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 THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Master of Commerce

SAQA QUAL ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE
13760	Master of Commerce
ORIGINATOR
University of Potchefstroom
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY			NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education			HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework
QUALIFICATION TYPE	FIELD		SUBFIELD
Master's Degree	Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies		Finance, Economics and Accounting
ABET BAND	MINIMUM CREDITS	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	QUAL CLASS
Undefined	128	Level 8 and above	NQF Level 09	Regular-Provider-ELOAC
REGISTRATION STATUS		SAQA DECISION NUMBER	REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		SAQA 2663/05	2006-07-01	2009-06-30
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-06-30		2013-06-30

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

The M.Com in the field of Business, Commerce and Management (BCM) is offered to:

Provide qualifying learners with applied competence in research and advanced scientific thinking in BCM and how it relates to solving economic development problems;

Provide qualifying learners with a solid basis for further applied and basic advanced research in BCM for contributing towards addressing the economic development challenges facing all countries;

Promote life-long learning in calculating a sense of wonder, curiosity and respect for the scientific method in learners;

Build and strengthen learners' understanding of how and why research is conducted in BCM (foundational competencies) and how research methodology relates to humans and their economic development needs;

Empower learners to be able to solve problems in the BCM field, including economic development problems, by applying the correct research methodology and making conclusions in a scientific and socially responsible manner (practical competencies)

Empower learners by enabling them to internalise the scientific approach to problem solving in the BCM field and to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the scientific approach in BCM within the overall societal context in which the learner has to function (reflexive competencies)

To empower learners with foundational, practical and reflexive competencies so as to enable them to be able to become leaders in the business, management and economic environment through critical assessment of, and integration of knowledge concepts, structures, procedures, models and principles through research based scientific thinking.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

A Honours B.Com degree or equivalent at NQF level 6 with an average of 60% in the discipline he/she wants to specialise in. At least 128 credits must be acquired in the discipline of specialisation. Prospective learners who do not meet these formal requirements may be considered on the bases of entry examinations, interviews, assessment of job experience and life skills and/or test that seek to identify appropriate learning skills and experiential learning. Prior learning, having taken place outside traditional learning context, are thus recognised.

RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING?

EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES

The Magister Commercii graduate is able to:

1. Identify problems in the BCM field and how it impacts on human welfare.

2. Understand how to approach problem-solving in the BCM field through applied and basic research;

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving context do not exist in isolation;

4. Know the components of a research proposal and the requirements for research project management;

5. Apply knowledge and skills to write a research proposal and budget time and resources therefore;

6. Show creativity and insight in the process of research design;

7. Organise and manage individual research activities in terms of available time and resources;

8. Identify the foremost scientific journals, books and internet web-site in the chosen BCM sub-field;

9. Do an extensive and thorough literature search on the problem identified;

10. Draw conclusions in a scientifically and socially responsible manner;

11. Integrate various scientific points of view found in the literature into an own, scientifically defensible point of view that contributes towards addressing a particular problem;

12. Understand the basic empirical research methods used in the BCM field, their weaknesses and strengths as well as their requirements;

13. Critically assess empirical research methods used in the scientific writings of others;

14. Critically assess the scientific findings and recommendations of other researchers;

15. Work effectively with supervisor(s) and other in a programme-driven research project(s);

16. Understand and critically assess advanced theories in the BCm sub-field chosen;

17. Communicate research results effectively using a written form of presentation;

18. Participate in the national debate on BCM and show an understanding of the economic development challenges facing South Africa within a global context;

19. Apply knowledge and skills actively towards the creation of new wealth and employment for him/herself and others as an entrepreneur.

ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

For the learning outcomes identified above the following assessment criteria will be used:

Assessing the learner's reflexive and practical competencies by examining a dissertation that need to be submitted within a prescribed period of time. The assessment of dissertations will be done by the submitter within a prescribed period of time. The assessment will be based on clearly identifiable requirements regarding the scientific validity of the research design, the contextual relevance, the scientific style of writing, the use and reporting of relevant and recent reference the integration of theories and empirical observations, and the drawing of conclusions and recommendation in a logical and scientific manner.

Assessing the learner's foundational competencies by oral / written examinations two writing modules in which the learner must answer questions which are aimed at testing advanced, functional knowledge of his/her chosen field.

Assessing the learner's reflexive, practical and foundational competencies by requiring of the learner to submit to the relevant research committee of the Faculty a concise and publishable article based on the research findings.

Integrated assessments:

The learner's progress is assessed by a variety of appropriate formative and summative methods, to supply evidence that the purposes of the qualification is being achieved and that the qualification's quality is ensured. These are:

i. Regular submissions of written research work to a thesis supervisor to e appointed by the Faculty;
ii. Regular submission of short assignments/oral/written examinations on module work;
iii. Submission and prior approval of a research proposal;
iv. Presentation of findings at a Faculty colloquiem or seminar.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY

Postgraduate education and training for a M.Com degree is co-ordinated by a Research Focus Area under a research director. The Research Focus area has extensive international networks, amongst others with the Free University, Amsterdam, the University of Paderborn (Germany) the Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford and the University of Ottawa (Canada).

M.Com graduates with above average marks enjoy ready access and recognition of their status in and to universities globally.

Past M.Com students have for instance been awarded international awards for graduate studies abroad (e.g. Shiv Nath Prize, University of Warwick) and recently a M.Com student had been awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship for studies at the University of Oxford.

The Research Focus Area has been positively evaluated by an international audit committee. Currently both national (National Research Foundation) as well as international research funding agencies (South African - Netherlands Programme on Alternative Development) are supporting the Research Focus area financially.

ARTICULATION OPTIONS

Vertical articulation gives access to an advanced research degree on a national as well as international level, namely a PhD.

The M.Com qualification prepares the learner for a career in an economic decision-making and management position in the business, government and NGO environment, including the higher education and research sector.

The M.Com qualification prepares the learner to enter the economy as an entrepreneur by being able to critically and independently assess the critical success factors for an own business.

MODERATION OPTIONS

Internally the process goes through four stages. The Director of the School in which the learner registers, approves a research proposal. The Director of the School approves and comments on the research proposal before it is send to the management committee of the Faculty for registration and appointment of supervisor(s) and examiners. The supervisor plays a day-to-day role in guidance and integrated assessment. Finally both internal and external examiners examine the dissertation and reports to the management committee.

Externally NSB moderation in terms of NSB requirements will be done.

CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS

All internal assessors are members of the academic staff on the Potchefstroom University for CHE and received training through the compulsory New Lectures Programme. The minimum qualifications of assessors is an appropriate M.Com / M.Sc- / M.B.A / M.A. -degree.

All external assessors are senior colleagues in the relevant field of BCM of other South African or international universities, or leading and suitably qualified practitioners in the particular field.

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006.

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