Advanced Corporate Governance and Administration

APPLICATIONS AND REGISTRATIONS FOR 2012 OPEN 3 OCTOBER 2011 AND CLOSE END OF JANUARY 2012

The Advanced Certificate programme in Corporate Governance and Administration is a third level certificate in the field of Governance and Administration. This certificate programme offers a broad-based business education to learners who wish to aspire to the Associate CIBM professional status granted by Chartered Secretaries Southern Africa (CSSA)

THE CERTIFICATE OFFERS

• A Wits certificate of competence supported by the Wits assessment system
• Full recognition by CSSA
• The certificate may be earned in a year or you may extend completion to 18 months
• Wits high quality lecturers
• Success in all three certificates, (Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced) gives you access to the four Professional Board examinations (Corporate Administration, Corporate Financial Management, Corporate Governance and Corporate Secretaryship) under the International qualifying scheme of CSSA
• The third and final of a suite of three certificates- full articulation
• An opportunity to commence your business education –a lifelong journey
• A programme relevant to business
• A programme that builds upon your working experience
• The option of progressing to the Wits B.Com degree with some credit recognition/exemptions on completion of the three certificates
• An opportunity to combine work and study
• Run under the auspices of the Faculty of Commerce Law and Management at Wits

WHAT IS THE PART-TIME STUDIES CIS PROGRAMME AT WITS?
Wits Plus, the Centre for Part-time Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand offers evening tuition classes for a range of courses leading to Wits examinations and a Wits certificate of competence. Wits provides a serious study environment on its attractive West Campus. Our evening classes for part-time students are highly interactive. Our lecturers are experienced teachers who are all graduates and professionals in their subject specialisations. Wits has been an approved University tuition centre for the CIS for over 20 years, and is the tuition centre of choice for on-campus, face-to-face, part-time study in Gauteng.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CERTIFICATE
The Advanced Certificate programme (NQF Level 6) builds on the Intermediate Certificate programme in Corporate Governance and Administration at NQF Level 5. It is focused on governance at a corporate level and includes advanced Financial Accounting, Strategic and Operations Management, Corporate Law, and Management Accounting.

The purpose of the certificate is to equip senior managers and administrators in the public and private sectors with the theoretical knowledge to underpin their work. This will enable them to add value and a context to their practical skills to perform competently at a senior level within the organisation.

The field at this level is broad-based, with the emphasis on governance, administration and strategic issues. This covers the requirements of both the public and private sectors.

Given the need for appropriately trained and skilled managers and administrators in the public and private sectors in South Africa, successful learners will be able to contribute substantially to social and economic transformation. This is particularly relevant in the context of the need for appropriate governance in our developing democracy.

Successful learners will be able to undertake leadership roles with confidence, be able to motivate their staff, understand and advise on legal and accounting matters as well as being able to contribute to corporate strategic planning.

Should there be no opportunities for advancement in their present career positions successful learners will be highly marketable and more mobile in the job market. By applying the knowledge and skills acquired, they will be able to become successful managers and administrators of high performing departments or teams. These skills could also be applied to work within the NGO sector.

THE B COM OPTION AT WITS
For students who complete all three certificates at Wits, a further option is to enrol for the B.Com degree and credits may be granted towards the 10 credit B.Com degree [1. Earning a B.Com could commit you to a further three to four years of part-time study. You proceed at your own pace and emerge with two highly sought after qualifications, giving you the background, skills and specialisations for a successful business career.

Students who are already B.Com graduates, may opt to add to their breadth of knowledge by taking the four professional specialist courses in the CSSA programme (Corporate Secretaryship, Corporate Administration, Corporate Governance and Corporate Financial Management), provided their B.Com degree encompassed the range of courses completed up to the Advanced Certificate level.

STRUCTURE OF THE CERTIFICATE
Courses offered: Financial Accounting 111, Corporate Law, Management Accounting and Strategic and Operations Management.

