BCom INTRODUCTION

The part-time B.Com offers a degree program with a difference.  You, the working person, are given the opportunity to study for a Bachelor of Commerce degree in the evenings on a part-time basis at the University of the Witwatersrand.   The Wits B.Com degree is career directed and flexible, offering a range of our most popular courses. The same Wits standards and challenges that are distinctive of the full-time B.Com study program are integral to the part-time program, ensuring that you will earn a valued and valuable qualification. Wits Commerce graduates are eagerly sought by corporate employers. 

Lectures are held in the evenings (17h30 – 21h00), with certain courses requiring attendance on Saturday mornings (09h00 – 13h00).

• What is the degree?
• Entrance requirements
• Open doors to career opportunities
• The structure of the Bachelor of Commerce degree
• Foundation Mathematics
• How flexible is the part-time programme
• Attending lectures and tutorials
• Costs

The B.Com is a formative degree, built up around a number of courses and leading to one or two areas of specialization (2 majors).  A degree is a qualification awarded by a university and recognized by employers, government and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). An undergraduate degree involves at least 3600 notional hours of learning (normally 1200 hours of study a year on a full time program and 600 hours on a part-time program); the qualification is positioned at level 6 on the National Qualifications Framework. The degree will take you between 4 and 6 years to complete (on the part-time program) depending on the number of courses you enroll for and pass in a single year.  Students are advised to enroll for a maximum of 2 full units per year.

 

Who Should Register For This Program?

The program is designed specifically for people in full-time employment who wish to enhance performance prospects, improve their qualifications and acquire new skills. We invite people with mature attitudes to learning seeking the dual challenge of successfully combining work and study, to join the program. 

Our courses and approach will appeal to both the mature adult learner seeking career advancement and a fresh educational start, and to the younger independent matriculant wishing to get ahead in a job without missing out on tertiary study opportunities.

 

Selection requirements for the B.Com include a matriculation exemption certificate, with a demonstrated competence in Mathematics (HG – D or SG - B) and English (HG - 1st or 2nd language – minimum D result). Formal study success is an essential pre-requisite for admission to the B.Com. CIS graduates (meeting the B.Com admission requirements) are welcome on the B. Com program and may be granted credits for certain courses. Students with UNISA credits may be considered for certain credits or exemptions. Whatever is the route, applicants must have passed matriculation level Mathematics or its equivalent as detailed above, and English. For automatic entry into the B.Com, a matriculation exemption and a matric admission rating score of 26 with Mathematics and English symbols detailed above, are required. If you have completed the NSC the requirements are as follows: English HL or 1st Add Lang 5 Mathematics 5 and 36 points and above.

 For the B.Com: Please make sure you understand the Math requirements. If you do not have a HG D or SG B or a 5 in Pure Math in Matric or in the NSC you have to first complete a Foundation Math certificate course for a year (also offered by Wits Plus) and if you pass that with an avefarge of at least 70% per semester, you can apply for a B.Com. If you have never done Matric math or have done Math Literacy you will first have to do Access for Math for a year (a crash course in Math to put you on par with the others, offered by Wits Plus), pass it with 70% or higher each semester and then you can apply for a B.Com.

Study success and the attainment of a degree widens your choice of careers in business, accountancy, international commerce, information technology, marketing, human resource management, management consultancy, education, and public administration.

The B.Com gives you a superb training in critical thinking skills and a breadth of professional business knowledge.  We give you the edge in essential courses in accounting, economics, business statistics, computational mathematics and commercial law.

The part-time Bachelor of Commerce degree comprises a ten course curriculum including two majors spread over three levels (click here for the B.Com “road map”). Courses earn points as you progress and a minimum total of 480 points is required for completion of the degree. The curriculum extends over not less than four years of part-time studies. The expected completion period is 6 years.  Note the university reserves the right to withdraw a course if minimum registrations are not achieved.*

*           Minimum class size                100 level courses                    20 students

                                                        200 level courses                    10 students

                                                        300 level courses                    10 students

 

We normally recommend two full (or four modular units) units for a working person, as you need to devote 10 hours a week to your studies for every course you take (including lectures). However if you have studied successfully at university previously or are a graduate, you may be permitted to take three courses (or six modular units) in a single year. At third year level, in the major units, the demands on your time grow to 20 hours per week per subject. 

An essential part of a Wits education is attending lectures.  These take place on the Braamfontein West Campus in the evening. Students attend one evening a week for each course being studied. Lectures are held in the evenings (17h30 – 21h00) and certain courses requiring attendance on Saturday mornings (09h00 –13h00). 

You may complete your degree over a four to six year period of part-time study. 

Occasional course registration for students who hold an undergraduate degree is no longer favoured but we can suggest a short course certificate as an alternative, also offered by Wits Plus.  

Enrolments and entry into class takes place in February only, once a year (all courses in the B.Com) – there is NO mid-year intake for the B.Com degree. 

