Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management

Admission requirements

The admission requirements for this programme will adhere to the University of Johannesburg’s Admission and Selection Policy which is current at the time of the registration for this programme.

Teachers on post level 2, principals, aspirant principals, and School Management Team members wishing to develop a community of practice in school leadership, and who meet the criteria below, can apply.

• A professional teaching qualification at REQV level 14 or above
• At least three years’ classroom experience
• In a school leadership role (school management team/acting position/grade head/subject head/district official) or aspire to be in a school leadership role

Required documentation:

• A certified academic record and a certified copy of the highest qualification obtained
• An updated and detailed CV
• Proof of work experience
• Certified copy of ID

Have a question? Email [email protected] or phone 0800 233 723 (toll-free)

Technical requirements

We recommend the following in order to successfully complete your 100% online degree:

Basic computer skills:

• Be able to operate your computer and perform common tasks.
• Email and file management (access, create, edit, save, upload and download documents).
• Be able to use a word processing program to create and edit documents.
• Basic web browsing skills.

Computer requirements:

• Laptop or PC
• A high-speed internet connection (3G, 4G, LTE, ADSL or Fibre)
• E-book storage and reading
• Study notes storage and reading (PDF, MS Office)
• Video storage and playback
• Video recording
• Audio storage and playback
• Audio recording
• Web browsing
• Document creation
• Access to social networking

Module interruption and scheduled maintenance:

In the event of unexpected module interruption on the due date for an activity, the online facilitator will notify students of a new due date.

Modules & credits

Modules are undertaken over a seven-week period. The programme is split over 20 months and consists of compulsory modules and a minor dissertation.

Leading and Managing Teaching and Learning in the School A (13 Credits)

Effective leadership and management of teaching and learning is a critical role for the school principal. All other leadership and management roles and functions of the school must serve and support this primary purpose. It will equip the student with the necessary competencies to lead quality teaching, manage curriculum implementation effectively and track and support improved learning. The student will develop a portfolio of evidence that will run throughout and across the programme, and will provide a tool for their professional reflection and development throughout their careers. The professional portfolio integrates the work across the programme and includes a practical workplace project. The portfolio will begin by asking students to reflect on the meaning of being a leader of a South African school.

Working within and for the School System A (12 Credits)
Here we focus on helping student-principals locate the school and its practices within the wider context of the education system. It addresses issues related to law, policy, governance, school planning and school development.

Leading and Managing People and Change A (12 Credits)
This module emphasises people as the key resource of the school and explores the need for both theoretical understanding and practical competencies in the leadership and management of people, to manage oneself and others in both the school and the wider school communities. This module recognises that education is intrinsically about change and that change needs to be led and managed effectively to facilitate continuous improvement in and for the school.

Working with and for the Community (9 Credits)
Here we proceed from the understanding that schools exist within particular social and economic communities that have an influence on and may be influenced by the school, and the school’s leadership and management staff and structures. The wider community that the school serves, can provide a source of support and resources for the school, and the school can play an important role in the wellbeing and development of the community.

Leading and Managing the School as an Organisation A (9 Credits)
This module helps students to understand the school as an organisation, to manage organisational systems holistically in context and to lead and manage the use of ICT, physical and financial resources. It also addressed issues related to building and enhancing the school as a safe, disciplined and caring environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.

Leading and managing co-curricular and teaching and learning B (14 Credits)
Supporting effective leadership and management of extra- and co-curricular activities is integral to the development of well-rounded individuals. Effective leadership and management of teaching and learning is a critical role for the school principal. All other leadership and management roles and functions of the school must serve and support this primary purpose of the school. It will equip them with the necessary competencies to lead quality teaching, manage curriculum implementation effectively and track and support improved learning.”

Leading and Managing the School as an Organisation B (9 Credits)
This module helps students to understand the school as an organisation, to manage organisational systems holistically in context and to lead and manage the use of ICT, physical and financial resources. It also addressed issues related to building and enhancing the school as a safe, disciplined and caring environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.

