Advanced Diploma in Quality Management
Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology - Engineering and Related Design
Purpose and Rationale
Purpose:
The Advanced Diploma in Quality Management is a vocational learning qualification at NQF Level 7 with 120 Credits. The purpose of this qualification is to develop quality practitioners in chosen fields of specialty with integrated knowledge of quality management in a systems context. This includes conforming to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and set requirements for system certification or method accreditation. The qualification aims to broaden and deepen the scope of knowledge and skills in quality philosophies, methodologies, international standards, and quality tools and techniques.
Learners will be equipped to maintain, review, and improve quality-related processes, as well as enhance the quality management system components they are responsible for. This involves applying appropriate standards, quality tools, and techniques in both a process and systems context. Graduates will be able to contribute innovatively to the development of quality management systems that meet national and international statutory and regulatory requirements and best practices. They will support entrepreneurial activities within organizations and ensure that products and services consistently meet customer requirements, satisfaction, and efficiency goals.
Qualified quality practitioners will function independently within a process context and under supervision in a systems context. This diploma will meet the demand for quality practitioners with specialized knowledge in areas such as applied statistics, standards, quality management system development, implementation, maintenance, auditing, review, and continuous improvement methodologies. Additionally, it covers project and research management aspects.
Rationale:
The Advanced Diploma in Quality Management addresses the need to enhance the knowledge of qualified quality technicians in South Africa. These technicians work at a technical level within various industries and require a deeper understanding in quality management. The qualification aims to develop practitioners capable of maintaining and improving quality systems to achieve national/international certification or accreditation.
Graduates will gain specialized knowledge in maintaining and enhancing organizational quality management systems within areas like Service Industries, Water Care, Laboratory Technology, Management Services, Production Management, and Logistics Management. This qualification will empower learners from fields such as Water Technology, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, and others to implement and improve recognized standards based on quality management systems effectively.
The qualification aligns with the South African National Development Plan's goal to drive economic growth through Quality Management. It prepares quality practitioners to implement, maintain, and improve quality management systems, ensuring compliance with national and international standards in a business setting. The diploma links to other postgraduate qualifications like the Postgraduate Diploma in Quality Management, Project Management, and General Management.
With the phase-out of the Bachelor of Technology (B Tech): Quality qualification, the Advanced Diploma in Quality Management fills the gap and incorporates new modules on international standards, integrated systems management, and quality methodologies. This qualification enables technologists, process engineers, managers, controllers, and administrators to continue their professional development in quality management.
Completing this diploma allows learners to register for membership grades with the Southern African Society for Quality (SASQ) and contributes to addressing the shortage of qualified quality practitioners nationally. Graduates will be equipped to develop, implement, maintain, review, improve, and drive continual improvement of organizational quality management systems. This is essential for achieving organizational goals, ensuring stakeholder confidence, and managing the Price of Quality effectively.
Outcomes
- Demonstrate and evaluate integrated knowledge of principles of applied statistics to investigate and critically reflect on a range of methods to address day-to-day statistically based process management issues.
- Apply statistically based evidence solutions and theory driven arguments to resolve process and quality problems.
- Demonstrate and evaluate integrated detailed knowledge and knowledge literacy of the central areas of Quality Management, as well as a detailed knowledge of sector specific standards applicable to the organisational quality management system.
- Apply and evaluate key terms, concepts, models, principles and systems theories specific to the field of quality management systems to implement, maintain and improve the organisational quality management system in the field of specialisation based on standards requirements, statutory and regulatory conformity and application of accepted quality principles.
- Conduct reviews of the quality system of the organisation and its suppliers, based on accepted quality auditing principles and present findings to management, facilitate improvement initiatives and review the effectiveness of corrective and preventative actions.
- Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of business philosophies, strategic planning and goal formulation, map processes using appropriate mapping tools, and identify waste in a process context.
- Apply continuous improvement tools and techniques to facilitate preventative and corrective improvements of the quality management system and its processes.
- Demonstrate project management knowledge and skills to identify research projects, to resolve quality related problems in projects of varying complexity in organisational quality related environments, irrespective of the kind of realisation process (hardware, software, processed good and services, or combinations thereof) and the resultant process output, including demonstrating the ability to tailor the project planning and execution to suit a particular quality improvement project.
- Demonstrate the knowledge and skill to apply risk management principles, tools and techniques throughout the life cycle of the quality management system and related processes, and to a wide range of quality related activities, including strategies and decisions, operations, processes, functions, projects, products, services and assets.
- Integrate and apply specialist risk management knowledge to any type of risk, whatever its nature, whether having positive or negative consequences.
- Develop and enhance learning strategies to sustain independent learning, professional development and interaction.
- Operate independently and take full responsibility and accountability for his/her own work, and be able to lead, initiate and implement systems while ensuring good resource management and governance practices.
Assessment Criteria
The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be applied in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes:
- Statistical techniques are identified and applied in relation to specific work place related problems.
- Management reports are compiled, facilitating problem solving in a process context by using instruments such as statistical tools, findings, analyses, and process control.
- Sampling plans are compiled and Statistical Process Control charts are created to review and identify out of control situations, explain causes of variation, and implement corrective and preventative actions.
- Detailed knowledge and literacy of quality management systems vocabulary, principles, and process modelling are recognized and compared to industry examples.
- Quality management systems concepts, theories, and strategies are analyzed and resolved using applicable examples in a broader organizational context.
- Audit planning, conducting, reporting, and recommendations are carried out effectively.
- Business philosophies, strategic planning, and quality policies are aligned with organizational strategies and goals.
- Quality processes are mapped, pressure points identified, and corrective measures implemented to achieve goals.
- Ethical values and approaches to management principles are defended and assessed in the work environment.
- Project and risk management activities are identified, formulated, and executed ethically and professionally.
- Methods of inquiry are utilized to investigate complex problems in quality assurance, control, standards, and processes.
- Evidence-based solutions are applied to relevant case studies.
- Organizational quality structures are identified, and risk management is integrated into the quality management system.
- Continuous professional development and collaborative learning processes are facilitated.
Integrated Assessment:
- Formative assessment will inform learners of their progress continuously through assignments, exercises, presentations, and group work.
- Summative assessment at the end of a learning experience will assess the level of competence achieved through examinations and tests.
This comprehensive assessment approach ensures learners are competent in applying quality management principles and practices in a real-world context.
Qualification Details
- Type
- Advanced Diploma
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 120
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.