PME3701/101/0/2024

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2024

Project Management and Engineering

Economics
PME3701

Year Module

Department of Mining Engineering

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and
make sure that you have regular access to the myUnisa module
website, PME3701-24-Y, as well as your group website.

Note: This is a fully online module. It is, therefore, only available on myUnisa.

BARCODE
 CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
2 MODULE OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 5
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION ........................................................................................... 6
4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 6
4.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 7
4.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 7
5 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Prescribed book(s) ........................................................................................................................ 7
5.2 Recommended book(s) ................................................................................................................. 8
5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................... 9
5.4 Library services and resources ..................................................................................................... 9
6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES .............................................................................................. 10
6.1 First-Year Experience Programme .............................................................................................. 10
7 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................. 11
8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE .......................................................................................................... 12
8.1 What does it mean to study fully online? ..................................................................................... 12
9 ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 12
9.1 Assessment criteria..................................................................................................................... 12
9.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 18
9.3 Assessment due dates ................................................................................................................ 19
9.4 Submission of assessments ........................................................................................................ 19
9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions ...................................................................................... 20
9.5 The assessments ........................................................................................................................ 21
9.6 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 22
9.7 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 22
9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring .................................................................................................................. 22
10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY ........................................................................................................ 23
10.1 Plagiarism ................................................................................................................................... 23

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10.2 Cheating ..................................................................................................................................... 23

10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below: ..................................................... 23
11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES .................................................................................. 23
12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 24
13 IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 24
14 ANNEXURE 1: GRAPHICAL VIEW OF ENGINEERING QUALIFICATION ............................... 25
15 ANNEXURE 2: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRADUATES ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED
DIPLOMA ................................................................................................................................... 25
16 ANNEXURE 3: LIST OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED DIPLOMA .......................... 27

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1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

Welcome to Project management and Engineering Economics – module code: PME3701.

Unisa is a comprehensive open distance e-learning (CODeL) higher education institution. The
comprehensiveness of our curricula encapsulates a range of offerings, from strictly vocational
to strictly academic certificates, diplomas and degrees. Unisa's "openness" and its distance
eLearning character result in many students registering at Unisa who may not have had an
opportunity to enrol in higher education. Our CODeL character implies that our programmes are
carefully planned and structured to ensure success for students ranging from the under-
prepared but with potential to the sufficiently prepared.

Teaching and learning in a CODeL context involve multiple modes of delivery ranging from
blended learning to fully online. As a default position, all post graduate programmes are offered
fully online with no printed study materials, while undergraduate programmes are offered in a
blended mode of delivery where printed study materials are augmented with online teaching
and learning via the learner management system – myUnisa. In some instances, undergraduate
programmes are offered fully online as well.

Furthermore, our programmes are aligned with the vision, mission and values of the University.
Unisa's commitment to serve humanity and shape futures combined with a clear appreciation of
our location on the African continent, Unisa's graduates have distinctive graduate qualities
which include:

• independent, resilient, responsible and caring citizens who are able to fulfil and serve in
multiple roles in their immediate and future local, national and global communities

• having a critical understanding of their location on the African continent with its
histories, challenges and potential in relation to globally diverse contexts

• the ability to critically analyse and evaluate the credibility and usefulness of information
and data from multiple sources in a globalised world with its ever-increasing information
and data flows and competing worldviews

• how to apply their discipline-specific knowledges competently, ethically and creatively

to solve real-life problems

• an awareness of their own learning and developmental needs and future potential

Whether a module is offered either as blended (meaning that we use a combination of printed
and online material to engage with you) or online (all information is available via the internet),
we use myUnisa as our virtual campus. This is an online system that is used to administer,
document and deliver educational material to you and support engagement with you. Look out
for information from your lecturer as well as other Unisa platforms to determine how to access
the virtual myUnisa module site. Information on the tools that will be available to engage with
the lecturer and fellow students to support your learning will also be communicated via various
platforms.

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This is a fully online module. This means that teaching and learning will be done through
Unisa learning management system (my Unisa). This is an online system that is used to
administer, document and deliver educational material to you and support engagement with
you. Look out for information from your lecturer as well as other Unisa platforms to determine
how to access the virtual myUnisa module site. Information on the tools that will be available to
engage with the lecturer and fellow students to support your learning will also be communicated
via various platforms.

Because this is a fully online module, you will need to use myUnisa to study and complete the
learning activities for this module. Visit the website for PME3701 on myUnisa frequently. The
website for your module is PME3701-24-Y.

We wish you every success with your studies!

2 MODULE OVERVIEW
2.1 Purpose

This module focuses on the engineering management needs of technical people such as
engineering managers, engineers, technologists, scientists and technicians. Young engineers
often find themselves managing people and other resources soon after they have started their
careers; some may even find themselves in a supervisory, management or entrepreneurial role
very soon after graduating. Most engineers cannot escape involvement in commercial or
administrative dealings with customers, suppliers, contractors, accountants and managers.
Usually, engineering managers have technical and management skills and they are appointed
in managerial positions at organisations such as mines, factories, plants or power stations. The
purpose of this module is to introduce you, as engineering students, to such business and
management environments, and to equip you with the required knowledge and skills. On
completion of this module, you will be able to apply basic management principles in your
organisation. This module focuses on content that is of particular importance to technical
persons involved with the following:

• Management of operations
• Contracts
• Quality management
• Maintenance management
• Project valuation and selection
• Environmental management and sustainable development
• Corporate strategy

2.2 Outcomes

Once you have completed this module you should have a thorough understanding of:

