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 Accounting Science 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
114813  Bachelor of Accounting Science 
ORIGINATOR
Walter Sisulu University 
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(Min 480)  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  480  Not Applicable  NQF Level 08  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2021-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2034-06-30  

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 replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
80190  Bachelor of Accounting Science  Level 6  NQF Level 08  480  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of the Accounting qualification is to:
  • Allow learners to inject their competencies into the business world.
  • Offer the highest professional and well-standardised curriculum that will ensure that learners compete and respond without fear of the needs of our economy.
  • Create and develop learners who can generally practice as accounting officers of small to medium-sized entities.
  • Empower learners with necessary and adequate related skills to improve their potential in financial situations.

    Rationale:
    The rationale for the creation, development and implementation of this qualification is to:
  • Benefit the learners of Republic South Africa with a qualification that will give suitable theoretical background for those who wish to qualify as Chartered Accountants South Africa (CASA).
  • Allow learners to further their studies to Postgraduate levels.
  • Provide and offer the most suitable qualification that will allow learners to understand and respond to greater challenges facing financial and operational growth of our entities.
  • Allow learners a recognised and well-deserved benefit of occupying significant positions of well-established branches of the economy.
  • Offer a qualification that responds to a severe shortage of Black Accountants.
  • Offer a qualification that will enable learners to create and manage self-employment opportunities and possible inject their competencies in our growing economy.
  • Entitles a learner to enter into a Postgraduate or Honours program. Alternatively, the qualification entitles the learner to enter the third year of the proposed fourth-year accounting structure in South Africa.
  • After completion of this qualification, a learner will be able to enter into a learnership with a Professional Accounting body other than SAICA. Alternatively, the learner can enter into a learnership within the Chartered Accountant profession. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    A prospective learner who does not have a prerequisite qualification, but has sufficient formal, non-formal and informal learning or has developed satisfactory skills in the area of expertise required, may apply for admission to the qualification in terms of the institutions' Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy.

    It will be obligatory for the learner to submit a completed application form together with a Portfolio of Evidence indicating how they meet the criteria for entry into the qualification in accordance with the RPL policy.

    Entry requirements are:
  • National Senior Certificate (NSC), Level 4 granting access to Bachelor studies.
    Or
  • Senior Certificate, Level 4, with endorsement. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Level 5, 6 and 7 totaling 495 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules NQF Level 5, 150 Credits:
  • Introduction to Business Management, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Mathematics, 15 Credits.
  • Statistics for Accountants, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Accounting I, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Reporting I, 15 Credits.
  • Introduction to Microeconomics, 15 Credits.
  • Management of Enterprise, 15 Credits.
  • Introduction to Microeconomics, 15 Credits.
  • Commercial Law I, 15 Credits.
  • Commercial Law II, 15 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules NQF Level 6, 165 Credits:
  • Business Ethics, 15, Credits.
  • Financial Reporting II, 30 Credits.
  • Auditing I, 15 Credits.
  • Controls of Financial Information Systems, 15 Credits.
  • Introduction to Management Accounting and Financial Management, 15 Credits.
  • Introduction to Information Systems, 15 Credits.
  • Information System Applications, 15 Credits.
  • Taxation I, 30 Credits.
  • Company Law, 15 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules NQF Level 7, 180 Credits:
  • Management of Accounting I, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Reporting III, 30 Credits.
  • Corporate Financial Management, 15, Credits.
  • Business Analysis and Governance, 15 Credits.
  • Management Accounting II, 15 Credits.
  • Taxation II, 30 Credits.
  • Financial Reporting IV, 30 Credits.
  • Auditing, 30, Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Audit manual and computerised business cycles, including networks.
    2. Prepare, analyse and interpret complex financial statements for companies, applying Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
    3. Manage the financial aspects of business up to corporate level.
    4. Determine and apply various techniques whereby timeous and accurate information could be made available for decision-making and control.
    5. Prepare tax returns for individuals and the corporate bodies, and be able to supply sound tax-related advises.
    6. Apply communication principles to a variety of communication activities, contexts for resolving communication problems effectively.
    7. Plan, organise, lead and control business activities. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of auditing, the auditing profession, the regulatory environment, the audit process, business cycles, reporting, computer environments and related topics.
  • Perform basic auditing techniques ranging from understanding the South African statutory arrangements to the signing of the auditing report.
  • Identify the risk indicators and discuss the risk factors.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the difference of risks on the financial statements level and assertion level.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Collect and manipulate information to prepare a full set of financial statements.
  • Collect, organise, interpret, analyse and critically evaluate financial information.
  • Apply measurement and recognition requirements of elements of the financial statements.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Identify and advise the entity in the most suitable forms of financial management.
  • Apply their ability and competencies to routine reporting, which involves cost determination, cost accumulation, price setting and inventory valuation for small entities.
  • Explain, analyse and apply principles of the Companies Act, and Corporate Governance Act (King IV).
  • Define and select the most suitable techniques for investment evaluation.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Manage financial assets, evaluate and analyse treasury, and assess the value of an entity.
  • Identify useful information for internal use and decision management.
  • Identify and explain how to best derive the most optimal capital structure under different economic assumptions.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Analyse transactions and events for sound tax advice.
  • Prepare financial statements and tax returns accordingly.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Process and communicate operating cost data against expected revenue.
  • Communicate in a written or oral format the decisions of the business.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Apply principles of Companies Act, and Corporate Governance Act (King 3).
  • Describe and contrast different corporate governance structures.
  • Analyse corporate governance issues.

    Integrated Assessment:
    The Institutional assessment policy requires four assessments per year for year courses and two assessments for semester modules (refer to the Institutional assessment policy document).
    Formative assessment: there will be a minimum of two assessments per course per semester where the assessment can either be two written tests or one written test and an assignment which contributes 40% of the final examination mark.

    Summative assessment: will take the form of a three-hour examination paper at the end of the semester or year, and this contributes 60% of the final examination mark.

    Learners can be assessed through the following means, which can either be summative or formative:
  • Writing of tests.
  • Assignments and projects.
  • Tutorial activities.
  • Group classwork.
  • Large and small group presentations.

    This is meant to ensure that the outcomes are sufficiently grasped. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification is comparable to Finance, and Accounting related qualifications offered internationally into professional qualifications like the ACCA, CIMA and the CPA in the United States. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification has horizontal and vertical articulation opportunities.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Accounting, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Accounting Honours, NQF Level 8.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Master of Accounting Science, NQF Level 9.
  • Master of Commerce in Accounting Sciences, NQF Level 9. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced 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. Walter Sisulu University 


    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.