SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Commerce in Law 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
104712  Bachelor of Commerce in Law 
ORIGINATOR
Boston City Campus (Pty) Ltd formerly Boston City Campus and Business College (Pty) Ltd 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National First Degree  Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security  Justice in Society 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2019-02-13  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2033-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
This qualification serves four distinct purposes. First, it has been designed to develop professional management practitioners with broad and well-rounded legal knowledge and skills. These management practitioners will have integrated knowledge of the theory and principles, as well as the ability to apply a wide range of procedures, in the fields of commerce - more specifically, business, financial and human resource management - and law.

This qualification aims to equip learners with an additional competitive advantage over other Bachelor of Commerce graduates by virtue of their operational and foundational knowledge of legal principles and techniques.

Second, this qualification aims to enable learners to add value to the economy as self-employed entrepreneurs. In this regard the qualification aims to equip graduates with the ability to acquire and grow their knowledge and competence with respect to legal principles and the skills required to set up and manage a business, conclude contracts, manage and develop employees, as well as the financial skills to manage finance and risk.

The third purpose of this qualification takes into account the fact that in the increasingly competitive, sophisticated and changing world of work; the continued development of higher order applied knowledge is essential. The curriculum has been designed to give employees the skills required for managing life-long learning to build successful careers and to remain productive and responsible citizens.

Finally, this qualification aims to enable learners to add value to the South African society as conscious and active citizens. In this regard, the qualification design takes cognisance of the importance of legal literacy, in particular knowledge of human rights and principles of legality, fairness and equity, in the cultivation of a prosperous democracy.

Rationale:
This 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 the need for management practitioners with legal competence, mandates the provision of qualifications designed with this particular need in mind.

The Bachelor of Commerce in Law is a response to the workplace need for competent business and financial managers with legal knowledge, skills and applied competence. The current and future need for commerce graduates familiar with legal principles, theories and procedures and how they relate to commercial practice has been expressed by employers. The qualification will facilitate access to the 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 the knowledge and skills systems supporting management and legal practices. For a rapidly evolving and growing nation, it is crucial to increase the supply of competent graduates with high order capabilities to industries that rely on these skills if South Africa is to continue to grow.

The qualification has therefore been designed to equip successful learners with graduate-level knowledge, theory, methodology and applied competence that provide for their continued personal and intellectual growth, economic activity and valuable contributions to business and broader society in the fields of commerce and law. The modules within the Bachelor of Commerce in Law are developed in an increasingly applied manner covering the major functional specialisations and culminating in an integrated manner which provides broad strategic context for graduates on issues in business management, financial management, human resource management, and mercantile, private and public law.

The breadth and depth of learning achieved by individuals reflect a well-rounded, broad education characteristic of a Bachelor's Degree that equips graduates with the knowledge base, theory and methodology of disciplines and fields of study, and to enable them to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic and/or professional context. 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.

Graduates will be able to support the internal legal function in the commercial world of work in capacities such as:
  • Financial planner or manager.
  • Business manager.
  • Board or committee secretariat.
  • Industrial relations practitioner or consultant.
  • Human resource manager.
  • Risk identification and compliance monitoring officer.
  • Liaising officer with externally appointed legal counsel.
  • SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment, Quality) officer, manager or assistant.
  • ISO (International Standards Organisation) compliance officer, manager or assistant.
  • Tax adviser. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    Learners may provide evidence of prior learning for which they may receive credit towards the qualification by means of portfolios or other forms of appropriate evidence which may include, verified accounts of previous relevant work done and performance records and which evidence is in accordance with the requirements of the relevant Quality Council.