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 • Specific outcome 1: Assess the legal implications of various contracts that
organisations enter into with customers.
• Specific outcome 2: Develop the basics of operations management, inventory
management and how to increase productivity in the workplace.
• Specific outcome 3: Apply the principles of Total Quality Management and the
principles of Maintenance Management.
• Specific outcome 4: Explore the role of the engineer in the marketing of products and
services and analyse the impact of customer behaviour on the diffusion of innovation.
• Specific outcome 5: Develop the use of information and communication technologies in
various engineering and engineering management activities.
• Specific outcome 6: Use basic knowledge of engineering economics to value simple
engineering projects.
• Specific outcome 7: Examine the importance of managing technology and technological
innovation in the workplace.
• Specific outcome 8: Develop a business and technology strategy of an organisation.
• Specific outcome 9: Integrate environmental management and sustainable
development with other management practices.
• Specific outcome 10: Understand the culture of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship
and the process of converting dreams and ideas into new business and business
ventures.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION

Unisa has implemented a transformation charter, in terms of which the university has placed
curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation
includes student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment
practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies
and philosophies. All of these will be phased in at both programme and module levels, and as a
result of this you will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented
by Unisa, together with the way in which the content is conceptualised in your modules. We
encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way
within the framework of transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 Lecturer(s)

The primary lecturer for this module is Mr Teboho Mosia

Department: Mining Engineering
Contact: 072 710 4744
E-mail: Mosiat@unisa.ac.za

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The secondary lecturer for this module is Ms T Mushwana:

Department: Mining Engineering
E-mail: mushwt@unisa.ac.za

4.2 Department

You can contact the Department of Mining Engineering as follows:

Ms Lindelwa Makhanya
Telephone number: 011 471 2396
E-mail : makhal@unisa.ac.za

The FULL address for our department is:

Department of Mining Engineering
University of South Africa – Florida Campus
Corner of Christian de Wet Road & Pioneer Avenue
Block C, 5th Floor, Room 526
Florida
1709

Always state your STUDENT NUMBER and your Module Code PME3701 in all correspondence
and enquiries. Whenever you contact the Department of Mining Engineering, ensure that the
first thing you mention after greeting is your subject code! You will not obtain the satisfactory
assistance if you just say you are a student in Mining Engineering, lecturers deal with many
modules.

4.3 University

Contact addresses of the various administrative departments appear on the Unisa website:
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries.

Please include the student number in all correspondence

5 RESOURCES
5.1 Prescribed book(s)

The following book is prescribed for this module:

Nel, WP (ed). 2012. Management for engineers, technologists and scientists. 3rd edition. Cape
Town: Juta. (ISBN: 9780702186882)

Information on prescribed books can be found on myUnisa. You must obtain the prescribed
book from the University's official booksellers; refer to the list of official booksellers and their
addresses in Study @ Unisa. If you have difficulty in locating a book at these booksellers,
contact the Prescribed Book Section on 012 429 4152 or e-mail them at vospresc@unisa.ac.za.
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Study the following chapters of the prescribed book.

Chapter 6 – Engineering Contracts and Law

Chapter 7 – Operations management
Chapter 8 – Total Quality Management
Chapter 10 – Maintenance management
Chapter 11 – Marketing and Diffusion of Innovation
Chapter 12 – The Engineer, User of Information and Communication Systems
Chapter 16 – Time value of money and project selection
Chapter 17 – Business and Technology Strategy
Chapter 18 – Managing Technology and Innovation
Chapter 19 – An overview of environmental management and sustainable development
concepts for management practices

Chapter 20 – Entrepreneurship

Note that the prescribed book (Management for engineers, technologists and scientists, 3rd
edition) is abbreviated as METS-3 in this tutorial letter.

There are questions for self-evaluation purposes in the prescribed book at the end of each
chapter as well as in the workbook chapters.

The myUnisa learning management system is the University's online campus that will help you
communicate with your lecturers, with other students and with the administrative departments at
Unisa.

To go to the myUnisa website directly, go to https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the Claim UNISA

Login on the top of the screen on the myUnisa website. You will then be prompted to give your
student number in order to claim your initial myUnisa details as well as your myLife e-mail login
details.

For more information on myUnisa, consult the brochure Study @ Unisa.

• This letter, TL101

• Learning units (available on myUnisa under Lessons)
• A prescribed book (which you must purchase yourself)

Information will be uploaded to ‘Additional resources’ on myUnisa during the year.

5.2 Recommended book(s)

There are no recommended books for this module.

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5.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no e-reserves for this module.

E-reserves can be downloaded from the library webpage Find e-reserves. More information is
available at: http://oasis.unisa.ac.za/search/r

5.4 Library services and resources

The Unisa Library offers a range of information services and resources. The library has created
numerous library guides, available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:
• For brief information on the library, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/library/libatglance
• For more detailed library information, go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library
• Frequently Asked Questions, visit
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Frequently-Asked-Questions
• For research support and services such as the Personal Librarian service and the
Information Search Librarian's Literature
Search Request (on your research topic) service, visit
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-support.
• For library training for undergraduate students, visit
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Training
• Lending Services https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Lending-services
• Services for Postgraduate students -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-Postgraduates
• Support and Services for students with disabilities -
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Services-for-students-with-
special-needs
• Library Technology Support -https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport
• Finding and using library resources and tools -
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills
• A–Z list of library databases – https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

Important contact information:

• Technical problems encountered in accessing library online services:
Lib-help@unisa.ac.za
• General library-related queries: Library-enquiries@unisa.ac.za
• Queries related to library fines and payments: Library-fines@unisa.ac.za
• Interlibrary loan service for postgraduate students: libr-ill@unisa.ac.za
• Literature Search Service: Lib-search@unisa.ac.za
• Social media channels: Facebook: UnisaLibrary and Twitter: @UnisaLibrary

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6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
The Study @ Unisa brochure is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure contains important information and guidelines for successful studies through
Unisa.

