Undergraduate & honours qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce

Qualification code: 98314
NQF level: 7
Total credits: 360
SAQA ID: 5563
APS/AS: 21
Rules:
Students must select two majors; of which one of the following is compulsory: Business Management, Financial Accounting or Economics. The curriculum requires that students complete 11 credits in Year I (seven of which are compulsory as well as two groups of modules representing the two chosen majors), 9 credits in Year II and 10 credits in Year III. Student who major with Financial Accounting & Business Management must select any first level module from any other group in the curriculum. Please note the following for YEAR II: Select 5 modules in your 1st major and 4 modules in your 2nd major, taking into account the compulsory modules for each, as indicated below. Note that your choice of electives may affect your options in Year III. The College has removed ECS2607 from the curriculum and replaced MNM2602 with MNM2615. Students who have already completed ECS2607 and MNM2602 in this curriculum will retain the credit. Please note the following for YEAR III: Select 5 modules from each of the two majors. Please note that some curriculum changes have been effected from 2014. Students that registered for this qualification code before 2014 will not lose any credits for modules completed in the pre-2014 academic period. However, where credits have not been completed successfully, students will be required to complete the credits as per the amended curriculum. Students should note that during the course of their studies they would be required to have access to a computer, printer and the internet. Some of the pre-requisites and/ or co-requisites outlined in this qualification may not apply as they do not form part of the curriculum.
Purpose statement:
The primary purpose of the qualification is to provide qualifiers with graduate-level knowledge, specific skills, applied competence and the necessary attitudes in the fields associated with commerce and industry that prepare them to be lifelong learners, employable workers/entrepreneurs and contributors to society and the business community. The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with functional managers at the middle management level in all sectors of the economy. A further purpose of the qualification is to provide graduates with a self-sustaining understanding of the process whereby productive resources are mobilised and utilized with a view to being gainfully employed in serving the material needs of society in a globalised world.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

  • Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. 
  • Re-registering students may register for the 2024 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.


How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

  • Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.
  • Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

  • 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
  • 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

While you are deciding on the modules for which you will be registering, write down the module names and codes so that you have something to refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information (eg semester/year module, NQF level)

First level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory for all majors
ECS1501 - Economics IA
ECS1601 - Economics IB (Macroeconomics I) Co-requisite:ECS1501
FAC1502 - Financial Accounting Principles, Concepts and Procedures
FAC1601 - Financial Accounting and Reporting Pre-requisite:FAC1502
MNB1501 - Business Management IA
MNB1601 - Business Management IB Pre-requisite:MNB1501
SUS1501 - Sustainability and Greed
Group B. Compulsory modules to major in Financial Accounting
AIN1501 - Accounting Information Systems in a Computer Environment
CLA1501 - Commercial Law IA
Group C. Compulsory modules to major in Economics and/or Statistics
STA1501 - Descriptive Statistics and Probability
STA1502 - Statistical Inference I Co-requisite:STA1501
Group D. Compulsory to major in Business Management: CLA1501 plus the following module
MNM1503 - Introduction to Marketing
Group E. Compulsory modules to major in Quantitative Management
DSC1520 - Quantitative Modelling I
DSC1630 - Introductory Financial Mathematics
Group F. Compulsory modules to major in Information Systems
INF1505 - Introduction to Business Information Systems
INF1511 - Visual Programming I
Group G. Compulsory modules to major in Industrial Psychology
IOP1501 - Psychological Processes in Work Context
IOP1601 - Personality in Work Context Pre-requisite:IOP1501
Group H. Compulsory modules to major in Public Administration
PUB1501 - The Nature, Content and Scope of Public Administration
PUB1601 - The Structuring and Functioning of Public Services Co-requisite:PUB1501
Group I. Compulsory modules to major in Tourism Management
TRT1502 - Primary Factors of Tourism
TRT1602 - Secondary Factors of Tourism Pre-requisite:TRT1501 or TRT1502 or DTM1503
Group J. Compulsory to major in Transport Economics or Logistics: DSC1520 plus the following module
STA1510 - Basic Statistics

