Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration

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Course Description:

Expand your understanding of the world of business and doing business in dynamic emerging economies. Sharpen your business acumen, management knowledge and leadership skills. Advance your management career.

Course basics:

Duration:
1 Year (Part-Time)

Qualification:
Post Graduate Diploma

Programme structure:
1 year

Study mode:
Part Time

Academic category:
Generalist degree

Core Courses:

Critical Business Skills, Corporate Law, Marketing & Sales, People Management, Entrepreneurship, Management & Financial Accounting & Finance, Economics for Business, Strateg, Technology & Operations Management

The PDBA will accelerate your understanding of the world of business, advance your general business management knowledge, develop your leadership skills and sharpen your business acumen. 

The Wits Business School one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration is for ambitious graduates who want the edge.  The WBS PDBA is relevant to the challenges of doing business in South Africa, Africa and other dynamic emerging market economies, and covers key themes relevant to business today including sustainability, entrepreneurial action and critical engagement.  The PDBA is a stand-alone qualification that also qualifies you to enter the Wits Business School MBA part-time. Students with a 3-year qualification can do this in 12 months instead of 18 months.  The programme is also available in a part-time modular format in June of each year.


The PDBA is a four-quarter programme of approximately 10 weeks per quarter. Classes run on two evenings during the week with occasional classes on Saturdays. Quarter 1 covers critical business skills and corporate law, quarter 2 covers marketing and sales, people management and entrepreneurship, quarter 3 covers management and financial accounting and finance, and quarter 4 covers strategy and technology and operations management. The key themes of the programme have been designed to complement the MBA curriculum, while being suitable as a stand-alone course.

Key Features

  • 5 key themes: Context in Africa, Context in South Africa, Sustainability, Entrepreneurial Action, Critical Engagement
  • 9 core courses
  • Access to career development and coaching
  • Stand-alone qualification
  • Qualifies you to enter the WBS part-time MBA

  • Bachelor’s degree (NQF 7)*
  • Two years’ minimum work experience
  • Mathematics – a level of competence equivalent to SA matric certificate
  • Acceptable GMAT, NMAT score OR APIL test. (Please note: only shortlisted candidates will be invited to write the APIL test)
  • SAQA Evaluation (International qualifications only) prior to application. SAQA Help desk: 012 431-5070 or go to: http://www.saqa.org.za
  • Proof of English language proficiency (for students who have not studied at tertiary level in English)

*In exceptional cases, non-degreed individuals with working experience are considered.


  • Complete an Online Application form on the following link https://www.wits.ac.za/applications/
  • Pay a non-refundable application fee of R200
  • Complete and upload a Management Part 3 Form- Management Part 3 Word Format
  • Upload copies of ALL your tertiary qualifications- Degree certificate(s) and Academic transcript(s)
  • Upload current CV
  • Admission test - currently R950. (Please note: only shortlisted candidates will be invited to write the APIL test)
  • Foreign Qualifications
    Applicants who hold a foreign qualification need to send their qualifications to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for evaluation before applying to WBS. Visit saqa.org.za or email saqainfo@saqa.org.za Alternatively, you can call: 012 431 5070 or the helpdesk on: 0860 111 673
  • A R15 000 minimum deposit will be required upon acceptance of a place on the programme

Marketing & Sales

Business Administration

Operations Management



Disclaimer: Cancellation of programmes by WBS

  • WBS is entitled to cancel or change the date of delivery of a programme without notice and for any reason without incurring any liability to individuals who have applied or are enrolled on the programme or any funders of such individuals (“participants” or “funders of participants”).
  • Without derogating from the aforesaid, and insofar as it possible, WBS will provide the participants or funders of the participants with 30 (thirty days) days written notice of any cancellation or changes in the dates of delivery of the programme. 
  • Insofar as the programme is cancelled or rescheduled prior to delivery of the programme then in that event the participants and funders of the participants will not be charged the full programme fees.
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