Bachelor of Business Administration

Purpose

The purpose of the Bachelor of Business Administration is to offer learners the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge and become empowered to function in the business environment. The qualification will provide knowledge and skills in general management, which will enable learners to realise their potential and assist in progression towards managerial roles within organisations. The qualification is structured in such a way that it provides individuals with a set of core management competencies, which are augmented through specific electives. Increasingly, education and skills are seen as the key to both their personal quality of life and the broader strengths of society. Criteria such as the relevance of knowledge and the applicability of skills are increasingly becoming important determinants of employability.

The qualification lies in its flexibility of subject choice, a curriculum that is relevant and ahead of trends, and teaching staff with both business and academic experience. The online blended approach ensures that learners graduate with essential work skills such as critical thinking, being innovative and adaptable to change, effective problem solving, working to deadlines, collaborating in team situations, and communicating effectively. The qualification is designed to cater for working learners who would like to have access to educational space.

Upon successful completion of the qualification, the qualifying learner will be able to

• Apply business management principles such as communication, human resources management, strategic, operational and project management in the business environment.
• Integrate and apply knowledge and skills of business administration in fields related to business development, such as professional ethics, conflict handling and organisational diversity.
• Discuss the economic environment that influences business managers.
• Explain basic knowledge of financial management and accounting and its application in the business management environment.
• Explore the knowledge and skills to lead and manage groups and teams in an organisational context.
• Examine the nature and scope of the marketing and entrepreneurship environment in which business organisations operate.

Rationale

The qualification will provide fundamentals in education within business, management and leadership concepts, principles, theories, and models, and prepare learners for a broad range of job opportunities. Globalisation has led companies into various areas of growth, knowledge and skills within the business environment can now be seen as highly significant, hence the need for this qualification. In the context of the high demand for managerial skills and knowledge of the systemic interrelatedness of organisational functions, this qualification directly addresses the management needs of the economy.

This qualification has been developed for learners interested in gaining insight into business organisations and their functions, through an in-depth investigation of key general management functions and an interrogation of their management thereof. The intended outcome of this qualification is the development of general business managers who are equipped with the relevant management skills to perform their roles and responsibilities more effectively and to create career progression and entry opportunities for learners.

This qualification aims to assist individuals who are new to the business environment as well as those who are currently employed at businesses to progress into general management. The qualification also contributes to the human resource development needs of the Southern African region. This is in line with catering for the needs of communities through a flexible, supported online learning programme. The qualification meets a need as shown by requests from prospective learners and the industry.

In addition, this qualification provides many articulation pathways assisting learners to advance within their studies. The qualification can be deemed beneficial to business communities within the public and private sectors.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The principles of RPL are subscribed to and will be implemented in a flexible manner.

RPL for access

• The principle of flexible and open access will, however, be offset against the provision so that this is not to the detriment of the potential learner and that his/her chances of succeeding are reasonable.
• Through evaluation by a specifically constituted RPL committee, learners' competencies will be assessed to determine whether they are eligible for access to advanced placement in or have provided evidence that the stated competence of the qualification has been achieved through experience that complies with the stated specified outcomes.

RPL for credits

• Learners may also be given credit through Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) or RPL for exemption from individual modules if they can produce a portfolio of evidence or undergo any other recognised means of assessment that shows that they meet the outcomes and associated assessment criteria specified for that module.
• Applications for credit via the CAT and RPL mechanism are reviewed by the RPL committee, which allows for uniform and consistent application of the RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to bachelor's studies.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational), NQF Level 4, granting access to bachelor's studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 with endorsement.

Or

• Higher Certificate in Business Management, NQF Level 5.

This qualification comprises compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Levels 5, 6 and 7, totalling 360 credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 80 Credits

• Business Management 1A, 10 Credits
• Quantitative Techniques, 10 Credits
• Computer Skills, 10 Credits
• Business English, 10 Credits
• Business Management 1B, 10 Credits
• Business Law, 10 Credits
• Economics 1A, 10 Credits
• Economics 1B, 10 Credits

Elective Modules, Level 5, 40 Credits (Choose 4 modules)

• Public Relations 1, 10 Credits
• Human Resource Management 1, 10 Credits
• Marketing 1, 10 Credits
• Consumer Behaviour, 10 Credits
• Financial Accounting 1A, 10 Credits
• Financial Accounting 1B, 10 Credits

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 72 Credits

• Research Methodology, 12 Credits
• Human Resource Information System, 12 Credits
• Business Management 2A, 12 Credits
• Business Management 2B, 12 Credits
• Project Management, 12 Credits
• Data Analytics, 12 Credits

Elective Modules, Level 6, 48 Credits (Choose 4 modules)

• Human Resource Management 2A, Credits 12
• Human Resource Management 2B, 12 Credits
• Management Accounting 2A, 12 Credits
• Management Accounting 2B, 12 Credits
• Marketing 2A, 12 Credits
• Marketing 2B, 12 Credits
• Public Relations 2, 12 Credits