If you need assistance with regard to the myModules system, you are welcome to use the
following contact details:

• Toll-free landline: 0800 00 1870 (Select option 07 for myModules)

• E-mail: mymodules22@unisa.ac.za or myUnisaHelp@unisa.ac.za

You can access and view short videos on topics such as how to view your calendar, how to
access module content, how to view announcements for modules, how to submit assessment
and how to participate in forum activities via the following link: https://dtls-
qa.unisa.ac.za/course/view.php?id=32130

Registered Unisa students get a free myLife e-mail account. Important information, notices
and updates are sent exclusively to this account. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours
for your account to be activated after you have claimed it. Please do this immediately after
registering at Unisa, by following this link: myLifeHelp@unisa.ac.za

Your myLife account is the only e-mail account recognised by Unisa for official
correspondence with the university and will remain the official primary e-mail address on
record at Unisa. You remain responsible for the management of this e-mail account.

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme

Many students find the transition from school education to tertiary education stressful. This is
also true in the case of students enrolling at Unisa for the first time. Unisa is a dedicated open
distance and e-learning institution, and it is very different from face-to-face/contact institutions. It
is a mega university, and all our programmes are offered through either blended learning or fully
online learning. It is for this reason that we thought it necessary to offer first-time students
additional/extended support to help them seamlessly navigate the Unisa teaching and learning
journey with little difficulty and few barriers. We therefore offer a specialised student support
programme to students enrolling at Unisa for the first time – this is Unisa’s First-Year
Experience (FYE) Programme, designed to provide you with prompt and helpful information
about services that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following FYE
services are currently offered:

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FYE Website Email Support

www.unisa.ac.za/FYE fye@unisa.ac.za

FYE1500
Post
myUnisa; Study
Registration
Referrals to Skills; Academic &
Orientation Digital Literacies;
other support
services i.e. etc
Counselling;
Reading & Writing
workshops

To ensure that you do not miss out on important academic and support communication
from the SRU, please check your myLife inbox regularly.

7 STUDY PLAN
Use my Studies @ Unisa brochure for general time management and planning skills.

This is a year module offered over a year and requires at least 120 hours of study time. This
means that you will have to study at least eight hours per week for this module. Here is a
suggested schedule that you could use as a guideline for studying this module.

ACTIVITY HOURS
Reading and re-reading Tutorial Letter 101 and this preface 2
Skimming the learning units and textbook, forming a 5
thorough general impression of the whole
First reading of the learning units and the study guide (2 16
hours per learning unit)
In-depth study of the learning units: summaries, and doing 61
learning activities (7 hours per learning unit)
Completing all assessments 16
Major assessment revision 16
Writing the major assessment 4
Total 120

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8 HOW TO STUDY ONLINE
8.1 What does it mean to study fully online?

Studying fully online modules differs completely from studying some of your other modules at
Unisa.

• All your study material and learning activities for online modules are designed to be
delivered online on myUnisa.

• All your assignments must be submitted online. This means that you will do all your
activities and submit all your assignments on myUnisa. In other words, you may NOT
post your assignments to Unisa using the South African Post Office.

• All communication between you and the University happens online. Lecturers will
communicate with you via e-mail and SMS, and use the Announcements, the
Discussion, Forums and the Questions and Answers tools. You can also use all of
these platforms to ask questions and contact your lecturers.

9 ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria

Assessments are part of the learning material for this module. As you do the assignment, study
the reading texts, consult other resources, discuss the work with fellow students or do research,
you are actively engaged in learning. This is a continuous assessment module. In continuous
assessment (CA) the principles of a year mark and examination mark is not used. With CA the
compilation of the module mark represents the allocation of various weightings to several
assessments during the module bringing the total to 100%. You will find the continuous
assessment mark allocation for this module in section 9.2.

Specific outcomes and assessment criteria

Specific outcomes Assessment criteria
1 Assess the legal implications of 1.1 List the requirements for a contract to come
various contracts that into existence and to be valid.
organisations enter into with 1.2 Describe basic terminology related to
customers. contracts.
1.3 Explain the role of the engineer to ensure that
contractual obligations are met.
1.4 Evaluate offers for validity.
1.5 Describe and apply the authority that
engineers have to act as an employer’s agent
in terms of the General Conditions of
Contract.
1.6 Interpret contracts correctly.

