Why choose the GSM?
Choosing where to do a graduate business degree can be a daunting task. These programmes do not come cheap and require huge commitment, both in time and resources. It is therefore important to make the right choice from the word go. The information below might point you in the right direction:
First and foremost, it is important to bear in mind that the GSM is the oldest business school in South Africa and that its MBA was the pioneering graduate business qualification in South Africa. Some of our country’s most prominent institutions in the MBA arena based their programmes on the GSM’s model. This institution was established in 1949 and the first students graduated from the programme in 1951. In fact, the GSM MBA was the first MBA programme ever to be launched outside the USA. Throughout its 57-year existence, the GSM MBA has been known for its academic rigour and its sound content and delivery. In addition, the programme is recognised for its robust design, never compromising on the fundamentals of an MBA programme and never succumbing to the hype so often seen in some of the more recent arrivals on the MBA scene.
The GSM is proud to be part of the University of Pretoria (UP) and has more than just an administrative relationship with the university. The GSM supports the mission and vision of the UP and is committed to the philosophical framework of the Innovation Generation. Students of the GSM can avail themselves of all the resources the UP has to offer and can share in the reputation bestowed on them through their affiliation with this top class institution.
The current cohesive and integrated programme designs are aimed at significant interaction between lecturers and students. Two designs, both part-time, cater for the varying needs of typical graduate students. The after-hours delivery model requires class attendance three nights per week on the UP Campus, whereas the modular delivery model caters for students who reside outside Gauteng. Programmes also include explicit and implicit elements of personal development such as team building, group dynamics, etiquette and protocol, ethics, speed reading, individual leadership styles, brain profiles, career goals and counselling. The GSM was the first graduate school to introduce specialisation in their programme architecture and it pays special attention to domain concentration. To this end the GSM also offers a portfolio of short course programmes customised to company-specific training programmes to enhance executive capabilities and provides attendees with UP certificates.
The GSM’s graduate programmes reflect a richness of diversity and are well represented across the spectra of age, career, gender, industry, academic background – all within the context of a very robust, competitive and rigorous selection. In addition, the GSM is serving an ever-increasing African market, in particular with the new Centre for Microfinance.
It is important for a graduate business programme to reflect the latest trends and techniques, without losing touch with a sound theoretical foundation. The concept of business education or management learning should encompass an area of both professional practice and theoretical enquiry and should link these two domains to the advancement of both. In addition, a proper business education should not only inform students, but, most importantly, also transform them to become strategic leaders and thinkers who are able to lead in the rapidly changing business environment.
Real-world relevance is central to the GSM’s programmes. This objective is achieved through case studies and assignments applied to the work environment of the individual. Appropriate experience in the work environment is therefore a requirement for admission. Without this frame of reference, learning will remain merely theoretical.
Finally, it is important to choose a graduate programme that will lead to long-term profitability and sustainability – both expectations that are met by the GSM’s programmes.
