Postgraduate Diploma in Management

in the field of Business Administration

PDM-BA
PDM
 Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field of

PDM-BA
Business Administration

Learn and grow as you apply modern business

knowledge and innovative management tools to real-life cases,
participate in lively classroom debates, get personal career MESSAGE FROM THE
coaching and prepare to spread your career wings with a two- PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
month internship.
The one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field of
Business Administration (PDM-BA) is a full time programme with
specialisation in business administration. It is broad in scope and
WITS BUSINESS SCHOOL will equip you with the critical skills and knowledge required to
South African case studies produced by our Case Centre manage and navigate the complex challenges facing business
organisations today.

350 In addition, it will challenge you to rethink your career and life in new
ways. The most distinguishing feature of the WBS PDM-BA is our
Faculty with PhDs
internship programme. Because we care about your career, we provide

95%
intensive career coaching to help you secure a working internship
where you can apply your academic learning in a real business context
and position yourself for a life changing career.

Academic articles by our faculty published every year (+/-)

30
Innovation, rigour and excellence are in the DNA of WBS. As a business
school that has been around for more than 50 years (one of the oldest
on the African continent), WBS has earned a reputation for academic
excellence and is highly ranked both on the continent and globally. You
WITS UNIVERSITY will learn the latest business concepts from top rate faculty who are
experts in their fields as well as practitioners with rich industry

CONTENTS 28
A-rated Scientists
experience, and engage in lively interaction with classmates from all
backgrounds. The networking opportunities are enormous, and
curriculum is cutting edge.

Message from the Programme Director

What is a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in
1
2 4
Nobel Laureates
If you are highly motivated, have a strong undergraduate degree (but
lack work experience), and would like to gain a solid foundation in
business principles, then our PDM is exactly what you need to launch
the field of Business Administration?
your career.
Who is it for? 3
I look forward to meeting with you and welcoming you onto the
Why do a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in 3 programme
the field of Business Administration?

Does the PDM-BA help towards an MBA 3

When can I enrol? 3
Curriculum 4
Career development 5 Jones Odei Mensah, PhD
Application process 6 PDM-BA Programme Director
Fees 6
Checklist 7
Experience WBS 8
1
 WHAT IS A POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT
IN THE FIELD OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION? WHO IS IT FOR?
The Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field
The Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field of Business Administration (PDM-BA) is a generalist, of Business Administration is for young graduates who
one-year, full-time management/business qualification, with a specialisation in business administration. wish to accelerate their management careers but lack
relevant work experience.

WHY DO A POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA

IN MANAGEMENT IN THE FIELD OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION?

• A PDM-BA will expand your knowledge of the

fundamentals of business.
• It is a perfect bridge between undergraduate
study and the world of work.
• The PDM-BA could be for you if you are unsure
about which career to follow, or if you are
thinking of switching careers.
• It is supported by an intensive career
management programme and culminates in a
two-month internship.
• You will meet like-minded people and be
given countless networking opportunities.
WHEN CAN I
ENROL?
There is one intake per year:
• January intake –
12 months (full-time)
• Classes run on
weekdays, from 08:30
to 16:00
Applications are strictly
online. As the PDM-BA is
a popular programme

spread your
which receives hundreds
of applications, it is
always best to apply as
early as possible to avoid

career wings
disappointment.

2 3
 A
CURRICULUM CAREER
COURSES
DEVELOPMENT variety of career management services which we
encourage our students to participate in.
Quarter 1: Group Dynamics (Compulsory attendance course)
Financial and Management Accounting These include:
Operations Management • Career counselling and advisory
Economics • Career workshops
Marketing Management • Employment consultation
Internship Preparation (Compulsory attendance course) • Annual Career Fair
• CV and cover letter formulation and critique
Quarter 2: Strategic Management
• Company workshops and competitions
Human Resource Management and Organisation Design
• Graduate recruitment and networking events
and Development
• Mock interviews
Analytical Problem Solving and Decision Making
Business Disruption and Innovation
Internship preparation (Compulsory attendance course)

Quarter 3: The academic third quarter consists of a compulsory two-

month internship in full-time employment at an organisation of
the student’s choice from available companies. The internship
is supported by an intensive Career Management programme
which commences within the first two weeks of the
Postgraduate Diploma in Management full-time programme
(Internship Preparation).