Second level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory for Financial Accounting major
FAC2601 - Financial Accounting for Companies Pre-requisite: FAC1601, CAS1501 & CBC1501
Recommendation:TAX2601, FAC2602
FAC2602 - Selected Accounting Standards and Simple Group Structures Pre-requisite:FAC1601, CAS1501 & CBC1501
Recommendation:TAX2601, FAC2601
TAX2601 - Principles of Taxation Pre-requisite:FAC1601 CAS1501, CBC1501 & CLA1503 (Applicable only to 98302)
Recommendation:FAC2601, FAC2602
Group B. Electives for Financial Accounting major: Choose 2 modules if first major or 1 module if 2nd major
AUE2602 - Corporate Governance in Accountancy Pre-requisite:FAC1601, CAS1501, CBC1501 & CLA1503
Recommendation:AIN2601, AUE2601
AUI2601 - Internal Auditing: Theory and Principles Pre-requisite:FAC1502
MAC2601 - Principles of Management Accounting Pre-requisite:FAC1601 & (either BNU1501 or QMI1500 or DSC1630), CAS1501, CBC1501
Recommendation:IOP1501, ECS1601, MAC2602
MAC2602 - Principles of Strategy, Risk & Financial Management Techniques Pre-requisite:FAC1601 & (either BNU1501 or QMI1500 or DSC1630) CAS1501, CBC1501
Recommendation:IOP1501, ECS1601, MAC2601
Group C. Compulsory for Economics major
ECS2601 - Intermediate Microeconomics Pre-requisite:ECS1501
ECS2602 - Intermediate Macroeconomics Pre-requisite:ECS1601
ECS2603 - South African Economic Indicators Pre-requisite:ECS1601
Group D. Electives for Economics major: Choose 2 modules if 1st major or 1 module if 2nd major
ECS2604 - Labour Economics Pre-requisite:ECS1601
ECS2605 - South African Financial System Pre-requisite:ECS1601
ECS2606 - Environmental Economics
ECS2608 - Economic History of the World Pre-requisite:ECS1601
ECS2609 - Economic History of South Africa Pre-requisite:ECS1601
Group E. Compulsory for Business Management major
MNG2601 - General Management
Group F. Electives for Business Management major: Choose 4 modules if 1st major or 3 modules if 2nd major
FIN2601 - Financial Management Pre-requisite:FAC1601 or FAC1602 & ECS1601
HRM2605 - Human Resource Management for Line Managers
MNE2601 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Pre-requisite:MNE1501 or MNB1501 & MNB1601
MNM2615 - Marketing in Africa Pre-requisite:MNM1601 or MNM1502 or MNM1501 or MNM1504 or MNM1505 or MNM1506 or MNM1507 or MNB1501
MNO2601 - Production and Operations Management Pre-requisite:MNB1601
MNP2601 - Purchasing Management Pre-requisite:MNB1601
RSK2601 - Enterprise Risk Management
Group G. Compulsory for Quantitative Management major
DSC2602 - Rational Decision Making Pre-requisite:DSC1520
DSC2604 - Financial Modelling Pre-requisite:DSC1520, DSC1630
DSC2605 - Linear Mathematical Programming Pre-requisite:DSC1520
DSC2606 - Nonlinear Mathematical Programming Pre-requisite:DSC1520
Group H. Compulsory for Information Systems major
ICT2621 - Structured Systems Analysis and Design Pre-requisite:ICT1521& ICT1541or INF1505 or COS1521
ICT2622 - Object-Oriented Analysis Pre-requisite:ICT1521& ICT1541or INF1505 or COS1521
INF1520 - Human-Computer Interaction I
INF2603 - Databases I Pre-requisite:INF1505
Group I. Compulsory for Statistics major
STA2601 - Applied Statistics II Pre-requisite:STA1501 & STA1502
STA2603 - Distribution Theory II Pre-requisite:(STA1503 & MAT1512) or DSC1520 or DSC1620
Co-requisite:STA2610
STA2604 - Forecasting II Pre-requisite:STA1501& STA1502
STA2610 - Statistical Distributions Co-requisite:STA1501 and STA1502 and (DSC1520 or DSC1620)
Group J. Compulsory for Industrial Psychology major
IOP2601 - Organisational Research Methodology
IOP2602 - Organisational Psychology Pre-requisite:IOP1601
Group K. Electives for Industrial Psychology major: Choose 2 modules from the list below
IOP2603 - Ergonomics Pre-requisite:IOP1601
IOP2604 - Psychological Adjustment in the Work Context Pre-requisite:IOP1601
IOP2605 - Human Capacity Development Pre-requisite:IOP1601
IOP2606 - Individual Differences and Work Performance Pre-requisite:IOP2602
IOP2607 - Workgroup Dynamics and Diversity Pre-requisite:IOP1601
Group L. Compulsory for Public Administration major
PUB2601 - Foundations of Public Administration Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
Group M. Electives for Public Administration major: Choose 3 modules from the list below
PUB2602 - Protection Services Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB2603 - Creation of Wealth Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB2604 - Welfare and Social Services Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB2605 - Culture and Education Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB2606 - Environmental Affairs Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
Group N. Compulsory for Tourism Management major: MNE2601 plus the following module
TRT2601 - Transport for Tourism Recommendation:TRT1601 or TRT1602
Group O. Electives for Tourism Management major: Choose 2 modules-MNG2601,HRM2605,MNM2615 can also be chosen
GGH2606 - Sustainable tourism in a geographic context
MNG2602 - Contemporary Management Issues Pre-requisite:MNG2601
MNM2605 - Consumer Behaviour Pre-requisite:MNM1601 or MNM1501 or MNM1502 or MNM1503 or MNM1504 or MNM1505 or MNM1506 or MNM1507 or MNB1501
Group P. Compulsory for Transport Economics or Logistics major
TRL2601 - Transport Management I Pre-requisite:MNB1601
TRL2602 - Transport Economics Pre-requisite:ECS1601
TRL2603 - Transport Theory Pre-requisite:ECS1601
TRL2604 - Integrated Logistics Pre-requisite:MNB1601

