National Diploma in Human Resource Management
This course develops your ability to coordinate human resource processes with fair treatment, reliable records and organisational needs.
About the course
This course develops your ability to coordinate human resource processes with fair treatment, reliable records and organisational needs. Learning combines technical study with practical tasks relevant to Southern African organisations and communities.
What you'll learn
Analyse staffing and development needs using organisational evidence.
Apply sound recruitment, performance and employee-record practices.
Evaluate people-management decisions against fairness and workplace requirements.
Requirements
Prepare evidence of relevant certificate study or comparable prior learning for the provider's admission review. Refresh the subject knowledge, calculations and practical skills needed for diploma work. Plan access to the supervised workplace, laboratory or project resources required by the course.
Course content
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
3 learning stages 18 subjects
1Specialist subjects11 subjects
2Foundations and shared practice5 subjects
3Practical integration2 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The programme combines supporting studies, specialist subjects and practical integration. Each subject below includes its learning focus, outcomes, practice and assessment.
18 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Specialist subjects
- Business Law 2. Explore the interpretation of legal principles and procedures within a defined jurisdiction. Practice centres on a source-based case note and procedural document, drawing on sources and hierarchy of legal authority and institutional roles and legal terminology. You will record findings, justify decisions and check jurisdiction, currency of authority and the distinction between analysis and advice.
- Employment Relations. Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
- Principles Of Management. Explore the coordination of people, resources and decisions to deliver a defined service. Practice centres on an operational plan and service-improvement report, drawing on organisational purpose and responsibilities and work planning and resource allocation. You will record findings, justify decisions and check feasibility, accountability and evidence of service performance.
- Rewards Management. Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
- Labour Economics. Explore the interpretation of economic choices, markets and resource constraints. Practice centres on an economic case analysis with a simple data display, drawing on scarcity, incentives and opportunity cost and demand, supply and price formation. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the assumptions behind the explanation and the distribution of effects.
- Workplace Psychology. Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
- Performance Management. Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
- Financial Accounting And Reporting 1. Explore the recording of transactions and preparation of financial information. Practice centres on an accounting file from source documents to financial statements, drawing on source documents and the accounting equation and double-entry records and journals. You will record findings, justify decisions and check completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
- Human Resources Development. Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
- Business Research Methods. Explore the design of a focused investigation using traceable evidence. Practice centres on a research proposal and small investigation, drawing on problem definition and research questions and finding and evaluating literature. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the conclusions follow from the evidence.
- Financial Accounting 1. Explore the recording of transactions and preparation of financial information. Practice centres on an accounting file from source documents to financial statements, drawing on source documents and the accounting equation and double-entry records and journals. You will record findings, justify decisions and check completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
Foundations and shared practice
- Safety, Health, Environmental Practices And Quality. Explore the prevention of harm and the control of quality during vocational work. Practice centres on a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan, drawing on hazard identification and exposure routes and risk assessment and control hierarchy. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
- Quantitative Analysis For Business. Explore mathematical reasoning for interpreting measurements and solving vocational problems. Practice centres on a worked problem portfolio using occupational data, drawing on units, ratios and numerical accuracy and algebraic relationships and equations. You will record findings, justify decisions and check units, numerical accuracy and the reasonableness of the result.
- Business Information Systems. Explore the use of digital tools to organise information and produce reliable work records. Practice centres on a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files, drawing on files, folders, naming and version control and word-processing layouts and structured documents. You will record findings, justify decisions and check formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
- National Studies. Explore the relationship between citizenship, public institutions and working life. Practice centres on a local public-service case review, drawing on constitutional principles and public institutions and citizenship and civic responsibilities. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
- Entrepreneurial Skills Development. Explore the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Practical integration
- On The Job Education And Training. Apply your learning through agreed duties in a supervised workplace. You will connect business law 2, employment relations with routine service or production responsibilities. Keep evidence of preparation, work completed and feedback. Review your progress with the supervisor and explain how your decisions affect quality, safety and other people.
- Skills Proficiency. Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate business law 2, employment relations within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Assessment and practical learning
- Suggested learning checks: analyse applied problems and justify your decisions using relevant evidence.
- Suggested practical assessment: complete a supervised project or portfolio with a clear method, results and evaluation.
- Present and defend your recommendations, then revise the work in response to assessor feedback.
