Editor LauraA bridge course is an intensive course developed for high school students entering higher education who may not feel prepared enough in their preparedness for university study or who do not meet the standards for university because they attend disadvantaged schools.
Several universities in South Africa provide a bridge course in the form of an ‘extended degree,’ and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is one of them.
List of Bridging Courses At UKZN
1. Management Development
Management Development is a course that teaches how to become an effective manager.
OnOnOnOOne important role of a manager is to translate leadership and shareholder objectives (or to invent them on their own if none come from above) into lawful and effective measures to attain those goals.
It means that the knowledge and conduct of those participating in the development program will change. The person will be able to do a better job in his current position and will have more opportunities for future work.
When we talk about management development, we often overlook the overall development process, which includes the growth of all employees. It is an organized collection of educational and theoretical knowledge as well as administrative abilities.
The major goal of this training is to improve managers’ ability to make better decisions. All of the methods by which management learns to enhance their behavior and performance are included in the management development program.
2. Project Management
This course presents an objective overview of Project Management from a practical business perspective, covering everything from initial concept to planning, implementation, and evaluation. In competitive markets, initiatives are increasingly considered a medium for completing tasks and reaching objectives to suit consumer and organizational needs.
Students who take the course will have the opportunity to gain practical skills that they may apply immediately when they return to work. You’ll be able to identify and manage the product scope, construct a work breakdown structure, create a project plan, create a project budget, define and assign resources, manage project development, identify and manage risks, and comprehend the project procurement process at the end of the course.
3. TIPED
The Trade Investment Promotion and Economic Development Programme (TIPED) is aimed to provide a smooth pipeline for South Africa to lead and manage strategic and sustainable investment, both inside and outwards, in line with key stakeholders’ strategic aims and objectives. The stated strategic plans, which are incorporated in the National Development Plan, serve as a suitable baseline for measuring progress.
TIPED is aimed at providing relevant and rigorous high-level, experiential learning to understand the ‘why’ (context) and historical perspective of investment across key regions and sectors, as well as focusing on the ‘how’ (processes and systems) critical to achieving desired trade and investment outcomes through optimal management and leadership, and the ‘what’ (content) consisting of new knowledge and best practice that I
4. Health and safety management
The health and safety management system is one of the backbones of an organization. They not only keep employees safe, but they also make it simple for everyone in a company to try to improve their safety. When you hear about workplace health and safety, you’re probably thinking about yourself. It’s the same with guaranteeing compliance with safety regulations because you’re the one who has to make sure they’re followed.
5. Food Security and Vulnerability
Understanding sensitivity to food insecurity is vital for developing policies and initiatives to improve food security and reduce food insecurity vulnerability among smallholder farmers. Food and nutrition, malnutrition, food security, and livelihoods are all covered in this course. Understanding these ideas is necessary for assessing the nutritional situation, designing and implementing nutrition-sensitive programs, investments, and policies, and evaluating the nutritional results of programs, investments, and policies.
6. Mathematics
Mathematics begins with a brief overview of arithmetic, fundamental algebra, and a study of quadratics and cubics, with a significant focus on geometric concepts. You also learn about Euclidean and Cartesian geometry, as well as the concept of proof. Trigonometry, algebra, functions and their inverses follow.
Finally, differential and integral calculus principles are introduced in this course.
Each topic begins with a set of learning objectives and concludes with a summary of important points and findings.
A large number of practical examples with inspiring applications are provided to help students gain knowledge and skills.
7. Public Administration
Public administration is similar to any other type of administration that serves the public good. Before delving more into public administration, it’s useful to look at how different authors have attempted to describe what administration is. In addition, there are two popular viewpoints on the nature of public administration: the Integral view and the Managerial view.
The integral view is comprehensive, embracing all management, clerical, technical, and manual tasks, as well as people at all levels.
8. Business Administration
Business administration is a vast field that encompasses a variety of jobs, professional contexts, and career paths. Business administration, to put it simply, is the task of managing an organization’s resources, time, and people.
Professionals in business administration labor to ensure that businesses and organizations run smoothly, efficiently, and financially. This is a delicate balancing act that necessitates knowledge and skills from a variety of fields.
9. Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Regardless of your functional role or industry, understanding, preparing, and presenting financial data is a fact of professional life. For people without a formal financial background or experience, this can be difficult. Students in Finance for Non-Financial Managers course will learn how to read financial accounts, comprehend and apply financial models, make strategic and operational decisions, generate forecasts and budgets, and present all of this information to leadership.
All of the skills are given in a very hands-on, practical manner, with direct direction on how to deal with financial data in your day-to-day work. The curriculum has been carefully crafted to help you understand how your department’s, brand’s, or product’s finances fit into the larger picture of your company.
10. Managing Incentive Program (MIP)
To manage effectively in their organizations, new and developing managers require both content and process skills and knowledge.
In a competitive business and market climate, students attending the MIP will learn about achieving results for impact through people. The program is meant to give new managers the opportunity to improve their abilities and confidence in order to be more effective in their management roles.
Things to note:
A bridge course will not teach a subject from the beginning, and you must have taken a specific course required for your degree in high school, even if your grades were not satisfactory.
Extended Courses have lower initial enrollment requirements and require students to finish an additional year of study.
Most colleges administer a test known as the National Benchmark Test (NBT).
Some colleges do not enable you to apply for an Extended Course, but they may offer it if the results of their test indicate that you would benefit from it.
Related:
Closing
Bridge courses at UKZN are short organized courses that are offered to students whose placement test scores suggest that they require further preparation before enrolling in college-level coursework. The courses are designed to review subjects and prepare students for their classes by providing opportunities to practice test-taking and study techniques.