Quarter 4: Financial Management

Entrepreneurship Management
Business Simulation (Compulsory attendance course)

Students will also select

ONE ELECTIVE COURSE
from the following:
• Service Industry Management
• Strategic Marketing Management
• Strategic HR Development
• Negotiation Skills

4 5
A
PPLICATION PROCESS
• Only online applications are accepted.
Checklist
Please go to www.wbs.ac.za and click on the apply now button
and follow the links.
Online application form

• Please ensure that all information is correct and that you have
uploaded everything on the checklist. Faculty of Management Part III form
• Should your application be successful, an amount of
Copy of your degree or diploma
R15 000 will be payable on acceptance. This amount is

Copies of your academic transcripts

fee payable in your first year.

Proof of English language proficiency

Deadline for applications: (For students who have not studied at tertiary
Check website for update level in English)

Non-refundable application fee of R200

REQUIREMENTS
FOR ADMISSION SAQA certificate
• A three-year degree or National Higher (If you are a foreign student)
Diploma at NQF 7 level.
• Mathematics competency at Matriculation WBS Admission test: R950
level: Mathematics - minimum 50% and
Mathematics Literacy - minimum 65%.
• An acceptable score on the WBS
psychometric test battery.
• Shortlisted candidates will
be invited to write the WBS
Admissions test.

PDM FEES
Fees for the Postgraduate Diploma in
Management in the field of Business
Administration Programme for 2024 are
quoted as
R100 700*
* subject to review in January 2025
ENQUIRIES
+27 (0)861 000 927
[email protected]

6 7
 WHAT IS THE WBS TEACHING PUBLIC
CASE CENTRE? EXCELLENCE DIALOGUE,
Spending time
In line with the world’s leading Apart from our full- DEBATE &
business schools, WBS has time faculty, we have a DISCUSSION
in this learning its own Case Centre which number of visiting/adjunct WBS hosts regular
environment, produces a collection of professors from other public lectures and panel
fascinating, contextually- business schools around discussions on issues
surrounded by relevant and up-to-date the world. Numerous guest facing South Africa and
exceptional people, case studies every year. The lecturers bring their up- the rest of the continent.
will provide you with case method, pioneered by to-the-minute business or
Harvard Business School, industry knowledge into the
the foundation for an
is widely recognised as the classroom.
extraordinary life most powerful learning tool
for management students.
WBS’s case studies tell
the stories of some of
continent’s most famous (and There is no better time or
infamous) business leaders
place for you to become Doing a PDM at WBS was one of the most
and organisations, giving
our students the unique all that you want to be strategic moves I could have made in my
career and academic journey. The programme
opportunity of playing the
really develops one to become a critical thinker
decision-maker role in a
and have a solutionist mindset. What really
real-life business dilemma.
stood out for me was that we were encouraged

experience
to share and openly engage our views about
current trends and various strategies, and this
gave us an incredible opportunity to learn from
each other. I grew more as an individual in my PDM year
Hulisa Mutswaletswale than I did in my entire three years of undergrad.
This programme allows you to interact with
every type of personality you can imagine,
which builds your character in a phenomenal

with people and perform meaningful conflict

resolution. I had some of the best lecturers and
mentors I ever could have hoped to have – these
people are experts in their respective fields and
being able to learn from them made our class
an extremely fortunate bunch of people.

Kayla Thomas

8
www.wbs.ac.za

WITS BUSINESS SCHOOL

The University of the Witwatersrand

2 St David’s Place | Parktown 2193
GPS coordinates: -26.1808 / 28.0369
PO Box 98 Wits 2050 Johannesburg
+27 (0) 11 717 3544