Bachelor of Accounting

Purpose:

The purpose of this qualification is to equip successful students with graduate-level knowledge, specific skills, and applied competence for continued personal and intellectual growth, economic activity, and valuable contributions to business and broader society in the fields of accounting and external reporting; auditing and assurance; taxation; strategy, risk management and governance; financial management; and management decision making and control. The application of principles and theory are emphasised as a basis for entry into the labour market, professional training, postgraduate study or professional practice in a wide range of careers in the fields of financial and accounting services. The breadth and depth of learning achieved by individuals reflects a well-rounded, broad education characteristic of a Bachelor's degree that equips graduates with the knowledge base, theory, and methodology of disciplines and professional fields of specialised study, and enables them to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic and/or professional context.

Rationale:

The Bachelor of Accounting is a response to the workplace need for financial accountants across all economic sectors including public and civil society. The current and future need for competent entry-, mid-level, and professional financial accountants have been expressed by employers. The qualification has been developed to facilitate access to the professional world-of-work for individuals who are capable of knowledge performance in support of those areas of the world-of-work that rely on the application of knowledge and skills systems supporting financial and accounting practices. The qualification can be justified, broadly, with reference to two considerations. The first is the pressing need for increased access to higher education in South Africa, and the unique contribution that distance education offers in this regard. Second, and more specific, the shortage of skills in South Africa - in particular in the field of accounting and at Level 7 graduate level - mandates the provision of qualifications designed with this particular need in mind. The qualification provides exciting career opportunities in the fields of accounting, finance, and management.

• General Accountant
• Accountant in practice
• Financial Manager
• Management Consultant
• Financial Advisor
• Internal Auditor
• Tax Specialist
• Cost and Management Accountant
• Credit analyst
• Tax accountant
• Budget analyst
• Business manager
• Small Business Manager or Owner or Entrepreneur

In the increasingly competitive, sophisticated, and changing professional world-of-work; the continued development of higher-order, applied knowledge is essential. The curriculum has been designed to give employees the skills required to manage life-long learning, to build successful careers, and to remain productive and responsible citizens. The qualification provides a balance in fields that are broadly enabling in relation to career pathways while providing opportunities in both professional memberships with a variety of local and international bodies and further studies through vertical and/or horizontal articulation pathways.

Example pathways include:

• Specialised studies in financial accounting or management accounting
• Advanced Diploma in business management or financial management
• Postgraduate Diploma in accounting and external reporting; auditing and assurance; and taxation

Graduates will be able to join the commercial world-of-work and contribute to organizations in the capacity of general accountants, tax practitioners, financial managers, and other similar capacities. For a rapidly evolving and growing nation, this qualification forms part of the increase in provision of graduates with higher order capabilities to grow the economy, to advance social transformation, and to remain regionally relevant and globally competitive.