Bachelor of Commerce in Digital Marketing

The purpose of the Bachelor of Commerce in Digital Marketing qualification is to provide a well-rounded, broad education that equips learners with the knowledge base, theory, and methodology of disciplines, and enables them to demonstrate initiative and responsibility in an academic or professional context. Principles and theory are emphasised as a basis for entry into the labour market, professional training, postgraduate studies, or professional practice in a wide range of careers. The qualification will provide learners with a solid grounding in the application of marketing principles and techniques via information technologies.

The qualification will enable learners to follow a career in Digital Marketing that will enable them to use technology to communicate products, services, and branding messages to a target audience to grow business. Learners will understand the conventional marketing approach and be able to fulfil the marketing function for a business and understand how technology is used effectively and efficiently to accomplish this. The qualification does not intend to provide a deep skill set in technology itself, but instead, includes adequate exposure to appropriate technologies to establish an understanding of how technology can be used for marketing in business, inclusive of search engine, mobile and online marketing. Marketers will thus be able to work with technology specialists and developers to guide them to implement marketing strategies effectively to achieve marketing objectives. This will enable them to adequately understand the challenges and opportunities presented by technology to develop and deploy Digital Marketing strategies for business in cooperation with technologists.

In addition, the qualification is designed to ensure that learners understand the business environment with regards to digital marketing, management, finances, and project management, to enable them to understand business and its associated disciplines to make sound marketing decisions and to enter the industry as Digital Marketing specialists with confidence.

This qualification is designed to develop the knowledge and skills and meet the outcomes which are internationally and locally identified as critical for a career in this discipline. The specialist skill set covered in this qualification was identified by practising industry experts to comply with the need for Digital Marketing professionals focusing on online marketing solutions. Graduates will be well-positioned to add value to the establishment that employs them to pursue further studies in this field or to work as entrepreneur marketers or consultants in the industry.

Upon completion of this qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Develop and implement marketing and digital marketing strategies within a business environment.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the success factors of a modern business.
• Identify appropriate technology solutions to implement a Digital Marketing strategy and to communicate services, products, and branding messages to a specific target market.
• Collects analyse and interpret data to inform marketing strategy development.

Rationale

The need for this qualification emanated from the changing way in which individuals and businesses communicate in the modern business context. With the continual evolving of Information Technology, the world of business has changed dramatically. Businesses communicate their brand and product information to customers through an array of digital media This shift now demands that companies use technology correctly and efficiently to ensure that they reach the correct target market and that their message is efficiently and competitively conveyed to ensure consumers will select their products and services over competitor offerings. This shift is of critical importance as businesses who do not use these marketing channels correctly will not gain competitive advantage.

Technology associated with e-commerce and the Internet have changed the way the world does business. It is imperative that specialist education be provided in the field of Digital Marketing to ensure that businesses achieve success through the development of their marketing strategies in line with the new economy for the new consumer. Marketers operating in the digital economy must have the knowledge and skills to leverage technology aimed at optimising marketing activities to remain competitive through the creation of, inter alia, digital client relationship management, social networking marketing and online reputation management. As marketing is about communicating the products, services, and branding messages in an effective, efficient, and professional manner to specific target markets to grow business, the use of technology is imperative to reach the correct target market and achieve a competitive edge for business continuity. In this respect emphasis is to be placed on search engine marketing, mobile marketing, e-mail marketing and affiliate marketing through the development and implementation of a digital marketing strategy.

The qualification will provide learners with an opportunity to pursue further studies in marketing, branding, or advertising management.

This qualification is designed to develop the knowledge and skills to meet the outcomes which are internationally and locally identified as critical for a career in this discipline. The specialist skill set covered in this qualification was identified by practising industry experts to comply with the need for Digital Marketing professionals focusing on online marketing solutions. Learners will be well-positioned to add value to the establishment that employs them; to pursue further studies in this field; or enable them to work as entrepreneur marketers or consultants in the industry.

