NWU School of Business & Governance

NWU School of Business & Governance strive to give their students the best edge in an ever-changing business environment.

NWU School of Business & Governance Courses

• Postgraduate Diploma in Management
• MBA
• PhD

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

The Postgraduate Diploma in Management of the North-West University is offered by the NWU Business School and is accredited by the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQC) (NQF 8) in South Africa by :

• Part-time, full-time and via distance learning studies

This programme will empower managers and participants to acquire skills with regard to best business practices and thought-leadership that can successfully be applied to the multi-disciplinary challenges encountered.

Admission requirements

• Full-time students who have completed a degree or equivalent NQF level 7 qualification with a minimum average of 60% will be allowed.
• The selection committee and the programme manager has the prerogative to cap the numbers based on available capacity. This maximum limit will be determined separately for full-time, part-time and distance students on the different sites of delivery.
• Provision is made for accepting students from four-year courses with an average lower than 60% in their final year. This exception is based on the judgment of the selection committee.
• Provision is made for other merited cases, but this is subject to their application conforming to the RPL policy of the PGDM programme.
• Any notice of acceptance prior to provision of proof by the student that the minimum requirements have been met, is provisional.
• Students must be computer literate (with Internet access).
• Applications for 2021 Second semester opens 01 April 2021– 31 May 2021
• 2021 Second Semester registration starts 01 June 2021 – 30 June 2021
• Applications for 2024 opens 01 June 2021 – 15 December 2021. 
• RPL applications for 2024 are open until 30 September 2021

Note: Students who have 2 years’ working experience and an NQF 7 qualification (360 credits) may be considered.

All students can only apply online via the NWU website.

MBA

Get your MBA (accredited on NQF level 9) in 2 years, from the NWU Business School. Walk away with real-world skills, international accreditation, and pioneering research.  Admission requirements are a qualification on NQF level 8 (a 4-year professional degree, honors degree, or a Post-graduate Diploma) and 3-4 years relevant work experience.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MBA programme is subjected to strict criteria and in accordance with accredited business schools and best practices. MBA applicants must be in the possession of the following minimum requirements:

• A completed official application form PLUS a written motivational letter on doing the MBA; and
• One or more of the following post-school education:
  • A recognized 4-year professional degree qualification on NQF-level 8. Any international qualification must be verified by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). This verification process is the sole responsibility of the applicant; and/or
  • an honours degree on NQF level 8; and/or
  • a Post-Graduate Diploma (PGDip) on NQF level 8; and
• A minimum of 3 years’ relevant management experience; and
• Successful completion of a formally recognized Business School admission test (GMAT, NMAT); and (TTS)
• An interview pertaining to the reasons why doing the MBA at the NWU Business School

• Access to computers – Internet and e-mail
• Admission to modules is subject to minimum numbers per module per site. If these numbers are not achieved, students opting for certain modules may be required to either do that module on another site or mode of delivery or (in the case of an elective) to opt for another elective.

Notwithstanding the above minimum requirements, the Business School reserves the sole and unfettered discretionary right to admission to the MBA programme after taking its operational and capacity (including financial aspects) requirements, quality assurances, teaching and learning policies, as well as any other matters that may have an effect on admission into account.

PhD

Admission Requirements

The study programme must contribute to the research programme(s) of the University as determined by the different research focus areas/units.  All PhD students are required to submit at least one article in a Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) accredited journal before graduation. In the case of an article format thesis, a minimum of three publishable articles should be presented, of which at least one must have been submitted and accepted by an editor of an accredited DHET journal for graduation. 

Applicants must further meet the following requirements:

• The research ability of the student must be to the satisfaction of the school director and the director of the research area/unit;
• Students whose abilities in research methods are deemed not to be adequate by the school director and research director, will only be accepted into a PhD programme after successfully completing the Faculty ‘s short course in research methodology.
•  Successfully defended their full research proposals during a colloquium and are accepted by the school/faculty.
• A student must have a SAQA-approved master’s/ MBA degree or the status of a relevant and applicable master’s degree as approved by the Faculty ‘s board and senate at NQF level 9;
• The study field must be approved by the relevant school director and research unit director;
• The student must at least pass the research component (Research module+Mini-/full Dissertation) of the above-mentioned master’s degree with an average of at least 60%.
• In case the candidate did a master’s by dissertation only, the final mark of the dissertation must be above 60%.

Application process

Yearly applications dates are as follows:

• 1 September to 31 January with application deadline being 31 January and;
• 1 March to 31 August with application deadline being 31 August 

Our selection process is transparent and seeks exceptional research candidates who can contribute to the improvement of our research outputs and make a theoretical and practical contribution to the field of business studies. We appoint the most relevant and highly qualified and experienced promoter and co-promoters to our admitted students who are sourced from within the Business School as well as from relevant industries so that there is a blending of theory and practice in the research and scholarly process.

Applicants should submit a proposal in a five-page format, which will be sent to the various research clusters for selection:

Research Proposal Submission Template

Applicants should complete the formal PhD application documents for the PhD NWU Business School Administration officers.

Please explain in two pages your intended study under the following 11  headings: 

1. Title

2. Introduction

3. Motivation of the study

4. Problem statement

5. Primary objective and secondary objectives

6. Preliminary literature (at least 10 leading scholars in your area of specialisation)

7. Research methodology

8. Ethical consideration

9. Contribution of the study

10. References

11. Work execution plan Also please add (if possible) 

• Proposed name of promoter 
• Proposed promoter signature

Application Form

NWU School of Business & Governance Contact Details

Mahikeng

Postal address:

Mahikeng Campus

North-West University

Private Bag X2046

Mmabatho

2735

Physical address:

Building C1Mahikeng Campus
North-West University Mahikeng
2735

E-mail: [email protected]

Potchefstroom

Postal address:

NWU Business School
North-West University
Potchefstroom Campus
Private Bag x6001
Potchefstroom
2520

Physical address:

Economic and Management Sciences
Building E3 Room 402
Potchefstroom Campus
North-West University Potchefstroom
2531

Physical address:

K14 Building:  Cnr Thabo Mbeki & Esselen Street

North-West University (off campus offices)

Potchefstroom 2531

E-mail: [email protected]