Master of Commerce

Purpose

The qualification includes various specialisations, refer to "Notes".

The primary purpose of the Master of Commerce is to equip learners with Postgraduate level knowledge, specific skills and applied competence in selected subfields of the Business, Commerce and Management Studies. Learners will develop competence to apply appropriate and creative methods, techniques, processes and technologies to complex practical and theoretical problems in their selected field or across fields. Learners will receive the techniques for independent research, analysis and articulation of ideas, which are transferable to further postgraduate study at Doctoral level.

Rationale

There is a need to develop competent leaders in the fields of Business, Commerce and Management Sciences with specialised basic, applied fundamental and interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge and competence to drive sustainable development, growth and prosperity in the most appropriate direction. Learners will develop into such leaders as well as competent researchers who become specialists in selected fields of commerce with the ability to conduct research and engage with current research and commercial practices. They will demonstrate advanced scholarship in selected aspects of these fields of study, and across fields of study, and so contribute to the national and international advancement of commerce by applying appropriate and creative methods and technologies to identify and resolve complex theoretical and practical problems.

Learners will develop into lifelong learners, employable researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders in the commerce community that make positive and high-level contributions to not only business establishments, but also society as a whole.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences has an approved RPL policy based on the institutional RPL policy, by which each RPL learner will receive an assessment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has become an internationally accepted practice in higher education institutions and aims to increase access to higher education for many people for whom this was previously not possible. RPL is an access mechanism in which the previous learning and experience of a learner acquired through formal, non-formal and informal evaluation against the learning outcomes and assessment criteria for a prerequisite prior qualification, a different type of higher education qualification or a specific module. The learning that meets the requirements research for purposes of granting the necessary status to be admitted to qualification, to articulate into another type of higher education qualification or to be awarded credit for or be exempted from a module in a qualification. An RPL evaluation may include assessment of knowledge, competencies and skills, on-the-job experience and life experience and should demonstrate an appropriate balance between theory and practical application.

RPL assessment methods-

The choice of method should be appropriate (fit-for-purpose) and accessible to the assessor as well as the learner with specific accommodations made for learners with learning difficulties and the language needs of the learner.

Where learners are found to be competent overall but display a 'gap' in their knowledge, a developmental learning opportunity/activity can be proposed by the assessor to enhance the chances that learners will succeed in their further studies. Based on the RPL assessment, learners may be required to follow an extended qualification or to complete certain modules before being allowed to register for the full academic qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Commerce Honours, NQF Level 8.

Or

• Cognate Postgraduate Diploma, NQF Level 8.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at NQF Level 9 totalling Credits.

• Dissertation, 180 Credits.

1. Submit a Masters Dissertation of approximately 100 pages on an appropriate topic.
2. Conduct a literature study and review.
3. Demonstrate the ability to do research design and methodology.
4. Present findings, conclusions and recommendations of the dissertation.
5. Ensure that the overall linguistic and technical presentation of the dissertation is up to academic, professional and occupational discourse requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Delineate appropriate research objectives/aims/hypotheses.
• Delimit the scope of the study as evident from the research objectives/aims/hypotheses.
• Ensure that the focus of the study remains consistent with the aims and objectives of the research.
• Extract and present an unambiguous title conveying the focus of the study.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Express the relevance, contemporary nature and authority of the scientific sources and theories consulted.
• Review critically and present the relevant literature in the field of study.
• Draw conclusions, propose and motivate relevant interventions at an appropriate level.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Outline a research design that constitutes a logical progression from the research objectives, aims and the hypotheses.
• Motivate the relevance of the research design.
• Use a wide range of specialised skills to identify, conceptualise, design and implement methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging problems in the demarcated field of study.
• Explain the relevance and scope of the processes that are used to identify and collect the objects of the research, e.g. the data, documents, artefacts, specimens, compositions, etc.
• Apply appropriate analytical techniques to meet the aims and objectives of the study / prove or disprove the hypotheses.
• Accurately interpret and discuss the findings, substantiated by the results of the analysis.
• Present the results in terms of the research objectives, aims and the hypotheses.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Make and present logical and relevant conclusions based on the research results.
• Present the research findings and explain the contribution they could make to both scientific and practical contexts.
• Make and present appropriate recommendations and proposals for future research.
• Objectively consider the limitations and shortcomings of the study.
• Operate independently and take responsibility for their work.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Ensure schematic division of dissertation into chapters and the table of contents.
• Present the abstract.
• Ensure consistent application of a particular referencing style.
• Compile reference list or bibliography.
• Ensure the inclusion of appropriate annexure and appendices, such as questionnaires, computer qualifications, and other research documents.

Integrated Assessment

The outcome of this qualification constitutes a single advanced research project culminating in the production and acceptance of a dissertation. The research process goes through continuous assessment. A panel of duly appointed examiners, two external and one internal, conducts summative assessment through the examination of the dissertation produced. The learner must provide evidence of specialised and high-level research competence and theoretical knowledge and application in the field of study manifested in the dissertation.