Third level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory for Financial Accounting major
FAC3701 - General Financial Reporting Pre-requisite:FAC2601, FAC2602 & TAX2601
FAC3702 - Distinctive Financial Reporting Pre-requisite:FAC2601, FAC2602 & TAX2601
FAC3703 - Specific Financial Reporting Pre-requisite:FAC2601, FAC2602 & TAX2601
FAC3704 - Group Financial Reporting Pre-requisite:FAC2601, FAC2602 & TAX2601
Group B. Electives for Financial Accounting major: Choose 1 module from the following:
AUI3702 - The Internal Audit Process: Test of Controls Pre-requisite:AUI2601 & AUE2602
AUI3703 - The Internal Audit Process: Specific Engagements and Reporting Pre-requisite:AUI2601 & AUE2602
MAC3701 - Application of Management Accounting Techniques Pre-requisite:MAC2601
MAC3702 - Application of Financial Management Techniques Pre-requisite:MAC2602
MAC3703 - Selected Accounting & Financial Management Techniques Pre-requisite:FAC2601& FAC2602 & MAC2601 & MAC2602
Group C. Compulsory for Economics major
ECS3706 - Econometrics Pre-requisite:ECS2601, ECS2602 & (DSC1520 or QMI1500 or [STA1501 & STA1502])
Group D. Electives for Economics major: Choose 4 modules from the list below
ECS3701 - Monetary Economics Pre-requisite:ECS2602
ECS3702 - International Trade Pre-requisite:ECS2601
ECS3703 - International Finance Pre-requisite:ECS2602
ECS3704 - Public Economics Pre-requisite:ECS2601
ECS3705 - History of Economic Thought Pre-requisite:ECS2601 & ECS2602
ECS3707 - Development Economics Pre-requisite:ECS2601 & ECS2602
Group E. Compulsory for Business Management major
MNG3701 - Strategic Planning IIIA Pre-requisite:MNG2601
MNG3702 - Strategic Implementation and Control IIIB Co-requisite:MNG3701
Group F. Electives for Business Management major: Choose 3 module from the list below
FIN3701 - Financial Management Pre-requisite:FIN2601
HRM3704 - Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management Pre-requisite:HRM2601 & HRM2602 or HRM2605
MNB3701 - Global Business Management IA Pre-requisite:MNG2601
MNE3702 - Corporate Entrepreneurship Pre-requisite:MNE2601
MNO3701 - Production and Operations Management Pre-requisite:MNO2601
MNP3701 - Strategic Sourcing Pre-requisite:MNP2601
Group G. Electives for Quantitative Management major: Choose 5 modules from the list below
DSC3702 - Optimisation of Resources Pre-requisite:DSC2602 and (DSC2601 or DSC2605 & DSC2606)
DSC3703 - Simulation Pre-requisite:DSC2602 and (DSC2601 or DSC2605 & DSC2606)
DSC3704 - Models for Strategic Decision-Making Pre-requisite:DSC2602 and (DSC2601 or DSC2605 & DSC2606)
DSC3705 - Financial Risk Modelling Pre-requisite:DSC2602 & DSC2604 and (DSC2601 or DSC2605 & DSC2606)
DSC3706 - Selected Topics for Operations Research Pre-requisite:DSC2602 and (either DSC2601 or DSC2605 & DSC2606)
DSC3707 - Mathematical Modelling Pre-requisite:DSC2601 or (DCS2605 & DSC2606)
Group H. Compulsory for Information Systems major
INF3703 - Databases II Pre-requisite:ICT2621 or ICT2622 or INF2603
INF3705 - Advanced Systems Development Pre-requisite:ICT2621 & ICT2622
INF3707 - Database Design and Implementation Pre-requisite:ICT2621 or ICT2622 or INF2603