To prepare learners for a career in Digital Marketing, the qualification focuses on conventional marketing principles, concepts, and strategies and its application using technology to promote marketing in a digital environment. To further inform this specialisation, business management and strategy are included, together with exposure to appropriate and relevant technologies. Career opportunities available for learners include:

• Marketing Manager.
• Marketing Consultant.
• Content Coordinator.
• Public Relations Officer/Representative.
• Business Owner.
• Communications Manager.
• Corporate Consultant.
• Advertising Professional/Executive.
• Digital Marketer.
• Services Marketing.
• Product Marketing.
• Marketing Analyst.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Institution subscribes to the principles as outlined in the CHE Policies on the Recognition of Prior Learning, Credit Accumulation and Transfer, and Assessment in higher education as well as the SAQA National Policy and Criteria for the Implementation of RPL.

RPL for access

• Credits towards a qualification are not awarded by RPL but can be achieved through the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Process.
• RPL can be used to give a learner access to a qualification if they have the required prior qualification but not at the performance level normally required.
• RPL can be used to give a person admission to a qualification without having completed a qualification normally required at a lower level.
• Only 10% of any cohort can be admitted through RPL.
• RPL is applied to formal, informal, and non-formal learning achieved through any means other than formal study towards a recognised qualification or part of a recognised qualification, which is normally recognised through a process of Credit Accumulation and Transfer.
• Assessments for RPL are carried out by subject matter experts and are normally against the conventional entry requirements or assumptions about learning associated with entry requirements for a qualification.

RPL lends itself to an integrated form of assessment. As the learning is normally not gained entirely through a formal process, it is often something the candidate is best able to present in an integrated manner through the presentation of evidence (often from their work environment) and/or the completion of a task or tasks that will enable demonstration of the required competences.

The prior learning assessment seeks only to establish if the candidate has, through a process other than the ordinary formal certificated educational route acquired the knowledge, competence and skills that would normally be expected for those being granted admission. Content knowledge is often not the primary consideration if it is something that can be readily acquired and will not inhibit progression, therefore, a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) is presented.

The institution Credit Accumulation and Transfer, Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policy (IIE010) distinguish between RPL for access, which provides an alternative access route into a qualification of learning.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

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

Or

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

Or

• Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 with endorsement.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 5, 6 and 7, totalling 360 credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 120 Credits

• Accounting 1A, 15 Credits.
• Business Management 1, 15 Credit.
• Applied Communication Techniques, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Website Design and Development, 15 Credits.
• Accounting 1B, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Marketing Theory and Practice, 15 Credits.
• Digital Marketing 1B, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Micro and Macro Economics, 15 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 120 Credits

• Digital Marketing 2A, 15 Credits.
• Financial Management for Strategic Brand Management, 15 Credits.
• Project Management, 15 Credits.
• Quantitative Techniques, 15 Credits.
• Small Business Management, 15 Credits.
• Digital Marketing 2B, 15 Credits.
• Brand Activation, 15 Credits.
• Data Analytics for Digital Marketing, 15 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 120 Credits

