Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Management

Qualification code:	90172
NQF level:	8
Total credits:	120
SAQA ID:	109282
APS/AS:	60

Maximum time to complete this qualification:

3 years

Purpose statement:
The discipline of intellectual property law and management is experiencing strong growth in information collection and the development of specialisation streams internationally. The Postgraduate Diploma will provide a foundational understanding of intellectual property law and management, which integrates perspectives and skills from several disciplines including business, management, law, and innovation. The emphasis, besides additional advanced specialised knowledge and information will be on the practical application of already acquired knowledge related to asset protection, asset commercialisation, and asset management. A key objective of the Postgraduate Diploma (Intellectual Property Law and Management) is to establish a core of South African intellectual property law and management professionals (at a specialised level) who will serve the interests of all sectors of the economy and the community in South Africa. This Postgraduate Diploma is aimed at participants pursuing careers inter alia as IP managers, technology transfer agents, and public and private sector participants. The Postgraduate Diploma also lays a foundation for higher career advancement and further postgraduate studies in intellectual property law and management and technology transfer. The successful Postgraduate Diploma participant, building on all the acquired knowledge and skills obtained in the Postgraduate Diploma, will then have the competencies to apply his/her acquired intellectual property law and management knowledge and skills at an advanced specialised level. The Postgraduate Diploma (Intellectual Property Law and Management) is intensive in nature, because of the year duration of the Postgraduate Diploma and the composition of five intensive study modules in intellectual property law and management. Attractively, this Postgraduate Diploma will afford participants the opportunity to obtain a nationally and internationally recognised qualification in intellectual property law and management.

Admission and re-admission requirements

Qualification admission requirements

Please note:

• Your admission to Unisa is dependent on you meeting the specific admission requirements for your chosen qualification.
• Unisa reserves the right to withdraw any offer for admission to the 2026 academic year should it be found that you do not meet the statutory, college and/or minimum admission requirements for the qualification to which you have been admitted. In such a case, the university will refund any registration fees paid towards the said qualification.

An appropriate NQF 7, preferably BCom in Law,
or
an LLB degree,
or
an Advanced Diploma in Law, Economics, or equivalent degrees in the areas of Science and Technology with a minimum of 60% for the major(s),
or
applicants who would like to apply for admission through recognition of prior learning (RPL) must be at least 23 years old; grade 12; and have at least 10 years' relevant work experience (of which 3 years should be at management level) in the study field in which they would like to apply for admission to a qualification. For more information on RPL criteria visit: http://www.unisa.ac.za/rpl applicants may submit an appeal on the application portal at https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply-for-admission/Apply-for-admission-to-study:-application-tool and will be required to provide a motivation for special admission.
The motivation must incorporate the following:
* academic motivation offering evidence of your ability to study a postgraduate qualification,
* work experience relevant to the qualification and courses completed since graduating with a Bachelor's degree or Advanced Diploma.

These appeals will only be considered if the enrolment target of the qualification has not been met and/or additional enrolment spaces are available.

Student fees and funding your studies

Apply for admission

Apply for admission to honours degrees or postgraduate diplomas for the 2026 academic year between 18 August and 10 October 2025. 

Please note:

• You must apply for each new qualification even if you already have a formal Unisa student number. This includes first-time Unisa applicants, Unisa students changing to a new qualification and/or changing the specialisation of their current qualification, and applicants completing an undergraduate qualification who wish to continue with postgraduate studies.
  * Student numbers issued for short learning programmes and the Graduate School of Business Leadership are not formal Unisa student numbers.
• You may apply for a maximum of two qualifications, ranked in order of preference (although you may only register for one should all of your applications be successful). No changes may be made after the closing date for applications.
• You must accept or decline Unisa's offer within the prescribed period of time.
• You may only accept one offer. If you accept an offer, the other application for admission/offer will automatically fall away.
• If you accept Unisa's offer for the 2026 academic year, you may only register for the qualification and specialisation for which you received an offer. You may also only register for the 2026 academic year. Should you decide not to register for the 2026 academic year for any reason, you will need to apply for admission during the next application period.

Registration

Successful applicants should visit the registration website in January 2026 for updated registration information (eg qualification rules, curriculum/transitional arrangements, pre-requisites and co-requisites): www.unisa.ac.za/register

Curriculum / modules