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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 Corporate Communication |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 117955 | Bachelor of Commerce in Corporate Communication | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| MANCOSA Pty (Ltd) | ||||
| PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
| - | HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
| QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
| National First Degree | Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies | Public Relations | ||
| 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 | 2020-12-04 | 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:
The purpose of this Bachelor of Commerce in Corporate Communication is to provide learners with the essential knowledge and skills to prepare them for opportunities and challenges within the interesting and stimulating field of corporate communication. This field consists of an intrinsic, yet the interrelated relationship between communication and business. Corporate communication is an emerging field of study and aids an organisation in creating and managing communicative activities and projects that are inclusive of stakeholders, the building and maintaining of key relationships as well as maintaining the corporate identity, image and reputation of the organisation. Thus, the blending of communication and business becomes clear. A further purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with a holistic and robust understanding of the field of corporate communication. This qualification provides learners with a well-rounded understanding of theory, methodology, applications and processes in the key fields of corporate communication, communication science, and business management. Also, learners will be cognizant of the rapidly changing environment of corporate communication and have the skills and knowledge to contribute to this emerging industry. Lastly, due to the blend of communication and business-related modules, this qualification will develop learners' problem solving, critical thinking and strategic skills, which is what corporates seek in qualifying learners over-and-above an appropriate qualification. Moreover, learners will learn to engage in planning, conducting research, implementing and evaluating corporate communication activities and projects in a range of corporate contexts as well as develop a research topic, in the form of a research proposal, on an area of interest in the corporate communication context. Some of the career opportunities that will be available to the learner include and not limited to: communication divisions in corporations such as a corporate communicator, communication officer, manager or specialist, internal and external communication strategist, communication analyst, communication project manager, public relations officer, manager or specialist, media liaison or correspondent, crisis or change communicator or manager, corporate affairs representative or manager, corporate advertiser, and corporate training, and developing officer or manager. Rationale: According to Jethwaney (2018), corporate communication involves a set of communicative activities and projects involved in managing and orchestrating internal and external communication aimed at creating favourable perceptions among stakeholders on which the organisation depends. Although, corporate communication might be a relatively emerging field of study, according to Argenti (2018), organisations have realised the value of corporate communication and are adapting their structures to include this new field. Ingham (2016), concurs, "the landscape we operate in has changed - and [it has] changed firmly in our favour [that of corporate communicators] new technologies and new frontiers - under the broad banner of digital and social media - mean demand for our services is greater than ever". Also, Cornelissen (2017), argues that the environment for companies are constantly changing and have become more challenging, and as such, executives and practitioners within organisations need to become equipped with an understanding of the concepts and tools of corporate communication. With the changing corporate landscape and the need for corporate communicators, the institution wants to provide a competent, efficient, and specialised workforce that can contribute to this valuable field. Having recognised the need for corporate communicators within not only a local context but also internationally, the institution would like to fill this specialised need. According to South Africa's President Ramaphosa (2019), South Africa is constantly looking to become better equipped to compete on a global scale. Corporate communicators can provide a strategic advantage to organisations needing to shift and transform their structures to the changing nature of the corporate world. Thus, adding to the South African economy by creating cutting edge and competitive corporates. It is becoming apparent according to Laajalathi (2018), that corporate communication specialists are required to help organisations' cope with dramatic changes such as fundamental restructuring to revolutionary shifts in values. These changes have been brought about due to globalisation, the global economy and the advances in information and communicative technologies (Financial Times, 2018). Corporate communicators can steer the organisation and its stakeholders through these challenging times by aiding an organisation in achieving its communicative objectives and, in turn, organisational objectives. According to Zerfass, (2018), the contributions of corporate communication departments to organisational success cannot be ignored. They further argue that corporate communication serves the corporation in four