Sol Plaatje University

Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting

Business, Commerce and Management Studies - Finance Economics and Accounting

Purpose and Rationale

Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting

Purpose:

The Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting is designed to develop learners' analytical and practical skills crucial for various areas of accounting, including tax, auditing, financial management, and management control systems. Learners will gain applied competencies and communication skills through modern digital technologies relevant to economic, legal, and governance paradigms influencing the accounting field. The program also focuses on addressing capacity constraints within the accounting field that impede sustainable economic growth by tackling issues like fraud, corruption, poor public sector governance, and inadequate accounting and auditing practices.

The qualification covers five specialized areas:

  1. Financial Accounting
  2. Management Accounting
  3. Financial Management
  4. Auditing and Assurance
  5. Taxation

Emphasis is placed on practical application and developing quantitative and financial skills within legal and ethical frameworks. The curriculum includes content on corporate governance, corporate law, professional ethics, information technology, statistics, and economics.

Upon completion, learners will have competencies to:

  • Apply technical knowledge, skills, and responsibility effectively
  • Analyze and apply accounting knowledge locally and internationally
  • Apply specific technical skills in work environments and economic activities
  • Utilize analytical skills in resource management and decision-making
  • Understand and apply ethical and governance principles and frameworks

Rationale:

The South African economy faces high unemployment rates and a shortage of critical skills, including accountants, necessary for economic development. The National Development Plan highlights accountants as a profession in demand. Research indicates a significant shortage of accounting practitioners in South Africa, affecting economic growth and investment opportunities.

The Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting is designed to address these skill shortages and equip graduates to pursue careers in accounting, auditing, taxation, and financial management. Graduates will be prepared for roles such as financial accountants, finance managers, tax advisors, and chief financial officers in various sectors. The qualification also facilitates pursuing professional memberships with major accounting bodies like Chartered Accountant and others.

Overall, the program aims to increase the number of qualified accounting professionals and empower graduates to contribute effectively to economic growth through employment or entrepreneurship opportunities.

Outcomes

  1. Apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, principles, rules and theories of that field, discipline or practice### and detailed knowledge of an area or areas of specialisation and how that knowledge relates to other fields, disciplines or practices.
  2. Ability to access, process and communicate information appropriately and effectively.
  3. Analyse and interpret the financial information of accounting entities for use by users of financial information, and formulate appropriate responses to resolve both concrete and abstract economic problems.
  4. Demonstrate the ability to prepare and present accurate financial information for management decision-making and various stakeholder needs.
  5. Critically evaluate accounting related problems and apply various techniques to propose solutions to management for decision-making.
  6. Demonstrate the ability to practice and adhere to ethical considerations that relate to the accounting profession.

Assessment Criteria

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:

  • Evaluate and apply knowledge and skills in financial accounting, financial management, management accounting, taxation, auditing, statistics, commercial law, and information technology.
  • Analyse and apply specialised knowledge as required for the areas of expertise to the overall business environment as it pertains to management, accounting, and marketing.
  • Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the detail, technical competence to perform relevant business functions and enable sound decision making.
  • Assess the internal control systems of various types of organisations and demonstrate the ability to formulate improved internal control procedures.
  • Evaluate, design, and recommend appropriate costing systems and methods for various types of organisations and processes.
  • Critically analyse taxation related problems and provide suitable advice for both individuals and businesses.
  • Identify the risks and internal controls in an online computerised environment and demonstrate the ability to make suitable mitigating recommendations to reduce the risks to an acceptable level.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:

  • Access information using a spectrum of technologies, ranging from hand-written to auto-generated business records and electronic databases.
  • Process and communicate information using technologies ranging from written reports to visual presentations.
  • Access, use and organise information knowledge in an ever-changing context.
  • Use effective communication skills within a group context.
  • Identify and use effective jargon in the related disciplines.
  • Use the appropriate language conventions to critically analyse and evaluate ideas and projects of self and others.
  • Apply digital technologies to gather, process data and disseminate relevant accounting information for decision making.
  • Record, summarise and report financial information in accordance with General Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP).

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:

  • Financial statements are prepared according to IFRS and the South African Companies Act and the South African Income Tax Act.
  • Analyse and apply International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the initial recognition, subsequent measurement, and disclosure to line items in the annual financial statements.
  • Examine and apply statutory disclosure requirements to various financial reports.
  • Systematically prepare corporate reports used in an accounting practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:

  • Analyse current economic conditions using the obtained knowledge of the principles of financial decision-making.
  • Develop performance plans, measure and analyse performance and provide information to management for decision-making.
  • Compile, analyse budgets and cash flow projections for the management to make decisions in relation to the company's objectives.
  • Measure performance against predetermined objectives and present to the management for decision-making purposes.
  • Interpret financial statements with a critical mindset which provides evidence of sound logical principles and critical thinking abilities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:

  • Identify potential concrete and abstract problems in the fields of study and formulate appropriate responses to resolve these problems.
  • Analyse potential solutions to various businesses and formulate and propose professional problems.
  • Explore the nature and functioning of diverse forms of enterprise and economic systems and perform tasks necessary for the effective functioning of enterprises in varying circumstances.
  • Use multi-disciplinary approaches to conceptual thinking and problem-solving.
  • Make use of relevant research strategies to obtain and integrate information from various sources.
  • Create suitable visual media to support their own and a group's findings.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:

  • Explore knowledge and practical application of the ethical considerations that relate to science, technology, and personal data.
  • Analyse the need for ethics and professional competence in the accounting profession.
  • Critically analyse and explain the roles and responsibilities and qualities of a registered accountant and auditor in public practice.
  • Identify the risks associated with the various internal control cycles and demonstrate the ability to formulate audit procedures to ensure that the risk is reduced to an acceptable level.
  • Consider prescribed ethical codes of conduct, values and practices and conduct appropriate behaviour in accordance with it.
  • Display an understanding and knowledge of the professional ethics in the accounting profession.

Qualification Details

Type
National First Degree
NQF Level
07
Min. Credits
360
SAQA Source
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Sol Plaatje University
Description
Sol Plaatje University is a public university located in Kimberley, South Africa. It was established in 2014 and named after Sol Plaatje, a prominent South African writer, intellectual, and political activist. The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various fields, including education, humanities, natural and applied sciences, and commerce. It aims to provide quality education and contribute to the development of the Northern Cape province and the broader South African society. The university also emphasizes inclusivity, diversity, and social justice in its teaching, research, and community engagement activities.

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.