Bachelor of Commerce
Business, Commerce and Management Studies - Finance Economics and Accounting
Purpose and Rationale
Qualification Overview
Purpose:
The Bachelor of Commerce qualification aims to provide learners with a solid academic foundation in commerce and equip them with a diverse set of skills, knowledge, and attitudes essential for effective management of public and private enterprises. The program focuses on developing analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills to enable learners to identify issues, gather information, and devise practical solutions. By the end of the qualification, learners will be able to:
- Effectively manage resources in alignment with current economic, business management, and technological trends.
- Conduct research to address contemporary business development challenges.
- Understand the intricate relationship between the national economy and global economic patterns.
- Possess the necessary competencies to pursue further studies in Commerce.
The curriculum allows for specialization in Accounting, Economics, Management, Industrial Psychology/Human Resource Management, and Entrepreneurship up to the third year. The inclusion of industrial psychology with commerce subjects caters to candidates interested in roles related to personnel management or industrial relations.
Rationale:
The Bachelor of Commerce program provides learners with regional and global perspectives on business, preparing them for careers in various sectors such as business, government, and not-for-profit organizations. The qualification emphasizes the factors influencing economic behavior at individual and organizational levels, reflecting the dynamic landscape of commerce and building a strong foundation for professional endeavors. This qualification serves as the institution's introductory general program in commerce and business, complementing more specialized diplomas such as Hospitality Management.
The interdisciplinary nature of the qualification allows learners to choose subjects aligning with their abilities and career aspirations. The inclusion of Industrial Psychology and HR Management highlights the significance of managing people and processes, covering aspects such as organizational structure, management theory, policies, and employment relations on local and international scales.
Outcomes
- Integrate knowledge and skills from major study fields (major subjects) and use the additional knowledge and skills provided by the support subjects.
- Understand the contested nature of knowledge that advances through research.
- Undertake to identify problems, select an appropriate research method from a range of methods, collecting and analysing data and in academic communication.
- Consider any ethical implications of the research and respond accordingly.
- Collect and collate information from a range of sources, the management of that information, and the communication of the results in spoken and written forms.
- Understand a variety of contexts and systems and will be able to work in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
Assessment Criteria
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
- Incorporate in-depth knowledge of major subjects: Students must demonstrate a very high level of knowledge and understanding in major subjects and in two independent research projects.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
- Familiarity with academic discourse: All written work should show increasing familiarity with academic discourse in the humanities. Students are encouraged to test and challenge dogma by becoming familiar with the academic discourse typical of studies in commerce.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
- Research skills: Students should be able to formulate research questions, select appropriate methodologies, collect, analyze, and synthesize data, and present it in written and verbal form.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
- Ethical considerations: Students should deal with ethical considerations fully in their research and assignments.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
- Information management: Students are expected to use available tools for accessing, processing, and managing information in commerce. They should evaluate and use information appropriately and compare qualitative and quantitative tools for data analysis to address questions effectively.
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
- Understanding of contexts: Students should demonstrate an understanding of how contexts differ and develop. They should be able to move from the familiar to the unfamiliar with confidence.
Integrated Assessment:
- Assessment serves multiple purposes, including monitoring learners' progress and determining the extent to which they are achieving the stated outcomes.
- Assessment will be integrated into the curriculum with a balance of formative and summative tools.
- Regular testing in the first year will help students judge their progress and identify those at risk early in the term.
- Essays and assignments throughout the three years will provide opportunities to develop and monitor writing skills.
- Third-year research projects will be assessed through an oral seminar presentation and a final written report.
Qualification Details
- Type
- National First Degree
- NQF Level
- 07
- Min. Credits
- 360
- SAQA Source
- More Information
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This page includes information from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) . Builtneat Pty Ltd trading as Study Start, has modified all or some of this information. SAQA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.