Advanced Diploma: Public Management


Management and governance strive to instil entrepreneurial skills in our graduates to support their academic talents.

Therefore, ongoing entrepreneurial exposure will be presented via successful local business people and other entrepreneurial experts.

The Department will use the Advisory Boards to assist in this regard.

Students and staff are encouraged to become members of the various professional and institutional bodies.


Career Opportunities

Qualifying learners could follow a career within the public sectors in:

  • Financial Services
  • Administration
  • Management.

The public officials in South Africa operate in a wide variety of roles within the public management structures.

Often they work in diverse operating and service delivery circumstances.

Therefore, they have to be widely acknowledged for their understanding and awareness of the unique characteristics and challenges they may face in the process of service delivery.

The sustainability of South Africa's democratic process and developmental governance are strongly linked to capacity building within the three spheres of government, that is, the national, provincial and local spheres of government.

It is imperative that public officials receive an up-to-date relevant and respected public financial management and administration qualification that recognises that the knowledge and skills which South Africa's public sector officials require have been satisfactorily obtained.

To do that most effectively, public officials need to have excellent awareness and understanding of the changing needs of today's public service delivery systems and to identify very clearly the highly relevant expertise which these officials bring to their roles in the public sector.


Prospective Employers

Government (national departments, provincial departments and local authorities), private and parastatal organisations, research organisations and tertiary education institutions.


Purpose of the Qualification

The purpose of the NQF level 5 Public Management is to provide a structured programme for public officials that work with senior management officials so as to provide support to strategic leadership and management needed to transform all spheres of government.

The need for well-qualified efficient, client-oriented public officials is therefore identified as a priority in all three spheres of government.

The Advanced Diploma in Public Management is aimed at practitioners working in the public sector.


Admission Rules & Applications for Recognition of Credits

For Admission Rules see the section on Admission Requirements above.

In addition, the Department will consider courses done at other tertiary institutions for exemption, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the University subject to the following criteria.

If a student wishes to graduate from WSU but decides to enrol for one or more programme courses at another university, then the student must lodge a written application (through the HOD to Dean of Faculty) before registration at the other institution.

Students must take note of the institutional rules which state that:

  • Not more than 50% of the courses in the qualification will be exempted in this way.
  • All exit level courses must be done at WSU.
  • Only in exceptional circumstances will recognition of one exit level subject from another university be considered but such consideration is subject to a recommendation from the Department and approval thereof by Senate.
  • Any provisional approval by department/faculty is subject to final approval by Senate [also see WSU’s General Rules & Regulations.