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1.7 Indicate the various remedies that exist in the

case of breach of contract.
1.8 Draw up a simple contract for the letting and
hiring of work.
2 Explain the basic principles of 2.1 Describe the nature of the transformation
operations and inventory process.
management and make 2.2 Differentiate between manufacturing and
recommendations for increasing service industries.
productivity in the workplace. 2.3 Analyse the operations design process.
2.4 Discuss capacity planning, explain how
capacity can be measured and perform
calculations to measure capacity.
2.5 Discuss just-in-time systems by referring to
its goals, benefits and building blocks and
suggest how this can be implemented in an
organisation.
2.6 Explain the purpose of a flexible
manufacturing system and assess whether a
system is flexible or not.
2.7 Discuss inventory management by referring
to the reasons for having inventory, the
requirements for effective inventory
management and the A-B-C method of
inventory control.
2.8 Recommend measures for improving
productivity.
3 Apply the principles of Total 3.1 Explain the seven fundamental principles of
Quality Management and the total quality management.
principles of Maintenance 3.2 Discuss and apply total quality management
Management to manufacturing practices and techniques to manufacturing
and service industries. and service industries.
3.3 Calculate: reliability and maintainability.
3.4 Identify and explain the measures to be
taken to address a technical system
breakdown.
3.5 Develop a vision and key objectives for a
maintenance department.
3.6 Develop a maintenance plan for a technical
system.
3.7 Draw up a maintenance management plan for
an organization indicating how maintenance
resources will be organized, how

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 maintenance performance will be controlled,
and how the approaches of reliability-centred,
business-centered and/or total productive
maintenance will be implemented.
4 Analyse the role of the engineer in 4.1 Explain the purpose of marketing in an
the marketing of products and organisation.
services and what impact 4.2 Identify the role engineers play in the
customer behaviour may have on marketing process to ensure profitable
the diffusion of innovation. customer relationships.
4.3 Describe and apply basic marketing
principles.
4.4 Ascertain in which stage of the product life
cycle a specific product or service is and
decide how to manage it accordingly.
4.5 Evaluate the potential impact of changing
market needs on new product design and
identify the potential problems related to the
marketing of new technological products.
4.6 Determine and assess the factors that are
likely to have an impact on the rate of
diffusion of new products and services and
integrate such considerations into a plan for
the design of new products and services.
5 Critically assess the value of 5.1 Explain the information needs of engineers,
information and communication scientists and technologists.
technologies in various 5.2 Identify and describe the information
engineering and engineering technology needed by an engineer involved
management activities. in design, development, research,
manufacturing and management.
5.3 Explain what is meant by a database and
identify its benefits.
5.4 Explain how information systems can assist
engineers and engineering managers to
make better decisions and to improve
products and services, process efficiencies
and competitiveness.
5.5 Explain why information is an important
organizational resource and identify various
sources of information.
5.6 Evaluate the potential offered by the Internet
for businesses.
6 Value simple engineering projects 6.1 Explain the role of the time value of money
by applying basic knowledge of (TVM) concept in capital budgeting and

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engineering economics. project valuation.

6.2 Apply basic TVM formulae.
6.3 Use payback period, return on investment,
net present value and internal rate of return to
value a simple engineering project.
6.4 Explain, at a very basic level, the impact of
inflation, escalation, taxation and depreciation
on cash flows and project valuation, and take
these aspects into account in valuing a
project.
7 Suggest strategies for managing 7.1 Justify the importance of technological
technology and technological innovation for businesses, society and the
innovation in the workplace. economy.
7.2 Describe the innovation process and various
terms related to the Management of
Technology and Innovation body of
knowledge.
7.3 Explain how technology evolves, how such
evolution can be measured and how
industries and technology may coevolve.
7.4 Suggest ways of creating and maintaining an
innovative organisational environment.
7.5 Identify and evaluate a number of statutory
and non-statutory mechanisms to protect the
intellectual property of an organisation.
7.6 Identify a number of sources that can be used
to generate ideas for new products and
identify key factors that will contribute
towards the development of successful new
products.
7.7 Develop a simple technology strategy for an
organisation.
8 Develop a business and 8.1 Identify external environmental factors that
technology strategy of an will impact on business endeavours.
organisation. 8.2 Assess the impact of external environmental
factors on the short-, medium and long-term
planning of an organisation.
8.3 Analyse the industry or product market in
which a specific organisation is active or
becoming active.
8.4 Compile a basic strategic plan.
8.5 Visualise where and how you could contribute

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 to the strategic direction of a company,
institution, department, unit, team or own
business.
9 Make recommendations for 9.1 Outline the South African legislation that
integrating environmental enforces sustainable development and
management and sustainable explain its influence on industry and business
development with other practices and technology strategies.
management practices. 9.2 Identify and describe the changes that are
required in business practices because of the
need for sustainable development, especially
the necessity of a holistic Life Cycle
Management (LCM) approach, which
integrates the three life cycles (project, asset
(or process) and product life cycles).
9.3 Describe a number of organisation and
product/process sustainability tools that are
available to managers, engineers,
technologists and scientists.
9.4 Describe various strategies that organizations
can use to reduce or eliminate unwanted
sustainability impacts.
9.5 Explain the role of engineers, technologists
and scientists to improve sustainability
performances through technological
innovations.
9.6 Identify opportunities for industries to fund
sustainability-oriented technologies with
reference to the Clean Development
Mechanism.
10 Describe the culture of 10.1 Explain the nature and characteristics of an
entrepreneurship and entrepreneur and intrapreneur.
intrapreneurship, and the process 10.2 Explain the importance of innovation and
involved in setting up new creativity in entrepreneurship.
business and business ventures. 10.3 Identify and evaluate a new business venture.
10.4 Identify various entry options into a market.
10.5 Describe the key building blocks of a new
venture in terms of various forms of a
business enterprise; legal considerations; and
various finance options.
10.6 Describe the annual budgeting and business
planning cycle.
10.7 Design the structure of a business plan for a
start-up business venture and for a company

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already in operation.
10.8 Identify the key issues and steps to take
when starting a new venture.

Graduate Attributes
To maintain our programme/qualification accreditation, each programme must provide evidence
that our students are attaining key “attributes” as defined by the ENGINEERING COUNCIL of
SOUTH AFRICA (ECSA). As such it is important as a student that you are familiar with the
ECSA assessment criteria (graduate attributes). Please see the annexture regarding
information about graduate attributes. This module does not assess any graduate attributes.

