Post Graduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management
Midrand, South Africa
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
31 Jan 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
30 Jun 2026
TUITION FEES
ZAR 75,765 / per course
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
Key Summary
Introduction
Following engagements with different industry stakeholders and the professional supply chain space, there has been growing consensus that the practice of supply chain is flout of deficiencies and problems including, but not limited to, non-compliance to supply chain management (SCM) regulatory and policy frameworks, out-dated SCM systems and delegations, lack of demand management, inadequate procurement planning, lack of monitoring and evaluation, poor contract management, lack of standardisation, inadequate record-keeping and SCM structures. It is apparent that most personnel in the public and private sector who are employed within the supply chain space lack adequate knowledge and competencies to execute expected deliverables effectively and efficiently. There is a dire need for a postgraduate qualification in SCM which can address existing deficiencies and can cater for personnel who operate in the SCM space but do not necessarily come from the SCM background as is the case currently with most of the employees
The qualification is based on the need to mitigate the dearth of appropriately qualified supply chain management practitioners based on the notion that there are many practitioners with no or limited supply chain management qualifications who hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in a variety of cross-functional fields.
A Postgraduate Diploma student in Supply Chain Management is actively engaged in becoming a fully-fledged supply chain practitioner and is specifically preparing to widen supply chain management skills, competencies and capabilities through knowledge acquisition or intends to further their studies in management practice. As such they should develop and hold certain values and be able to integrate generic supply chain management knowledge and skills with specific knowledge regarding understanding legal and legislative frameworks, ethics and governance, strategic procurement and associated contract management options, planning and executing supply chain operations utilising technological innovation, processes and applications to maximising financial and general performance while mitigating risk and maximising stakeholder value. Furthermore, while displaying the desire to become a fully-fledged supply chain practitioner, they should show the potential to become a C-suite executive with an all-around understanding of how to leverage supply chain performance to deliver on organisational strategic goals.
The nature of the program is intended to prepare the students for portability from a pure functional focus to a fully integrated all-rounded supply chain practitioner capable of functioning in complex and uncertain environments without compromising the ethics and values of the profession.
This qualification will provide students with the supply chain management skills, capabilities, competencies and expertise required to manage large, complex and dynamic supply chains. Students will learn implementable supply chain management concepts, methodologies and tools based on the world’s best practices (CIPS, CILT, APICS and related bodies of knowledge (BoK)) and will learn to confidently apply these skills, competencies, capabilities and knowledge to meet professional and organisational goals. The qualification will integrate professional standards into supply chain practitioner practice and incorporate continuing professional development in accordance with leading supply chain management professional voluntary organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, CIPS; Southern African Production and Inventory Control Society, SAPICS, Institute of Supply Management, ISM; Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics – Southern Africa, CILTSA; Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, CSCMP; Supply-Chain Council, SCC; International Association for Contract & Commercial Management, IACCM, State Owned Enterprises Procurement Forum, SOEPF and any other associated professional organisations’ protocols and standards. Furthermore, the qualification will advance the objectives of the NQF by helping to accelerate the redress of past discrimination in education, training and employment opportunities and enhance career progression. It will help to facilitate mobility and progression within the supply chain management career paths in the field of business. Being a step in the development pathway of supply chain management practitioners, and value chain leaders it will also contribute to the full personal development of each learner and the social and economic development of society at large.
Ideal Students
Who must apply?
- Everyone wanting to start a new qualification and/or a new specialisation/stream must apply for admission.
- Applicants in their final year of study towards an undergraduate qualification must apply for admission.
- Applicants who wish to be considered via the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process, must apply for admission to their qualification of choice and use the "decline letter" to commence with their application via the RPL office.
Admissions
Curriculum
The Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management (PGD SCM) offered by the SBL is presented in two tracks. Track One is a structured one-year programme. Track Two is an extended two-year programme.
