Undergraduate & honours qualifications

Postgraduate Diploma in Security Management

Qualification code: 90080
NQF level: 8
Total credits: 120
SAQA ID: 97954
APS/AS: 60
Purpose statement:
This qualification is aimed at learners who wish to pursue careers as security supervisors and security managers and who seek to develop and receive recognition for the essential skills needed, by senior management in the security sector. Qualifying learners will have the competencies to apply their acquired security management, security risk management and corporate investigation knowledge and skills at an advanced specialised level. The emphasis, besides additional advanced specialised knowledge and information is on the practical application of already acquired knowledge. The qualification targets learners who work in the public and private sector security industry and related fields of asset protection, loss prevention, security risk management and corporate investigation. A qualifying learner will be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills of competent security managers in the private and public security industry. This qualification will also assist in promoting good governance, professionalism and expertise in this specific sector of the South African economy. It further lays a foundation for higher career advancement and further post-graduate studies in Security Management.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

  • Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. 
  • Re-registering students may register for the 2024 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.


How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

  • Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.
  • Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

  • 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
  • 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

While you are deciding on the modules for which you will be registering, write down the module names and codes so that you have something to refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information (eg semester/year module, NQF level)