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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
94705  Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation 
ORIGINATOR
South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance (Pty) Ltd / AFDA (The) 
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  Generic Management 
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-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 
Purpose:
The qualification will empower young business entrepreneurs to devise and create new technologically based start-up businesses, using the creative talent that the Bachelor of Arts Degree provides. The qualification will deliver competent and flexible programmers who will understand the business environment that they are entering, and who will have the capacity to execute all the required back-end programming for new technology-based businesses in media, entertainment and sport.

The purpose of the qualification is also to develop learners who are able to demonstrate:
  • The ability to integrate knowledge of the central areas of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • The ability to show an understanding of the social and scientific knowledge systems of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • The ability to show an understanding of a range of methods of inquiry in the field of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • The ability to identify, analyse, evaluate and critically reflect on solutions to address complex.
  • The ability to show ethical and professional decisions and actions, as well as the ability to reflect on, evaluate and justify those decisions and actions drawing on appropriate ethical values and approaches within a context.
  • The ability to use the skills to develop appropriate processes of information gathering for the areas of conceptualising, establishing, developing and growing digital-technology-based start-up businesses in the creative industries including media, entertainment and sport.
  • The ability to use the skills to develop and communicate their ideas and opinions in a well-formed arguments using appropriate academic discourse.
  • The ability to manage processes in unfamiliar and variable contexts, drawing on the social and scientific knowledge systems of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • The ability to identify, evaluate and address learning needs in a self-directed manner, and to facilitate collaborative learning processes when interfacing with staff, industry specialists and peers in other degree qualifications whilst busy with collaborative projects.
  • The ability to show take full responsibility for own work, decision making and use of resources, and experientially understand the notion of shared accountability as group marks in collaborative projects will be shared with peers in other disciplines and programmes.

    Rationale:
    Traditionally education has taken place in strict segmented channels of knowledge, but with the rapid advancements of technology, different fields of knowledge such as the Arts and Humanities, the Sciences and Commerce are becoming increasingly integrated.
    Developments in the cyber world are making it possible to develop business plans for entertainment products, sport and communication, which are challenging traditional platforms for the exhibition of the abovementioned products.

    Globalisation, fragmentation and the exponential proliferation of new technologies are giving rise to a market that is being constantly disrupted and as such provide unique opportunities for business start-ups/developments. More and more businesses are moving towards constant innovation, driven by youngsters (the digital natives).

    Where education operates in silos, young learners enter the marketplace in isolation often resulting in them seeking, rather than creating, employment. The introduction of the Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship aims to change this, where learners will create employment opportunities for their peers. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) is a valid method to articulate access in the Higher Education Sub-framework. AFDA provides bridging options for RPL learners who enter the qualification. RPL is mostly used on second and fourth year level in the respective AFDA Degree qualifications.

    Applicants wishing to go into 2nd year have to clearly indicate so on the application form. AFDA will process the application and notify all applicants whether their RPL applications have been approved.

    Any given year/s of study in a cognitively related field at a tertiary institution is acknowledged on the same level, provided that the learner demonstrates the core competencies, at both an intellectual and technical level, required by the AFDA curriculum.

    Five year of related industry experience will be taken into account in the placement of the learner in the undergraduate qualification, at the level which they worked within their field, submit a portfolio that demonstrates the required cognitive and technical skills for the AFDA curriculum.

    Entry into third-year level by RPL for credits is seldom allowed in AFDA, and only with sign-off form the Campus Dean and the Academic Standards Council.

    The following specific South African degree courses are examples of courses which can easily be articulated with the AFDA Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce curricula to give a student access to RPL for credits:
  • The UCT Bachelor of Science Degrees in Business Computing; Computer Engineering; Computer Games Development; Computer Science and the Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Information Systems.
  • The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Bachelor of Science Degrees in Computational and Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.

    This RPL alignment between AFDA as a private institution, and 2 public institution, is exemplary of the increased articulation the Green paper requests (2012:50).

    Entry Requirements:
    Learners are required to have the following in place in order to be considered for admission:
  • Senior Certificate with Endorsement.
    Or
  • National Senior Certificate (NSC) allowing entry in to Bachelors' Degree studies.
    Or
  • Certificate of Exemption or Mature Age Conditional Exemption from HESA exemption requirements.
    Or
  • National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) at NQF Level 4 allowing entry in to Bachelors' Degree studies. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification consists of 59 modules at NQF Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 363 Credits.