strategic and operational dimensions, which emphasises the critical role of communications in reflecting and adjusting organisational strategies. Contemporary organisations increasingly realise that they need to include their stakeholders in organisational thinking and strategising to develop and protect their reputations (Hirsch, 2018). According to Christensen (2018), one of the primary responsibilities of a corporate communicator is to create communication strategies that are inclusive of the stakeholder. Whereby the stakeholder is included in organisational thinking and strategising. Thus, creating and maintaining relationships between the organisation and its stakeholders. Lock (2018), agrees and states that corporate communication is used as a strategic management function to identify strategic stakeholders, stakeholder concerns and the consequences thereof for the organisation and solving problems in the organisation's relationships with stakeholders. Considering the above discussion, the qualification will provide learners with the necessary theoretical knowledge and critical skills required to help organisations reach their strategic objectives using developed communication skills, strategic communication strategies and stakeholder management knowledge. Also, the qualification will provide learners with a robust practical understanding of the importance of communication in any corporate endeavour. Emphasis is also placed on the ability of learners to produce well-written and planned communication activities and projects that will assist the organisation in communicating appropriately and ethically to its various stakeholders to reach over-all organisational objectives, resolve stakeholder concerns and needs, and develop holistic and transparent strategies. Learners will also develop the critical and analytic skills of researching as a foundation for creating creative and innovative solutions and strategies for organisational purposes. The typical learners that this qualification hopes to attract are matriculants that obtained a Bachelors pass and hopes to study towards a field that will help them develop a critical, creative and solution-driven understanding of contemporary organisations and the communication related skills required to thrive in such an environment. Also, current communicator practitioners, that would like to become knowledgeable about the corporate nature of communications would benefit from this qualification. The institution facilitates distance delivery, which allows learners to either retain their full-time employment or seek employment to complement their academic journey. Although the institution utilises a distance delivery, learners are provided with a plethora of support from e-learning platforms to assist the learning journey, an information management system that manages the learning process and provides learners with the necessary academic material and support, face-to-face workshops and consultation with lecturers. Also, elements such as the impact of the media on all aspects of contemporary social life, the ethics and law that govern over media practices and media writing skills will be explored to develop critical and creative skills in dealing with communication-related problems. Furthermore, learners will learn the importance of intercultural communication, organisational behaviour and the psychology of the workplace by delving into the challenges of communicating with other cultures and how to deal with diversity and conflict in the working world. Thus, learners will be able to think creatively about diversity, differences, change and communicate ideas strategically and assertively. The necessity of having a fair, transparent and impartial leader will also be explored as a means to motivate corporate communication groups and teams to reach common organisational goals. Also, learners will learn the importance of corporate reputation and the strategies to build and maintain reputable, transparent and ethical images and identities of corporates. Building and maintain various stakeholder relationships, both internally and externally, and creating inclusive strategies to ensure lasting relationships will also be explored to show the importance of stakeholder management as one of the primary functions of the corporate communication process. The qualification will allow learners to seek employment in various communication-related sectors such as Corporate Communication, Communications, Public Relations, Media Relations, Branding, Reputation and Image Management, Corporate Advertising, Digital and Social Media, Marketing and Research. |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
This qualification may be obtained in part through the recognition of prior learning (RPL). In the cases where prior learning is to be recognised for purposes of access to the qualification, it is assumed that the learning derived from work or life experience will be a major element in the profiles of non-standard entrants primarily using a portfolio of evidence. Such learners will be selected on the recommendation of a senior manager from learners' organisations/companies. RPL may also be recognised for advanced standing and credits. Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: Or Or |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| Y |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at NQF Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 Credits.
Compulsory module, Level 5, 120 Credits: Compulsory module, Level 6, 120 Credits: Compulsory module, Level 7, 120 Credits: |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Demonstrate a critical, holistic understanding of applying the theoretical knowledge of corporate communication, communication sciences, and business management concepts in the organisational context.
