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Programme: MCom Human Resource Management (Coursework)

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
07250145 Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Credits Duration
Duration of study: 1 year Total credits: 210
Contact:
Mrs C Smit
[email protected]
+27 (0)829762853

Admission requirements

  • BCom Honours degree in Human Resource Management or Industrial and Organisational Psychology accredited by HPCSA or SABPP and passed with an average of at least 65%.
  • Student numbers are limited to 20 students including MCom (Industrial Psychology) students.
  • A candidate may be refused admission to a master’s degree by the head of the department if he/she does not comply with the standard of competence in the subject as determined by the department – with the proviso that a candidate who does not comply with the required level of competence, may be admitted, provided that he/she completes additional study assignments and/or examinations.
  • The head of department concerned may set additional admission requirements. 
  • Specific departments have specific requirements for admission. 
  • The number of students will be determined in line with the growth strategy of the University of Pretoria as approved by the Executive. 
  • Allowance will be made for the diversity profile of students.
  • A completed Postgraduate Diploma in Economic and Management Sciences (07220026) can also be considered for admission to the Master’s programme in Entrepreneurship. All MCom candidates need to have adequate knowledge of Management, Financial and Economic Sciences as well as Statistics, as determined by the head of department concerned, in consultation with the Dean. 
  • A pass mark in the following modules: Financial accounting 1 (FRK 111 and FRK 121/122); Economics 1 (EKN 110 and EKN 120); Statistics 1 (STK 110 and STK 120) and one of the following: Business management 1 (OBS 114 and OBS 124); or Marketing management 1 (BEM 110 and BEM 122); or Public administration 1 (PAD 112 and PAD 122); or Industrial and organisational psychology (BDO 110 and BDO 120) or equivalent modules passed at another institution as approved by the head of the department concerned in consultation with the Dean.

Additional requirements

  1. A candidate may be refused admission to a master’s degree by the head of the department if he/she does not comply with the standard of competence in the subject as determined by the department – with the proviso that a candidate who does not comply with the required level of competence, may be admitted, provided that he/she completes additional study assignments and/or examinations.
  2. The head of department concerned may set additional admission requirements.
  3. Specific departments have specific requirements for admission.
  4. The number of students will be determined in line with the growth strategy of the University of Pretoria as approved by the Executive.
  5. Allowance will be made for the diversity profile of students.
  6. A completed Postgraduate Diploma in Economic and Management Sciences can also be considered for admission to the Master’s programme in Entrepreneurship.

All MCom candidates need to have adequate knowledge of Management, Financial and Economic Sciences as well as Statistics, as determined by the head of department concerned, in consultation with the Dean.
A pass mark in the following modules:

  • Financial accounting 1 (FRK 111 and FRK 121/122);
  • Economics 1 (EKN 110 and EKN 120);
  • Statistics 1 (STK 110 and STK 120) and one of the following:
  • Business management 1 (OBS 114 and OBS 124); or
  • Marketing management 1 (BEM 110 and BEM 122); or
  • Public administration 1 (PAD 112 and PAD 122); or
  • Industrial and organisational psychology (BDO 110 and BDO 120) or equivalent modules passed at another institution as approved by the head of the department concerned in consultation with the Dean.

Examinations and pass requirements

The pass mark for both a dissertation and a mini-dissertation is 50%. The provisions regarding pass requirements for dissertations, contained in General Regulation G.12.2, apply mutatis mutandis to mini-dissertations. A pass mark of at least 50% is required in the examination of each module.

Research information

The research article or research mini-dissertation contributes 50% toward the total requirements for the degree.

Dissertations/mini-dissertations/research reports, curricula and modules

  1. The degree programme requires that a dissertation/mini-dissertation/research article must be submitted in a field of study chosen from the fields covered for the honours degree, provided that the Dean may, on the recommendation of the head of department concerned, approve the replacement of the required dissertation by the successful completion of a prescribed number of module credits and a mini-dissertation/research article.
  2. Information on modules, credits and syllabi is available, on request, from the head of department concerned.
  3. A module in Research Methodology is compulsory in all programmes. The Dean may, on the recommendation of the head of department concerned, waive the prerequisites.
  4. Sufficient number of bound copies of the thesis/dissertation must be submitted to the Head: Student Administration for examination, after permission is granted by the supervisor.

