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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Higher Certificate: Marketing 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
84766  Higher Certificate: Marketing 
ORIGINATOR
University of South Africa 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Higher Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Marketing 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 05  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   2031-06-30  

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 
Purpose:

The primary purpose of this qualification is closely tied to the rationale for the qualification and serves to provide learners with a basic knowledge of the field of marketing as well as practical application of these principles based on a case study approach.

This qualification provides qualifying learners with basic knowledge of the principles, theories, methods and techniques of the art and science of marketing. In addition it equips them to be able to apply these to be competitive in a South African employment context.

The knowledge will be transferred in a practical way as far as possible.

Rationale:

Specialised training in the field of marketing is required to equip learners with basic knowledge, cognitive and conceptual tools and practical techniques to perform basic marketing tasks and to prepare them for further studies in the field of marketing management.

There is a need in the market place for people with a working understanding of marketing and how it functions within an organisation. There is a need in all organisations for such knowledge regardless of size and entrepreneurial environment. The marketing industry has expressed a need for learners who not only posses knowledge of marketing but who are able to perform elementary marketing tasks in an organisational context.

This qualification aims to empower learners with basic marketing skills and knowledge that will make them employable in a South African job market. Contemporary issues such as globalisation, Africanisation, technology, ethics and traditional marketing knowledge are all incorporated to produce well-rounded marketing practitioners.

The qualification further prepares successful learners for access to higher qualifications such as the Diploma: Marketing Management. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
Candidates accessing this qualification should:
  • Be able to read and critically evaluate academic text in English and communicate information and their own ideas orally and in written text that is grammatically correct, well structured, clear and concise, using accepted standards of scientific and academic writing (NQF Level 4).
  • Be able to independently and responsibly plan, schedule and take responsibility for the success of their learning in a structured and Open Distance Learning (ODL) tuition environment and appropriately manage their time according to required outcomes.
  • Be able to use technology to such an extent that they can access and participate in the various online activities and also use the library and other electronic services in support of the learning (myUnisa) and any other additional resources related to the qualification modules.
  • Have access to the South African media.

    Recognition of Prior Learning:

    Recognition of Prior Learning will be applied in line with the regulations of the Quality Council for Higher Education and the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the procedures of the University of South Africa. Recognition of Prior Learning can be used to:
  • Gain credits towards the qualification.
  • Grant admission to learners who do not meet the minimum admission requirements.

    Access to the Qualification:

    New National Senior Certificate, as prescribed by the HEQF granting access to higher certificate study, or recognised Grade 12 equivalent. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    Minimum total credits at NQF Level 5: 120.

    The qualification consists of 10 compulsory modules:
  • Personal Selling: 12 credits.
  • Customer Service: 12 credits.
  • Introduction to Marketing: 12 credits.
  • Introduction to Marketing Communication: 12 credits.
  • Fundamentals of Branding: 12 credits.
  • Introduction to Customer Behaviour: 12 credits.
  • End User Computing: 12 credits.
  • Introduction to Human Resource Management: 12 credits.
  • Fundamentals of Public Relations: 12 credits.
  • Fundamentals of E-Marketing: 12 credits.

    Total credits: 120. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Apply marketing knowledge and processes to real life situations, taking into account societal, ethical and cultural considerations.

    2. Plan and implement a basic marketing communication plan.

    3. Prepare and guide the implementation of an e-marketing plan.

    Critical Cross-Field Outcomes:

    All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in the qualification. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Analyse real life situations in marketing to identify strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.
  • Select correct procedures to solve specific marketing problems.
  • Apply appropriate marketing principles to situations, whether in real life or simulated scenarios/case studies.
  • Discuss and present marketing information in appropriate ways.
    Range of ways includes but is not limited to numerical, verbal and graphic.
  • Prepare, compare and evaluate elementary marketing plans based on an understanding of consumer behaviour.
  • Apply appropriate marketing principles to scenarios involving service delivery as opposed to tangible products.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Compare various marketing communication methods and select the most appropriate based on real-life environmental variables applied to a case study scenario.
  • Prepare an elementary marketing communication plan.
  • Execute marketing communication tasks.
  • Prepare basic public relations releases and plans.
  • Plan elementary sales presentation and progress through the sales process.
  • Guide the formulation of an elementary brand strategy for a given real-life scenario.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of e-marketing principles to a given real-life scenario.
  • Apply the principles and procedures of e-marketing to a real-life situation, through the development of an e-marketing plan.

    Integrated Assessment:

    For the qualification to be awarded, a candidate must have successfully achieved the outcomes of each of the compulsory modules that constitute the qualification.

    Evidence of learning competency (knowledge, skills, attitudes and expertise) and of the candidate's ability to achieve the purpose of the qualification as a whole at the time that the qualification is awarded, is required by means of comprehensive and integrated assessment, constituting a range of formative and summative assessments. Continuous formative and summative assessment methods are used in the form of written assignments and exams.

    Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. The learner's summative assessment mark will comprise a year mark (10%) that will be gained from the specified number of compulsory assignments and a written examination in each module which comprises 90% of the total summative assessment mark. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Unisa forms part of an internationally recognised comparability system whereby university qualifications are evaluated against international comparators and made comparable accordingly.

    Unisa's qualifications are comparable to similar qualifications offered internationally and which are included in the International Handbook of Universities and in the Commonwealth Universities' Yearbook. This qualification is one of those that compares with similar qualifications listed in those Hand and Year Books. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    Horizontal Articulation:
  • This qualification articulates horizontally with a cognate Higher Certificate at NQF Level 5.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • This qualification articulates vertically with a cognate Advanced Certificate or a Diploma at NQF Level 6. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    All examinations are moderated by an internal (second) and external examiner or moderator. All first and second examiners are Unisa lecturers. External examiners or moderators are senior academics at other tertiary institutions. Both internal and external examiners are appointed by the Dean of the College of Economic and Management Sciences upon recommendation of the Department of Marketing and Retail Management at this institution. Second examiners appointed by the relevant department will act as internal moderators or examiners. Appointments of external assessors and examiners or moderators will be made in accordance with the Unisa Assessment Policy.

    The University of South Africa has a system of internal and external peer review and evaluation of each course for quality assurance purposes. One of the aspects of the system is an evaluation of the standards and assessment practices of the department and institution by local and international universities, and moderators are alternated for better quality control. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    Academic staff members of the University of South Africa or, in the case of external assessment or examination, academic staff members from other universities who have at least a Master's Degree: Marketing and/or Retail Management, will act as assessors. Assessors, assessment and moderation practices must comply with the requirements stipulated in the Assessment, Learner Support, Open Distance Learning and Recognition of Prior Learning policies of the University of South Africa.

    Lecturers responsible for the module and external markers (assessors) will act as assessor practitioners in accordance with the Unisa Assessment Policy. Formative and summative assessment will be conducted within the guidelines of the Unisa Assessment Policy. Learner support will be provided in accordance with Unisa Open Distance Learning and Learner Support policies and guidelines. 

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

    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.
     
    1. University of South Africa 


    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.