The achievement of these courses will result in the award of a stand alone Advanced Certificate in Corporate Governance and Administration. The Certificate is positioned at NQF Level 6.

WHO SHOULD REGISTER FOR THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMME?
The range of potential learners is identified as being people who have advanced from middle management and administration into senior roles.

This certificate will appeal to people who have completed both the Introductory and Intermediate certificates. The broad but practical range of the three certificates targets working people who wish to pursue a career as a company legal officer, a company financial officer or a company secretary. The acquisition of this advanced certificate will add value to the qualifying learner’s employability at a senior level. There is sufficient demand for this qualification from corporate and public organisations.

ARTICULATION POSSIBILITIES
The certificate will articulate with Wits Introductory and Intermediate Certificates in Corporate Governance and Administration (Affiliate and Licentiate status of the CIBM) and will equip the learner to study for the final four professional examinations under the International ICSA qualifying scheme, and the status of Graduate ICSA.

On completion of this certificate and if the successful learner has also earned the Introductory and the Intermediate certificates, it will be possible under Wits General Rules 4.7 and 4.8 for credits and exemptions to be granted to applicants who wish to move from the certificate programme to the Wits B.Com. Since this certificate is the third in a series, located from NQF Level 5 to NQF Level 6, there is ready articulation with Bachelor’s degrees offered by other institutions, relevant national diplomas and professional qualifications.

ADMISSION CRITERIA:
Learners will need to have successfully completed the Wits Introductory and Intermediate Certificates in Corporate Governance and Administration (NQF 5) or a qualification offered by other higher Education Institutions that is deemed to be equivalent.

All applicants will need to be competent in written English (first or second language), be numerate or competent in Mathematics and Accounting. Computer literacy will be a distinct advantage.

LENGTH OF CERTIFICATE/ TIMETABLING:
Three of the four courses (Corporate Law, Management Accounting and Strategic and Operations Management) will be taught over a 14 week period (one semester). Financial Accounting 111 will be taught over 28 weeks (two semesters). It will be possible for the student to earn the certificate in the minimum time period of a year, provided two or three topics are studied in each semester. The duration of each lecture will be 2 hours, which results in a total of 28 contact hours for each of the three semester courses and 56 contact hours for the Financial Accounting 111 course. Total contact hours will amount to 140 hours. An additional 300 independent (self-study) hours will be expected of students.

TEACHING OF THE PROGRAMME
Lecturers will mainly be drawn from the School of Economic and Business Sciences, the School of Law and the School of Accountancy of the University of the Witwatersrand. All our lecturers are university graduates with extensive practical work experience in the areas of their subject specialisation. All are competent teachers.

ASSESSMENT METHODS / EXAMINATIONS
In all courses a combination of tests, assignments or marked tutorials, and a final three hour examination in each course will be used, thus combining formative and summative assessment. An external examiner will be appointed in line with standard Wits practices and quality assurance and moderation of examinations will be the responsibility of the Wits school most closely associated with the course.

Examinations are held twice yearly: May (end of semester 1) and October (end of semester 2)

Lectures will be held in the First National Bank Building (FNB) or the Wits Plus building or the Commerce, Law and Management (CLM) building on the West Campus, Yale Road, Braamfontein from 17h30 to 19h30. Lecture venues will be displayed in the Corporate Governance and Administration (CIS) office on the day that lectures commence.

Courses will be offered subject to a minimum of ten students per course..

FACILITIES AT WITS
We offer a one-stop professional administration service to our part-time students in the Wits Plus Building, West Campus. Secure well-lit parking is provided (an annual parking fee levied). A coffee shop in the Tower of Light is open for evening refreshments. CIS students have access to the Wits Plus computer laboratory. CSSA students are permitted to study in the Wits Commerce library and may consult the books of this library on a reference basis. The Wartenweiler Library on the East Campus has a 24-hour reading/study facility.