Each Module has a credit-bearing of 24 credits
The Programme is an NQF Level 8 Qualification
The Total Number of credits is 120
Track One (1 Year Programme)
Students MUST REGISTER all FIVE modules at the beginning of the year when registration opens
Year 1
Ethics, Governance and Sustainability (PSM4821)
This is a multi-disciplinary module that provides students with knowledge and competencies on ethics, governance and sustainable supply chain theoretical knowledge base, frameworks and management tools. These tools prepare graduates to utilise the supply chain to facilitate the achievement of sustainable development goals. These often create inherent complexity in managing relationships across the value chain (production-distribution-consumption). The module aims to enable students to reflect on sustainable supply chain issues in Africa, by making them aware of the pertinent issues, opportunities, and importance of investing in building sustainable supply chains to assist solution finding to mitigate sustainability challenges in the given context. This is facilitated by recognising applicable legal and regulatory frameworks and influenced by the adoption of professional supply chain ethical standards and professional practice. This is seen through a comprehensive coverage of supply chain governance models, complemented by identifying and analysing suitable supply chain ethics that enhance supply chain performance and meet stakeholder expectations.
Advanced Strategic Procurement and Contract Management (PMS4822)
This module empowers students with the acquisition of knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and competencies in advanced procurement and contract management that are required to effectively make and implement procurement and contract management decisions in support of delivering value in complex, uncertain and volatile business environments. The module will further expose students to the fundamentals of procurement planning; the rudiments of preparing for procurement; various steps that need to be taken to effect project procurement in the manner acceptable as project procurement best practices; deal with the dynamics of public/or private procurement of consulting services; rudiments of preparing for procurement involving: preparation of the bidding documents, and the conduct of the pre-procurement conference; and post-award contract management (monitoring and tracking compliance with contractual requirements)and embracing agile methods where suitable. On completion of the module, qualifying students will be able to lead and manage procurement individuals and teams in enabling the design and execution of procurement and contract management strategies. The modules equip students with appropriate supplier management strategies and enhance the capability to plan and execute enterprise and supplier development strategies by utilizing their analytical and decision-making skills. Content includes planning and execution of public-private partnerships (PPPs), sound awareness of different forms of contract and how they are utilised.
Advanced Supply Chain Operations (PSM4823)
Modern supply chains are characterised by complexity, dynamism and uncertainty of demand and supply. It is desirable therefore to streamline and optimise the performance of the supply chains. In this regard productivity, customer service and the desire for continuous improvement are key. This module positions the management of supply chain operations as a key enabler in gaining strategic advantage by ensuring that the supply chain processes, management systems and tools embedded within the value chains are efficient and effective in planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling all resources needed to meet stakeholder needs. In particular, the purpose of the module is to provide graduate candidates with capabilities, skills, competencies and knowledge to be able to measure the reliability, performance, responsiveness, flexibility and costs of supply chains as they meet supply chain and organisational goals.
Supply Chain Technology Performance and Risk Management (PSM4824)
This is a multidisciplinary module. It harnesses knowledge and competencies from finance and accounting, information technology, analytics and risk to enable tracking and monitor supply chain performance by utilising information and information systems to the advantage of the organization. The module further equips students with an understanding of the value and use of management information systems to manage information, performance and various risks associated with the supply chain. Students will recognise that globalisation and digital transformation transform the basic needs of any organisation to manage and control its supply chain The students are equipped with capabilities that enable the use of various financial and non-financial tools to plan, measure and evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of the supply chain environment within an organisation. It also seeks to familiarize students with appropriate technology and digitalisation strategies for supply chain transformation. Finally, the module presents supply chain analytics that are critical in evaluating risk and monitoring performance to ensure business continuity. Supply chain performance measurement approaches are presented that leverage relevant supply chain analytics. Special emphasis is placed on monitoring and tracking delivery by the contractor to ensure that deliverables meet the required specifications as per the contract agreement as presented in Module PSM4822.
Strategic Project Management (PSM4825)
The purpose of this module is to equip qualifying students with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to integrate principles of project management within the supply chain space. Furthermore, this module is intended to enable students to apply good practice project management methodology for the delivery of supply chain management strategies. It is intended to equip students with competencies that will enable them to reflect on and meet the challenges and needs of continental and global supply chain management through effective strategic decision-making. It is also intended to provide students with an appreciation of supply chain entities, departments, or units (public or private) as project-based organisations (PBOs); and a contemporary and comprehensive knowledge base on how to develop project management as an organisational practice for successful delivery of supply chain projects. In addition, the module provides students with an appreciation of the role of supply chain departments in enabling (or disabling) the successful delivery of organisational projects.
