Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation

Course Type:

Postgraduate

Duration:

1 year, full time

Campuses:

JHB, CPT

Total Tuition Fees 2024

R99 445

NQF LEVEL: 8 | SAQA ID: 111396

The AFDA Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation provides students with a rigorous education in convergence of business and technological innovation, equipping students with the necessary skills to identify a business opportunity, apply innovation theory and launch a new business venture using new technology.

The intent of this qualification is to economically boost the creative economy, by hosting an innovation incubator that develops tangible businesses through a diverse cohort of students. As is standard for Postgraduate level of studies and will be in this qualification, there is a greater focus on research along with learning outcomes in innovation and entrepreneurship to follow an Undergraduate degree.

View Disciplines for this Programme +
Total tuition fees for 2024:

R99 445

Our understanding in developing a collaboration-driven Postgraduate Diploma which can be filled with students from Undergraduate degrees of various specialisations and electives, whether in business, entertainment or otherwise, is that diversity enhances innovation. Students will not necessarily learn the foundations of business as an Undergraduate BCom may teach, however should enter the program with a keen interest in business and entrepreneurship. Students will learn about generating new ideas, researching, innovating and look at applying their previous area of specialization (discipline) or an area of great interest to them into their role as part of a dynamic and diverse group of individuals. This group will collaborate to develop a business model that harnesses their collaborative disciplines.

The campus facilities will offer these business groups a dynamic office space/ innovation lab cultivating a prime environment for start-ups and entrepreneurial development. This includes access to equipment and new technologies such as VR and AR to leverage business opportunities utilising these or other technological mediums.

 

Ideation Studies

Not only will students be taught the rich diversities of theories surrounding business innovation, they will also learn how these contribute to the development of business models that make use of exponential technologies. During this learning process, students will develop the concepts necessary to develop their own innovative business models that can exploit the analogue-to-digital value gap through technological innovation opportunities. They will also be provided with knowledge of the context of business practices in the creative industries, and the role of the creative industries within society at large, with the intent to inform the potential business opportunities they wish to explore.

Discipline Studies

Concepts explored in Ideation Studies will be realized through students’ Discipline Studies where students apply their discipline skills of choice in syndicate groups around a proposed business venture. They research the required discipline skills to enable the innovative business model in the most cost effective and productive manner.

Contextual Studies

Driven by the need for critical thinking, collaboration and investing in the world, as well as by the importance of developing rewarding careers and a sense of personal fulfilment, students will lead their own learning in these key 21st century skills required to develop their innovative businesses in productive teams.

Business Model Studies

Here, students are given the opportunity to systematically apply the concepts and theories explored in Ideation Studies, the goals they have set for themselves in Contextual Studies, as well as their chosen discipline, in order to realize a new entrepreneurial venture. They will develop the idea of their business concept, research and test it, activate their business model for market feedback, and then reflect on this feedback, adapting their model in order to prepare for its launch into the real world. This project-led approach to learning allows students to develop a meaningful and productive relationship with the acquisition of new knowledge. Their project is assessed through the student’s performance in Ideation Studies and their navigation of contextual issues during the business development process.

Reflection Studies

The project process culminates in Reflection Studies, guiding students to critically reflect on their experiential project-led learning as the means to evolve their business. Here, students are encouraged to link their theoretical learning and the application of their discipline to the creation of their business, mapping their growth, and deciding how what they have learned will inform their career development, their investment in the world, and their own personal fulfilment.

Term Breakdown

Term 1: Teams are created and a business model concept is researched and presented.

Term 2: Team members propose their individual discipline contributions (roles) within the chosen business model, and the business is piloted to run into Term 3.

Term 3: Teams run their business venture. The business model and individual discipline contributions are reviewed and adapted based on presentation and market feedback.

Term 4: Teams continue to run and revise their business venture. The revised business model is presented to a panel of potential investors to develop and grow the business, and team members go through reflection of the process of developing a business venture.

Careers

Job security is a natural and valid question to ask following Postgraduate studies in today’s economy. The Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation is developed in such a way that students can graduate with a tangible business to run. And so instead of having to find a job, the business would not only generate work for you but can create more jobs in the creative economy for many more as the business grows.

Questions

We would like to invite you to meet with the Heads of School for Business Innovation and Technology who have not only come from rich education and business backgrounds but have participated and had influence in the development of the programme and curriculum themselves respectively. They also have a core role in running the programmes on each of our Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses. Please contact the Marketing and Recruitment Department to request a consultation booking:

Cape Town: Stephen Drake
Johannesburg: Busisiwe Hlatswayo

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AFDA offers a unique higher education environment where outcomes-based and collaborative learning empowers students with competitive, professional and innovative skills.

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Disciplines:

  • Business Strategy and Management

  • Start-up Finance

  • Marketing and Sales

  • U(I)X Design and Operations