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 Accounting 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
16910  Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting 
ORIGINATOR
University of the Free State 
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  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  608  Level 6  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2033-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Apply educational knowledge, skills, principles and methods to practice as a general accountant offering accounting and tax services as an Associate General Accountant (AGA) or Commercial and Financial Accountant (CFA).
  • Responding to the needs of the community
  • Responding to business and industry needs
  • In the private sector
  • In economic, business and financial environments
  • In life-long learning and the appreciation of the value of education and society

    Qualifiers will demonstrate knowledge, skills and applied competence in the field of study that provide opportunities for continued personal growth, gainful economic activity and rewarding contributions to society. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
  • Learners who register for this qualification can:
  • Learn from predominantly written material
  • Communicate what they have learnt comprehensively in the medium of instruction
  • Learn and take responsibility for their own progress
  • Recognition of prior learning

    The qualification recognizes formal and non-formal prior learning (incorporating experiential learning) at a Further Education and Training Certificate Level 4 or a functional equivalent. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The planned combination of learning outcomes are integrated with critical cross-field outcomes for this Qualification:

    Practical Competency

    The demonstrated ability/skill to achieve the major Skills/Applied Competency of the qualification.

    Foundational Competency

    The demonstrated understanding, by the Learner, of the embedded knowledge that underpins the end result/outcome.

    Reflective Competency

    The demonstrated ability/skill to integrate or connect our performances and to reflect on, evaluate and adopt the above competencies.

    To successfully complete the qualification the learner will have to demonstrate his/her learning via module specific learning outcomes as well as critical cross-field learning outcomes.

    Module specific outcomes will include capabilities relating to module knowledge and the understanding thereof within a management leadership context and capabilities relating to integrated knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines within the management leadership field.

    Critical cross-field outcomes will include those specified in the learning outcomes for approved modules in the certificate and as appropriate to the learner's field of practice.

    1. Preparing corporate reports in compliance with General Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP).
    2. Demonstrating elementary knowledge of audit profession, audit approach and internal control.
    3. Demonstrating knowledge of the Income Tax Act, Estate Duty Act and VAT Act in order to calculate tax liability.
    4. Demonstrating knowledge of strategic management, cost methods and to interpret management information and financial statements.

    The learner will be able to analyse and apply the basic principles relevant to the following:

    1. Prepare financial statements in accordance with certain statements of GAAP and applicable legislation.
    2. Prepare group statements by incorporating holding companies, subsidiaries and associates.
    3. Analyse internal control on an elementary level and communicate findings.
    4. Demonstrate an elementary understanding of the ethical code of accountants and auditors.
    5. Apply knowledge to facilitate the audit planning and process on an elementary level.
    6. Calculate personal income tax and estate duty.
    7. Calculate corporate income tax and secondary tax.
    8. Interpret and calculate Value Added Tax.
    9. Apply and interpret different cost methods and management techniques.
    10. Calculate cost of capital and to analyse investing and financing decisions.
    11. Formulate and implement suitable business strategies. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    A learner should provide evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills and attitude) by means of the following:

    1. Financial statements drawn up according to set standards.
    2. Compile an elementary audit programme.
    3. Recommendations on improvements on internal control o an elementary level.
    4. Calculate tax liability for:
  • Personal tax
  • Corporate tax
  • VAT
  • Estate duty
  • Donations tax
    5. Management Accounts.
    6. Cost reports.
    7. Cost volume analysis.
    8. Budgets.
    9. Investment decisions.
    10. Finance decisions.
    11. Business valuations.
    12. Analysis of financial statements.
    13. Compile management strategies.

    Integrated assessment

    Competence is achieved, through continuous assessment by demonstrating the ability to achieve the outcomes of the Qualification
  • Written tests and examinations.
  • Assignments.
  • Group discussions.

    This will be supported by a module credit system, followed by a final exam on the modules for which credit was not obtained

    Assessment documents are moderated to ensure that:
  • They conform to the scope and context of the competency as stipulated in the qualification
  • They are constructed in such a way that the Assessor assesses the critical outcomes applied, during the Learners activity performances, towards achieving an outcome.

    Assessments are:
  • To include confirmation of the Embedded Knowledge component to ensure that the Foundational Competency is achieved
  • To be verified by Internal Verifiers to ensure valid, credible, true and fair results 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Vertical: It gives access to post-graduate studies at Honours level.
    Horizontal: It gives access to post-graduate studies. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • A system of external peer review and evaluation of departments including evaluation of the standards and assessment practices per Department.
  • Qualifications: The minimum academic and workplace experience requirements at a level above the level of moderation.
  • Appropriate professional criteria will be drafted in the case of workplace assessment
  • Mentorship: All junior and new members of staff are mentored by senior members as they work together in teams. All assessment done by external assessors is quality controlled by internal staff.
  • Any moderation criteria as determined by the ETQA. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    The academic staff of the University of the Free State complies with standards set by Senate and will exercise their assessment within the approved quality assurance system of the University. Assessors will also meet all criteria as stipulated by the relevant ETQA.

    Assessors are:
  • Subject matter specialists
  • Registered with the awarding body
  • Accredited by the awarding body after achieving competency against Unit Standards of competence for Assessors
  • To be administrated, advised and coached by an Internal Verifier 
    		•

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 2006; 2009; 2012; 2015. 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.
     
    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. University of the Free State 


    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.