Higher Certificate: Banking

Purpose

The primary purpose of the qualification, closely tied to the rationale, is to introduce learners to the field of banking. 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 the entry level.

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 Higher Certificate: Banking, NQF Level 5 prepares learners for the global and specifically, the 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, the library, other electronic services in support of the learning (myUnisa) and any other additional resources related to the qualification modules.

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.

Access to the Qualification

• The minimum requirement, but not the only requirement, for admission is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) certified by the Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) containing either Afrikaans or English, at either Home, or First Additional, or Second Additional Level as a recognised 20-credit National Senior Certificate subject at NQF Level 4 (the language of tuition).
• An additional requirement for admission to all the Higher Certificates offered by the Commerce, Economics and Management Services (CEMS) faculty is an achievement rating of 4 or better for Mathematical Literacy, if this recognised 20-credit National Senior Certificate subject at NQF Level 4 was selected for the National Senior Certificate instead of Mathematics.

Candidates with an equivalent qualification, for instance a Matric Certificate without exemption, that meets the above listed criteria, may also be considered for admission to the Higher Certificate Programme.

All ten modules are compulsory.

Total credits for the qualification: 120

• Banking: Introduction.
• Banking: Fundamental Principles.
• Business Management I.
• Elementary Quantitative Methods.
• Economics.
• Financial Accounting.
• Risk Management for Banks.
• Banking: Compliance Management.
• Communication in Business Context.
• Credit Management I.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of basic banking concepts.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of basic principles of management.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of and perform basic financial calculations.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of basic economic concepts, especially those applicable in a banking environment.
5. Demonstrate and apply an understanding of basic rules of accounting.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental risk types faced by banks.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of basic banking laws and regulations.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of basic principles for credit management.

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 self and own activities responsibly and effectively, develop 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 to determine competency in the Exit Level Outcomes:

• Assessment of risks in an organisational context are accurately identified and reported.
• Standard procedures, processes and/or techniques are appropriately applied in order to deal with familiar and basic real-life world problems in the banking environment.
• Judgements and conclusions based on information and data are made and are clearly communicated.
• 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 reflects an acceptable social sensitivity in the learner's relationships and interactions with others in the banking and other 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. 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.