SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED QUALIFICATION:

Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
120728	Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management
ORIGINATOR
EDUVOS (Pty) Ltd (Previously Pearson Institute of Higher Education (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 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Human Resources
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
Registered		EXCO 0512/22	2022-11-22	2025-11-21
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-11-21		2031-11-21

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
96720	Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resource Management	Not Applicable	NQF Level 07	360	Complete

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:
Human Resource Management deals with people at work. This includes relationships among employees and relationships between an organisation and its employees. A qualification in Human Resource Management prepares the successful learner to enter a wide range of careers, including Human Resource Manager, Human Resource Consultant, Industrial Relations Manager and Industrial Relations Consultant. The curriculum of Midrand Graduate Institute's Human Resource Management Programme aims to equip qualifying learners with the knowledge and practical skills required to perform effectively in a Human Resource Management role as well as with an appropriate knowledge base as preparation for further learning.

Rationale for the qualification:
The Human Resource Management Programme at Midrand Graduate Institute provides a different and needed model of higher education in this discipline, some of its characteristics being:

As well as providing the students with a solid grounding in the academic theory underpinning the main concepts of the field of Human Resource Management, the curriculum includes a significant experiential component, culminating in an industry internship which forms part of the final year curriculum.

Also included in the curriculum are a range of more generalised modules, such as Business English and Computer Skills, which are regarded as essential to competent functioning in today's business environment.

Coupled with the curriculum model described above, the classes are small and thus the resulting staff: student ratio makes it possible for students to receive individual and specialised attention.

The result is a well-rounded graduate who, on successful completion of the curriculum, has the option either of entering the world of work immediately, or of continuing with further study in the field of Human Resource Management.

Further, the Programme contributes to regional and national goals in a variety of ways, including:

Broadening access to and success in higher education through flexible entry and fixed exit standards and through the inclusion of academic support components.

Recognition of multiple exit points.

Inclusion of certain generic competencies.

Encouragement of social responsibility.

Ensuring that students will be employable on graduation, but at the same time will have the knowledge base to continue with further learning.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The admission criteria for the Human Resource Management Programme are given below:

A Matriculation (Grade 12) certificate, or equivalent qualification, is the minimum requirement for admission.

In order to determine the curriculum for which a student may register, the Midrand Graduate Institute Points System applies:

Applicants with Matriculation exemption and a minimum of 25 points may be admitted to the 3-year Degree programme.

Applicants with Matriculation exemption and between 17 and 24 points may be admitted to the 4-year degree programme (i.e. Level 1 will be completed over 2 years as a Bridging Programme).

Applicants with a Matriculation certificate and a minimum of 25 points may be admitted to the 2-year diploma programme. A student who successfully fulfils all the requirements for the diploma programme and who achieves the required academic standard, may proceed to Level 3 of the Degree programme.

Applicants with a Matriculation certificate and between 17 and 24 points may be admitted to the 3-year diploma programme (i.e. Level 1 will be completed over 2 years as a Bridging Programme). A student who successfully fulfils all the requirements for the diploma programme and who achieves the required academic standard, may proceed to Level 3 of the degree programme.

Applicants with a Matriculation certificate and between 14 and 16 points may apply in writing to the relevant Faculty Head for admission to the programme.

Mature Age applicants or applicants with non-South African school-leaving qualifications or with previous tertiary experience will be considered individually by the Faculty Head.

The Bridging Programme has been developed to assist those applicants who, for a variety of reasons, have not gained the academic qualifications necessary for admission to the full first year of an academic programme. This programme includes skills courses to improve the student's proficiency in, for example, English, Study Skills, Analytical Thinking and Numeracy.

Recognition of Prior Learning:
Prior learning is recognised in the following ways:

A student, who has completed a specific module/subject at Midrand Graduate Institute, may apply for credit for that module/subject.

A student, who has completed the equivalent of a specific module/subject either at Midrand Graduate Institute or at another recognised higher education institution, may apply for exemption from that module/subject.

