Diploma: Banking

Purpose

The primary purpose of the qualification, closely tied to the rationale, is to introduce learners to the field of banking to enable them to be employed at operational level. Qualifying learners will have a fundamental understanding of bank management theory and principles. This qualification is designed to enable learners to join the financial services sector at both entry and operational levels.

Rationale

The rationale for the qualification is to provide introductory, yet 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 Diploma in Banking prepares learners for the global and African context. The qualification also prepares graduates for specialised employment at the operational level of banks.

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.

Access to the Qualification

• The first requirement for admission is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 or better (an E symbol on Matric Certificates), in four recognised National Senior Certificate 20-credit subjects at NQF Level 4 containing either Afrikaans or English, as a language of tuition.
• The second additional requirement for admission to all Diplomas offered by the Commerce, Economics and Management Services (CEMS) faculty is an achievement rating of 4 or better (a D symbol on Matric Certificates) for one of the languages of tuition as a recognised 20-credit National Senior Certificate subject at NQF Level 4.
• The third requirement for admission to all Diplomas offered by the CEMS is either an achievement rating of 3 or better (an E symbol on Matric Certificates) for Mathematics or an achievement rating of 5 or better for Mathematical Literacy as a recognised 20-credit National Senior Certificate subject at NQF Level 4.

Candidates with an equivalent qualification that meets the above listed criteria or with an appropriate Higher Certificate at NQF Level 5 may also be considered for admission to selected Diploma Programmes offered by the CEMS.

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 Procedures of the University of South Africa.

Total credits for this qualification: 360

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 5: 108 Credits.

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 6: 192 Credits.

Minimum total credits at NQF Level 7: 60 Credits.

All the modules (30) are compulsory.

Modules

• Banking: Introduction.
• Banking: Fundamental Principles.
• Business Management IA.
• Business Management IB.
• Economics 1A.
• Risk Management for Bankers.
• Financial Accounting 1A.
• Commercial Law 1.
• Credit Management.
• Decision Sciences.
• Economics IB.
• Banking I.
• Financial Accounting IB.
• Credit Management 1.
• Essentials of Marketing.
• Banking II.
• Enterprise Risk Management.
• Personal Financial Management.
• Macroeconomics.
• Banking: Introduction to Treasury Management.
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management.
• Investments: Real Estate.
• Banking: Treasury Management.
• Risk Financing and Insurance.
• Finance for Non Financial Managers.
• Investments: An Introduction.
• Credit Management II.
• Banking III.
• Public Economics.
• Fundamentals of Operational and Financial Risk.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of banking and its role in the payment, savings and investment system of an economy.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the supervision of a back office of a bank.
3. Apply Numerical skills in order to accurately perform calculations.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the economy particularly as it applies to banking.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of how accounting classifies ledger accounts, records transactions using the rules of debit and credit, as well as summarises accounting data in financial statements.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the primary risks faced by banks.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of banking laws and regulations that require compliance in order to act responsibly and ethically in a banking environment.
8. Implement the principles of credit management in a banking environment.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

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

• Identify and solve basic banking problems in an organisational context in order to obtain approval from higher levels of management.
• Autonomously collect, organise and communicate essential information for decision-making purposes.
• 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 of 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 and reported, taking into consideration the economic, socio-political and legal contexts, including compliance, governance and ethics.
• Standard procedures, processes or techniques are appropriately applied in order to theoretically deal with familiar and basic 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 a discourse appropriately, reliably and accurately.
• Critical self-assessment reflects an awareness of taking responsibility for the learner's own activities, ethical behaviour and continued personal development in the field of banking.
• Reasoning, insights and ideas reflect an acceptable social sensitivity in the learner's relationships and interactions with others in the banking and/or work environment.

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. 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.