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 72 Credits

• Business Management 3A, 12 Credits
• Business Management 3B, 12 Credits
• Business Ethics, 12 Credits
• Work Integrated Learning, 12 Credits
• Research Design, 6 Credits
• Research Literature Review, 6 Credits
• Research Data Collection and Analysis, 6 Credits
• Research Final Project, 6 Credits

Elective Modules, Level 7, 48 Credits (Choose 4 modules)

• Human Resource Management 3A, 12 Credits
• Human Resource Management 3B, 12 Credits
• Product and Promotion Management 3, 12 Credits
• Strategic Marketing, 12 Credits
• Public Relations 3, 12 Credits
• Financial Management 3A, 12 Credits
• Financial Management 3B, 12 Credits

1. Demonstrate understanding of and the ability to apply business management principles such as communication, human resources management, strategic, operational and project management in the business environment.
2. Integrate and apply knowledge and skills of business administration in fields related to business development, such as professional ethics, conflict handling and organisational diversity.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the economic environment that influences business managers.
4. Demonstrate basic knowledge of financial management and accounting and their application in the business management environment.
5. Explore and demonstrate the knowledge and skills to lead and manage groups and teams in an organisational context.
6. Examine the nature and scope of the marketing environment to understand entrepreneurship and the marketing environment organisations operate.
7. Interpret professional and organisational cultures within a business environment, with sensitivity towards societal and cultural considerations.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of current global trends in business strategies and communication technology.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Serve the needs of individuals and society creatively and innovatively by identifying and analysing the needs of the target population.
• Describe components of a Human Resource Management system and examine the current human resource systems used within industry.
• Evaluate the evolution of Human Resource Management and explore the history and development of the Human Resource Management function throughout the years.
• Identify concepts and tools and explain strategic management.
• Describe strategic elements and identify various levels of strategy.
• Investigate the needs of potential customers by formulating economic strategies.
• Contribute to the group output in tasks growing out of the business, commerce, and management fields by working effectively as a member of a team.
• Explore group dynamics by observing behaviours and psychological processes within groups.
• Conceptualise project management concepts and terminologies for better understanding.
• Characterise project management constraints and their impact on project success.
• Explore project management tools and techniques used in the project life cycle and explain how tasks can be completed efficiently and effectively.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Explain concepts of business ethics and their importance in the organisation.
• Discuss the relationship between ethics and law and distinguish between legal, ethical, illegal, and/or unethical behaviour.
• Explore distinctions between what is perceived as ethically right and wrong to make decisions on moral dilemmas and competing.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Discuss the management of change where managers face new and unique challenges.
• Apply the fundamentals of data-driven decision making.
• Identify, analyse, and apply planning and decision aids using theory-driven methods.
• Explain the organisational design and evaluate contemporary organisational designs.
• Develop, implement, and monitor a business strategy using the strategic planning process.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Explain concepts to provide an in-depth understanding of financial management.
• Analyse pro forma financial statements to explore how they are used in financial management.
• Develop strategies in management to examine how elements of working capital are implemented.
• Analyse pre-determined costs and management accounting systems to enable an understanding of the inherent nature and characteristics of each cost type.
• Provide direct, indirect, fixed, and variable costs to be able to classify and distinguish the different management accounting fundamental concepts.
• Explain various stock evaluation methods to be able to analyse and select the most suitable method that will support

manufacturing cost structures.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Explain the importance and role of leadership in organisations.
• Discuss the theoretical foundations of leadership.
• Explain the importance of people in management and organisations.
• Discuss the principles of learning and the general assumptions underlying emotional intelligence.
• Explain the principles and characteristics of groups and teams within organisations.
• Critically discuss and apply the principles of motivation.
• Discuss the different types of motivational theories.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Examine the concept of entrepreneurship and discuss the importance of entrepreneurship in the economy.
• Discuss the qualities and characteristics of entrepreneurs to enable a discussion on them.
• Develop business ideas and evaluate them.
• Examine the viability of a business idea.
• Assess the impact of environmental factors on the marketing of an organisation.
• Examine and apply marketing research concepts to the business environment.
• Examine market segmentation, targeting, and positioning and discuss how these factors assist organisations to be competitive in marketing their products or services.
• Provide the elements and an example of a business plan to enable drawing up a business plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Explore and investigate organisational cultures and discuss management's role within an organisation.
• Discuss contemporary issues related to organisational culture within the context of cultural theories.
• Explore the nature of diversity and its dynamics within an organisation.
• Investigate and explore contemporary issues related to diversity for a better understanding of how to manage workforce diversity.
• Discuss the influence and the power of businesses on various environments.
• Construct ideas in the business environment and discuss their power in shaping the business government-society relationship.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Explore statistical measures and methods of calculating and ascertaining them extensively to provide a sound quantitative grounding for competence and understanding.
• Critique principles, concepts, and techniques of data-gathering, classification, summarisation, interpretation, and presentation/communication to enhance understanding and appreciation of objective statistical practices.
• Apply methods and techniques of data organisation and processing to real-life scenarios to promote understanding of the importance of producing unbiased, reliable research outcomes.
• Identify concepts of International Trade and Investment and discuss the economics and politics of such Trade and Investment.