Track Two (2-year Programme)
Year 1
Students MUST REGISTER all THREE modules at the beginning of the year when registration opens
Ethics, Governance and Sustainability (PSM4821)
This is a multi-disciplinary module that provides students with knowledge and competencies on ethics, governance and sustainable supply chain theoretical knowledge base, frameworks and management tools. These tools prepare graduates to utilise the supply chain to facilitate the achievement of sustainable development goals. These often create inherent complexity in managing relationships across the value chain (production-distribution-consumption). The module aims to enable students to reflect on sustainable supply chain issues in Africa, by making them aware of the pertinent issues, opportunities, and importance of investing in building sustainable supply chains to assist solution finding to mitigate sustainability challenges in the given context. This is facilitated by recognising applicable legal and regulatory frameworks and influenced by the adoption of professional supply chain ethical standards and professional practice. This is seen through a comprehensive coverage of supply chain governance models, complemented by identifying and analysing suitable supply chain ethics that enhance supply chain performance and meet stakeholder expectations.
Advanced Strategic Procurement and Contract Management (PMS4822)
This module empowers students with the acquisition of knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and competencies in advanced procurement and contract management that are required to effectively make and implement procurement and contract management decisions in support of delivering value in complex, uncertain and volatile business environments. The module will further expose students to the fundamentals of procurement planning; the rudiments of preparing for procurement; various steps that need to be taken to effect project procurement in the manner acceptable as project procurement best practices; deal with the dynamics of public/or private procurement of consulting services; rudiments of preparing for procurement involving: preparation of the bidding documents, and the conduct of the pre-procurement conference; and post-award contract management (monitoring and tracking compliance with contractual requirements)and embracing agile methods where suitable. On completion of the module, qualifying students will be able to lead and manage procurement individuals and teams in enabling the design and execution of procurement and contract management strategies. The modules equip students with appropriate supplier management strategies and enhance the capability to plan and execute enterprise and supplier development strategies by utilizing their analytical and decision-making skills. Content includes planning and execution of public-private partnerships (PPPs), sound awareness of different forms of contract and how they are utilised.
Advanced Supply Chain Operations (PSM4823)
Modern supply chains are characterised by complexity, dynamism and uncertainty of demand and supply. It is desirable therefore to streamline and optimise the performance of the supply chains. In this regard productivity, customer service and the desire for continuous improvement are key. This module positions the management of supply chain operations as a key enabler in gaining strategic advantage by ensuring that the supply chain processes, management systems and tools embedded within the value chains are efficient and effective in planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling all resources needed to meet stakeholder needs. In particular, the purpose of the module is to provide graduate candidates with capabilities, skills, competencies and knowledge to be able to measure the reliability, performance, responsiveness, flexibility and costs of supply chains as they meet supply chain and organisational goals.
Year 2
Students MUST REGISTER both modules at the beginning of the year when registration opens.
Supply Chain Technology Performance and Risk Management (PSM4824)
This is a multidisciplinary module. It harnesses knowledge and competencies from finance and accounting, information technology, analytics and risk to enable tracking and monitoring supply chain performance by utilising information and information systems to the advantage of the organization. The module further equips students with an understanding of the value and use of management information systems to manage information, performance and various risks associated with the supply chain. Students will recognise that globalisation and digital transformation transform the basic needs of any organisation to manage and control its supply chain The students are equipped with capabilities that enable the use of various financial and non-financial tools to plan, measure and evaluate effectiveness and efficiency of the supply chain environment within an organisation. It also seeks to familiarize students with appropriate technology and digitalisation strategies for supply chain transformation. Finally, the module presents supply chain analytics that are critical in evaluating risk and monitoring performance to ensure business continuity. Supply chain performance measurement approaches are presented that leverage relevant supply chain analytics. Special emphasis is placed on monitoring and tracking delivery by the contractor to ensure that deliverables meet the required specifications as per the contract agreement as presented in Module PSM4822.
Strategic Project Management (PSM4825)
The purpose of this module is to equip qualifying students with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to integrate principles of project management within the supply chain space. Furthermore, this module is intended to enable students to apply good practice project management methodology for the delivery of supply chain management strategies. It is intended to equip students with competencies that will enable them to reflect on and meet the challenges and needs of continental and global supply chain management through effective strategic decision-making. It is also intended to provide students with an appreciation of supply chain entities, departments, or units (public or private) as project-based organisations (PBOs); and ca contemporary and comprehensive knowledge base on how to develop project management as an organisational practice for the successful delivery of supply chain projects. In addition, the module provides students with an appreciation of the role of supply chain departments in enabling (or disabling) the successful delivery of organisational projects.