SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
110892  Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship 
ORIGINATOR
University of KwaZulu-Natal 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Postgraduate Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
Entrepreneurial success is central to promoting economic growth and development. Entrepreneurs create and exploit change, are innovative and have the ability to mobilise resources to create value by invention or by improvement of existing products and/or services. The qualification is designed for aspirant entrepreneurs to nurture their entrepreneurial ambitions and enable and empower them into their new ventures through an academically rigorous, directly relevant and applied learning experience.

The qualification seeks to maintain and develop academic curiosity so as to promote scientific values such as openness, precision and the importance of differentiating between knowledge and opinions. At the end of the qualification the learners should be able to reflect upon central, ethical, philosophical and scientific problems in relation to individual work and the work of others.

Rationale:
South Africa's official unemployment figure stands at 25% with unofficial figures in the region of 36%. The unemployment problem is particularly acute amongst youth for whom unemployment is deepening. In 2007 more than 51% of those aged between 15 and 21 were unemployed. This makes South African youth unemployment rate arguably amongst the highest in the world. Graduate unemployment is a problem with estimates sitting at almost 7% in 2005.

Researchers, analysts and public policy makers have recommended entrepreneurship as holding potential for the problem. This qualification attempts to equip aspirant entrepreneurs with the attitudes, knowledge and skills that will enable them to start their own ventures. Entrepreneurship development and training will inspire entrepreneurial behaviour amongst youth and develop and to empower them into becoming job creators rather than job seekers. More successful entrepreneurs in their small and new businesses are critical to contributing to the massive unemployment problem we face. Entrepreneurship education is thus a strategic imperative for South Africa as enunciated in the Human Resources Development Council recently appointed by the Deputy President of South Africa. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
Prior learning will be recognised. Appropriate professional qualifications, practical experience in business, or other recognised university qualifications can be recognised for admission.

Entry Requirements:
  • A relevant Bachelor's Degree, Level 7. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Level 8 totalling 128 Credits:
  • Entrepreneurial Accounting and Finance, 16 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurial Marketing and Supply Chain Management, 16 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurial Strategy and Entrepreneurial. Sustainability, 16 Credits.
  • Creativity, Innovation and Economic Development, 16 Credits.
  • The Enterprise Environment, 16 Credits.
  • Perspectives in Entrepreneurship, 16 Credits.
  • Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship, 16 Credits.
  • Business Planning, 16 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Understand the process of bringing new knowledge or new technologies to the market.
    2. Combine and apply knowledge of entrepreneurship and insights from existing successful entrepreneurial ventures.
    3. Assess the commercial potential of new technologies in new and/or existing markets.
    4. Identify opportunities and challenges associated with the organisation and finance new initiatives such as new business ventures.
    5. Analyse the challenges associated with the rapid growth of new business ventures.
    6. Assess the commercial viability of a new technology-based idea and using various methods and tools for this purpose.
    7. Transform research-based ideas into feasibility and business plans and use tacit and explicit methods and tools for this purpose.
    8. Present new ideas to the market.
    9. Assess the need for innovation and initiate the process and running innovations in organisations.
    10. Seize opportunities, organising and financing viable initiatives through to fruition. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes:
    1. Synthesise research that presents the commercial viability of a new business proposition.
    2. Apply creativity techniques to the development of new business ideas.
    3. Apply knowledge to current practice.
    4. Research and compile appropriate information on practice.
    5. Develop an engaging presentation.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Each module will be assessed through a comprehensive suite of individual and/or group, written and/or oral year work assignments as both diagnostic and formative assessments.

    Summative assessments vary according to the nature of the course (assignments and/or tests and/or examinations) and are designed to give learners the opportunity to demonstrate a variety of competencies. Such assessment will reflect an understanding of learning as mult-dimensional and integrated and linked to performance (as in the presentation of a Business Plan as a summative assessment).

    The completion of this qualification requires a pass mark of 50% for each of the 8 modules. In order for all the assessment purposes to be achieved, business plan, presentation, test and examinations, open pitch presentation, case study, individual presentation of a video documentary will form part of assessment methods. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for vertical articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, Level 9. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification.
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.