Multi-disciplinary Postgraduate Programme

in Physical Asset Management

Centre for Asset

Integrity Management
Physical asset management spans many disciplines, both in the technical engineering domain
as well as in the management domain. The University of Pretoria is proud to present this unique
and comprehensive multi-disciplinary programme in physical asset management.

BScHons (Applied Sciences) Mechanics: Physical Asset Management

The physical asset management challenge

Physical Asset Management is the systematic and coordinated At an operational management and technical level this
activity and practice through which an organisation optimally translates to the need for deep understanding of asset
and sustainably manages its assets and asset systems, their management principles and processes, enhanced by
associated performance, risks and expenditures over their life specialised technical knowledge and techniques related
cycles for the purpose of achieving its organisational strategic to aspects such as asset design analysis, data acquisition,
plan (BSI PAS 55:2008). condition monitoring, diagnostics and prognostics, all within
the context of asset life cycle management.
Management of physical assets such as plant equipment,
buildings, aero structures, machinery and vehicles focuses at Physical Asset Management is therefore a truly
a strategic level on establishing, operating and maintaining multidisciplinary challenge which draws expertise from
an asset portfolio that is aligned with the organisation’s diverse fields such as management strategy, process
strategic objectives, within the context of the regulatory and optimisation, quality management, machine condition
broader organisational environment. Issues such as an asset monitoring, artificial intelligence, statistics, structural
management policy, strategy and system, as well as asset dynamics, finite element analysis, fatigue and many more.
performance versus cost with due consideration of health
and safety, are of pertinent importance.

Objectives and key features of the Programme

It is recognised that many people active in the field of Physical Unique features of the programme are as follows:
Asset Management wish to increase their knowledge in • Multi-disciplinary in that both the management and
the field, but do not necessarily want to complete the full technical aspects of Physical Asset Management are
research component usually associated with a Masters addressed
degree, which as a minimum requires two years of full time • Flexibility in that students can construct their curriculum
study. It is also recognised that many practitioners have to have either a stronger focus on the management
a need for deep understanding of both the technical and aspects of Physical Asset Management, or a stronger
management aspects of asset management, and that the focus on the technical aspects thereof
learning be at a level that is recognised as a formal post- • A combination of course based learning (75%) and
graduate academic qualification. research (25%)
• One year full-time or two years part-time study period
It is in this context that Centre for Asset Integrity • Formal postgraduate qualification awarded by an
Management (C-AIM), Department of Mechanical and internationally recognised university
Aeronautical Engineering, and the Graduate School • Portability, in that the Honours degree is recognised to
of Technology Management (GSTM) joined forces to be the equivalent of the first years’ study requirement of
develop a multi-disciplinary postgraduate programme a two year full time Masters degree, at the University of
in Physical Asset Management, that can be completed Pretoria
on a full-time (one year) or part-time (2 years) basis. • The student is expected to complete at least eight 16
credit modules (128 credits in total), in line with the SAQA
The outcome will be that the individual will have achieved the standard. This translates to approximately 1 280 notional
requirements to be awarded a BScHons (Applied Sciences) hours of study, which typically consists of 20 lecture
Mechanics: Physical Asset Management. hours per course based module and the balance of study
time made up of homework assignments

The key objectives of the programme are to meet the needs of asset management practitioners
in terms of:
• Theoretical understanding of the technical and management aspects of physical asset management
• Exposure to the application of the theoretical concepts through industry relevant case studies, assignments as well as
a mini research dissertation
• Exposure to leaders in various disciplines
• Interaction with a broad range of students
The programme exposes the student to both the management as well as the technical aspects
of Physical Asset Management from a theoretical perspective. However, students will have to
choose whether they prefer to do the majority of the taught modules and research project in
either the technical or management domain.

Students must construct a curriculum consisting of eight 16 credit modules, of which

four (16 credit modules) are compulsory, two elective modules (16 credit modules) and
a research project (32 credit modules).

THE FOLLOWING FOUR MODULES ARE COMPULSORY FOR ALL STUDENTS:

Compulsory modules:

Maintenance Management IMC 780 16 credits (GSTM) Reliability Engineering MIR 781 16 credits (ME)
Asset Management IBB 780 16 credits (GSTM) Maintenance Practice MIP 780 16 credits (ME)

Students must then do two additional modules (32 credits),

focussing on either the management or technical domain.

If you wish to pursue your studies with a If you wish to pursue your studies with a
MANAGEMENT FOCUS TECHNICAL FOCUS
the following two modules are compulsory. select two of the honours modules offered by
the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical
Engineering. The following are examples:

Engineering Techno Economics 16 credits (GSTM) Condition Based Maintenance 16 credits (ME)
IKN 780 MIC 780
Project Management IPK 780 16 credits (GSTM) Vibration-based condition 16 credits (ME)
monitoring MEV 781
Maintenance Logistics MIP 782 16 credits (ME)
Non-destructive testing MCT 780 16 credits (ME)

Conduct research project on management Conduct research project on technical related

related aspects of Physical Asset Management aspects of Physical Asset Management
(equivalent of 32 credits / 2 modules) (equivalent of 32 credits / 2 modules)

BScHons (Applied Sciences) Mechanics: Physical Asset Management

The programme is hosted by the Centre for Asset Integrity Management (C-AIM),
Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering.
Visit the website www.up.ac.za/caim, for more information on this programme as well as other postgraduate study
opportunities, or contact:

Bonolo Mokoka
[email protected]

Admission requirements and registration

• Students who have completed a BEng / BSc (Engineering) degree will be automatically accepted when applying for
admission.
• Students who have completed a BTech or non-engineering BSc degree must have a minimum average of 65% (calculated
on the grades of all the final year modules (failed/passed) for the pre-requisite degree) will be considered for registration
for the BSc (Hons) degree.
• Students must apply for admission and register for the BScHons (Applied Sciences) Mechanics: Physical Asset Management
(Code 12243037) at the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering.

Further information
More details about other programmes, prerequisites, etc. can be found in the respective departmental brochures:

Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

www.up.ac.za/me

Graduate School of Technology Management

www.up.ac.za/gstm

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