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SAQA 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.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: 

Higher Certificate in Business Studies 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
96415  Higher Certificate in Business Studies 
ORIGINATOR
Cornerstone Institute (RF) 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
Higher Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Generic Management 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  120  Not Applicable  NQF Level 05  Regular-Provider-ELOAC 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Registered-data under construction  EXCO 0324/24  2024-07-01  2027-06-30 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2028-06-30   2031-06-30  

Registered-data under construction

The qualification content is currently being updated for the qualifications with the status “Registered-data under construction” or showing “DETAILS UNDER CONSTRUCTION” to ensure compliance with SAQA’S Policy and Criteria for the registration of qualifications and part-qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) (As amended, 2022). These qualifications are re-registered until 30 June 2027 and can legitimately be offered by the institutions to which they are registered.

 

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.  

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Purpose:
The main purpose of the Higher Certificate in Business Leadership is to prepare potential business leaders to develop their own businesses based on ethically defendable foundation to benefit society though the sustainable creation of employment, product and services through the Cornerstone Institute.

Rationale:
  • The programme addresses the growing and acknowledged need for the training and equipping of entrepreneurs at certificate level to enhance job creation capacity, with the option of access to further commercial studies at Level 5 through the Higher Certificate in Business Leadership to school leavers and persons with the required drive as follows:
    > Economic development and job creation has its roots in start up businesses-the small corner shop, the individual entrepreneur's spaza shop experiment to take a chance on a career in his/her own business, the small family business that needs to grow to support an expanding family. All "big businesses" started as an entrepreneurial idea that developed and matured over years.
  • The two key success elements in starting and growing a business is the:
    > Vision and leadership of the entrepreneur.
    > Subject discipline content knowledge.
  • This means that leadership development in all its forms as applicable to business management is as important an item in reducing the risk of startup business failure as are the skills and knowledge in areas of accounting, marketing, people and operations management. To enhance the chances of the startup entrepreneur to succeed, leadership development from the outset is viewed as an indispensable component of business education, even at Level 5.
  • Job creation is a primary objective in South Africa and can only be delivered though a strong stream of academically and practically prepared persons who possess an entrepreneurial mindset and know how to access funding for their start-up businesses.
  • Access to entrepreneurial training is limited as most commerce courses focus on core subjects only. The Higher Certificate in Business Leadership includes management and ethical skills normally only taught at advanced levels. Providing such a certificate will enhance the potential for greater cooperation i.e., networking and dialogue, with other commerce trainers.
  • After more than a decade of successful undergraduate training at the college, there is real potential for commerce-based community development training. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Learners who register for this qualification should demonstrate:
  • Competence, oral and written, in the language of instruction, i.e. English.
  • The ability to apply numerical skills, including basic arithmetic.

    Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
  • No more than 50% of this qualification may be achieved through RPL.
  • Learners requesting RPL are assessed by a qualified assessor on the basis of a portfolio of evidence.
  • RPL is used for two purposes:
    > Access: To admit no more than 10% of applicants on this basis. For mature learners who have been disadvantaged because of their inability to obtain formal qualifications or who have inadequate entrance qualifications, but who have obtained work or life experience, which qualifies them to be admitted as learners.
    > Credits: To give learners credit for some of the modules in a programme because of acceptable prior learning earned through formal/non formal/informal learning. If the previous work completed is at the same Level, then credit for credit is given.

    Access to the Qualification:
  • A candidate must have passed a National Senior Certificate with a minimum of 30% in English, Mathematics, Accounting, Economics as well as provide examples of attempts at entrepreneurship.
    > As per the RPL Policy below, no more than 10% of applicants can be admitted as mature students into the programme, on the basis of RPL based on sufficient evidence that they have obtained work or life experience that qualifies them to be admitted as mature students. 
    		•

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    The Higher Certificate in Business Leadership is a 120 Credits qualification at Level 5.

