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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Postgraduate Diploma: Management: Information Risk Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
15498	Postgraduate Diploma: Management: Information Risk Management
ORIGINATOR
University of Cape Town
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			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	Level 7	NQF Level 08	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 06120/18	2018-07-01	2018-12-31
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2019-12-31		2022-12-31

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.

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification.

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

The main purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with postgraduate level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence to prepare them for positions in the auditing and consulting professions relating to the assurance of the integrity of business information. The course is designed to give students a strong foundation in the risk management process of a business information system in addition to a broad perspective on the technological environment within which data and information are initiated, recorded and analysed.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

A proven understanding of Accounting, Computer Science and/or Information Systems.

Senior Certificate with Matriculation Exemption or Equivalent university admission qualification.

First degree:
Graduate of UCT or another University recognised for this purpose from the following disciplines or their equivalent:

BSc (Computer Science)

BCom (IS major), BCom (Hons) IS

BCom/BBusSci PGDA

B.Tech

Provided that the applicant has had practical or academic exposure to general and application controls.

Other qualification(s): CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) qualification, CA (SA)

Recognition of Prior Learning:

A non-graduate with appropriate work experience who has satisfied Senate by means of such test as may be prescribed by the Senate that he/she has attained an equivalent level of competence adequate for the purpose of study of this course.

Sate specific additional requirements (e.g. matric subjects)

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

a) Cross critical outcomes:

The Postgraduate Diploma graduate is competent to:

Study and understand the South African business environment;

Apply classical and contemporary management theory to a variety of organisational environments;
Analyse and construct logical arguments and competing viewpoints
Research business issues
Form independent and research-based opinions about contemporary issues of theory and practice,
Understand and apply the fundamentals of the financial aspects of a business and the environment in which that business operates;
Operate an IBM-compatible personal computer;
Utilise the Windows operating system and work competently with Windows-based data management, word processing and spread sheeting applications to create, edit, save and print documents to professional industry standard;
Apply appropriate information technology to a variety of organisation situations;
Conduct internet-based research;
Analyse and interpret the marketing process considering current trends in the South African context;
Formulate a marketing strategy that sports the objectives of an organisation using the marketing concept, target marketing and the marketing mix.

b) General outcomes (contextually demonstrated general knowledge, skills and values of the programme)

The holder of a Post-graduate diploma in a Commerce will

Have attained a level of knowledge and understanding of the relevant discipline equivalent to that of a student who has studied the subject for three years in the course of completing a 360-credit Bachelor's degree

Have mastered items of theoretical knowledge of specific relevance to the commercial activity being prepared for

Have acquired an understanding of the role of initiative and entrepreneurship in the relevant area of commercial activity

Be qualified in terms of professional expertise to work in an entry level managerial post in the relevant industry or profession.

Have developed personal skills and work habits appropriate to working in a team

Have internalised the norms of conduct relevant to the profession for which the diploma is a preparation.

c) Specific outcomes,

The PGDM (IRM) diplomat is competent to: -

1. Identify, evaluate and prioritise the risks and opportunities of technological developments for business information systems.
2. Identify exposures and risk areas in a technologically complex information system
3. Identify an appropriate control strategy for a given scenario
4. Identify appropriate control procedures
5. Explain internal control concepts and principles relevant to the internal and external audit function.
6. Integrate the technological, business and control perspectives of information systems.
7. Prepare appropriate reports for the following levels, executive management, middle management, technology division and operational division.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

The learner's achievement of critical cross-field outcomes is assessed formatively during the course through a range of activities, and summative in the capstone activity outlined below.

The learner's achievement of general programme outcomes is assessed through a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course, and particularly in the capstone activity outlined below.

The successful candidate for a post-graduate diploma in a Commerce will

Pass relevant undergraduate courses

Undertake case studies in the relevant field of commercial activity

Successfully complete practical tasks which require the mastery of skills identified by employers as important for managers in their industry

Participate successfully in team projects which require a capacity to work cooperatively with others

Successfully complete work which requires an ability to think independently and demonstrate initiative in practical problem solving

Be able to participate in discussion of normative issues in relation to the relevant industry or profession.

Assessments include theoretical papers, practical reports, oral presentations and research projects. Formative assessment includes the preparation of short and long papers. Summative assessment takes the form of a final examination. (See section 6).

These assessments will demonstrate an ability to

1. Identify, evaluate and prioritise the risks and opportunities of technological developments for business information systems
2. Identify exposures and risk areas in a technologically complex information system.
3. Prepare the appropriate control strategy for a given scenario and outline the necessary control procedures
4. Explain internal control concepts and principles relevant to the internal and external audit function
5. Prepare appropriate reports for the following levels, executive management, middle management, technology division and operational division incorporating the technological, business and control perspectives.

Integrated assessment:

The integration of skills in the diploma is achieved through the oral presentations, the submission of a research project and a cumulative written examination.

Learners submit a project designed to constitute both a formative and a summative exercise for which they need to achieve a minimum grade. In this piece of work and in the formal cumulative written examination the learner's performance will be assessed on the basis of his or her demonstrated ability to integrate these competencies to the level expected of a professional information systems controller/consultant/auditor. Successful solutions to these problems will allow integrated assessment of skills and comprehension needed. In this piece of work, they are required to reflect creatively on some of the current, real life problems which they have encountered in the course of their exposure to the industry or profession for which their course is preparing them.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Title(s) of related qualification(s)
BCom (Hons) IRM

This qualification serves as an entry point to the related qualification(s).

This qualification provides credits for the related qualification(s).
The coursework completed.

Entry to this qualification in midstream:

Not possible

Exit from qualification in midstream:

A student obtains credit for any course or courses completed towards the diploma.

Other higher education programmes which articulate with this qualification without "going back to square one"
None

MODERATION OPTIONS

The University of Cape Town has a system of external peer review and evaluation of each course. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

The academic staff of the University of Cape Town will be assessed in a manner, which is consistent with the quality assurance system of the University.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015.

LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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.

1.	University of Cape Town