About this qualification
The Higher Certificate in Human Resources (HR) Management will equip prospective and current HR practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed for efficient personnel management and development in any modern organisation.
The curriculum is aligned with SABPP HR Standards and covers the various sub-disciplines of HR such as business management, employee wellness, organisational development, change management and leadership. Students are afforded the unique opportunity to blend theory with practice, providing practical skills in the human resources field that can be utilised in the HR profession, in almost every industry and sector.
7 credit-bearing modules
Part-time or full-time study options
- 15 – 30 notional hours / week
Lecture-led online distance learning
Higher Certificate in Human Resources Management
MODE:
Fully Online
NQF LEVEL:
5
SAQA ID:
90760
CREDITS:
120
DURATION:
Flexible payment options available
Programme syllabus
This HR Management qualification contains 7 credit-bearing modules and covers a wide range of subjects. Students will develop integrated knowledge and skills in the main areas of HR, including an understanding of key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules, and theories.
- Module 1: Academic Literacy | Credits: 10
Module 2: Human Resource Management | Credits: 20
- Module 3: Business Management | Credits: 20
- Module 4: Principles of Leadership | Credits: 14
Module 5: Organisational Development and Change Management | Credits: 18
Module 6: Organisational Health and Wellness | Credits: 18
Module 7: Human Resource Integrated Case Study | Credits: 20
- Total Credits: 120 | NQF Level: 5
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More about this qualification
This Higher Certificate in HR Management will suit a range of individuals wanting to enter the field of human resource management or pursue a qualification, including:
- Grade 12 school leavers who are unable to enter a diploma or degree programme
- Employees wanting to equip themselves with an understanding of labour rights
- Employers and managers wanting to equip themselves with an understanding of HR best practices
- Individuals wanting to enter the HR profession
- Trade Union representatives who want to gain introductory knowledge on the various complexities of Industrial relations and HR-related matters
- Individuals employed in the social work or psychology profession who want to understand the complexities of Industrial relations and HR-related matters
Upon successful completion of this programme you should be able to:
- Explain the role of human resources in a business or organisational context.
- Explain the variety of foundational components of human resource management.
- Apply a range of human resource management principles, techniques and functions to various work-related scenarios.
- Explain the processes associated with organisational development and change management, as a human resource function.
- Examine the role of leadership and motivation principles, as a key component of people management for organisational success.
- Identify key aspects of organisational health and wellness which affect employee wellbeing.
- Apply various critical thinking and literacy skills in an academic context.
- During this programme you will complete various types of assessments, namely Formative and Summative.
- There are 2 formative assessments which contribute 30% toward the final mark and 1 Summative assessment which contributes 70% towards the final mark. The course pass mark is 50%.
- Assessment dates will be available in iCan, via the programme calendar. These dates will also be published by the lecturer during orientation week.
A module lecturer is assigned to each module in this programme. As the mode of delivery is distance education, all instruction will take place via iCan, our online learning platform. Your module lecturer will provide a teaching and learning plan for the duration of the module as well as lesson plans for each week.
Students are required to adhere to these schedules. Lecturers will also host regular online classes. The content covered in each class will be in line with the module schedule and weekly lesson plan. Sticking to the schedules provided will ensure you don’t miss out on any opportunities to learn and ask questions.
In between classes you can engage with your lecturer directly on iCan or you can discuss the learning content with other students in the discussion forums, which are set up per module for your convenience.
The following learning activities form part of your overall learning path:
- Orientation week (included in the course duration)
- Self-directed reading and activity completion
- Multimedia activities such as video clips and podcasts
- Completion of quizzes and continuous assessment opportunities on iCan
- Online announcements of activities and assignment submission
- Participation in discussion forums
- Self-reflection
- Case studies
- Online/Live lectures using Microsoft Teams/Zoom
- Assessment activities and compulsory submission of formative and summative assessments per module
Programme Semester Dates
Programme Admissions
Academic requirements:
- National Senior Certificate (NSC), or Senior Certificate (NC), or National Certificate Vocational (NCV level 4)
- At least 30% in the language of teaching and learning
- Matric exemption certificate optional
- Candidates of a mature age may also be considered for entry, based on their experience in a managerial/supervisory capacity.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): Candidates may apply for admission through the process of RPL.
Institutional requirements:
- At least 18 years of age
- Ability to read and write in English, which is the language of instruction
- Students should also possess a basic level of digital literacy skills
- If candidates do not meet the minimum requirement, they may still enrol based on relevant work experience or mature age exemption
South African citizens:
- Certified copy of Grade 12 certificate [NSC, NC, NCV (NQF Level 4)]
- Certified copy of Identity Document/Card
- Students without Grade 12 are required to prove 12 months of relevant appointment
Non-South African citizens:
- Copy of highest school qualification
- Copy of passport
- Copy of study permit and copy of SAQA evaluation
At iQ Academy, we have transitioned all of our programmes to be exclusively delivered through online learning. This means that our students must have regular access to a device and a stable internet connection, whether it’s through a mobile device or any other means.
Don’t worry about course materials, as they are all available online and can be downloaded. Although we do not provide printed textbooks, most of our courses have printable e-books that you can access at your convenience. If you prefer printed materials, you can easily download and print them yourself.
Our teaching and learning activities primarily occur online, which means that you will participate in online classes and learning activities. If you require more information please feel free to enquire now.
- A PC, Tablet or Smartphone
- Access to a reliable internet connection
- Web browser (Chrome or Firefox)
- An active email account
Recommended data:
- At least 1GB of data per month for online-only programmes
- +/- 500MB of data for internet-supported programmes
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Expert support
Dedicated programme lecturer and specialised academic support.
Structured learning
Weekly lesson plans, regular live classes and special webinars.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, all qualifications are registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). You can find the SAQA ID listed on our website for each of the qualifications we offer. You can also search for a qualification on SAQA at: https://pcqs.saqa.org.za/search.php?cat=qual
iQ Academy is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) under the Higher Education Act, 1997. Learn more about our accreditations.
An iQ Academy Higher Certificate Programme is an industry-ready qualification that is offered through the convenience of online distance learning. All Higher Certificate courses are on NQF level 5 and are registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) and Council on Higher Education (CHE).
All of our qualifications are lecture-led. The mode of delivery for our qualifications is distance education and all instruction takes place via iCan, our online student portal. Your lecturer will provide teaching and learning plans for the duration of the programme as well as lesson plans for each week.
Students are required to adhere to these schedules. Lecturers will also host regular online classes. The content covered in each class will be in line with the module schedule and weekly lesson plan. Sticking to the schedules provided will ensure you don’t miss out on any opportunities to learn and ask questions.
In between classes you can engage with your lecturer directly on iCan or you can discuss the learning content with other students in the discussion forums, which are set up per module for your convenience.
The following learning activities form part of your overall learning path:
- Orientation week (included in the course duration)
- Self-directed reading and activity completion
- Multimedia activities such as video clips and podcasts
- Completion of quizzes and continuous assessment opportunities on iCan
- Online announcements of activities and assignment submission
- Participation in discussion forums
- Self-reflection
- Case studies
- Live online lectures
- Assessment activities and compulsory submission of formative and summative assessments per module