    NQF Level 5 modules (Eighteen modules totalling 127 Credits):
  • Managing the Innovation Process, 9 Credits.
  • Managing Innovation: Emerging Trends, 9 Credits.
  • Disruptive Technologies, 9 Credits.
  • Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organisation, 5 Credits.
  • Management Science and Operations (Decision modelling, service operations, e-business), 9 Credits.
  • Organisational Behaviour (Leadership, groups, negotiations, creativity, culture and identity, business ethics), 4 Credits.
  • Entertainment and Media Industries and Globalisation of the Entertainment Industry, 5 Credits.
  • Business Plans, 9 Credits.
  • Introduction to Economics, 3 Credits.
  • Technology's Impact on Media and Entertainment, 7 Credits.
  • Project Management, Internet Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 7 Credits .
  • Introduction to Finance (Financial regulation, corporate finance, capital markets), 4 Credits.
  • Early Stage Capital, 4 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurial Finance, 9 Credits.
  • IT and Business Transformation, 9 Credits.
  • Social Media Marketing, 9 Credits.
  • Digital Strategic Marketing, 9 Credits.
  • Managing the Innovation Process, 7 Credits.

    NQF Level 6 modules (Twenty modules totalling 113 Credits):
  • Managing Innovation; Emerging Trends, 7 Credits.
  • Disruptive Technologies, 7 Credits.
  • Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organisation, 4 Credits.
  • Management Science and Operations (Decision modelling, service operations, e-business), 7 Credits.
  • Organisational Behaviour (Leadership, groups, negotiations, creativity, culture and identity, business ethics), 5 Credits.
  • Entertainment and Media Industries and Globalisation of the Entertainment Industry, 5 Credits.
  • Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager, 4 Credits.
  • Business Plans, 7 Credits.
  • Introduction to Economics, 4 Credits.
  • Technology's Impact on Media and Entertainment, 7 Credits.
  • Introduction to Television Management: Network, Cable and Satellite in the USA, 4 Credits.
  • Project Management, Internet Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 7 Credits.
  • Introduction to Finance (Financial regulation, corporate finance, capital markets), 4 Credits.
  • The Business of Film, Television and Live Performance Event Producing, 4 Credits.
  • Accounting (Accounting risk, regulation of standards, corporate governance), 5 Credits.
  • Early Stage Capital, 4 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurial Finance, 7 Credits.
  • IT and Business Transformation, 7 Credits.
  • Social Media Marketing, 7 Credits.
  • Digital Strategic Marketing, 7 Credits.

