Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is threefold. Firstly, to outline the new Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) within the Faculty of Informatics and Design (FID) at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town. The second aim is to unpack both the academic and the national policy rationale for such an urgent curriculation process. Finally, the underlying background (including the benchmarking process, the structure and content) of the post graduate offering is outlined. As national policy guided development, the central objective of this work was to explore the ideal attributes of a PGDip that would serve as a bridge between the newly developed Advanced Diploma in ICT at CPUT and to prepare graduates to better meet the ever changing needs of the ICT industry, both technically and intellectually. Methodologically then, an qualitative review of literature and an extensive pedagogical discourse, followed by the analysis of data from curricula development workshops across the CPUT institution as guided by the national government curricula policies, within the interpretive epistemological framework are the basis upon which this investigation is based. The findings suggest a PGDip that builds on (and strengthens) the core of the outgoing Bachelor of Technology (BTech) qualification, through a revised mix of practical, theoretical and problem solving content. According to the findings as supported by international best practices (from the benchmarking process), the content of the emergent offering points to 4 core academic areas of focus – the software engineering, the multimedia, the telecommunications networks (including cyber security and cyber forensics), as well as the business analysis streams. Whilst a taught model of offering is followed, courseware which includes research methods is also geared to prepare graduates for further advanced studies.

Keywords:

IT & Pedagogy, PG Diploma in ICT, IT Curricula Development, Multimedia Curricula, Communication Networks Curricula, IT Business Analysis Curricula.