9.1.1 Credit calculations

Credits are the number of notional study hours required for achieving the learning outcomes.
Notional hours include study time, assignments, and examinations. The credit rating system
rates 10 notional hours as equivalent to one credit.

Values to be assigned for each course or module as prescribed in Table 2 from the
E – 01 – POL (2020) ECSA document (APPENDIX A – CALCULATION OF CREDITS)

Type of Activity Time Unit in Hours Contact Time Multiplier

or Fractions of
L = total lectures TL = duration of a lecture ML=total work per lecture
period period
T = total tutorial TT = duration of a tutorial MT=total work per tutorial
period period
P = total practical periods TP = duration of a MP=total work per practical
practical period period
X = total other activity TX = duration of other MX=total work per other
contact periods period period
A = total assignment non-contact TA = 1 hour
Hours
S Hours ME= total work outside L, T,
P, X and
A per assessment hour
Note: Contact includes face to face or virtual;
The ECSA credit for the course is:
C = {LTL ML + TTT MT + PTP MP + XTX MX + ATA + EME}/10
Note: 1 credit = 10 notional hours

L = number of lectures per semester = 3 (virtual classes)

TL = duration of a tutorial period = 90’ = 1.5 h
ML = Multipliers account for preparation and assimilation by students associated with
actual contact time = 1

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 T = number of tutorial per semester = 0
TT = duration of a tutorial period = 0
MT = Multipliers account for preparation and assimilation by students associated with
actual contact time ± 1.5
P = total practical periods = 0
TP = duration of a practical period = 0
MP = Multipliers account for preparation and assimilation by student associated with
actual contact time, i.e., laboratory experiments preparations and report witting ± 0
X = total other periods:
o Total 40 hours of self-study of the 10 chapters (4 hours per chapter)
o 10 hours of first reading of the Studyguide. (1 hours per chapter)
o 24 hours on revision, studying and writing the exam.
TX = duration of other period = 1 hour
MX = Multipliers account for preparation and assimilation by students associated with
self-study time = 1
A = total continuous assessment activities non-contact hours = 18 hours to work on
module attached activities/discussion forums, 10 hours dedicated to two minor
tests and 15 hours dedicated to 3 major tests = 42 hours
TA = 1 hour
E = assessment hours outside time accounted for by L, T, P, X and A = 0
ME = Multipliers account for preparation and assimilation by students associated with
actual contact time ± 5

C = {(3 x 1.5 x 1) + (0 x 0 x 1.5) + (0 x 0 x 0) + [1 x (40 + 24+ 10) x 1] + (1 x 42) +( 0 x

5)}/10
C = 120.5 /10 = 12.05~ 12 credits

9.2 Assessment plan

School of Engineering is following a continuous assessment system. So, you will be able to
accumulate marks throughout the year.

The formative assessment for this module will be in the form of written submissions via
myUnisa. The major online tests will be 2 hours long with an additional 15 minutes to download
the test and 30 minutes to upload the answer script. There will be a total of two-timed online
tests plus one additional resubmission in the event you do not meet the passing mark. There
will also be two minor tests, these assessments will come before each major test to guide
students on what is expected on the major tests.

The information regarding the assessments and their weight is shown in the table below.

Ass. Nr. Assessment Name of Assessment Normal weight

01 Assessment 01 Minor Assessment 1 15%
02 Assessment 02 Major Test 1 - Proctored 35%

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03 Assessment 03 Minor Assessment 2 15%

04 Assessment 04 Major Test 2 - Proctored 35%
05 Assessment 05 Major Test 3 – Proctored (Retest) 35%
Total 100%

Your performance in these assessments plays a vital part in your studies.

All tests are compulsory except the Repeat Major Test. If you miss both or one online major test
you will be given an opportunity to do a repeat test. Therefore, there is no supplementary exam
or sick test in continuous assessment.

All information about when and where to submit your assessments will be made available to you
via the myModules site for your module.

9.3 Assessment due dates

• There are no assessment due dates included in this tutorial letter.

• Assessment due dates will be made available to you on the myUnisa landing page for
this module. We envisage that the due dates will be available to you upon registration.

• Please start working on your assessments as soon as you register for the module.

• Log on to the myUnisa site for this module to obtain more information on the due dates
for the submission of the assessments.

9.4 Submission of assessments

• Unisa, as a comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CODeL), is moving

towards becoming an online institution. You will therefore see that all your study material,
assessments and engagements with your lecturer and fellow students will take place
online. We use myUnisa as our virtual campus.

• The myUnisa virtual campus will offer students access to the myModules site, where
learning material will be available online and where assessments should be completed.
This is an online system that is used to administer, document, and deliver educational
material to students and support engagement between academics and students.

• The myUnisa platform can be accessed via https://my.unisa.ac.za. Click on the

myModules 2024 button to access the online sites for the modules that you are
registered for.

• The university undertakes to communicate clearly and as frequently as is necessary to

ensure that you obtain the greatest benefit from the use of the myModules learning

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 management system. Please access the announcements on your myModules site
regularly, as this is where your lecturer will post important information to be shared with
you.

• When you access your myModules site for the module/s you are registered for, you will
see a welcome message posted by your lecturer. Below the welcome message you will
see the assessment shells for the assessments that you need to complete. Some
assessments may be multiple choice, some tests, others written assessments, some
forum discussions, and so on. All assessments must be completed on the assessment
shells available on the respective module platforms.