REGISTRATION

Register at the Corporate Governance and Administration (CIS office), Second floor, Wits Plus building, West Campus, Wits University, Yale Road, Braamfontein.

Contact details: Mrs. René Cole. Tel: 011 717 9502. Fax: 086 726 4465.

Email address: Rene.Cole@wits.ac.za

To register please bring your ID book, marriage certificate (if you are a married woman), original matric certificate and original academic transcripts of any post school qualifications.

FEES FOR 2013

The total fee for the Advanced Certificate is R19 600-00 or R4300-00 for each of the semester courses (Corporate Law, Management Accounting and Strategic and Operations Management) and R6700-00 for the full year Financial Accounting III course. Fees include course notes, tuition and exam fees but exclude the cost of textbooks, parking fee.

Fees must be paid in full by close of registration depending on the number of courses taken. Credit and debit card payments can be made at the Wits Plus CIS office. EFT and bank deposits are to be paid into the bank account indicated on your invoice which you obtain when you register.

Please bring your deposit slip to complete your registration. Faxed or emailed copies of bank deposits will not be accepted as proof of payment.

CSSA EXEMPTION

Students who complete this Certificate successfully, may apply to CSSA for exemption.  There is an exemption fee payable to CSSA.  This fee is NOT included in the fees as quoted above.

TIMETABLE for 2013 

 Monday: Corporate Law
Tuesday: Financial Accounting III
Wednesday: Management Accounting
Thursday: Strategic and Operations Management (offered in semester 2 only)

NB: IN ORDER TO AVOID A TIMETABLE CLASH YOU MAY REGISTER FOR ONLY ONE COURSE PER EVENING.

DESCRIPTION OF COURSES FOR THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN CORPORATE GOVERANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

1. Corporate Law: Macro descriptor: Understand in detail legislation as applied to corporate bodies and apply such knowledge in practical situations. Syllabus: The course surveys the following legislation and the related regulatory framework of The Companies Act , the Close Corporations Act, the Insider trading Act, Access to Information Act, Electronic Communications Act, Financial Intelligence Centre Act and the Insolvency Act. Both statute and case law is covered. The successful student gains the ability to apply such knowledge to practical situations and is able to provide suitable advice.
2. Strategic and Operations Management: Macro-descriptor: Interpret the strategic management decisions made by an organisation by referring to the components that comprise the strategic planning, strategy implementation and control phases. Syllabus: This course explains and promotes the formulation and use of strategic planning in an organisation, explores the formulation of vision and mission statements, discusses the formulation and interpretation of an organisation’s external environmental assessment; explores the dynamics of the organisation’s profile; examines how a mission statement may be translated into long-term measurable goals; explores the choice and use of strategy to deliver on long-term goals; examines the importance of a range of strategy-implementation levers and strategic controls and stresses the importance of managing operations, information and quality to ensure successful strategy implementation.
3. Management accounting: Macro descriptor: Apply the principles and tools of cost and management accounting relative to the making of investment decisions on behalf of the organisation. Syllabus: This course will equip the student with an understanding of cost and management accounting principles and their application to the manufacturing and services industries. The development of analytical and critical skills will be gained through a study of cost and management accounting theory and the practical constraints imposed on cost data, including the use of accounting data for the purpose of managerial planning, control and decision making.
4. Financial Accounting III: Macro descriptor: Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of advanced financial accounting as detailed in the relevant statutes and statements, with reference to the Companies Act, Close Corporations Act, Income Tax Act (including Capital Gains Tax) as well as relevant present and future Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP). Syllabus: This course covers all aspects of financial accounting, including advanced corporate accounting (surveying the Companies Act and Close Corporations Act) and statements and guidelines of generally accepted accounting practice. The course covers a general revision of Financial Accounting I and II; accounting theory; investments; corporate accounting; group financial statements; special aspects relating to Companies; foreign exchange and modern developments in accounting and reporting