In the case of a practically orientated module/subject, a student who is able to demonstrate appropriate competence may be granted exemption from that module/subject.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

QUALIFICATION RULES

Bachelor of Commerce in Applied Human Resource Management - B Com (Applied Human Resource Management).

The B Com (Applied Human Resource Management) programme is offered as a 3-year Degree programme with 2 lower level exit points as follows:

A student who successfully completes Level 1 of the curriculum, and who exits from the programme at that point, will be awarded a Certificate in Human Resource Management.

A student who successfully completes Levels 1 and 2 of the curriculum, and who exits from the programme at that point, will be awarded a Diploma in Human Resource Management.

It is important to note that the Human Resource Management Programme is structured in such a way that, as well as constituting Levels 1 and 2 of the Degree programme, the curricula for the Certificate and Diploma constitute genuine stand-alone qualifications.

It should also be noted that a student who registers for the Human Resource Management Programme will receive only one qualification, that is the highest level qualification for which he/she has completed the requirements.

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

Exit-level outcomes are divided into generic competencies, fundamental competencies and those core to the Human Resource Management Programme, as follows:

a. Generic competencies:

The ability to work as a member of a team.

The ability to collect, analyse and present information.

A knowledge of the use of technology.

The ability to use technology and other methods of presentation for communication purposes.

The ability to identify and suggest possible solutions to a problem.

The ability to organise work requirements so as to meet set deadlines.

b. Fundamental competencies:
Business English:

The ability to communicate in English in a business-orientated environment.

Economics IA:

A sound knowledge of the main issues, concepts and tools of economics, including measuring the performance of an economy, price theory, perfect and imperfect competition, the interdependence between the major sectors, markets and flows in an economy, and production and costs.

Economics IB:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the overall functioning of an economy including, the labour market, the monetary sector, the public sector, the foreign sector and macro-economic problems.

Business Management IA:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying business management, general management and the functional management of an enterprise.
This includes an understanding of the business organisation and its environment, leadership and control in management, public relations, the integrated marketing strategy and general business management.

Business Management IB:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying business management, general management and the functional management of an enterprise.
This includes an understanding of financial management, asset management, financing decisions, operations management, purchasing management, human resource management and contemporary issues in management.

Computer Skills:

A sound knowledge of the theory of and practical skills in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Introduction to Financial Accounting:

An understanding of the basics of accounting.

The ability to draw up a balance sheet and income statement, reconcile a bank statement and calculate profit or loss on the sale of assets.

Labour Law:

A thorough knowledge of the sources of South African law.

An understanding of individual labour law in South Africa, including parties to the employment relationship, basic employee rights, termination of the employment relationship and dismissals, and employment equity.

Economics IIA:

An understanding of the role of macro-economics, demand and supply, elasticity, consumer behaviour, production, cost curves, perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly.

Economics IIB:

An understanding of further important principles of macro-economics, including macro fundamentals, money, monetary policy, expectations and growth, and international economics.

Consumer Behaviour:

The ability to recognise and understand the variables which influence the decision-making process of the consumer when choosing a specific service or product.

Research Methodology:

An overview of core business and management research techniques, including both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Business Ethics:

An understanding of the role of ethics in decision-making in business, including ethics related to corporate responsibility, affirmative action, AIDS, sexual harassment and retrenchment.

c. Core competencies:
Human Resource Management I:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying human resource management, including perspectives on general and work behaviour, human development, learning, perception, cognition, motivation, attitudes and values, leadership, and aggression and conflict.

Management of Training I:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the place of training in the business arena, training legislation, strategic training, adult education and andragogics.

Industrial Relations I:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the field of industrial relations, including the history of industrial relations, employment relationships, the systems approach, and industrial relations within the context of human resource management.

Human Resource Management IIA:

A sound understanding of the processes of attracting human resources, assessing and developing human resources, and retaining human resources.