• To complete quiz assessments, please log on to the module site where you need to
complete the assessment. Click on the relevant assessment shell (Assessment 1,
Assessment 2, etc.). There will be a date on which the assessment will open for you.
When the assessment is open, access the quiz online and complete it within the time
available to you. Quiz assessment questions are not included in this tutorial letter
(Tutorial Letter 101) and are only made available online. You must therefore access the
quiz online and complete it online where the quiz has been created.

• It is not advisable to use a cell phone to complete the quiz. Please use a desktop
computer, tablet or laptop when completing the quiz. Students who use a cell phone find
it difficult to navigate the Online Assessment tool on the small screen and often struggle
to navigate between questions and successfully complete the quizzes. In addition, cell
phones are more vulnerable to dropped internet connections than other devices. If at all
possible, please do not use a cell phone for this assessment type.

• For written assessments, please note the due date by which the assessment must be
submitted. Ensure that you follow the guidelines given by your lecturer to complete the
assessment. Click on the submission button on the relevant assessment shell on
myModules. You will then be able to upload your written assessment on the myModules
site of the modules that you are registered for. Before you finalise the upload, double
check that you have selected the correct file for upload. Remember, no marks can be
allocated for incorrectly submitted assessments.

9.4.1 Types of assignments and descriptions

All assignments are defined as either optional, mandatory, compulsory, or elective.

• Elective assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
- The best of the required submissions will count.
• Mandatory assignments
- If not submitted, the student gets no mark for this item.
• Compulsory assignments
- If not submitted, the result on the student’s academic record will be absent.
• Optional assignments – You are encouraged as a student to do optional
assignment so that it may benefit your learning.
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I. Elective assignments
a. the student is given a choice of which assignments within an identified group to
submit, only the best result(-s), the number of which is specified in advance, will
contribute towards the year mark.
b. elective assignments must also be grouped into an elective group.
c. for the student to select which assignment to submit, the elective assignments must
be grouped together. For such an elective group, relevant information must be
provided to the student, such as how many of the assignments must be submitted
and how many of the assignment marks should be combined into the year mark.
d. The selection criteria define how marks received for assignments in an elective group
are to be combined into the year mark. Three different criteria may be used for
calculating the year mark:
• The best mark should be used, or
• If the student submits fewer than the required number of assignments per group or
no assignment in a group, a mark of 0% will be used.
• 0% is awarded to all non-submitted or unmarked assessments. A best mark is
then calculated from all items.

II. Mandatory assignments

a. contribute to the year mark.
b. If a student fails to submit a mandatory assignment, no mark is awarded and the year
mark is calculated accordingly. The student will therefore forfeit the marks attached to
this assignment when the final mark for the module is calculated.

III. Compulsory Assessment

a. when not submitted, the student will fail a Continuous Assessment module but will be
shown as absent from the examination in the case of other modules.

IV. Optional assignments – You are encouraged as a student to do optional assignment so

that it may benefit your learning.

9.5 The assessments

As indicated in section 9.2, you need to complete 4 assessments for this module.

There are no assignments included in this tutorial letter. Assignments and due dates will be
made available to you on myModules for this module. We envisage that the due dates will be
available to you upon registration.

• No late assignment submissions will be accepted.

• Keep a clear copy of the assignment for your own reference. This is important, as
assignments do get lost.
• Submissions of assignments must be in accordance with “my studies @ Unisa”.
• You must obtain a minimum of 50% on both major tests. However, all assessments are
compulsory to pass the module.

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 • Student who fails any of the major tests will have a one opportunity to re-do the
tests.
• Because this is an online module, the assignments are not provided in this tutorial letter.
Instead, they will be posted online as they become due, and you will see them when you
go online.
• All assessments must be submitted in PDF format only.

9.6 Other assessment methods

None.

9.7 The examination

Examination information and details on the format of the examination will be made available to
you online via the myUnisa site. Look out for information that will be shared with you by your
lecturer and e-tutors (where relevant) and for communication from the university.

9.7.1 Invigilation/proctoring

Since 2020 Unisa conducts all its assessments online. Given stringent requirements from
professional bodies and increased solicitations of Unisa’s students by third parties to unlawfully
assist them with the completion of assignments and examinations, the University is obliged to
assure its assessment integrity through the utilisation of various proctoring tools: Turnitin,
Moodle Proctoring, the Invigilator App and IRIS. These tools will authenticate the student’s
identity and flag suspicious behaviour to assure credibility of students’ responses during
assessments. The description below is for your benefit as you may encounter any or all of these
in your registered modules:

Turnitin is a plagiarism software that facilitates checks for originality in students’ submissions
against internal and external sources. Turnitin assists in identifying academic fraud and ghost
writing. Students are expected to submit typed responses for utilisation of the Turnitin software.

The Moodle Proctoring tool is a facial recognition software that authenticates students’ identity
during their Quiz assessments. This tool requires access to a student’s mobile or laptop
camera. Students must ensure their camera is activated in their browser settings prior to their
assessments.

The Invigilator “mobile application-based service does verification” of the identity of an

assessment participant. The Invigilator Mobile Application detects student dishonesty-by-proxy
and ensures that the assessment participant is the registered student. This invigilation tool
requires students to download the app from their Play Store (Google, Huawei and Apple) on
their mobile devices (camera enabled) prior to their assessment.

IRIS Invigilation software verifies the identity of a student during assessment and provides for
both manual and automated facial verification. It has the ability to record and review a student’s

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assessment session. It flags suspicious behaviour by the students for review by an academic
administrator. IRIS software requires installation on students’ laptop devices that are enabled
with a webcam.

