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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Advanced Diploma in Marketing 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
94555  Advanced Diploma in Marketing 
ORIGINATOR
Mangosuthu University of Technology 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Advanced Diploma  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Marketing 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  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:
The purpose of the qualification is to enable students to operate as marketers at a higher level of marketing management in order for them to add identifiable and quantifiable value to the businesses of their employers or to their own businesses. Advanced Business Strategy IV will help students achieve a corporate strategy; develop competitive strategies; apply ring-fencing to business units; and implement operational control strategy. Advanced Marketing IV will enable students to formulate a marketing strategy; practice relationship marketing and customer care; increase market share for the organisation. Advanced Marketing Research IV will equip students with the skills of a marketing research design; data collection; data coding, editing, capturing and storage; data analysis; and compiling a research proposal for academic purposes. Advanced Promotion IV will help students achieve conceptualising and planning an event; developing a promotion budget; and developing a media plan. Advanced Services Marketing IV will equip students with the skills of creating a conducive environment for customers' pleasant experience; develop service marketing strategies; and shaping, delivering and managing service marketing programmes.

Rationale:
This qualification offers students the next logical academic and career step after completing the National Diploma in Marketing since it is offered at level 4 of study in each course. It will be suitable for students who want to enhance their careers as well as those who want to venture into their own businesses. Stakeholders in industry expect a graduate at this level to operate independent from direct supervision compared to graduates that have an undergraduate qualification. It is therefore also meant to equip the student with managerial skills in marketing which is the level of operation for independent decision making, backed by relevant theory coupled with practice, is made. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
When an individual who has worked in a marketing environment and has gained experience that is deemed to warrant recognition for credit and admission to the Advanced Diploma in Marketing needs to apply, such an application will have to be made in writing. Full details of experience and work that has been done in the environment of marketing must be given. Credits accumulated from other institutions will be considered for accessing the Advanced Diploma in Marketing. The assessment of the portfolio of evidence submitted by the applicant for RPL purpose will be conducted. The assessment meeting, constituted by a committee of three i.e. the HOD, the Dean, and the Registrar will evaluate the portfolio on the basis of the clause of the Assessment Policy.

Entry Requirements:
Admission is open to learners with a:
  • Diploma at NQF Level 6 in Marketing or any equivalent qualification. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The qualification consists of five compulsory modules at NQF Level 7 with modules worth 24 credits each totalling 120 credits.
  • Advanced Marketing IV.
  • Advanced Business Strategy IV.
  • Advanced Promotion IV.
  • Advanced Marketing Research IV.
  • Advanced Services Marketing IV. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Formulate strategic plans for corporate competitiveness and value chain management for customer satisfaction.
    2. Design management information systems (MIS) that enable supervisors, managers, and senior managers to access real time information at the touch of a button.
    3. Develop an information system that is connected with business customers systems.
    4. Formulate a cohesive communications strategy suitable for each brand and target market.
    5. Formulate a marketing research strategy. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Differentiating factors for positioning are identified.
  • Unique positioning for each brand and determining relevant target audiences is determined.
  • Services mix to complement product offerings in a manner different from competition is created.
  • Pricing, promotion, and distribution strategies for different seasons and different customer categories are developed.
  • Product offering processes for customer convenience are designed.
  • An effective management information system for honouring warranties and product maintenance is designed.
  • Product returns policies for customer satisfaction are crafted and implemented.
  • Customer assistance systems and delivery processes are designed to suit customer needs and enhance one stop shopping.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Operational plans to enable branch autonomy and accountability are developed.
  • Branch staff and management are empowered to make decisions suitable for their branches within policy.
  • Branch reporting systems are designed to enhancing autonomy and accountability.
  • Branch operating systems that obviate inter-branch utilisation of resources are designed.
  • Operations according to strategic planning are controlled.
  • Decision Support System is designed and implemented to enable management to continuously monitor the operations according to budget.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Programmes for analysing information fed in via the information system integrated with business associates and business customers are designed.
  • Structure to constantly and closely monitor the inflow of information and to report immediately on such information is implemented.
  • Decision Support System is developed to communicate with Research and Development Unit for dissemination of data for product improvement.
  • Information from the external marketing environment is scanned and analysed to identify new opportunities.
  • In-depth expert analysis of data is collected through marketing research, MIS and marketing intelligence to identify needs for new products.
  • Effective utilisation of marketing intelligence to identify areas of new investment in different markets is administered.
  • Informed decisions to invest in different markets are made.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • The best combination of promotion aspects is determined for optimum utilisation of funds.
  • Strategic decision on the number of product lines to offer in the market is made.
  • Strategic expansion or contraction of existing product mix is designed.
  • The best individual product marketing mix is determined on the basis of MIS and marketing intelligence.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Informed decision is made to an internal marketing research unit or to outsource the function.
  • Strategic planning for each and every marketing research project is developed.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Having been taught through contact lecturing, analysis of case studies on strategies, simulation sessions, and mock boardroom brainstorming sessions, students will be assessed. To establish whether they have the expected knowledge according to exit level outcomes. The assessment criteria would be the following:
    > Formative assessments in the form of tests and practical business assignments for first and second terms.
    > Projects on strategy for each and every exit level outcome.
    > Project on corrective service strategy.
    > Project on customer retention strategy.
    > Project on service recovery strategy.
    > Year-end examination for holistic assessment of what was learnt during the year.

    NB: The projects' marks will be weighted in a manner that they cumulatively constitute marks for the third formative assessment. After completing the course content of each and every exit level outcome listed under item 29 of the programme submission template, students will be assigned to do a project for assessment. The two first and second term formative assessments will be written under invigilation whilst projects will be done on open book basis. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    We have explored two independent marketing discipline organisations and two universities to establish if there are similar qualifications to compare with the Advanced Diploma in Marketing.

    It was discovered that Cambridge University and Oxford University do not have similar qualifications except as part of their MBA programmes. It was also established that American Marketing Association (AMA) does not offer a marketing qualification that we could access on their website.

    However, we discovered that the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) does offer two programmes. The intermediate programme called Diploma in Professional Marketing is equivalent to the National Diploma in Marketing since both are pitched at Level 6. Their advanced programme called Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing is equivalent to the Advanced Diploma in Marketing in terms of level of study and scope of learning as well as exit level outcomes. The fact that CIM calls it postgraduate is along the same lines as what universities of technology used to refer to the Bachelor of Technology programme as postgraduate in their exclusive context. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontally with the Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing or Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Communication or Bachelor of Arts in Social and Marketing Research at NQF Level 7.

    Vertically with Bachelor of Arts Honours in Marketing Communication,
    Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Marketing and Supply Chain Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management.

    Articulation is subject to meeting the requirements. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2015. 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    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. Mangosuthu University of Technology 


    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.