Frequently Asked Questions – Online Short Courses

1. What is the definition of a short course?
A short course is any short learning programme offered by higher education institutions outside their formal structured undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. So it doesn’t lead to a qualification on the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework (HEQSF), but it will certainly equip you with the workplace-relevant knowledge and skills needed to advance your career.

2. Can I get qualifications other than short courses through the IMM Graduate School?

Yes, absolutely. The IMM Graduate School is a reputable provider of higher education and offers a comprehensive selection of programmes and qualifications in marketing, supply chain and general business management. We have a solid track record of assessing, delivering and conferring certificates, diplomas and degrees of the highest academic integrity. Our excellent outcomes-based education allows you to study remotely in your own space, at your own pace, while supporting you every step of the way to achieving your academic and personal goals.

3. Do I need any existing qualification before I enrol for a short course?

You don’t need a formal qualification to enrol for an online short course, however, proficiency in English and computer literacy is a must. If you’d like to enrol for one of the IMM Graduate School’s formal programmes, all the relevant entry requirements for that programme must be met.

4. How many hours will I need to set aside per week to complete a short course?

On average you’ll need about 6 hours a week to complete the short course, including the time spent on completing your assignment.

5. When can I start my short course and how long do I have to complete the course?

You can start your short course anytime that suits you best. This way, you’ll be able to fit it in and around your busy lifestyle or work schedule. However, each course has a certain timeframe within which it needs to be completed. Once you pay for and initiate the course, the clock starts ticking. We urge you to take note of the duration of your course in order to ensure you complete it within the given timeframe.

6. What are the short course payment terms?

Here’s the nitty-gritty:

  • All fees stated in the official website are inclusive of VAT.
  • Fees are fixed for each short course, however, IMM reserves the right to change fees without notice.
  • In order to commence the short course, a student must pay a minimum of 60% of the fee prior to the course commencement date.
  • The balance of the fee is payable within four (4) weeks after the course commencement date.
  • The student will only have access to the first four (4) modules of a given short course and the remainder of the modules will be released when payment is made in full.
  • In the event that the balance is not paid, the student will not be allowed to access the balance of the modules to complete the short course.
  • Students who have made 100% of the payment upfront will get access to the full course immediately.

7. What is the cancellation policy if I enrol and change my mind?

  • Students who have paid the minimum of 60% by commencement date will be granted a 75% refund of monies paid if the course is cancelled prior to the commencement date.
  • Students who have paid the minimum of 60% by commencement date will be granted a 50% refund of monies paid if the course is cancelled prior to the four (4) week cycle post the commencement date.
  • Any cancellation requests after the four (4) week cycle post the commencement date will not result in any refund of money whatsoever.
  • Cancellations and subsequent refunds will only be considered if it is as a direct result of:
    • Death
    • Temporary/Permanent disability
    • Dread disease
    • Force majeure
  • IMM Graduate School reserves the right to request information that supports the reason for cancellation.

 

8. Are the short courses offered by the IMM Graduate School internationally recognised?

The IMM Graduate School is a forward thinking institution, keeping in line with international standards when it comes to industry-relevant course material and best practices. We partner with top international establishments to bring you courses based on current global trends, equipping you to take your next giant leap forward in your career, no matter where in the world you may find yourself.

Two of our short courses have international accreditation namely, the Transport and Logistics courses. Both are CILT accredited and you will receive a CILT International Certificate on completion of these courses. However, all short courses are presented and approved by our various partners in collaboration with the IMM Graduate School and certification is industry recognised.

9. Who can I speak to if I have more questions?

The Short Course Administrator is your go-to person and can be contacted on shortcourses@imm.ac.za or (011) 628 2000 (Be sure to ask for the short course administrator).

10. Can I speak to a tutor about my short course?

Of course! Each of our short courses has been developed by an industry expert and, in most instances, this person (your head tutor) will be one and the same individual.  You can most certainly speak to them on all short course content related issues via email or on iCampus the learning management system.  Once you’ve registered for a short course, you’ll be given access to your head tutor via their email address.

11. What kind of device do I need to access the short courses?

All you need is a good internet connection and you’ll be on your way. You’ll be able to access all our courses on your desktop, laptop or smartphone, perfectly suited to fit your on-the-go lifestyle.

12. Are the short courses offered by the IMM Graduate School accredited?

Although the short courses offered by the IMM Graduate School are not accredited, we are registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), quality assured by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered with South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). It goes without saying that we’re well-established, well-run and well-versed in education, training and skills development, and have the backing of the pivotal institutions mentioned above.

The IMM Graduate School is committed to ensuring the quality of our short courses by developing and implementing sound quality assurance mechanisms, including the processes as proposed in the CHE Short Course Good Practice Guide. Furthermore, we have a quality assurance committee, a programme committee and an academic board that assists us in ensuring that best practices at all levels are set in place. The IMM Graduate School is a Services SETA (SSETA) Accredited Higher Education Institution (Accreditation Number 0096).

13. Are the short courses credit-bearing and can I use the credits towards a diploma or a degree?

The short courses presented by the IMM Graduate School are currently offered outside of the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF) and, as such, NQF levels and credits are not assigned to them.

14. Are your short courses NQF rated?

Our short courses are offered in collaboration with first class universities that are internationally recognised. At the end of your course, you’ll be powered up with new skills and awarded a certificate of completion issued by the universities we partner closely with.

In line with the regulations of the CHE (Council on Higher Education), the short courses are not aligned to or allocated NQF levels or credits, as they do not lead to full qualifications. The NQF system is important in moving from one qualification to another. However, the short courses offered by the IMM Graduate School are designed for a different goal – to offer practical, workplace-relevant skills and not as a vehicle to move into other qualifications.  As such, the NQF system doesn’t play a major role in the accreditation of skills and competencies you will develop through your short course through the IMM Graduate School.