INF3708 - Software Project Management
INF3720 - Human-Computer Interaction II Co-requisite:INF1520
Group I. Compulsory for Statistics major
STA3701 - Applied Statistics III Pre-requisite:STA2601
Co-requisite:STA3703 and (MAT2611 or STA3710)
STA3702 - Statistical Inference III Pre-requisite:STA2603 or STA2610
Co-requisite:STA2602
STA3703 - Distribution Theory III Pre-requisite:STA2603 & MAT2615) or (STA2603 & STA2610)
STA3704 - Time Series III Pre-requisite:STA1501 & STA1502
Co-requisite:STA2604
STA3710 - Mathematical Techniques in Statistics Pre-requisite:MAT1512 or DSC1520 or DSC1620
Group J. Compulsory for Industrial Psychology major
IOP3701 - Industrial Psychological Testing and Assessment Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
IOP3702 - Personnel Psychology: Organisational Entry Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
IOP3703 - Career Psychology
IOP3706 - Personnel Psychology: Employee Retention Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
Group K. Electives for Industrial Psychology major: Choose 1 module from the list below
IOP3704 - Employment Relations Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
IOP3705 - Organisational Development and Change Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
IOP3707 - Psychology of Leadership Pre-requisite:IOP2601 & IOP2602
IOP3708 - Investor Psychology
Group L. Electives for Public Administration major: Choose 5 module from the list below
PUB3701 - Public Management Skills Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3702 - Public Human Resource Management Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3703 - Public Policy Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3704 - Organisational Studies in the Public Sector Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3705 - Public Financial Administration and Management Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3706 - Reflective Public Administration Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
PUB3707 - Ethics in Public Administration and Administrative Justice Pre-requisite:PUB1501 & PUB1601
Group M. Compulsory for Tourism Management major
TRL3703 - Air Transport Pre-requisite:TRL2601 & TRL2602 or TRT2601
TRT3701 - Hospitality Administration Recommendation:MNG2601 or TRT1601 or TRT1602
TRT3702 - Special Interest Tourism Recommendation:MNG2601 or TRT1601 or TRT1602
TRT3703 - Tourism Distribution Recommendation:MNG2601 or TRT1601 or TRT1602
TRT3705 - Tourism Governance Recommendation:MNG2601 or TRT1601 or TRT1602
Group N. Compulsory for Transport Economics major
TRL3701 - Transport Management II Pre-requisite:TRL2601
TRL3702 - Transport Planning and Investment Pre-requisite:TRL2602
TRL3704 - Sea Transport Pre-requisite:TRL2601
TRL3705 - Rail Transport and Pipelines Pre-requisite:TRL2601
TRL3706 - Road Transport Pre-requisite:TRL2601
Group O. Compulsory for Logistics major: TRL3701 & TRL3702 plus the following modules
TRL3707 - Logistics Activities Pre-requisite:TRL2604
TRL3708 - Logistics Systems Pre-requisite:TRL2604
TRL3709 - Logistics Strategy Pre-requisite:TRL2604