University of Cape Town
Small Business: Growth and Management
Develop the confidence and strategic expertise needed to achieve successful growth for your small business.
Start date
24 February 2025
Course duration
8 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
7–10 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
The total contribution of the SME sector to the country's gross domestic product.
Business Tech (Feb, 2020).
The total percentage the SME sector accounts for in employing the South African workforce.
Daily Maverick (Apr, 2020).
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
Starting a small business is a challenging journey with unique obstacles requiring careful navigation. To thrive in the long term, it's crucial to have a solid plan for the future and the expertise necessary to manage all aspects of a business effectively.
The Small Business: Growth and Management online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) equips you with the essential skills to grow and manage your enterprise while preventing potential failures.
This course provides the necessary tools to make informed decisions and develop the practical knowledge required to drive sustainable growth. Throughout the eight weeks, you'll learn about funding and financing, legal considerations, marketing and sales, managing human resources, and developing a future-oriented approach to business management.
Is this course for you?
This course aims to teach small business owners, managing directors, entrepreneurs, and freelancers from various industries how to grow a resilient and successful business, even in the face of challenging market conditions in South Africa. The course material empowers online and offline business owners by giving them the skills and confidence needed to elevate their business to the next level and establish it as a stable and prosperous enterprise. Seasoned professionals who recently launched a new business within their industry can also leverage this course to gain insights on ensuring its long-term success.
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
Starting a small business is a challenging journey with unique obstacles requiring careful navigation. To thrive in the long term, it's crucial to have a solid plan for the future and the expertise necessary to manage all aspects of a business effectively.
The Small Business: Growth and Management online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) equips you with the essential skills to grow and manage your enterprise while preventing potential failures.
This course provides the necessary tools to make informed decisions and develop the practical knowledge required to drive sustainable growth. Throughout the eight weeks, you'll learn about funding and financing, legal considerations, marketing and sales, managing human resources, and developing a future-oriented approach to business management.
Is this course for you?
This course aims to teach small business owners, managing directors, entrepreneurs, and freelancers from various industries how to grow a resilient and successful business, even in the face of challenging market conditions in South Africa. The course material empowers online and offline business owners by giving them the skills and confidence needed to elevate their business to the next level and establish it as a stable and prosperous enterprise. Seasoned professionals who recently launched a new business within their industry can also leverage this course to gain insights on ensuring its long-term success.
What will set you apart
A comprehensive business plan focused on sustainable growth.
The ability to identify funding and financing opportunities for your small business's future expansion.
An understanding of important legal considerations relating to organisational structure and stakeholder relationships.
The tools to manage people as your business grows and your team expands.
Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Business planning and goal setting
Module 2
Market positioning and growth opportunities
Module 3
Practical legal considerations
Module 4
Marketing, sales, and conversion
Module 5
Financing and funding
Module 6
Financial management for growth
Module 7
HR and people management
Module 8
Future-focus: Growth and scaling
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Course Faculty
Dr Mikovhe Maphiri
Senior Lecturer in Commercial Law, University of Cape Town
About the certificate
Delve into the realm of small business expansion and management, and earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
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Why choose GetSmarter?
GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.
We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.
Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
Financing options
We've recently partnered with financial services firm, FeverTree, to offer you another convenient way to finance your short course education. Find out how you can apply for a short-term loan below.
How do I apply?
- You have the option of applying for a full course-cost loan agreement with FeverTree (South African citizens and short courses only)
- FeverTree works with GetSmarter to ensure your studies are financed right away, giving you the chance to join the soonest presentation
- You can find out if you pre-qualify in seconds. Send an SMS with your “Name*Surname*ID Number*Gross Salary” to 30082
- FeverTree’s application process is simple and quick – expect a 15-minute turnaround to find out if you’ve been successful with your loan application
- Even if you aren’t successful in your FeverTree application, you’ll still be eligible for the payment plan options with GetSmarter