• Digital Marketing 3A, 15 Credits
• Strategic Management, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Research, 15 Credits.
• Digital Communication Law, 15 Credits.
• Digital Marketing 3B, 15 Credits.
• Research Practice, 15 Credits
• Brand Challenge, 15 Credits.
• Digital Brand and Business Strategy, 15 Credits.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Identify and define the roles and purposes of marketing and digital marketing within the business sector.
• Correctly contextualize marketing and digital marketing processes and relationships to other areas of business.
• Proficiently identify and define target markets as the focus of specific products and services.
• Competently formulate and efficiently implement plans and strategies to meet marketing objectives.
• Identify and analyse marketing and digital marketing requirements accurately to promote business succession.
• Develop and effectively implement digital marketing plans and strategies capably to grow business.
• Successfully develop a marketing plan relevant to the client's needs and intended target market is through the application of the appropriate project management principles.
• Evaluate a digital marketing strategy suitably in the context of given marketing objectives.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Correctly identify and evaluate the relevance of market trends in the context of specific business and marketing risks.
• Adequately explain the relationship between the different business functions respective roles and contributions to the success of the business.
• Accurately identify economical and financial factors which may influence profitability and corporate economic well-being and impact on Digital Marketing applications are.
• Adeptly identify and evaluate digital marketing budgeting, funding, and financing strategies.
• Illustrate critical understanding of the role of social, economic, political, and technological forces when developing a Digital Marketing plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Evaluate the different technology solutions available in Digital Marketing solutions a and those most appropriate to achieve specific objectives.
• Correctly identify Information technology solutions most appropriate to communicate to specific target markets.
• Efficiently formulate Digital Marketing messages and communication campaigns to achieve specific marketing objectives aimed at managing client relationships and social networking.
• Appropriately conduct market analysis to identify gaps using a variety of Digital Marketing tools within the business to promote products/services.
• Appropriately developed digital marketing campaigns specific to selected technologies to promote and enhance interaction between business and customers/clients.
• Illustrate the ability to work as a team member and/or guide a team of technologists in the development of appropriate Digital Marketing solutions for various platforms such as search engine marketing, e-mail marketing and mobile marketing.
• Correctly identify and apply methodologies and techniques to organise and coordinate activities needed for efficient project completion.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Accurately perform a gap analysis on Digital Marketing applications to achieve business objectives.
• Proficiently apply deductive, analytical, comparative, and circumscriptive research methods to analyse market trends and Digital Marketing techniques within business environments.
• Research assesses, interpret and present findings relating to Digital Marketing applications and trends is conducted in a professional and academically sound manner.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

Integrated Assessment

The assessment strategy for the qualification includes projects, portfolios of evidence (PoE), assignments, Integrated Curriculum Engagement (ICE) tasks, examinations, and a research proposal.

Formative Assessment

• As competence develops over time and is improved with feedback, formative assessment should take place throughout the learning process and must result in feedback that enables learners to improve their performance and prepare for summative assessments.
• Feedback to learners may include a model answer, or rubric, depending on the nature of the discipline. However, these are not sufficient as they do not provide an individual learner with feedback on the relationship between the learners' response and the desired response in such a way that the learner knows what action is needed to improve their performance particularly in preparation for the summative assessment.
• Some formative assessments are not graded (awarded marks) and function to provide learners with feedback to promote their development but performance on the actual task does not contribute to the final module mark.
• ICE tasks would be an example of formative assessments that are not graded insofar as each task does not make a performance-based, assessed contribution to the final mark although completion of the tasks is required to earn a contribution to the final mark.

Graded Formative Assessment

• Some formative assessments are graded and thus have both the feedback and evaluative role.
• Graded formative assessment results are included in the Cumulative Assessment (CASS) Mark.
• Graded formative and summative assessments are designed centrally in a standard manner and format for all learners in a module against the module outcomes. Unlike ICE, graded assessments are not tools for class-specific responsive evaluation and feedback by the lecturer to the learner group they are teaching.
• The feedback from graded formative assessments should be used by learners to improve performance in their summative assessments but this feedback is generally subject to a time delay.
• Tests.
• Essays.
• Tasks in a Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) are examples of graded formative assessments.

Summative Assessment

• The purpose of summative assessments is to evaluate learner learning, skill acquisition and academic achievement at the end of a defined instructional period.
• Unlike formative assessments, which summarise learners' development at a point in a module and are intended to improve the learners' learning capacity or skill, summative assessments focus on analysing learner achievements after the completion of the learning process.
• Normally, learners are only given a grade for summative assessments and not detailed feedback.
• Summative assessments are typically the work of individual learners, rather than a group of learners.