    NQF Level 7 modules (Twenty one modules totalling 120 Credits):
  • Managing the Innovation Process, 7 Credits.
  • Managing Innovation: Emerging Trends, 7 Credits.
  • Disruptive Technologies, 7 Credits.
  • Designing and Leading the Entrepreneurial Organisation, 4 Credits.
  • Management Science and Operations (Decision modelling, service operations, e-business), 7 Credits.
  • Organisational Behaviour (Leadership, groups, negotiations, creativity, culture and identity, business ethics), 5 Credits.
  • Entertainment and Media Industries and Globalisation of the Entertainment Industry, 5 Credits.
  • Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager, 4 Credits.
  • Business Plans, 7 Credits.
  • Economics, 4 Credits.
  • Technology's Impact on Media and Entertainment, 7 Credits.
  • Television Management, 4 Credits.
  • Project Management, Internet Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 7 Credits.
  • Finance (Financial regulation, corporate finance, Capital markets), 4 Credits.
  • The Business of Film, Television and Live Performance Event Producing, 4 Credits.
  • Accounting (Accounting risk, regulation of standards, corporate governance), 5 Credits.
  • Early Stage Capital, 4 Credits.
  • Entrepreneurial Finance, 7 Credits.
  • IT and Business Transformation, 7 Credits.
  • Social Media Marketing, 7 Credits.
  • Digital Strategic Marketing, 7 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
    2. Demonstrate an understanding of the social and scientific knowledge systems of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
    3. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of methods of inquiry in the field of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
    4. Identify, analyse, evaluate and critically reflect on solutions to address complex.
    5. Demonstrate ethical and professional decisions and actions, as well as the ability to reflect on, evaluate and justify those decisions and actions drawing on appropriate ethical values and approaches within a context.
    6. Demonstrate the skills to develop appropriate processes of information gathering for the areas of conceptualising, establishing, developing and growing digital-technology-based start-up businesses in the creative industries including media, entertainment and sport.
    7. Demonstrate the skills to develop and communicate their ideas and opinions in a well-formed arguments using appropriate academic discourse.
    8. Manage processes in unfamiliar and variable contexts, drawing on the social and scientific knowledge systems of business innovation and entrepreneurship.
    9. Identify, evaluate and address learning needs in a self-directed manner, and to facilitate collaborative learning processes when interfacing with staff, industry specialists and peers in other degree qualifications whilst busy with collaborative projects.
    10. Take full responsibility for own work, decision making and use of resources, and experientially understand the notion of shared accountability as group marks in collaborative projects will be shared with peers in other disciplines and programmes. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Aspects of the global expansion of media and entertainment companies are explained and discussed.
  • An established and commercially viable service in the creative industries including media, entertainment or sport where old digital technologies still prevail is identified, selected and investigated.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • New technologies that could fulfil the functions of the established and commercially viable services are researched and discussed.
  • The marketing strategy that will ensure that the start-up company attracts sufficient numbers of the appropriate market to be sustainable, profitable and scalable is discussed.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • What really needs to be done to build a successful organisation for the long term is clarified and expressed.
  • Models and innovation to improve competitiveness within the local and global creative industries are used.
  • Models to improve business performance and the technological innovations to improve competitiveness in the local and global creative industries are developed and presented.
  • The manner in which managers can use financial accounting information to communicate effectively is explained.
  • The manner in which managers can use financial accounting information to make more effective decisions is explored.

    Associated Assessment Criterion for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • How digital technology (e.g. consumer electronics, software) industry strategically functions, the unique challenges they face, and how technology companies can leverage their strengths to achieve success in the market place is explained and discussed.

    Associated Assessment Criterion for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • The basics of legal issues that companies and corporations face during their existence are identified and explained.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Ideas for new marketing strategies for media, entertainment, and sport utilising the intersection of existing and new platforms are formulated and presented.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Important emerging trends in technological innovation in the creative industries and their implications for innovative management are discussed and explained.
  • All aspects of network, cable and satellite television production in the USA are explained.
  • The structure of the private equity industry is explained and discussed.

    Associated Assessment Criterion for Exit Level Outcome 8:
  • Accounting systems according to the required standards of daily operations and audits are operated and managed.

    Integrated Assessment:
    Description of the number and types of tests/assignments/projects/case studies being applied in the Degree with collaborative inter-degree project outcomes, learners are assessed on an individual level as well as within a group context. In any given production cycle, whether term or semester based, the following assignments are given.

    Learners do the following assignments for individual marks:
  • Research essays in theoretical modules: Research essays assess the learner's capacity to identify, select and apply appropriate elements of knowledge systems to project outcomes.
  • Discipline treatments in applied modules: Discipline treatments consolidate a number of written and practice assessments set over the term. It assesses the learner's understanding of the theoretical and practical content of the discipline, and the capacity to translate critical thinking within a given discipline in developing and planning project outcomes.
  • Discipline Preproduction: discipline preproduction assesses the learner's readiness to go into the production of a given term/semester project, through the assessment of a set of specified deliverables. Passing this assessment is a prerequisite to progress to project outcome preproduction presentations.
  • Discipline Final Review: Discipline Final Review assesses the practical execution of the project outcome.

    Learners do the following assignments for group marks:
    Project Outcome Preproduction Presentations: The groups will present as a collective at the project outcome preproduction presentations. The groups will include learners from the Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Bachelor of Science Degree in Media Technology, and the Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance.