Practical application
Prepare an HR case portfolio covering recruitment, induction, development and an evidence-based response to a workplace issue.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Specialist subjects
Business Law 2
Explore the interpretation of legal principles and procedures within a defined jurisdiction. Practice centres on a source-based case note and procedural document, drawing on sources and hierarchy of legal authority and institutional roles and legal terminology. You will record findings, justify decisions and check jurisdiction, currency of authority and the distinction between analysis and advice.
Learning outcomes
- Locate the legal authority relevant to a stated issue.
- Apply a rule to a fictional fact pattern with clear reasoning.
- Prepare a concise legal-support record and identify matters needing specialist advice.
Main topics
- Sources and hierarchy of legal authority
- Institutional roles and legal terminology
- Rights, duties and procedural fairness
- Reading legislation and decisions
- Applying a rule to documented facts
- Legal records, ethics and referral boundaries
Practical task
For Business Law 2, prepare a source-based case note and procedural document in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of jurisdiction, currency of authority and the distinction between analysis and advice.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Employment Relations
Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a staffing or performance need using workplace evidence.
- Prepare a fair and documented people-management response.
- Review the response against role requirements and employee concerns.
Main topics
- Roles, staffing and work requirements
- Recruitment, induction and staff records
- Learning and performance support
- Employment relationships and communication
- Reward, wellbeing and fair treatment
- Evidence, confidentiality and HR review
Practical task
For Employment Relations, prepare an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Principles Of Management
Explore the coordination of people, resources and decisions to deliver a defined service. Practice centres on an operational plan and service-improvement report, drawing on organisational purpose and responsibilities and work planning and resource allocation. You will record findings, justify decisions and check feasibility, accountability and evidence of service performance.
Learning outcomes
- Translate a service objective into responsibilities and work steps.
- Use records and performance measures to identify an operating problem.
- Recommend an improvement with clear actions and ownership.
Main topics
- Organisational purpose and responsibilities
- Work planning and resource allocation
- Procedures, records and internal controls
- Team coordination and problem solving
- Performance measures and service quality
- Accountability, review and improvement
Practical task
For Principles Of Management, prepare an operational plan and service-improvement report in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of feasibility, accountability and evidence of service performance.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Rewards Management
Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a staffing or performance need using workplace evidence.
- Prepare a fair and documented people-management response.
- Review the response against role requirements and employee concerns.
Main topics
- Roles, staffing and work requirements
- Recruitment, induction and staff records
- Learning and performance support
- Employment relationships and communication
- Reward, wellbeing and fair treatment
- Evidence, confidentiality and HR review
Practical task
For Rewards Management, prepare an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Labour Economics
Explore the interpretation of economic choices, markets and resource constraints. Practice centres on an economic case analysis with a simple data display, drawing on scarcity, incentives and opportunity cost and demand, supply and price formation. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the assumptions behind the explanation and the distribution of effects.
Learning outcomes
- Explain an economic relationship using a relevant example.
- Interpret an economic indicator without overstating its meaning.
- Compare the effects of a market or policy change on different participants.
Main topics
- Scarcity, incentives and opportunity cost
- Demand, supply and price formation
- Production, costs and market structures
- Income, employment and inflation
- Money, finance and exchange-rate effects
- Policy choices and evidence-based interpretation
Practical task
For Labour Economics, prepare an economic case analysis with a simple data display in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of the assumptions behind the explanation and the distribution of effects.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Workplace Psychology
Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a staffing or performance need using workplace evidence.
- Prepare a fair and documented people-management response.
- Review the response against role requirements and employee concerns.
Main topics
- Roles, staffing and work requirements
- Recruitment, induction and staff records
- Learning and performance support
- Employment relationships and communication
- Reward, wellbeing and fair treatment
- Evidence, confidentiality and HR review
Practical task
For Workplace Psychology, prepare an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Performance Management
Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a staffing or performance need using workplace evidence.
- Prepare a fair and documented people-management response.
- Review the response against role requirements and employee concerns.
Main topics
- Roles, staffing and work requirements
- Recruitment, induction and staff records
- Learning and performance support
- Employment relationships and communication
- Reward, wellbeing and fair treatment
- Evidence, confidentiality and HR review
Practical task
For Performance Management, prepare an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Financial Accounting And Reporting 1
Explore the recording of transactions and preparation of financial information. Practice centres on an accounting file from source documents to financial statements, drawing on source documents and the accounting equation and double-entry records and journals. You will record findings, justify decisions and check completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
Learning outcomes
- Record transactions using appropriate accounts and source evidence.