    Entry Requirements:
    The minimum entry requirements are:
  • National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Bachelor's Degree studies.
    Or
  • National Certificate (Vocational) (NC(V)) at Level 4 granting access to Bachelor's Degree studies
    Or
  • Higher Certificate, Level 5. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 384 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules at Level 5: 112 Credits:
  • Computer Literacy 1, 8 Credits.
  • Computer Literacy 2, 8 Credits.
  • Basic Accounting, 10 Credits.
  • Business Management 1, 16 Credits.
  • Introduction to South African Law, 10 Credits.
  • Legal Writing Skills, 10 Credits.
  • Financial Accounting, 20 Credits.
  • Law of Persons, 14 Credits.
  • Economics 1, 16 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules at Level 6: 136 Credits:
  • Applied Statistics for Management, 8 Credits.
  • Intellectual Property Law, 10 Credits.
  • Financial Management 2, 16 Credits.
  • Business Management 2, 20 Credits.
  • General Principles of the Law of Contract, 18 Credits.
  • Insolvency Law, 12 Credits.
  • Environmental Law, 10 Credits.
  • General Principles of the Law of Delict, 12 Credits.
  • Property Law, 10 Credits.
  • Cyber Law, 10 Credits.
  • Competition Law, 10 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules at Level 7: 136 Credits:
  • Specific Contracts, 12 Credits.
  • Labour Law, 14 Credits.
  • Law of Taxation, 14 Credits.
  • Constitutional Law, 14 Credits.
  • Strategic Human Resource Management, 12 Credits.
  • Applied Research for Law Practitioners, 8 Credits.
  • Experiential Learning, 14 Credits.
  • Business Management 3, 14 Credits.
  • Company Law, 24 Credits.
  • Financial Management 3, 10 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate well-rounded knowledge of the South African legal system, various fields of law, the relationship between fields of law, and the impact of legal principles and rules on commercial activity and broader society.
    2. Develop integrated knowledge of the underlying principles, legal instruments, concepts and procedures of South African Mercantile Law, as well as the ability to apply such knowledge in commercial contexts.
    3. Demonstrate integrated knowledge, an understanding of standard methods and procedures, and the ability to solve problems in the context of private law.
    4. Understand the principles and theory of business and financial management in professional commercial practice, formulate decisions and take action based on such principles.
    5. Identify, evaluate, and analyse socio-economic needs of society, display an awareness of professional ethics and ethical standards and recognise the need for life-long learning. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Demonstrate integrated and systematic knowledge of the South African legal system.
  • Identify and distinguish between various fields of law, their functions and applicability.
  • Understand the legal status of the South African Constitution, analyse its implications for other fields of law, and identify, analyse, evaluate and critically reflect on Constitutional and/or statutory provisions in familiar and unfamiliar contexts.
  • Understand the legal methods and procedures and apply a range of legal methods from a variety of legal fields to resolve problems in the context of commercial practice.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the pertinent provisions, principles and procedures of the law governing South African commercial activity.
  • Explain companies and other business structures and demonstrate an informed awareness of the legal framework within which these structures conduct business and are created, administrated, and terminated.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the legal rules and principles pertaining to competition, labour, taxation and insolvency in a commercial context.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the rules of the law of contract, and the ability to identify and solve problems pertaining to contractual relationships in commercial contexts.
  • Analyse, evaluate and apply principles of the law of property and the law of delict.
  • Demonstrate the ability to apply principles of private law to civil disputes in commercial contexts.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Demonstrate an integrated and well-rounded understanding of the business management function and the ability to apply business management principles in a strategic manner.
  • Explain and analyse organisational behaviour.
  • Understand and comply with legal corporate governance requirements.
  • Understand and apply principles of Strategy.
  • Apply a range of financial management techniques, interpret financial information in practical contexts, and demonstrate the ability to take action based on financial management principles.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Recognise ethical standards in world-of-world contexts, evaluate and justify actions based on those standards.
  • Recognise the political, economic, social and technological context in which the accounting function operates.
  • Manage self, others and own learning within the context of continuous professional development.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Integrated Assessment is ordinary practice in this type of qualification and is essential to ensure that the purpose of the qualification is achieved in relation to the professional focus carried by the qualifier and in terms of its propositional and declarative knowledge, vocational relevance, reflexive competency and critical cross-field learning outcomes.

    Successful learners will undertake an extensive process in which assessments progressively build the learners' integrated competency to a point where the learner is able to express - through a range of mechanisms measured against valid, reliable and transparent criteria - that they can operate effectively in an entry level professional position within the knowledge system specified by the qualification title.

    Formative assessment integrates the cycle of teaching and learning, and assessment. Study guides and texts contain self-assessment exercises. The scheme of work includes formal assessments in the form of tests and/or assignments based on the learning material and students are graded and provided written feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and limited in the number of outcomes assessed.

    Summative assessments are in the form of proctored examinations, or equivalent assessment such as a research report which assesses a representative selection of the outcomes practised and assessed in the formative stage. Summative assessment also tests the learner's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a full course. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The Bachelor of Commerce in Law is similar in content and outcomes to international qualifications in commerce and law offered by the following international higher education institutions:

    Warwick University, United Kingdom (UK): Law and Business Studies (BA); 3-year Degree; programme designed to cover relevant subject areas, including: structure of companies, competition law, regulation of markets, consumer law, finance, financial market, taxation, and international perspectives on law and business.

    University of Sydney, (Australia): Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Law (combined qualification); 3-year Degree. The programme designed for learners who wish to pursue careers in either fields; modules include: accounting, business analytics, business information systems, international business, business law, marketing, management, banking and industrial relations and human resource management.

    University of Queensland, (Australia): Bachelor of Commerce/Law (combined qualification); 3-year Degree. The programme offers learners the following majors: accounting, management and finance; curriculum includes law of contract, law of property, labour law, family law, commercial law, corporations law.

    University of Auckland, (New Zealand): Bachelor of Commerce (Business Law Degree); 3-year Degree. The programme prepares learners for careers in the fields of commerce and law and includes a curriculum that covers a common set of core and fundamental modules: management, law of contract, property law, business and enterprise law and taxation, business structures and financial investments.

    The Bachelor of Commerce in Law compares favourably with similar international qualifications and stands to open doors for graduates beyond the scope of what South African Higher Education has on offer. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification offers the following horizontal and vertical articulation possibilities:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management, Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Management, Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Management in Finance, Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Management, Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Laws, Level 7.
  • Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management, Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Management Sciences, Level 7.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Business Management Honours, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Business Management and Administration Honours, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Financial Management, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Human Resource Management, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Laws, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours: Trade and Finance, Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Business Administration Honours, Level 8. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. Boston City Campus and Business College (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.