IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management - (Distance)

Admission requirements

Minimum Admission Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree: HEQSF Level 7 completed
• Advanced Diploma: completed
• NQF Level 7 equivalent qualification
• International Applicants: SAQA Evaluation Certificate with NQF Level 7

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.

Curriculum

Year 1 – Semester 1

• Project Management for Water Managers - This module covers the principles and skills needed to plan, design, and manage water projects, focusing on problem analysis, project design, capacity building, impact assessment, and participatory monitoring and evaluation.
• Collaborative Water Planning - This module explores water planning frameworks and governance mechanisms across scales, highlighting themes like sustainability, equity, and collaborative management in response to the global water crisis.

Year 1 – Semester 2

• Urban Water Design - This module examines the connections between urbanisation and the hydrological cycle, offering students new perspectives on building sustainable and resilient cities.
• Water and Sanitation - This module covers engineering and socio-economic principles for designing and managing sustainable water supply and sanitation systems for poor communities, addressing both technical and non-technical aspects such as environmental health, treatment technologies, distribution, maintenance, demand management, and cost-benefit analysis.

Year 2 – Semester 3

• Catchment and Aquatic Ecosystem Health - This module examines river catchments and aquatic ecosystems as complex systems, focusing on hydrology, environmental flows, and tools for managing the interlinked social and ecological resilience of these systems.
• GIS and Water Resource Mapping - This module covers the principles and applications of GIS and remote sensing in water management, with practical exercises and case studies to build skills in spatial data analysis and decision support.

Year 2 – Semester 4

• Community Water Development - This module explores the political dimensions of community participation in water management, focusing on engagement, social learning, conflict management, and the roles of poverty, livelihoods, and gender in achieving sustainable outcomes.
• Climate Change and Water Resources - This module examines the science, politics, and policy responses to climate change.

Study further with our pathways

For the School of Engineering, Science and Health graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management may be eligible to apply for the IIE Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management subject to meeting admission requirements.

For alternative articulation options within other faculties, please contact your campus for further information.

Accreditation

The IIE Postgraduate Diploma in Water Management is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 120-credit qualification on level 8 (SAQA ID: 97819).

Career opportunities

The PGDip Water Management prepares graduates for professional roles in:

• Water Resource and River Basin Management
• Groundwater Planning and Monitoring
• Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Services
• Wastewater and Water Treatment Operations
• Community-Based Water Project Development

Graduates will be well-suited for leadership and management roles in public institutions, private sector firms, NGOs, and international development organisations in the water sector.

Teaching and Learning strategy

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.

On-Campus written examination venue information

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.

Please note, once the examination venue is selected and confirmed, it cannot be changed within eight weeks prior to the summative examination.

Device and connectivity specifications required for online study

• Reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month and an internet speed of at least 0.15 Mbps).
• Desktop PC or laptop with at least an i3 processor and 4GB RAM memory.
• Windows 8 or macOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for Emeris students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox.
• A working webcam and microphone.
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended.
• Exams are written at an exam centre and in some instances online. These details will be specified in your programme assessment schedule.