

To synthesise and integrate what they have learned, students work on action learning assignments in their place of business. Learning from other’s experiences and sharing reflections and learning outcomes are crucial elements of the Synthesis and Integration module.

Following on from this, students are required to create an Action Learning Report by researching a topic, collecting and interpreting data and applying their findings to their research question.

The PG Dip, which is equivalent to an honours degree, is the first course on Henley’s education ladder where students are required to do research, gather evidence and interpret that evidence, rather than just reproducing what they find in a textbook. It requires students to work much more independently.

On completion of these modules students are able to identify a business problem; demonstrate an awareness of current approaches to the identified problem; assess the implications of each approach; demonstrate an ability to research a business problem and possible solution; analyse the business environment and demonstrate an understanding of environmental risk and how to manage it in relation to the problem.

Dr Adri Drotskie, Henley Africa MBA Director, says the PG Dip is an ideal bridging programme for those who seek to do an MBA. “We recommend that those who have the qualifications to do an MBA but have no experience in management, first do the PG Dip so that they get some knowledge of management practice. We have many people doing an MBA who thank us for this advice as doing the PG Dip prepares them well for the challenges of the MBA programme.”