Cranefield College of Project and Programme Management (Cranefield College): Courses, Prospectus and Applications for 2027

Cranefield College of Project and Programme Management is a private higher education institution based in The Willows, Pretoria. It focuses on one area and goes deep: project management, programme management and the leadership and business skills needed to run them. It is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution (certificate number 2000/HE07/010), and all its qualifications are accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education and registered on the National Qualifications Framework. The college also holds ISO 9001 certification from the British Standards Institution.

The college was founded, and is led, by its principal, Professor Pieter Steyn, an industrial engineer who managed large South African construction projects before moving into education. Cranefield has links with international project management bodies, and its project management content is aligned with the PMI's PMBOK Guide and the IPMA's competence standards.

Qualifications on offer
- Advanced Certificate in Project Management (NQF 6)
- Advanced Diploma in Project Management (NQF 7)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (NQF 7)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Programme Management (NQF 8)
- Master of Commerce in Programme Management (NQF 9)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Commerce and Administration (NQF 10)
These form a ladder, so a student can start with the Advanced Certificate and work all the way up to a doctorate.

How study works
Cranefield uses what it calls technology-enhanced distance learning. Coursework programmes are made up of 40-credit modules that each run for about three months. Every module has five live online class days on Blackboard Collaborate, held from 09:00 to 12:00 South African time and recorded for later viewing. Learning materials sit on Blackboard Learn, and students complete a team assignment (20% of the mark) and an individual examination assignment (80%). Team participation is compulsory. Because everything is online, students can join from anywhere in the world. The master's and doctoral degrees are research-based and supervised.

Intakes happen every quarter, in January, April, July and October, which makes it easy to start when it suits you. Registration closes seven days before each start date.

Support
Students get access to a virtual library at no extra cost, a small physical library, ongoing academic support and limited career guidance. Optional Business English modules help students who need to strengthen their academic English, and English is the only language of instruction.

Fees
Fees for 2026 are simple and published in the prospectus. The Advanced Certificate, Advanced Diploma, BBA and Postgraduate Diploma have a R4 700 non-refundable registration fee and cost R22 400 per 40-credit module. The full Advanced Certificate costs R71 900 and the full BBA R206 300. The MCom costs R135 800 plus a R7 800 registration fee, and PhD fees are quoted individually. Fees can often be claimed back from an employer's SETA, and the financial manager can discuss alternative payment arrangements. Module fees must be paid before the first lecture day.

How to apply
Apply using the online application form on the Cranefield website and attach certified copies of your qualifications, ID and CV. The Registrar assesses each application individually, and Recognition of Prior Learning is available for experienced managers who lack formal qualifications. For enquiries, phone +27 12 807 3990 or email admin@cranefield.ac.za.

Useful documents (official PDFs):
- Cranefield Prospectus 2026: https://www.cranefield.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/Cranefield-Prospectus-2026.pdf