- Reconcile records and correct identified errors.
- Prepare financial information with a clear supporting audit trail.
Main topics
- Source documents and the accounting equation
- Double-entry records and journals
- Ledgers, trial balance and error correction
- Reconciliation and period-end adjustments
- Financial statements and supporting schedules
- Internal controls and interpretation of results
Practical task
For Financial Accounting And Reporting 1, prepare an accounting file from source documents to financial statements in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Human Resources Development
Explore the fair organisation of people, work and development in an enterprise. Practice centres on an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal, drawing on roles, staffing and work requirements and recruitment, induction and staff records. You will record findings, justify decisions and check fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse a staffing or performance need using workplace evidence.
- Prepare a fair and documented people-management response.
- Review the response against role requirements and employee concerns.
Main topics
- Roles, staffing and work requirements
- Recruitment, induction and staff records
- Learning and performance support
- Employment relationships and communication
- Reward, wellbeing and fair treatment
- Evidence, confidentiality and HR review
Practical task
For Human Resources Development, prepare an HR case portfolio and improvement proposal in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of fairness, confidentiality and a clear link to documented work requirements.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Business Research Methods
Explore the design of a focused investigation using traceable evidence. Practice centres on a research proposal and small investigation, drawing on problem definition and research questions and finding and evaluating literature. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the conclusions follow from the evidence.
Learning outcomes
- Formulate a question suited to the available evidence and resources.
- Collect and analyse information using a documented method.
- Present conclusions supported by findings and stated limitations.
Main topics
- Problem definition and research questions
- Finding and evaluating literature
- Sampling and data-collection choices
- Consent, confidentiality and research integrity
- Organising and analysing evidence
- Interpreting results and reporting limitations
Practical task
For Business Research Methods, prepare a research proposal and small investigation in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the conclusions follow from the evidence.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Financial Accounting 1
Explore the recording of transactions and preparation of financial information. Practice centres on an accounting file from source documents to financial statements, drawing on source documents and the accounting equation and double-entry records and journals. You will record findings, justify decisions and check completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
Learning outcomes
- Record transactions using appropriate accounts and source evidence.
- Reconcile records and correct identified errors.
- Prepare financial information with a clear supporting audit trail.
Main topics
- Source documents and the accounting equation
- Double-entry records and journals
- Ledgers, trial balance and error correction
- Reconciliation and period-end adjustments
- Financial statements and supporting schedules
- Internal controls and interpretation of results
Practical task
For Financial Accounting 1, prepare an accounting file from source documents to financial statements in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of completeness, classification, arithmetic and reconciliation.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Foundations and shared practice
Safety, Health, Environmental Practices And Quality
Explore the prevention of harm and the control of quality during vocational work. Practice centres on a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan, drawing on hazard identification and exposure routes and risk assessment and control hierarchy. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
Learning outcomes
- Identify hazards and select controls appropriate to the task.
- Follow an agreed safe-work and quality-check procedure.
- Record an incident or defect and recommend corrective action.
Main topics
- Hazard identification and exposure routes
- Risk assessment and control hierarchy
- Safe work preparation and protective equipment
- Environmental impacts and waste handling
- Incident reporting and emergency communication
- Inspection records and corrective action
Practical task
For Safety, Health, Environmental Practices And Quality, prepare a task risk assessment, inspection record and improvement plan in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether controls address the identified hazard rather than relying on labels alone.
Assessment
Direct observation of the task, the completed output and oral explanation of the method. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Quantitative Analysis For Business
Explore mathematical reasoning for interpreting measurements and solving vocational problems. Practice centres on a worked problem portfolio using occupational data, drawing on units, ratios and numerical accuracy and algebraic relationships and equations. You will record findings, justify decisions and check units, numerical accuracy and the reasonableness of the result.
Learning outcomes
- Select a mathematical method suited to a stated problem.
- Show calculations with consistent units and clear assumptions.
- Check the result against an independent estimate or known constraint.