15. Do I have to write an examination to complete the short course?

No, you don’t need to write an exam to complete any short course. Whew! You will, however, be required to complete either an assignment or an assessment to illustrate your grasp, understanding and application of the course content. You’ll need to achieve a 50% pass rate in order for your submission to be viewed as successful, but we know you’ve got what it takes to pass with flying colours. Once you’ve completed your short course and you’ve successfully passed the assessment or assignment, you’ll then be awarded a Certificate of Completion.

16. What certification will I get when I complete this short course, and will there be an award ceremony?

You’ll be issued with a Certificate of Completion from our reputable institution, The IMM Graduate School. All the important details will be there, making sure your certificate is hard proof of your hard-won skills. If the short course is being offered in conjunction with one of our partners, their branding will also appear on the certificate as a recognised stamp of approval.

Because our courses are presented online, we don’t have a formal ceremony for the awarding of certificates. But who needs pomp and ceremony? What matters most is what that certificate represents and you can be assured that it will stand you in good stead for career and industry advancement.

17. How will earning this certificate benefit my career?

Knowledge is power. Fact. The more you know, the more you’ll grow. On completion of a short course through the IMM Graduate School, you’ll be better equipped to face workplace challenges, enhance your professional performance and, thereby, boost your career. When your course is done and dusted, you’ll be awarded with a certificate that is approved by the IMM Graduate School and our respective partners, recognising the skills and key competencies you’ve developed along the way. You can add this recognition to your LinkedIn profile or professional CV, sending a shout-out about your new skills-set to current and future employers. It can also assist if you apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) when registering for a formal programme and is a great stepping-stone to further studies.

18. How soon after completing the course will I receive a certificate?

You’ll be able to download your certificate from our learning management system, iCampus, immediately after you receive notification of the successful completion of your short course or the passing of your assignment or assessment for a given course. However, certificates for the Open University Courses will be available immediately after the course has come to an end. In order to receive your certificate, you’ll need to answer a short 4-question survey before you can download it. iCampus will prompt you step-by-step through the quick and simple download process.

19. What happens if I don’t pass my assignment?

Due to the nature of a short course, no exam will be written. As such, it’s very important that your assignment meets the minimum pass rate. There is unfortunately no opportunity to resubmit your assignment should you not meet the minimum pass rate and you will receive a letter of attendance instead of a certificate of successful completion. However, there is nothing preventing you from redoing the short course. We know that life can sometimes be unpredictable and that there may be valid reasons for you not making the grade the first time round. You can submit a motivation, which will be reviewed by the Short Course Team at the IMM Graduate School, and a discount on your re-registration will be provided.

20. How do I sign in on the website?

Please click here to sign in.

21. Why can’t I sign in?

Please make sure you’ve entered the correct login details. If you’re still not winning, please email
shortcourses@imm.ac.za and we’ll assist you.

22. Is it possible to save the files to a disk or to my hard drive?

Yes, you can! All you need to do is right click and save. Just make sure the document you want to save is in PDF format.

23. Am I able to print the content of my short course?

Yes, you’ll be able to print the content of the short course and get your hands on a hard copy, making sure you always have access to course material no matter where you are. Just click on the PDF file, download and print.

24. Do I need to buy textbooks for any of the short courses?

No, you don’t need to buy textbooks for any of the short courses, but where necessary, you’ll be advised of any additional reading for a particular short course.  Links to the additional reading will then be supplied, keeping your study material at your fingertips and allowing you digital access to the most up-to-date research in your chosen field of study. Besides, we think lugging around heavy bags of books is old school.

25. Does the IMM Graduate School collect information from visitors to the website?

We do collect information from visitors to our site, but this is purely for registration purposes and to ensure we have the correct information to issue a certificate post the completion of the short course. We also make use of students’ email addresses for promotional purposes, but we only use this to promote the short courses offered by the IMM Graduate School. We don’t provide any of our database details to third parties. In other words, we won’t be sneakily passing your details on to anyone else.

26. What are cookies and does the IMM make use of these on its website?

Cookies are small files that are stored on a user’s computer. They are designed to hold a modest amount of data specific to a particular client and website, and can be accessed either by the web server or the client computer. This allows the server to deliver a page tailored to a particular user, or the page itself can be made aware of data in the cookie and is able to conveniently carry information from one visit to the website (or related site) to the next. This means the server machine isn’t burdened with massive amounts of data storage. So yes, IMM Graduate School does make use of cookies, but under all the technical jargon, it just means that you will have information tailored to you and the best possible user experience.

27. Are my payments secure?

Payments are secured by Payfast‘s secure payment portal which will be redirected to when you’re making a payment. If you have any queries, please contact us on  shortcourses@imm.ac.za.

28. Can I sample material from a course before I decide on any given one?

Yes absolutely! We know that an educational decision can be a big decision, so we’ve put together a unique system to help you decide. We offer all prospective students the exclusive opportunity to “try out” a number of our online short courses before you commit to any one. This way you’ll get a good at the course material on offer and find the course that best suits you.

With our “Try Before You Buy” offer, you’ll get:

  • An Introduction to the Course
  • A Video Overview of the Course
  • One Free Module
  • Q&A for that specific module

29. How do I know if I’m choosing the right course for my career goals?

Because you’ll have access to an entire module of 12 of our online short courses with our “Try Before You Buy” offer, you’ll get a comprehensive what that specific course is about and how it will complement or boost your career. If it’s in line with what you’re aiming to achieve, you can sign up there and then. If not, you can take a look at other courses from our diverse and extensive range. We’re certain you’ll find the perfect “career fit."