Article for publication
A dean may require, before or on submission of a dissertation, the submission of a draft article for publication to the supervisor. The draft article should be based on the research that the student has conducted for the dissertation and be approved by the supervisor concerned. The supervisor should then have the opportunity to take the paper through all the processes of revision and resubmission as may be necessary and/or appropriate in order to achieve publication.

Submission of dissertation
A dissertation is submitted to the Head: Student Administration, before the closing date for the various graduation ceremonies as announced annually.

For examination purposes, a student must, in consultation with the supervisor, submit a sufficient number of bound copies of the dissertation, printed on good quality paper and of good letter quality, to the Head: Student Administration. Permission to submit the dissertation in unbound form may be obtained from the supervisor concerned on condition that a copy of the final approved dissertation is presented to the examiners in bound format or electronic format.

In addition to the copies already mentioned, each successful student must submit a bound paper copy as well as two electronic copies of the approved dissertation to the Head: Student Administration in the format specified by the faculty and in accordance with the minimum standards set by the Department of Library Services, before 15 February for the Autumn graduation ceremonies and before 15 July for the Spring graduation ceremonies, failing which the degree will only be conferred during a subsequent series of graduation ceremonies.

Core modules

  • Module content:

    The following broad themes are covered:
    •  An overview of the research process to be followed and 
       the outcomes required of postgraduate students;
    •  Foundational skills for postgraduate students;
    •  What is research?;
    •  What is a theory and how can I ensure that my study makes a
       clear theoretical contribution?;
    •  An overview of the structure of a research proposal;
    •  Identifying and evaluating possible research topics;
    •  Delineating the scope of a study;
    •  Writing a literature review;
    •  Choosing an appropriate inquiry strategy (research approach) for a
        study;
    •   Writing the research design and methods section of a research
        proposal.

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  • Module content:

    • Contemporary issues in Human Resource and Talent Management.
    • Advanced group dynamics
    • To learn about the dynamics of groups and organisations by experiencing a group and linking the experience with group psychology theory and application possibilities.

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  • Module content:

    • Cross-cultural psychology
    • Maintenance and implementation of cross-cultural psychology
    • Contemporary issues in cross-cultural psychology
    • Problemsolving in cross-cultural issues in South  
      African organisations.

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  • Module content:

    • Using online assessment
    • Assessment of employee skills
    • Application of specialist selection
    • Balance score card
    • Assessment centres
    • Psychological assessment in South Africa

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  • Module content:

    Theoretical component:

    • A history of leadership theory
    • Contemporary approaches to understanding leadership

    Practical component:

    • Design and deliver a leadership development programme

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  • Module content:

    The context and content of strategic human resource management;
    Implementation of strategic human resource management;
    The state of strategic human resource management in South African Organisations.

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  • Module content:

    Theoretical component
    Purpose: To enable students to understand the nature and dynamics of organisational change
    Study units:
    • The world of change;
    • Change paradigms and typologies;
    • Theories of change;
    • Process perspectives of change in organisations;
    • Change models.
    Practical component
    Purpose: To enable students to apply principles and models of organisational change in practice
    Case study:
    Analysis of change/transformation process in a specific organisation and proactive interventions to address the identified problem areas.

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  • Module content:

    • Approaches to research
    • Qualitative research
    • Special types of research studies
         Evaluation research
         Instrument research
         Questionnaire development
         Programme development
         Quantitative data analysis

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  • Module content:

    • Personnel Psychology in Personnel Practice
    • Criteria: Concepts, measurement and evaluation
    • Measuring, interpretation and validation of individual measures
    • Fairness in employment decision and selection
    • Analysing jobs and work
    • Strategic Workforce Planning
    • Managerial evaluation and selection
    • International dimensions of applied psychology
    • Ethical issues in human resource management

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Core modules


The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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