The IIE Master of Commerce in Strategic Management, available at Emeris, is a programme that addresses the changing business landscape by providing students with a unique combination of business management, leadership, complex problem-solving, innovation, design thinking, and research skills to be able to solve problems innovatively and logically, using critical and quantitative reasoning. This master’s programme allows students to continue their lifelong learning journey towards self-actualisation, improving their ability to adapt proactively to a dynamic, complex, and volatile corporate environment as well as emerging trends in local and worldwide markets.
This qualification equips students with skills to lead in a dynamic and turbulent environment and to solve new world problems, undertaking critical and analytical thinking in all their tasks. It further equips students with skills to unpack and address problems that characterise the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous market environment. Students are equipped with organisational development and change management skills that will enable them to embrace change more proactively and address the organisation's contemporary challenges. It will prepare working professionals to lead their organisations or departments in the current work environment and to understand universal business problems and challenges in the South African and global context. The qualification provides students entering the corporate world, as well as experienced managers and executives, with the knowledge, skills and competence required to further their careers at or progress to the executive level markets.
Minimum Admission Requirements:
An appropriate HEQSF Level 8 Honours degree; OR
A relevant Postgraduate Diploma or appropriate equivalent; OR
An appropriate Level 8 Bachelor’s Degree (480 credits) may also be recognised as meeting the minimum entry requirements to a cognate Master’s Degree programme.
For International candidates:
A SAQA NQF L8 Evaluation Certificate in an appropriate field.
1. An overall NQF Level 8 qualification average of at least 65% is normally required.
2. All students are required to complete a compulsory research methodology workshop.
3. All applicants who are eligible for admission to the Master of Commerce in Strategic Management degree are required to successfully complete and present a research proposal and obtain ethics clearance for the research for their mini-dissertation.
*Accredited and registered with SAQA registration, awaiting DHET listing but approval granted by DHET to advertise.
For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment.
Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.
The IIE Master of Commerce in Strategic Management consists of four core modules and a mini dissertation at NQF level 9, totalling 180 credits.
Contemporary Strategic Management:
The purpose of this module is to equip students with specialist knowledge of contemporary strategic management and a wide range of applied specialised skills to address complex and challenging problems in any type of organisation or industry through the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative, ethical, agile, and sustainable strategies.
Leadership in Dynamic Environments:
The purpose of this module is to provide students with relevant and current leadership competence to lead in a dynamic environment while fostering the values of ethical and accountable leadership. Students will be expected to manage strategic and sustainable solutions to address complex and dynamic opportunities for sustained business growth.
Business Strategy:
The purpose of this module is to provide students with the strategic ability to critically evaluate strategic business growth, models, and research to create solutions that enhance business opportunities and reduce risk.
Wicked Problems and Design Thinking:
The purpose of this module is to provide students with knowledge and skills to identify wicked business problems and challenges while using design thinking approaches to aid in the generation of new insights and innovative solutions to the problem/challenge.
Mini Dissertation:
The purpose of this module is for students to carry out a supervised research project in an area of study of their choice.
The qualification is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), with SAQA ID 123522 and NQF level 9. The programme meets the necessary regulatory standards for its level and type.
At Emeris, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our academic team design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.
Exams are written at an exam centre and in some instances online. These details will be specified in your programme assessment schedule.
For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of Emeris as their Examination Centre.
An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no Emeris campus. If there is no Emeris campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-Emeris venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.
Duration
2 years part-time
Intakes
February
Campuses
Mode/s of study
Information
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An educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education
Formed by the strategic evolution of The IIE's Varsity College, IIE MSA, Vega and
the School of Hospitality and Service Management, uniting under the Emeris name.
Emeris is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd which is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/HE07/002). Company registration number: 1987/004754/07. View certificate here.