Human Resource Management IIB:

A sound understanding of human behaviour in organisations on an individual and group level, including the effect of organisational structure on behaviour.

Industrial Relations II:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the South African industrial relations system with specific reference to specific social, political and economic influences, the new South African labour dispensation, key labour legislation impacting on business in South Africa, and the future of IR developments and trends.

Business Management IIA:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying entrepreneurship and small business management, entrepreneurial success, business creativity and innovation and identifying opportunities.

Business Management IIB:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying planning, organising, leading and controlling a business, including goal formation, strategic planning, managerial decision-making, leadership, motivation and the management of diversity.

Management of Training II:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying group dynamics, approaches to training, needs analysis, contemporary trends, preparation and delivery.

Human Resource Management IIIA:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying compensation management, and human resource forecasting and modelling.

Human Resource Management IIIB:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the changing role of human resource management and the future role of human resource management.

Business Management IIIA:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying diversified business environments, ethics and social responsibility, planning and controlling in a globalised world, and global issues affecting varying cultures.

Business Management IIIB:

An understanding of change and its impact on organisations.

An understanding of change as a positive process.

An understanding of the importance of appropriate leadership in order to minimise resistance to change.

Advanced Industrial Relations:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the labour relations system and context at a macro level, labour economics, labour law, industrial relations processes and procedures at a micro level, the management of the industrial relations function, and aligning South African labour relations for world class competitiveness.

Advanced Management of Training:

A sound knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the place of training in the business arena, training legislation, strategic training, adult education and andragogics.

Internship:

An understanding of the relationship between theory and practice, developed by working in an organisation and applying academic knowledge to practice in a real world context.

Research Project:

The ability to apply theory to a selected case study by carrying out a sound research process.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

a. Generic competencies:

Group projects and assignments.

Tests, assignments and examinations.

Class and Project presentations.

Case-study based tests, assignments and examinations.

Deadlines set for various assessment components.

b. Fundamental competencies:

Tests, assignments and examinations.

c. Core competencies:

Tests, assignments and examinations.

Integrated Assessment:
Midrand Graduate Institute practices an integrated system of assessment, in terms of which students are assessed on an ongoing basis. Students are required to complete class tests, assignments (including practical work and projects) and examinations, the results of which count towards the final mark for each module. The components of the final mark are determined separately for each module.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

To our knowledge, this Programme has not been assessed internationally.

However, given that:

The curriculum incorporates the latest standards and practices in the discipline.

Well-qualified academics and industry practitioners act as external examiners and moderators of the Programme.

We have no reason to doubt that the quality and content of our Programme would meet international standards.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

With regard to vertical articulation, a student who wishes to proceed to postgraduate studies at another higher education institution, having completed the Human Resource Management Programme at Midrand Graduate Institute, should be able to do so based on the knowledge and skills acquired during the course of the programme, provided, of course, that his/her academic performance has been of the required standard.

In terms of horizontal articulation:

A student who transfers to another programme within Midrand Graduate Institute will be given credit for relevant modules successfully completed towards the Human Resource Management Programme.

Students who, having completed certain modules in the Human Resource Management Programme at Midrand Graduate Institute, wish to transfer to another tertiary level institution, are able to apply successfully for exemption from relevant modules on the basis of modules passed at Midrand Graduate Institute.

One of the objectives of our rigorous external moderation and examination procedure, and of our ongoing interaction with academic staff of other tertiary level institutions, is to ensure that the content and standard of our curriculum is such that our students will have the opportunity for both vertical and horizontal articulation, both within and outside of Midrand Graduate Institute.

MODERATION OPTIONS

All final assessments at all levels of the curriculum are moderated by academic staff of public higher education institutions or by appropriately qualified industry practitioners.

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.	EDUVOS (Pty) Ltd (Previously Pearson Institute of Higher Education (Pty) Ltd)