    They will present the following documents:
  • A group document, which is a combination of all the individual research essays of learners within the group. These essays which have been reworked after formative feedback has been given in the tutorial sessions.
  • An audio-visual presentation summarising the group document which speaks to the following:
    > The entertainment product and event.
    > The business plan of the start-up company.
    > The technical planning for the back-end programming.
    > Discipline treatments, as assessed at the discipline preproduction, will be available for perusal as corroboration for the planning presented in the audio-visual presentation.

    Final review: final review will be conducted separately for learners in the different degree qualifications. With regards to capstone projects the assessments can be briefly summarised as follows:
  • Bachelor of Arts learners in Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance: the merit of their entertainment product as per the target market's evaluation thereof. This will be done by means of a rating with an audience response card at the event itself, as well the as the audience's participation in the application, as devised by the start-up company.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship: the viability, profitability and sustainability of the start-up company. This will be done by means of an assessment by appropriate industry bodies and potential investors.
  • Bachelor of Science learners in Media Technology: the technical execution and smooth functioning of the application they designed, programmed and operated. This will be done by means of an assessment by appropriate industry bodies and potential investors.

    The assessments in 1st and 2nd year will follow the same format but will be scaled down and done by staff members. Assessment will be scaffolded with regards to depth and complexity to prepare learners for the capstone project assessment.

    Formative and summative assessment:
    Formative assessment:
  • Individual work:
    > As noted above, discipline treatments consolidate a number of written and practice assessments set over the term. Before the final submission of the treatment, learners have opportunities to rework their assignments after receiving inputs in discipline workshops.
  • Group work:
    > Tutorials happen prior to project outcome preproduction presentations. The group's learning is conducted in a tutorial environment where learners have to demonstrate how they are planning to apply the lecture content to the term/semester project outcome at hand. They receive formative feedback to incorporate in their written work.
    > As stated above, they have the opportunity to amend their research essays before final submission.
    > Learners do not get marks in the tutorial environment. They get feedback to improve their work before assessments are done. The only requirement is Due Performance (attendance).

    Summative assessments:
  • Research essays; discipline treatments; discipline preproduction; discipline final review; project preproduction presentations and final review, as described above, are all forms of summative assessment.
  • Learners receive individual marks for research essays; discipline treatments; discipline preproduction and discipline final review.
  • Learners receive group marks for project preproduction presentations and final review. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification has been compared against similar qualifications at international institutions, amongst others:
  • New York University: Entertainment and Media Industries.
  • Swinburne University of Technology offers the Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship and Innovation).

    New York University: Entertainment and Media Industries:
    The Entertainment, Media & Technology (EMT) qualification enables undergraduate learners to understand and manage the entire spectrum of the entertainment and media business, from its impact on the economy and the digital revolution to the global opportunities that technology creates. With a focus on both the business and content aspects of the industry, the qualification offers learners a range of modules with practical and real-life application. Modules deal with the marketing, finance, management, accounting, legal, and economic issues facing entertainment and media firms. Industries covered include, film, home video, television, cable, music, sports, and publishing.

    Swinburne University of Technology offers the Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship and Innovation):
    This vocationally oriented degree helps learners to differentiate a business idea from a tangible business opportunity and to use innovation theory and techniques to maximise that opportunity, whether economically, socially or politically.

    Learners learn about business scenario analysis which is used to develop strategic thinking and planning skills, explore business models, interpret sales and marketing opportunities, construct an effective team and source capital funding.

    They analyse case studies and learn about frameworks and tools that develop entrepreneurial skills. Student participation is encouraged and guest speakers help students develop, critique and implement business plans.

    Learners will have the opportunity to apply their learning in a professionally focused, multidisciplinary project during their final year of study.

    Conclusion:
    This qualification was designed cognisant of the fact that it must be locally credible and internationally recognised and comparable. This international comparability study was conducted to ensure that quality is guaranteed and international best practices are observed. Although the titles of the qualifications may differ but the purpose of the qualification remains similar. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    The Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship has as its focus the creative industries, but can articulate with postgraduate qualifications in similar fields elsewhere, locally and internationally.

    It articulates horizontally with the Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Information Systems.

    It articulates vertically with the Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Information Systems. 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this qualification was Reregistered in 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. SA School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance - Johannesburg 
    2. South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance t/a AFDA (The) - Cape Town 
    3. South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance t/a AFDA (The) - Durban 


    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.