Main topics
- Units, ratios and numerical accuracy
- Algebraic relationships and equations
- Graphs, tables and interpretation
- Geometry and measurement applications
- Descriptive statistics and variation
- Model assumptions, checking and technical reporting
Practical task
For Quantitative Analysis For Business, prepare a worked problem portfolio using occupational data in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of units, numerical accuracy and the reasonableness of the result.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Business Information Systems
Explore the use of digital tools to organise information and produce reliable work records. Practice centres on a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files, drawing on files, folders, naming and version control and word-processing layouts and structured documents. You will record findings, justify decisions and check formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
Learning outcomes
- Create and organise files for a defined work task.
- Use a spreadsheet or document tool to process information accurately.
- Check outputs and protect the underlying information.
Main topics
- Files, folders, naming and version control
- Word-processing layouts and structured documents
- Spreadsheet calculations and charts
- Presentation of findings and supporting evidence
- Data entry, validation and checking
- Access controls, backup and responsible information use
Practical task
For Business Information Systems, prepare a linked set of documents, calculations and presentation files in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of formula accuracy, consistency, readability and recoverability.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
National Studies
Explore the relationship between citizenship, public institutions and working life. Practice centres on a local public-service case review, drawing on constitutional principles and public institutions and citizenship and civic responsibilities. You will record findings, justify decisions and check the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the role of public institutions in a community issue.
- Compare perspectives using identifiable evidence.
- Prepare a reasoned civic or workplace contribution.
Main topics
- Constitutional principles and public institutions
- Citizenship and civic responsibilities
- Zimbabwean history and national development
- Cultural diversity and community participation
- Work, enterprise and public services
- Evidence, public debate and responsible participation
Practical task
For National Studies, prepare a local public-service case review in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of the distinction between fact, opinion and unsupported claims.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Entrepreneurial Skills Development
Explore the development of a viable small enterprise from a defined customer need. Practice centres on a small-enterprise plan and test record, drawing on customer problems and enterprise opportunities and products, services and value propositions. You will record findings, justify decisions and check whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Learning outcomes
- Define a customer need and a practical enterprise response.
- Estimate resources, costs and cash requirements.
- Revise a business proposal using evidence from a small market test.
Main topics
- Customer problems and enterprise opportunities
- Products, services and value propositions
- Startup resources and operating costs
- Pricing, cash flow and basic records
- Market testing and customer feedback
- Business risks, responsibilities and growth choices
Practical task
For Entrepreneurial Skills Development, prepare a small-enterprise plan and test record in a human resource management setting. Use supplied records, a realistic simulation or authorised supervised practice. Include your working and checks of whether the financial assumptions and customer evidence support the proposal.
Assessment
Applied questions, a worked case and an individual explanation supported by calculations, diagrams or records. Compare alternatives and justify the selected response using evidence.
Practical integration
On The Job Education And Training
Apply your learning through agreed duties in a supervised workplace. You will connect business law 2, employment relations with routine service or production responsibilities. Keep evidence of preparation, work completed and feedback. Review your progress with the supervisor and explain how your decisions affect quality, safety and other people.
Learning outcomes
- Complete agreed duties within the supervised role.
- Maintain a traceable record of work and feedback.
- Evaluate progress and identify specific development needs.
Main topics
- Workplace induction and agreed duties
- Applying technical knowledge to real work
- Work records and evidence of contribution
- Team communication and professional conduct
- Supervisor feedback and skills development
- Reflective review and future learning priorities
Practical task
Complete supervised duties linked to National Diploma in Human Resource Management. Keep a logbook, samples of permitted work and supervisor feedback.
Assessment
Assessment uses the agreed work plan, supervisor observation, work evidence and an individual reflective discussion.
Skills Proficiency
Demonstrate the practical skills developed across the programme. Tasks integrate business law 2, employment relations within an agreed work brief. You will prepare resources, carry out the authorised task and check the result. Your evidence should show consistent performance, accurate records and an explanation of decisions within your learner role.
Learning outcomes
- Plan and complete an integrated task to agreed criteria.
- Demonstrate safe and consistent practical performance.
- Explain the result and correct identified weaknesses.
Main topics
- Interpreting an integrated work brief
- Preparing tools, information and resources
- Demonstrating the required technical skills
- Checking output against agreed criteria
- Responding to faults and assessor feedback
- Presenting evidence and explaining decisions
Practical task
Prepare an HR case portfolio covering recruitment, induction, development and an evidence-based response to a workplace issue.
Assessment
Direct observation, the completed output, a quality-check record and oral questions provide the evidence for this subject.
Instructors