 

We offer a one-stop administration service to our part-time students in the Wits Plus Building. Attend lectures on campus in purpose built lecture rooms. There are two libraries on the West Campus, and a professional librarian is available on a Saturday to support the part-time students. Secure well-lit parking is provided for students.  You have access to a 30 seat computer laboratory (in the Wits Plus building) and evening refreshment facilities.   Part-time students are encouraged to make use of other Wits facilities such as the Health and Wellness Centre, the Counselling and Careers Development Unit (CCDU) and the Writing Centre. 

In 2011 the fees for a full year course are R 7540 and R 3790 for a half course on first and second year level. At third year level the fees are R 9080 for a full year course (the same rate as the full-time courses). This amount excludes a note fee, which varies from course to course.    There are no additional charges for exams or the use of the Wits Plus computer lab.  Textbooks are expensive but are tools for life and will cost between R 1000 and R1500 per course. (Note: In 2012 fees are likely to rise by approximately 9%).  Note that by the time registration takes place in February 2012, students will have had to pay the upfront deposit amount of ±R 8000. This fee forms part of the tuition costs and is therefore not an additional charge. Remember a degree is an investment in yourself and your life.  Your earning capacity rises significantly as a graduate.  You add value to the economy and to your employer’s business – consult your employer or the company H R department about possible company financial support, loans or a bursary to pay your fees. Terms of payment are in accordance with the University regulations.  Part-time students are not eligible for university bursaries or residential accommodation, but we advise prospective students to find out about company loans or bursaries or to ask the principal banks about student loans or contact Eduloan at 0860 55 55 44.  Who Are Our Wits Plus Learners? Our Wits Plus learners come from all careers and walks of life. We welcome people of all ages and backgrounds. We have assisted bank managers, company directors, sales managers, technicians, doctors, engineers, TV personalities, teachers, secretaries, computer programmers, state policy makers, insurance consultants amongst others in their studies.  We are here to help you achieve to your maximum potential. Deadlines for applications:  Our next admission round for the B.Com degree closes on   30 November 2011.   Your application precedes registration and admission.     I How To Apply For The Part-Time Program? Contact Wits Plus for further information and an application form or visit our website to download the application form. Ask about our Information mornings. Proceed to complete and submit a formal application, accompanied by proof of payment of the R300 application fee, the originals of your ID, marriage certificates(if applicable), matric certificate plus post school certificates and full academic transcripts (if applicable) at our Wits Plus office on the Braamfontein West campus at Wits University.  We return your certificates to you immediately as we take copies while you wait when you bring in your application. We will certify the copies ourselves. We do not accept faxed, e-mailed or mailed application forms or cash at the Wits Plus offices.  Telephone:    011 717 9500/10 E-mail:           snradmin.witsplus@wits.ac.za or admin.witsplus@wits.ac.za

“Road Map”

All the first year units are compulsory and have to be completed before you can choose second year units. You have to choose 4 second year units of which two of the 4 will be pre-requisites to the third year level as your two major units.

In your first two years of study you can complete your 1^st year level units. In the 3^rd and 4^th years of study you can complete your 2^nd year level units and in the 5^th year you can complete both majors or do one in the 5^th year and one in the 6^th year of study respectively.

Level 1	Level 2		Level 3
1st Year - 2013	3rd & 4th Years - 2015 - 2016 (you have to do 4 full courses)		5th and or 6th Years - 2017 - 2018 (Two Majors)
Accounting I (36)   or Bus Acc I (36)	Accounting II (48)	Auditing III (48)	Accounting III (72)	Applied Economics III (72)
Commercial Law I (18)	Commercial Law II (2x24)	Corp Finance IIA (24) (See Investment)	Business Finance III (72)	Economics III (Theory) (72)
Computational Math I (18)	Economics II (2x24)	HR II (2x24)	HR III (72)	Management III (72)
2nd Year - 2014	Ins & Risk Man II (2x24)	Investment IIB (24) (See Corp Fin IIA)	Man Acc & Fin III (72)	Marketing III (72)
Economics I (36)	Man Acc & Fin II (24)	Marketing II (2x24)	Ins & Risk Man III (72)	(144 points)
Business Stats I (18)	Principles of Man II (2x24)	Taxation II (24)
Fund. In Information Systems IA (18)	Taxation III (48)	(192 points)
(144 points)	Minimum: 144 192 144=480 points

 

Example of a completed degree:

Majoring in: Accounting and Management Accounting

LEVEL 1:  2013 2014

Accounting I; Commercial Law I; Computational mathematics I; Economics I; Business Statistics I and Fundamentals in Information systems IA (All compulsory)

LEVEL 2:  2015 2016

Accounting II; Management Acc & Fin IIA; Tax II; Tax III; Auditing III (Selected from Level 2)

LEVEL 3: 2017 - 2018

Accounting III and Management Acc and Fin III (Selected form Level 3)