A CAREER IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT?

Welcome to  Public Management and Leadership. We trust that you will enjoy your visit on our campus and that you will find the following information of help in deciding on your chosen field of study.

WHAT IS A PUBLIC MANAGER?

Public managers occupy positions of leadership:

  • At the central, provincial and local spheres of government.
  • In related government agencies and parastatal institutions

          e.g. Transnet, Eskom.

Nelson Mandela University graduates also find employment with many private institutions.

WHAT DOES A PUBLIC MANAGER DO?

Public managers: Manage our various public sector departments. They:

  • Administer health services and redevelop our cities.
  • Are involved in all aspects of criminal & public law.
  • Help protect our environment.
  • Are involved in land and population development and many facets of research in the fields of technology, medicine and human sciences.
  • Ensure that proper staff planning and management is practiced in the form of human resource management and training, development.
Look after the development and maintenance of correct working methods and procedures and should arrange for the creation and maintenance of effective control measures

PUBLIC MANAGERS ADMINISTER ESSENTIAL SERVICES:

  • Are involved in all facets of public finance, state security, domestic security, foreign affairs, education, Human resource management and development, supply chain management and public procurement.
  • Are involved in matters of local governance and community development.
  • Ensure and maintain the welfare of the community he/ she serves.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

A public manager can act as a general, financial or human resource and procurement officers at countless public parastatal and private institutions. In the public sector there are approximately 1000 different career opportunities. All these groups fit into some or other organisational structure. At the head of each organisational structure you will find public managers performing their varied and important duties.

Candidates can on completion of the diploma articulate to the Advanced Diploma in Public Administration and Management

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The admission requirements for the Department of Public Management and Leadership in accordance with the requirements for the Faculty, as stipulated in the Faculty prospectus are as follows:

  • Minimum NSC statutory requirements for diploma entry must be met.
  • An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematics or Technical Mathematics requires a minimum Applicant Score of 310.
  • An applicant with NSC Grade 12 Mathematical Literacy requires a minimum Applicant Score of 325.
  • NSC achievement rating of at least 35% for Mathematics or Technical Mathematics or 55% for Mathematical Literacy

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMMES.

The Department of Public Management and Leadership offers

instructional programmes from Diploma up to Doctoral level.

Undergraduate students register for the National Diploma in Public Management, which is a three year programme.

The following modules are taught at undergraduate level:

FIRST YEAR

  • Public Resource Management I Self-Management   I
  • Public Decision Making 
  • Public Information Services I Public Service Delivery  I
  • Public Office Management I

SECOND YEAR

  • Fundamentals of Research II Procurement & Logistics Management II
  • Project Management   II
  • Public Financial Management II
  • Public Human Resource Managemen II
  • Public Information Practice

THIRD YEAR

  • Financial and Procurement Management III
  • Intersectoral Collaboration  III Management  of  Information  III
  • Policy Studies III
  • Programme Management III
  • Public Human Resources Management Public Management Practice III

All third year students are expected to undertake experiential training, in their 3rd year of study, in keeping with the stipulations of the diploma.

 

Contact information
Ms Amanda Bikitsi
Personal Assistant to the Registrar
Tel: 041 504 3370
amanda.bikitsi@mandela.ac.za

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