    Component 1:
    Competencies related to the knowledge of core techniques and methods used in business necessary to understand the business environment.

    Components; Level 5; Credits allocated:
  • Ethics (Core); 5; 12 Credits.
  • Economics (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • Character of a Christian Leader (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • General Management and Entrepreneurship (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • Information Skills (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • Commercial Law (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • Quantitative Methods (Core); 5; 6 Credits.
  • Accounting (Core); 5; 18 Credits.
  • Marketing (Core); 5; 12 Credits.
  • People Leadership, Management and Administration (Core); 5; 12 Credits.
  • Practical: Enterprise Leadership-Business Plan (Core); 5; 18 Credits.
    Total Core Credits: 108.
  • Project Management (Electives); 5; 12 Credits.
  • High Performance Management (Electives); 5; 12 Credits.
    Total Elective Credits: 12.

    Total Credits: 120. 
    		•

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    The Higher Certificate in Business Leadership is intended to empower learners to succeed as entrepreneurs in the following areas:
  • To start up their own businesses, be able to develop business concepts and plans that will enable them to qualify for access to capital.
  • To seamlessly continue with further study at other institutions offering more advanced courses.
  • To make ethically correct and defendable decisions.
  • To make sound business decisions and solve problems.
  • To gain business management (new economy) skills.

    To achieve these outcomes learners are equipped with basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes (ethics) related to assessing, understanding and developing high performance businesses in a multi-cultural context. The promotion of a multi-cultural understanding of business will contribute to equity and redress in South Africa.

    Outcomes of Fundamental and Core modules:
  • Demonstrate practical knowledge of the general principles and theories of business leadership.
  • Demonstrate practical knowledge of business, measurement, assessment, and initiating corrective interventions.
  • Apply strong ethical standards in all fields of business leadership.

    Outcomes of the Elective modules:
  • Demonstrate practical application of project management techniques.
  • Demonstrate practical application of high performance/new economy business practices. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    Associated Assessment Criteria:
  • Demonstrate observation, listening and communication skills verbally and in writing.
  • Develop a critical understanding of the theory and practice of business and leadership skills.
  • Display independent thinking and decision-making in evaluating and implementing business plans and entrepreneurial ventures.

    Integrated Assessment:
  • Continuous assessment:
    > The learner's ability to integrate the elements of the programme is assessed through tasks, activities and self-assessment.
  • Formative and summative assessment:
    > Learner competency is assessed through presentations, personal interviews, service learning (under supervision), written assignments (e.g. reports, skills development exercises, case study responses, research papers, journals, verbatim) and written evaluations (e.g. quizzes, class tests, mid-module exams, final exams). 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
  • The head of the Department of Commerce qualified with an Master of Business Administration (MBA) from an internationally recognised institution, i.e. University of Stellenbosch.
  • The curriculum is comparable to similar Level 5 programmes offered by Further Education and Training and Higher Education and Training institutions locally and internationally. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
  • Learners will obtain credits that enable them to exit at a Higher Education and Training higher certificate Level.
  • Learners who graduate with this Level 5 qualification should be able to progress to any programme at Level 6 in a similar field.
  • With this qualification learners are eligible for credits in a Diploma in the areas of commerce. 
    		•

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • The programme will be moderated through a moderation system which is designed to ensure that all students are being assessed in a consistent, accurate, and well-designed manner, and that all assessments are credible, fair, valid, reliable and practicable.
  • A system of internal and external moderation is in place managed by the Faculty Manager who coordinates quality assurance. 
    		•

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
  • One of our lecturers is a trained Trainer of Assessors. Her expertise is utilised to train our faculty as assessors.
  • All lecturers have a minimum of first degree in the area that they teach. It is preferred however, that they have a minimum of an Honours Degree.
  • Service learning undertaken is assessed by experts in business and the commercial world. 
    		•

    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. Cornerstone Institute (RF) 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.