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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Law 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
112623  Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Law 
ORIGINATOR
Akademia NPC 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
CHE - Council on Higher Education  HEQSF - Higher Education Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National First Degree  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  360  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Reregistered  EXCO 0821/24  2019-10-30  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2033-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification replaces: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
97839  Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Law  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  410  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to follow a successful career in commerce and its associated legal practices. The qualification provides the theory and application of the principles of economics, business practice and law to ensure that learners can develop and grow intellectually. The qualification will enable learners to make a valuable contribution to the world of economics and business practice with its associated legal methods. Also, and in the process will allow them to continue and further their discipline-based studies.

A qualifying learner in this qualification will be able to follow careers in economics, business, law and the related disciplines. The successful learner will:
  • Make a meaningful contribution to a market;
  • Implement the concepts and principles of economics in a business environment; apply financial accounting concepts and principles; practice the ideas of the legal responsibilities of an organisation;
  • Make economically and legally sound business decisions; and
  • Use business communication concepts and principles, approaches, techniques and practices.

    The qualification also aims to equip learners with the necessary knowledge and skills in business management, financial- and strategic management. It also provides the learner with knowledge and skills in financial accounting and associated legal practices. The qualification exposes learners to economic and legal practice concepts and practices. Also, ensure that learners are sensitive to the fact that business processes are processes mostly serving the economy within a particular legal framework.

    Rationale:
    The dual focus on economics and law addresses the increasing interdisciplinary need to deliver learners with the ability to enter an ever-changing local and global economy. This qualification explores the economic and legal aspects of business. Also, how they combine to create the milieu in which companies function provides a broader range of opportunities for graduates entering the work world to be employed.

    The qualification prepares learners for careers in the private and public sectors focusing on planning, management, and policy-making. It also provides opportunities for learners considering following professional and Postgraduate qualifications in law, management, and public administration. This qualification provides both commerce and legal education for learners to gain an understanding of the economic and legal aspects of business decisions, and of how the law affects businesses and institutions. The qualification also produces legal practitioners with generic and transferable skills. Also, including oral and written communication, numeracy and computer literacy and a critical capacity who are, thus, equipped for a variety of career paths in law, business and the public sector.

    The qualification prepares learners for careers in law and may pursue Postgraduate studies in Economics. Also, to study further to obtain a Bachelor in Laws (LLB) qualification, leading to possible admission as an attorney or advocate. Learners can enter the world of work as among other things, accountants, economists, business or financial analysts, government officials, consultants, policy analysts. Also, learners acquire knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts, structure and history of the South African legal system and the main branches of law. Furthermore, learners may gain basic knowledge and understanding of critical aspects of Economic and Business Sciences. This twofold purpose has the primary function of equipping learners with basic and essential understanding of Law and Economic and Business Sciences:
  • An invaluable applied competence acquired in the study of Law and Economics and Business Sciences;
  • To enable them to engage in a concerted study of law for the Bachelor in Laws qualification.

    The modern business world needs participants with knowledge and understanding of economics, commerce and law to contribute to the continuing success of the economy as a whole. Successful businesses improve the standard of living of its owners, managers and employees, and it creates prosperous communities and a prosperous nation.

    In addition to the essential understanding of economic concepts, learners will gain knowledge of legal skills to enter the workplace confidently and competitively. The qualification has a dual purpose:
  • It should allow the learner access to an Honours qualification in Economics,
  • It should be enabling the learner entry into a professional or Postgraduate qualification in Law, leading towards professional registration as an attorney. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    Where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements stated, the institution uses Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to grant access to the qualification. Through a structured process, the institution will ensure that quality assurance processes that address the specificities of the RPL process. The process includes applications, assessment, and reporting and management systems) are implemented; and that administrative and support systems, both prior and after RPL assessment, are in place.

    Entry Requirements:
  • National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4 (granting access to Bachelor studies).
    Or
  • National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4 (with appropriate subject combinations - Mathematics and Accounting and granting access to Bachelor studies). 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    Entry requires:
    This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 410 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 135 Credits:
  • Economics 1, 20, Credits.
  • Business Management 1, 20, Credits.
  • Statistics 1, 20, Credits.
  • Introduction to Business Information systems, 15 Credits.
  • Financial Accounting 1 (for legal profession), 20 Credits.
  • Introduction to Law, 20 Credits.
  • Law of Persons and Family Law, 20 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 140 Credits:
  • Economics 2, 20 Credits.
  • Financial Accounting 2, 20 Credits.
  • Financial Management and Personal Financial Management, 20 Credits.
  • Law of Contract and Specific Contract, 20 Credits.
  • Law of Succession, 20 Credits.
  • Constitutional Law, 20 Credits.
  • Legal Interpretation and Administrative Law, 20 Credits.

    Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 135 Credits:
  • Economics 3, 30 Credits.
  • International Trade, 30 Credits.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility, 15 Credits.
  • Law of Property, 20 Credits.
  • Company Law, 20 Credits.
  • Labour Law, 20 Credits. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Understand the main concepts, issues and tools of economics, with an emphasis on the institutional features of the South African economy.
    2. Understand the main areas of economics, law and associated disciplines, including the nature of the business environment, a background in financial accounting and financial management.
    3. Evaluate, select and apply the various approaches and techniques that facilitate the management decision-making process.
    4. Appreciate the significance of the use of active and robust business information systems to evaluate the contributions their information systems make to their businesses.
    5. Explain ethics and corporate governance in terms of financial management.
    6. Appreciate the significance of economic data, reports and analyses in the context of national and international dynamics to evaluate the industrial developments, policies and actions.
    7. Understand the basic legal principles relating to partnerships, business trusts, close corporations and company law. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Explain concepts such as economics, economic growth, inflation, and balance of payments.
  • Understand the impact of economic growth, employment and inflation on the consumer.
  • Discuss knowledge of the interaction between fiscal and monetary policy as a key to stimulating growth.
  • Analyse the impact of import tariffs and trade barriers on market segments, consumers and global trading.
  • Determine the most critical variables in the monetary system and how they affect the economy.
  • Analyse the effects of fiscal policy using the Keynesian model.
  • Explain the Phillips curve and its relationship with the aggregate supply curve.
  • Analyse the use of Aggregate Demand (AD), and Aggregate Supply (AS) curves changes in AD and AS.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Distinguish micro from macroeconomics.
  • Describe the measurement of economic growth and development.
  • Explain the difference between needs, wants and demand.
  • Distinguish five types of economic systems concerning traditional economies, planned socialist economies, pure capitalist economies and mixed economies.
  • Understand the relationship between law and justice.
  • Distinguish the characteristics between the Western, socialist, non-Western and South African legal systems.


    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Discuss the various management science applications, techniques and models.
  • Explain the various management science approaches that a manager can follow.
  • Discuss the use of linear programming in managerial decision making.
  • Display an understanding of sensitivity analysis and interpretation of a solution.
  • Explain forecasting and the use thereof in managerial decision making.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4:
  • Identify the basic types of business information systems and their uses, as well as the benefits they deliver, are discussed.
  • Explain the use of business information systems by organisations to gain competitive advantage.
  • Explain the measures that an organisation can use to evaluate the contributions their information systems make to their businesses.
  • Identify the primary activities and business objectives common to all transaction processing systems.
  • Describe the inputs, processing and outputs for the transaction processing systems associated with the order processing, purchasing and accounting business functions.
  • Describe the types of controls required to ensure the integrity of data entry and processing and uninterrupted e-commerce.
  • Outline the principles of developing a recovery plan.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5:
  • Explore the elements of good corporate governance in terms of King III.
  • Define the role of ethics in financial decision making.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6:
  • Understand the relationship between international trade and investment that is crucial to determine the growth opportunities for an economy.
  • Analyse the balance of payments and its relation to foreign exchange markets and exchange rates.
  • Analyse the foreign debt of South Africa, and the effect it has on the economic development in the country.
  • Discuss the contribution of foreign finance, investment, aid, and conflict in economic development.
  • Provide an evaluation of the contribution of fiscal and financial policy to accelerate development.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7:
  • Demonstrate the ability to distinguish partnerships from other business structures such as business trusts and close corporations.
  • Discuss the legal nature of business structures (i.e. partnerships, business trusts, close corporations) with specific reference to insolvency and litigation.
  • Understand the legal consequences that flow from the formation of the various business structures (i.e. partnerships, business trusts, close corporations).
  • Describe the legal principles about the accounting officer, accounting records and annual financial statements.

    Integrated Assessment:
    The Institution is committed to assessment practices that are open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable to ensure that no learner is disadvantaged. The institution use formative and summative assessment methods during to evaluate combinations of functional, applied, foundational and reflective competencies.

    Formative assessment takes place during teaching and learning. It involves group work, tests and assignments, as well as informal continuous assessment tasks in the form of small pre- and post-tests during contact sessions to identify misconceptions and to learn gaps along the way. Simulations, case studies and other similar techniques also provide a context appropriate to the formative assessment. Summative assessment in the way of an examination takes place at the end of the year and provides information and feedback that sums up the teaching and learning process. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    The institution compared the Bachelor of Commerce in Economics with Law of the institution and two other institutions, one in Australia (Curtin University) and the other one in New Zealand (University of Canterbury). Curtin University has double essential qualification like the one of the institution, having a focus on Economics and Law. There are similarities relating to the economics subjects as well as some of the law subjects, for example, Introduction to Law, Law of Persons and Family Law, the public law subjects like Constitutional Law and Administrative Law and commercial law subjects like Law of Contract, Law of Property, and Company Law. Although Curtin University presents its double major programme in more than three years, learners (from the institution) do have the option to obtain the qualification in more than three years.

    There are also remarkable similarities between the Bachelor of Commerce in Economics offered at the University of Canterbury and the institution's qualification. Both Degrees are presented over a minimum period of three years and with the subject choices offered at Canterbury, a very similar qualification can be compiled, identical to that of the institution. This Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Law is also comparable in terms of outcomes and assessment criteria, level of cognitive complexity and volume of learning expressed in credits and notional learning time. 

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    This qualification allows possibilities for both vertical and horizontal articulation.

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Advanced Diploma in Economics, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Economic Science, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Economic Sciences, NQF Level 7.
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Economics, NQF Level 7.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in Economics, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Economics, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours in General Economics, NQF Level 8.
  • Bachelor of Science Honours in Economics, NQF Level 8. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    N/A 

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification.
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. Akademia NPC 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.