Leading and managing people, change and school systems B (12 Credits)
This module emphasises people as the key resource of the school and explores the need for both theoretical understanding and practical competencies in leadership and management of people, to manage oneself and others in both the school and the wider school communities. It recognises that education is intrinsically about change and that change needs to be led and managed effectively to facilitate continuous improvement in and for the school.

This module helps student-principals locate the school and its practices within the wider context of the education system. It addresses issues related to law, policy, governance, school planning and school development

Professional Portfolio and Workplace Project (30 Credits)
Central to the portfolio will be a workplace project that will provide evidence, in an integrated way, of candidates’ ability to undertake an evidence-based inquiry, making appropriate use of data and ICT, make evidence-based decisions, implement changed practices as a result of these decisions, evaluate the impact thereof and make changes or amendments as indicated by the findings through an action-research cycle.
The portfolio and project will provide evidence of commitment and ability to shape the direction and development of the school.

Fees

UJ online programmes are designed to be affordable, saving time and money compared to other formats. Tuition fees are calculated per seven-week module. You can enrol in and pay for each consecutive session as your studies progress. Payment is accepted through the online student portal and must meet the payment deadline.

Number of modules: 9

Programme credits: 120

Fees per programme credit: +- R264

Total tuition fees: R31,770*

* Fees quoted are 2023 fees. Fees are subject to an annual increase.

The module will be exempted on the academic record if the exemption exam is passed.

Payment methods

Important: total tuition fees due for the module should be paid in full before registration will be allowed.

Credit card – recommended payment option

Credit card (e-payments) will reflect on your UJ student account immediately.

For online e-payments please use the following link:

https://www.uj.ac.za/studyatUJ/Student-Finance/Pages/E-Payments.aspx

Bank Deposit

If you make payment at an FNB branch, you must ensure that your names and student number are clearly written in block letters on the deposit slip.

Please file the deposit documentation in a safe place.

Should you have any queries regarding the payment not reflecting on your UJ student account, therefore preventing you from registering, you can email [email protected] to submit an enquiry – insert your student number as the email subject.

Visit any FNB branch to make a payment into the UJ Tuition Fee account.

The teller should select the UJ tuition Fee account for payment.

Use your valid UJ student number as the reference.

Electronic fund transfers (EFT)

EFTs must be made 72 hours before the registration period closes to ensure that the payment reflects on your UJ student account.

EFTs made from outside the country’s borders may take even longer. It is recommended that foreign students effect payment at least ten days before the registration period closes.

The ‘UJ FNB Tuition Fee’ account is available as a predefined beneficiary on the electronic platforms of all the major South African banks.  Search for the predefined beneficiaries on your own electronic banking platform.

Select UJ FNB Tuition Fee account and save that as a beneficiary to make payment.

Use your valid UJ student number as reference.

ATM

ATM payments will reflect on your UJ student account within 15 minutes.

Use any FNB ATM that can accept cash.

Select the cardless services option on the ATM.

Deposit the cash.

FNB Recipient Name – key in UJ and then space.

Select UJ Tuition Fee account.

Debit cards

Debit cards (cards requiring a pin for the processing of your payment) cannot be used for online payments.

Cancellation & refund policy

You can cancel your studies in a particular programme or module by official notification thereof before dates determined by the University.

Students are able to cancel their studies in a particular programme or module via their student portal or by submitting official notification to the relevant faculty officer before dates determined by the University.

If you cancel your registration before the end of the first week of the module (by midnight on Sunday, South African time), you will be entitled to a refund of 90% of the module fee OR to a credit of 90% of the module fee.

If you cancel your registration before the end of the second week of the module (by midnight on Sunday, South African time), you will be entitled to a refund of 50% of the module fee OR a credit or 50% of the module fee.

A credit will be allocated to your student account automatically, on receipt of your cancellation. Credit into the student account will be given automatically on cancellation HOWEVER a refund will only be paid out to the student on receipt of a completed refund application via the following link. If you fail to notify the university officially of your cancellation of a module after the end of the second week, you will not be entitled to any reimbursement or credit of the module fee, resulting in no refund or credit for any cancellations in weeks three to seven of any running module.