Higher Diploma in Business in Operational Excellence

Course details

The Higher Diploma in Business in Operational Excellence is a Level 8 programme specifically developed to meet identified industry needs. Participants will acquire a breadth of knowledge, critical insight, and best practices from the blended-learning approach, whilst the project management component embeds the practical application of the learnings attained for immediate impact in the workplace.

This programme is aimed at individuals from various backgrounds and disciplines who require a deeper understanding of Operational Excellence, Lean Transformations, and Project Management. This programme enables participants develop their potential as team leads, supervisors, technical leaders, and managers. It also provides the foundations to enable those wishing to integrate Operational Excellence and Lean into areas such as Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Human Resources, or Finance.

Applicants may wish to undertake this programme to aid their personal development into leadership roles from team leads, supervisors, technical leaders, or management. Applications are invited from candidates on a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) basis wherein a candidate’s accredited (formal education) and/or unaccredited (work experience) will be considered when assessing applications.

Programme Objectives

• To immerse students in operational excellence and lean philosophy and its application in a wide range of business contexts.
• To provide participants with the broad base of business skills and knowledge that can be used to advance their ability with respect to the application of operational excellence principles.
• To expose students to critical insight into operational excellence and Lean practice in production and service provision across a range of organisational and sectoral contexts.
• To inculcate creative thinking and innovative ability with a cross-functional and silo-free perspective.
• To extend the communication and leadership skills of individuals that combine to add value to organisations pursuing the adoption of operational excellence strategies.
• To provide the knowledge, tools, and techniques that will enable participants to design, deliver, and evaluate continuous improvement projects.
• To provide participants with the knowledge and skills that will underpin their professional development in an organisational change context.
• To equip students with an advanced level of knowledge of the theories, models, and practice in operational excellence management, together with an understanding of how this integrates within the wider business environment.
• To expose participants to critical perspectives with a view to broadening understanding of best practice in MNE and SME environments and to help students acquire an understanding of their career potential through the development of communication, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• To develop high levels of proficiency in project management through the application of project management skills in an operational excellence context.

Modules

Semester 1

• Operational Excellence Philosophy
• Continuous Improvement Concepts
• Operations Concepts
• Project Management 1

Semester 2

• Process Mapping & Improvement
• Continuous Improvement in Practice
• Operational Statistics
• Project Management 2

Semester 3

• Creativity & Problem-Solving for Managers
• Coaching for Operational Excellence
• Organisational Transformation
• Project Management 3

Programme Entry Requirements

To be considered for entry onto the Higher Diploma in Business in Operational Excellence, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria.

Entry Criteria

Applicants should have a Level 8 qualification, in any discipline, along with a minimum of 3 years relevant industry experience.

OR

Applicants who do not hold a Level 8 qualification may be considered on the basis of a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) application to a Level 8 standard or equivalent provided they have a minimum of 5 years’ relevant industry experience.