Bachelor of Commerce in Law

Purpose

The qualification provides opportunities of excellence for students of diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, mainly to provide a basic programme of integrated training in law and commerce, which has restricted to the historically advantaged universities serving the more affluent sections of the population.

Rationale

The qualification provides a basic programme of integrated teaching and learning in Commerce and Law, in order to enable its graduates to proceed with further studies in Commerce and Law or to venture directly into the commercial and paralegal professions.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Access to the programme can also be provided in terms of the institution's Recognition of Prior Learning policy and its admission criteria stipulated by Senate. In the Recognition of Prior Learning process students have to undergo a Portfolio Development Course to support the student's admission. The PDC will focus on written submission explaining the reasons for the candidates' interest in Law as an adjunct to their existing professional competencies and indicating the nature of a possible research project.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Bachelor studies.

This qualification comprises of a compulsory and Electives modules at NQF Level 7 totalling 360 Credits, NQF Level 6, 375 Credits.

Compulsory

• Academic Literacy for Commerce 131, 15 Credits.
• Economics 134, 15 Credits.
• Business Statistics 132, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Legal Studies 111, 15 Credits.
• Introduction to Legal Studies 121, 5 Credits.
• Law of Persons 112, 15 Credits.
• Quantitative Skills For Commerce 131, 15 Credits.

Electives (2)

• Accounting for Management 132, 15 Credits.
• Financial Accounting 131, 15 Credits.
• Management 132, 15 Credits.
• Industrial Psychology 132, 15 Credits.
• Information systems 131, 15 Credits.

Year two

Compulsory

• Constitutional Law 202, 20 Credits.
• Critical Legal Analysis 201, 10 Credits.
• Family Law 121, 15 Credits.
• Legal Systems 111, 10 Credits.
• Legal Interpretation 221, 10 Credits.
• Law of Things 211, 20 Credits.

Electives: 40 Credits from one of

• Industrial Psychology.
• Management.
• Economics.
• Information Systems.

Year 3

Compulsory

• Law of Contract 301, 20 Credits.
• Company Law 211, 10 Credits.
• Law of Insolvency 311, 10 Credits.
• Labour Law 321, 15 Credits.
• Law of Negotiable Instruments 321, 10 Credits.

Electives: 60 Credits from one of

• Industrial Psychology.
• Management.
• Economics.
• Information Systems.

The following associated assessment criteria apply across all Exit Level Outcomes

1. Identify and solve problems in which responses display critical thinking.
2. Work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, or organisation.
3. Organise and manage oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively.
4. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
5. Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical, and language skills in the modes of written and oral presentation.

The following associated assessment criteria apply across all Exit Level Outcomes

• Critically discuss social and cultural issues, demonstrating awareness of their political, economic, legal, aesthetic and/or historical significance, in order to promote social justice.
• Demonstrate an understanding of social development, and specifically of change and development in South African society.
• Access, interpret and critically assess information from a variety of sources through the use of a variety of information media.
• Formulate solutions to problems, whether actual or hypothetical, that have been posed within the particular discourse of a legal, social sciences or humanities discipline.
• Make informed judgements about the development, utilisation and management of resources.

Integrated Assessment

The assessment takes place according to strict assessment criteria, as outlined in the prescribed module descriptor. Lecturers set assignments, class tests and the final assessment papers in terms of module outcomes viz adequate level of relevant text comprehension to be demonstrated, adequate range of relevant sources to have been accessed and relevant problems to have been grasped, and appropriate theoretical and practical assignments and case studies as well as solutions to problems to have been presented.

This ensures that assessments maintain a certain standard following the standards as set out in the syllabus. An external moderator moderates assessment papers set. The same principle applies to the final marking of the assessments. This ensures that skills and concepts are mastered, thereby maintaining a standard of assessment relevant to this offering.

Within each module students will be subject to continuous evaluation via assignments, projects and presentations, the precise combination varying with the nature of the module. In addition, each module will be examined through a written examination.