Students who are identified and flagged for suspicious dishonest behaviour arising from the
invigilation and proctoring reports are referred to the disciplinary office for formal proceeding.

Please note:

Students must refer to their module assessment information on their myModule sites to
determine which proctoring or invigilation tool will be utilised for their formative and summative
assessments.

10 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
10.1 Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of taking the words, ideas and thoughts of others and presenting them as
your own. It is a form of theft. Plagiarism includes the following forms of academic dishonesty:

• Copying and pasting from any source without acknowledging the source.
• Not including references or deliberately inserting incorrect bibliographic information.
• Paraphrasing without acknowledging the original source of the information.

10.2 Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Completing assessments on behalf of another student, copying the work of another

student during an assessment, or allowing another student to copy your work.
• Using social media (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram) or other platforms to disseminate
assessment information.
• Submitting corrupt or irrelevant files, this forms part of examination guidelines
• Buying completed answers from so-called “tutors” or internet sites (contract cheating).

10.3 For more information about plagiarism, follow the link below:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-rules

11 STUDENTS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

The Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) provides an
opportunity for staff to interact with first-time and returning students with disabilities.

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If you are a student with a disability and would like additional support or need additional time for
assessments, you are invited to contact Mr. TJ Mosia on mosiat@unisa.ac.za to discuss the
assistance that you need.

12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Enquiries Responsibility Contact Details

I do not understand the work. Lecturer Mr TJ Mosia mosiat@unisa.ac.za

There is something wrong or missing in
the assignment. Who can help?

I cannot find the prescribed or myUnisa www.unisa.ac.za

recommended books.
I would like to know the marks of my
assignments.
I do not know whether Unisa received
my assignment.

13 IN CLOSING
Do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail if you are experiencing problems with the content of this
tutorial letter or with any academic aspect of the module.

We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey through the learning units, and trust that you
will complete the module successfully.

Enjoy the journey!

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14 ANNEXURE 1: GRAPHICAL VIEW OF ENGINEERING QUALIFICATION

15 ANNEXURE 2: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT GRADUATES

ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED DIPLOMA
The Advanced Diploma in Mining Engineering was designed considering the HEQSF
document from 2013 and the generic ECSA document “Qualification Standard for Advance
Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 7; Document: E-05-PT; Rev 5”.

Due to the extraordinary development of engineering knowledge and technology, there is a

need for defining a common denominator for the engineering qualifications in order to ensure
the mobility and global recognition. To this end, under the umbrella of International Engineering
Alliance (IEA), Sydney Accord was signed in 2001.

The Sydney Accord is an agreement for the international recognition of Engineering

Technologist qualifications.

For the Advanced Diploma qualifications, the Sydney Accord rules and regulations are
applicable.

The following countries are the signatories of Sydney Accord.

• Australia - (Engineers Australia, 2001)

• Canada - (Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists, 2001)
• Taiwan - (Institute of Engineering Education Taiwan, 2014)
• Hong Kong - (The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, 2001)
• Ireland - (Engineers Ireland, 2001)

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 • Korea - (Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea, 2013)
• Malaysia - (Board of Engineers Malaysia, 2018)
• New Zealand - (Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, 2001)
• South Africa - (Engineering Council of South Africa, 2001)
• United Kingdom - (Engineering Council UK, 2001)
• United States - (ABET, 2009)
• Sri Lanka - (The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka)

Assurance of substantial equivalence through this agreement may enhance mutual exemption
between jurisdictions by leading to opportunities to streamline processes and procedures for the
recognition of competent individuals in other jurisdictions.

The agreement recognizes that there is substantial equivalence of programs accredited by

signatories. Graduates of accredited programs in any of the signatory countries are recognized
by the other signatory countries as having met the academic requirements for entry to the
practice of engineering.

The equivalency of the engineering programmes was possible through the introduction of
Graduate Attributes. Graduate Attributes are assessable outcomes, developed by the
signatories that give confidence that the educational objectives of programmes are being
achieved ensuring the quality of the programme.

As the Graduate Attributes are “assessable outcomes”, each module part of the qualification,
has several Graduate Attributes attached to them and must be assessed in a measurable way,
namely through assignment or laboratory reports or projects or exams. Some Graduate
Attributes may be assessed via several measurable ways.

Since 2022 the Graduate Attributes (GAs) are assessed in design, practical, project and
modules and the total number of 11 Graduate Attributes will be assessed over the whole
qualification.

The qualification may be awarded only if:

• the student has obtained the minimum of credits distributed in the knowledge areas
defined in the E – 05 – PT document,

• The graduates of this qualification will be able to demonstrate competence in the

Graduate Attributes from 1 to 11 as defined in the E – 05 – PT document.

If the student is not declared competent in all 11 Graduate Attributes, he

/she will not be able to graduate, regardless of the credit obtained in the
knowledge areas.

Therefore, it is extremely important for the students to understand the importance of the
graduate attributes, as is the only measure of the substantial equivalency of engineering
technologist qualifications, between signatory countries.

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16 ANNEXURE 3: LIST OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED

DIPLOMA
The graduate attributes defined below are stated generically and may be assessed in various
engineering disciplinary or cross-disciplinary contexts in a provider-based or simulated practice
environment. Words and phrases having specific meaning are defined in this document or in
ECSA Document E-01-POL.

General Range Statement: The competencies defined in the eleven graduate attributes may
be demonstrated in a university-based, simulated workplace context. Competencies stated
generically may be assessed in various engineering disciplinary or cross-disciplinary contexts.

