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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Practitioner 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
112831  Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Practitioner 
ORIGINATOR
Development Quality Partner - CIMA 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
-   OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
Occupational Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Finance, Economics and Accounting 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  180  Not Applicable  NQF Level 07  Regular-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered  SAQA 08127/19  2019-12-05  2024-12-05 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2025-12-05   2028-12-05  

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 does not replace any other qualification and is not replaced by any other qualification. 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
This Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Specialist prepares a learner to function at a senior or managerial level in the field of management accounting. It provides an exit level from the full pathway towards professional management accountant status.

The qualifying learner will be able to:
  • Manage the implementation of organisational strategy through people, projects, processes and relationships.
  • Analyse, plan and manage costs to support the implementation of the organisation's strategy and assess investment decisions and their associated risks.
  • Use consolidated financial statements to analyse performance; and position and source the long-term finance required to fund the operations of organisations, particularly their capital investments.

    Rationale:
    This qualification is the third step in the learning pathway to becoming e a professional Management Accountant. Management Accountant is currently one of the occupations in high demand in South Africa. In the design of this qualification, the institution co-operation with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and their stakeholders. The institution aligned the qualifications to international management accounting standards. This alignment will assist in keeping South African business practices in line with international norms. It will also enhance South Africa's international competitiveness and standing in the global economy. The implementation of the qualification can make a significant impact on the South African business environment and economy.

    This qualification provides a third exit level along the learning pathway towards becoming a fully qualified Management Accountant. The qualification allows learners to enter the labour market and to become economically active while continuing along the learning pathway. The qualification also provides people with the skills required in various management accounting roles in the financial divisions of organisations in all sectors of the economy. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
    RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment.

    Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or certifying a work experience record.

    RPL for Access to the Qualification:
    Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

    Entry Requirements:
    Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Specialist, Level 6. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skills and Work Experience Modules:

    Knowledge Modules:
  • 241102000-KM-08, Project and Relationship Management, Level 7, 36 Credits.
  • 241102000-KM-09, Advanced Management Accounting, Level 7, 36 Credits.
  • 241102000-KM-10, Advanced Financial Reorganisation, Level 7, 36 Credits.
    Total number of Credits for Knowledge Modules: 108.

    Practical Skill Modules:
  • 241102000-PM-07, Analyse, Plan and Manage Costs to Support the Implementation of the Organisation's Strategy, Level 7, 12 Credits.
  • 241102000-PM-08, Analyse Relevant Information and Evaluate Risks and Manage Risks associated with both Cash Flows and Capital Investment Decisions through the Application of the Required Techniques, Processes and Internal Control Systems, Level 7, 12 Credits.
  • 241102000-PM-09, Prepare a Set of Accounts and Financial Statements and Interpret Financial Statements, Level 7, 12 Credits.
    Total number of Credits for Practical Skills Modules: 36.

    Work Experience Modules:
  • 241102000-WM-03, Functioning in the role of Management Accounting Practitioner - with a focus on the medium term, Level 7, 36 Credits.
    Total Number of Credits for Work Experience modules: 36. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    1. Manage the implementation of organisational strategy through people, projects, processes and relationships.
    2. Analyse, plan and manage costs, to support the implementation of the organisation's strategy and assess investment decisions and their associated risks.
    3. Use consolidated financial statements to analyse performance and position and source the long-term finance required to fund the operations of organisations, particularly their capital investments. 

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
  • Translate the long-term strategy into more tangible, shorter-term goals for implementation.
  • Propose the tools and procedures for monitoring implementation of shorter-term goals.
  • Recommend change management techniques relating to the implementation of strategy.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2:
  • Analyse and manage the drivers of cost taking into consideration the environment in which, the business operates as well as key stakeholders.
  • Propose performance measures for individuals and divisions.
  • Motivate decisions relating to investments and products, their prices and the long-term assets that are needed to ensure production.
  • Consider risk where appropriate.

    Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3:
  • Identify and evaluate sources of long-term finance.
  • Use the analysis of financial statements to provide insights about the performance of the business overtime.
  • Adhere to compliance with international financial reporting standards.