2. Determine effective strategic communication competencies by identifying and utilising appropriate communication knowledge, techniques, strategies and technologies by planning, creating and implementing effective corporate communication activities and projects that are inclusive by nature. 3. Organise and coordinate resources and opportunities in the corporate communications field by managing and evaluating corporate communication activities and projects to ensure organisational communication delivery achieves organisational objectives and meet ethical and legal standards. 4. Evidence critical knowledge by integrating research methods and decisions relevant to the application of corporate communication activities and projects to make informed decisions that lead to effective, ethical and successful organisational communication. 5. Display accountability, ethics and professional practice in applying leadership, motivation, diversity, ethics, conflict management knowledge and practices in the role of and as a corporate communication manager. 6. Practice and evidence ethics, social sensitivity, responsibility with others and work effectively in self-directed corporate communication teams by applying key theoretical elements of team and group work resulting in providing solutions to organisational problems. 7. Apply theoretical and research knowledge and analytical skills gained in the qualification to a specialised area in corporate communication by writing a research proposal. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6: Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7: Integrated Assessment: The nature of assessment and feedback to learners serves as an important factor when evaluating learner's learning experience and the institution has adopted an effective assessment strategy that uses multiple components. The institution's Assessment Strategy has been reviewed and amended according to Council on Higher Education Accreditation Criteria (2012) and the National Policy and Criteria for Designing and Implementing Assessment for NQF Qualifications and Part-Qualifications and Professional Designations in South Africa (SAQA, 2014). Both formative and summative assessments will attempt to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes and applied competence. Formative assessment: The scheme of work includes assignments based on the learning material and students are given feedback. The process is continuous and focuses on smaller sections of the work and a limited number of outcomes. The formative assessment consists of knowledge checks, reflective assessments and learning community assessment. Knowledge checks may comprise of matching columns, multiple-choice questions, true and false and drag and drop assessment methods. Reflective assessments may consist of a short essay, long essay/case studies and posting comments/peer review. Summative assessment: Examinations or equivalent assessment such as a research essay or portfolio to determine a representative selection of the outcomes practised and assessed in the formative stage. The summative assessment also tests the student's ability to manage and integrate a large body of knowledge to achieve the stated outcomes of a module. Summative assessment consists of projects, pen/paper exam, portfolio of evidence and dissertation. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| The qualification is comparable to similar international qualifications from Spain, United States of America and Malaysia.
Spain: The Bachelor Degree in Journalism and Corporate Communication from Blanquerna-Ramon Llull University provides learners with the necessary skills and knowledge for a successful career in the professional field of communication. The theoretical and practical training allows learners to enter the professional media and corporate worlds, that of governments and other organisations, where the role of corporate communication is becoming ever more important. Similarities: The Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Corporate Communication provides learners with theoretical knowledge concerning communication and culture, writing effectively and the importance of strategy. The institution's qualification is similar in this respect. A large emphasis is placed on communication science. Several subject areas are studied within this field such as organisational, global and intercultural communication, corporate communication (strategic communication management and corporate communication strategy), and writing skills (applied communication skills and research in practice). Also, the institution's qualification aims to train learners in the skill of thinking critically as well as writing and communicating effectively for organisational contexts. Finally, both qualifications have a final research project component aimed at developing learners' pragmatic and analytic skills. United States of America: The Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Corporate Communication at Trine University prepares learners to solve 21st-century problems. The major offers a comprehensive communication core that addresses the foundational skills necessary to work in a wide variety of areas. Once the learner has earned their Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication degree, they will be prepared to lead, succeed and thrive in a communications career, shaping the future by safeguarding the interchange of information and transforming public opinion. Similarities: The Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Corporate Communication offered through Trine University and the institution's qualification have similar learning outcomes, as the main aim of the institution's qualification is to become an effective corporate communicator, who can contribute responsibly to the corporate environment. Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia: The City University of Malaysia offers the Bachelors of Communications in Corporate Communication. The qualification is a carefully designed, research-based curriculum, which provides learners with thorough knowledge of the strategic role of communication in contemporary organisations. The qualification offers professional and academic competencies needed in managing international corporate communications, engaging in corporate strategy work, and managing internal and external stakeholder relations. Melayu Komunikasi 2, Report Writing (BLES3013), Qualitative Research Method, Media Management, Communication Audit, Corporate Reputation and Brand Management, Hubungan Etnik/Pengajian Malaysia 3, Event Management, Communication Law and Ethics, Risk and Crisis Management, Corporate Issue and Case Study; and Practical Training. Similarities: The Bachelors of Communications in Corporate Communication offered through the City University of Malaysia and the institution's qualification want to provide learners with the necessary professional and academic competencies that are required to thrive within an organisational context. Furthermore, both qualifications have similar modules on offers such as corporate communication, introduction to communication, mass media and society, intercultural communication, writing skills, corporate image, branding and reputation management, communication law and ethics, and research-based modules. Also, both qualifications run on a three-year cycle. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification allows possibilities for both horizontal and vertical articulation.
Horizontal Articulation: Vertical Articulation: |
| 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. |
| NONE |
| 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. |