Level Descriptor: Broadly-defined engineering problems:

a) require coherent and detailed engineering knowledge underpinning the technology area; and
one or more of the characteristics
i) are ill-posed, under- or over specified, or requiring identification and interpretation into
the technology area.
ii) encompass systems within complex engineering systems.
iii) belong to families of problems which are solved in well-accepted but innovative ways.

b) and their solutions have one or more of the characteristics:

i) can be solved by structured analysis techniques.
ii) may be partially outside standards and codes; must provide justification to operate
outside.
iii) require information from practice area and source interfacing with the practice area
that is incomplete.
iv) involves a variety of issues which may impose conflicting needs and constraints;
technical, engineering and interested or affected parties.

Graduate Attribute 1: Problem solving.

Identify, formulate, analyse and solve broadly-defined engineering problems.

Graduate Attribute 2: Application of scientific and engineering knowledge

Apply knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences, engineering fundamentals and an
engineering specialty to solve broadly-defined engineering problems.

Level descriptor: Knowledge of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering sciences is

characterized by:
• A knowledge of mathematics using formalism and oriented toward engineering analysis and
modelling; fundamental knowledge of natural science: both as relevant to a discipline or
recognised practice area.
• A coherent range of fundamental principles in engineering science and technology underlying
an engineering sub-discipline or recognised practice.

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• A systematic body of established and emerging knowledge in specialist area or recognized
practice area; and
• The use of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering sciences, supported by established
models, to aid solving broadly-defined engineering problems.

Range Statement: Mathematics, natural science and engineering sciences are applied in
formal analysis and modelling of engineering situations, and for reasoning about and
conceptualizing engineering problems.

Graduate Attribute 3: Engineering design

Perform creative, procedural and non-procedural design and synthesis of components,
systems, engineering works, products or processes.

Range Statement: Design problems used in exit-level assessment must conform to the
definition of a broadly-defined engineering problem.
i) A major design problem should be used to provide evidence.
ii) The selection of components, systems, engineering works, products or processes to be
designed are dependent on the discipline or practice area.

Graduate Attribute 4: Investigations, experiments and data analysis

Demonstrate competence to design and conduct investigations and experiments.

Range Statement: The balance of investigation and experiment should be appropriate to the
discipline. Research methodology is to be applied in research or an investigation where the
student engages with selected knowledge in the research literature of the discipline.

Note: An investigation differs from a design in that the objective is to produce knowledge and
understanding of a phenomenon and a recommended course of action rather than specifying
how an artifact could be produced.

Graduate Attribute 5: Engineering methods, skills and tools, including information

technology.
Demonstrate competence to use appropriate engineering methods, skills and tools, including
those based on information technology.

Range Statement: A range of methods, skills and tools appropriate to the disciplinary
designation of the program including:
• Discipline-specific tools, processes or procedures.
• Computer packages for computation, modelling, simulation, and information handling.
• Computers and networks and information infrastructures for accessing, processing, managing,
and storing information to enhance personal productivity and teamwork.

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Graduate Attribute 6: Professional and technical communication

Demonstrate competence to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with
engineering audiences and the community at large.

Range Statement: Material to be communicated is in an academic or simulated professional

context.
i) Audiences range from engineering peers, management and lay persons, using appropriate
academic or professional discourse.
ii) Written reports range from short (300-1000 words plus tables diagrams) to long (10 000 to 15
000 words plus tables, diagrams and appendices), covering material at exit-level.
iii) Methods of providing information include the conventional methods of the discipline, for
example engineering drawings, as well as subject-specific methods.

Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and impact of engineering activity

Demonstrate critical awareness of the sustainability and impact of engineering activity on the
social, industrial and physical environment.

Range Statement: The combination of social, workplace (industrial) and physical environmental
factors must be appropriate to the discipline or other designation of the qualification.
Comprehension of the role of engineering in society and identified issues in engineering
practice in the discipline: health, safety and environmental protection; risk assessment and
management and the impacts of engineering activity: economic, social, cultural, environmental
and sustainability.

Graduate Attribute 8: Individual, team and multidisciplinary working

Demonstrate competence to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary
environments.

Range Statement: Multidisciplinary tasks require co-operation across at least one disciplinary
boundary. Co-operating disciplines may be engineering disciplines with different fundamental
bases other than that of the programme or may be outside engineering.

Graduate Attribute 9: Independent learning ability

Demonstrate competence to engage in independent learning through well-developed learning
skills.

Range Statement: Operate independently in complex, ill-defined contexts requiring personal

responsibility and initiative, accurately self-evaluate and take responsibility for learning
requirements; be aware of social and ethical implications of applying knowledge in particular
contexts.

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Graduate Attribute 10: Engineering professionalism
Demonstrate critical awareness of the need to act professionally and ethically and to exercise
judgment and take responsibility within own limits of competence.

Range Statement: Evidence includes case studies typical of engineering practice situations in
which the graduate is likely to participate. Ethics and the professional responsibility of an
engineer and the contextual knowledge specified in the range statement of Graduate Attribute 7
is generally applicable here.

Graduate Attribute 11: Engineering management

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering management principles and
economic decision-making.

Range Statement: Basic techniques from economics, business management; project

management applied to one’s own work, as a member and leader in a team, to manage projects
and in multidisciplinary environments.

References

Qualification Standard for Advanced Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 7 E-05-PT

REVISION No. 5: 01 September 2020. Available via www.ecsa.co.za

©
Unisa 2024

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