UCT opens up mid-year intake for GetSmarter advanced diploma

If you've missed the opportunity to be part of the February uptake of students for the Advanced Diploma in Business Project Management, you have the opportunity to enrol for this online course in June.

UCT, through its Across Africa partnership with online education company GetSmarter, offers this course together with a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in Marketing. Strong demand for these courses resulted in applicant numbers far exceeding targets and therefore a mid-year intake of students for the Advance Diploma in Project Management was made available.

"A key virtue of online education is its flexibility – you can study when and where you like, so long as you complete tasks on time. With a mid-year intake for the advanced diploma, we increase that flexibility further. Some working professionals might find that their workflow suits a February start, but for others that might be the busiest time of their year. They can now start the course in June instead," says Across Africa managing director Jacques Rousseau.

An online Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) course offered by Across Africa further promotes access to these courses. The RPL programme involves a two-week assessment of readiness for postgraduate study. It is offered at low cost to students who do not have prior tertiary qualification.

"The RPL assessment ensures that students are equipped with the skills needed to successfully cope and keep up with postgraduate studies. The knowledge tested by the RPL would typically already be in place thanks to years of work experience, and the RPL assessment is completed by students who are ready to put an official stamp on this work experience and expertise through the issuing of a diploma from an internationally recognised university," explained Rousseau.

Although the courses are presented online, via GetSmarter's Virtual Learning Environment, postgraduate students still have access to all of UCT's resources such as the computer labs and online libraries.

Sam Paddock, CEO of GetSmarter has an expansive vision for the future of online learning in South Africa:

"Today's fast-paced, ever-changing workplace is hypercompetitive. For previous generations of workers, university programmes would set them up for a successful life-long career. Knowledge workers today have no such luxury. The challenge – or opportunity – for working professionals is to learn, unlearn and relearn throughout their working lives to advance their careers and create a better life for themselves and their families. But how is this possible in today's chaotic workplace that demands more than just a 9 to 5 each day? Online education, with its flexible delivery model and personalised support, gives every working professional the opportunity to enhance their skills and advance their careers."

Find out more: UCT Part-Time Postgraduate Diploma Programmes