Bachelor of Commerce: Banking

Purpose

The primary purpose of the qualification, closely tied to the rationale, is to prepare learners for managerial positions in financial institutions.

Rationale

The rationale for the qualification is to provide specialised education, training and scholarship in the field and practice of banking at the undergraduate level. Banking has become increasingly important due to the needs of consumers for a safe and reliable payment, savings and investment system in view of dynamic local and global economic and socio-political conditions. The Bachelor of Commerce: Banking prepares learners for the global, and specifically, the African context. The qualification also prepares graduates for specialised employment at the management level of banks and other financial institutions.

Candidates accessing this qualification should be able to

• Read and critically evaluate academic text in the language of learning and teaching of the provider 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).
• 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.
• Identify, access, retrieve and integrate information from scholarly or professional literature.
• Use technology to access and participate in the various modules that comprise the qualification by means of online delivery, library, 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 Higher Education Quality Council and the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and the procedures of the University of South Africa.

Recognition of Prior Learning can be used to grant access to the qualification to learners who do not meet the entry requirements and to grant learners credits towards the qualification.

Access to the Qualification

• The first requirement for admission is a National Senior Certificate certified by the Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) with an achievement rating of 4 or better (an D symbol on Matric Certificates), in four recognised National Senior Certificate 20-credit subjects selected from the designated subject list, containing English, at either Home, or First Additional, or Second Additional Level selected as a recognised 20-credit subject for the National Senior Certificate.
• The second requirement for admission is an achievement rating of 3 (an E symbol on Matric Certificates) or better for English, at either Home, or First Additional or Second Additional Level selected as a recognised 20-credit subject for the National Senior Certificate.
• The third requirement for admission to the BCom (Banking) is either an achievement rating of 4 (a D symbol on Matric Certificates) or better for Mathematics or an achievement rating of 6 or better for Mathematical Literacy as recognised 20-credit National Senior Certificate subjects.

Total credits for this qualification: 360

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 5: 72.

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 6: 168.

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 7: 120.

All the modules (30) are compulsory

• Business Management IA.
• Financial Accounting IA.
• Economics IA.
• Credit Management I.
• Quantitative Modelling.
• Commercial Law I.
• Banking I.
• Financial Accounting IB.
• Economics IB.
• Business Management IB.
• Commercial Law II.
• General Management.
• Financial Management II.
• Enterprise Risk Management.
• Financial Accounting II.
• Banking: Introduction to Treasury Management.
• Macroeconomics.
• Banking II.
• Credit Management II.
• Investments: An Introduction.
• Strategic Management IIIA.
• Strategic Management IIIB.
• Financial Management III.
• Banking III.
• Risk Financing and Insurance.
• Banking: Treasury Management.
• Credit Management III.
• Public Economics.
• Monetary Economics.
• International Finance.

1. Manage the primary functions of a bank in terms of deposits and loans and make decisions based on banking principles.
2. Manage a typical front and back office of a bank based on managerial principles.
3. Accurately perform calculations and analyse management information as a basis for managerial decisions.
4. Evaluate the impact of the state of the economy on banking decisions.
5. Interpret financial statements as a basis for managerial decisions.
6. Manage the risks faced by banks.
7. Manage compliance with applicable laws and bank regulations.
8. Draft and interpret reports to and from stakeholders of the bank.
9. Manage a bank's credit department according to credit management principles.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

This qualification promotes, in particular, the following Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

• Identify and solve banking problems in an organisational context in order to improve the management of the financial institution.
• Autonomously collect, organise and communicate essential information for decision-making purposes.
• Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community by taking full responsibility for their own work, decision making and use of resources.
• Organise and manage themselves and their own activities responsibly and effectively, develop their own learning strategies which sustain independent learning and academic or continued professional development and interact effectively within the learning or professional group as a means of enhancing learning.
• Communicate effectively using visual and/or language skills in the mode of written presentations. This includes producing and communicating information in specialised contexts in order to obtain responses and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem solving contexts do not exist in isolation. This includes operating effectively within a system, or managing the system based on an understanding of the roles and relationships between elements of the system.
• Develop sensitivity to the uniqueness of the banking industry in contrast to other industries. This includes identifying and addressing compliance and governance issues based on regulation and governance systems.
• Promote responsible citizenship by contributing towards the continued operation of a financial institution, and the social and economic development of society at large.
• Develop a basic theoretical knowledge in banking, taking into account socioeconomic, socio-political, legal and multicultural factors influencing economic, business and banking internationally and nationally.

The following set of Generic Assessment Criteria apply to the qualification as a whole

• Assessment of risks in an organisational context and other complex problems related to the areas of specialisation are accurately identified, reported and acted upon, taking into consideration the economic, socio-political and legal contexts, as well as compliance, governance and ethics.
• Standard procedures, processes or techniques are appropriately applied in order to theoretically deal with real-life world problems in the banking environment.
• The analyses and interpretation of theoretical, quantitative and qualitative data and information are independently conducted and demonstrate coherent and critical insight by means of well-rounded, theory-driven and evidence-based arguments and critical self-reflection.
• Judgements and conclusions are based on information and data and are clearly communicated using the resources of an academic/professional discourse appropriately, reliably and accurately.
• Critical self-assessment reflects an awareness of taking responsibility for own activities, ethical behaviour and continued personal development in the field of banking.
• Reasoning, viewpoints, insights and ideas reflect an acceptable social sensitivity in the learner's relationships and interactions with others in the scholarly, banking and/or other managerial work environments.

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 assessments 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. The pass mark shall be a minimum of 50% acquired from both formative and summative assessment in a proportionate ratio; 75% shall constitute a pass with distinction.

Assessors should assess and give credit for evidence of learning that has already been acquired through learning and experience.

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.