    Integrated Formative Assessment:
    The skills development providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. Formative assessments lead to entrance into the integrated external summative assessment.

    Integrated Summative Assessment:
    An external integrated summative assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner, is required to issue this qualification. The external integrated summative assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    This qualification compares with standards and qualifications in the United Kingdom and Australia.

    United Kingdom:
    The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants based in the United Kingdom, is the largest professional body for management accountants in the world and it has members in most countries. South Africa generally accepts the standards set by CIMA as the standards for management accountants. For this reason, the international comparability includes this analysis. The Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Practitioner compare with CIMA's suite of qualifications, i.e. the Certificate in Business Accounting; the CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting, the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting and the CIMA professional qualification.

    The qualification: Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Practitioner, was specifically compared with the CIMA Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting which forms part of the learning pathway towards the CIMA professional qualification.

    The Advanced Diploma consists of the following modules:
  • Project and Relationship Management.
  • Advanced Management Accounting.
  • Advanced Financial Reporting.

    The CIMA qualifications have been evaluated by the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (NARIC) and were compared to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

    Australia:
    The International College of Management, Sydney, Australia (ICMS) offers a Bachelor of Business Management (Accounting) qualification that prepares learners, among other related occupations, for a career in management accounting. The qualification takes 2.75 years to complete and consists of a combination of theoretical and workplace training. The CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (Chartered Accountants ANZ) approved this qualification for professional development.

    This qualification aims to equip learners with a variety of specialist and more generic soft skills, to enable them to work and contribute effectively in a range of complex environments including management accounting. The qualification also aims to develop in learners a thorough understanding of accounting principles and their application. The qualification provides-them with opportunities to learn directly from business-experts-and through real industry experience.

    First Year Modules:
  • Business Communication,
  • Principles of Marketing,
  • Introduction to Human Resources,
  • Accounting for Business,
  • Managing People and Organisations,
  • Business Economics,
  • Service Management and Innovation,
  • Financial Accounting I,
  • Principles of Responsible Leadership,
  • Management Accounting I,
  • Business Statistics.

    Second Year Modules
    Terms 1 and 2: Industry training where learners work in junior positions in organisations Term 3:
  • Career Planning and Strategy,
  • Business and Corporate Law,
  • New Enterprise Creation,
  • Applied Leadership.

    Third Year Modules:
  • Research Methods,
  • Elective (out of a wide variety of subjects),
  • Strategic Marketing Management,
  • Business Ethics,
  • Strategic Management,
  • Elective (out of wide variety of subjects),
  • Corporate Finance,
  • Research Project.

    Conclusion:
    The South African Occupational Qualification of Management Accounting specialist compares favourably with the compared qualifications in terms of content, duration and level of complexity. While the CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting integrates theory and practical skills, the Occupational Certificate distinguishes between theoretical or knowledge content and applied practical skills. The CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting does not require proof of work experience before students reach the final exit level.

    The Bachelor of Business Management (Accounting) qualification covers many of the topics included in the Occupational Certificate: Management Accounting Specialist, although they are structured differently. The Australian qualification also includes work experience in the curriculum. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    The qualification offers the following horizontal and vertical articulation opportunities:

    Horizontal Articulation:
  • Bachelor of Commerce in Cost and Management Accounting, Level 7.

    Vertical Articulation:
  • Occupational Certificate: Management Accountant, Level 8. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    N/A 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    N/A 

    NOTES 
    Qualifying for External Assessment:
    In order to qualify for an external assessment, learners must provide proof of completion of all required modules using statements of results and work experience records.

    Foundational Learning:
  • Not required for this qualification.

    Editorial legal or Physical Entry Requirements:
  • None.

    Criteria for the Accreditation of Providers:
  • Accreditation of providers will be done against the criteria as reflected in the relevant curriculum on the QCTO website.

    The curriculum title and code is: Management Accounting Practitioner 241102000#03.

    Encompassed Trades:
  • This qualification is not a trade-related.

    Assessment Quality Partner (AQP):
  • QCTO. 
    		•

    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS 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.
     
    NONE 


    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.