Yearbooks

Programme: BCom Accounting Sciences

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty Department
07130043 Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Department: Accounting
Credits Duration NQF level
Minimum duration of study: 3 years Total credits: 450 NQF level:  07

Programme information

This degree programme (that is only presented on a full-time basis) is the specialised bachelor's degree for candidates who are preparing for the relevant qualifying examinations of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA). The programme BCom (Accounting Sciences), together with (the full-time) BComHons (Accounting Sciences) and the Certificate in the Theory of Accountancy (CTA) is accredited by the SAICA as part of its education requirements for the chartered accountant qualification.

Students who achieved 70% and above in English Home Language (an A or a B), and 80% and above in English First Additional Language (only an A) in the NSC (or equivalent) will be exempted from ALL 124 and therefore do not have to register and pass this module to complete their degrees. Students who achieved 69% and below in English Home Language (a C and below), and 79% and below in English First Additional Language (a B and below) have to register for ALL 124 and pass this module in order to be awarded their degrees.

Admission requirements

  • The closing date is an administrative admission guideline for non-selection programmes. Once a non-selection programme is full and has reached the institutional targets, then that programme will be closed for further admissions, irrespective of the closing date. However, if the institutional targets have not been met by the closing date, then that programme will remain open for admissions until the institutional targets are met.
  • The following persons will be considered for admission: Candidates who are in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) with admission to bachelor’s degree studies; candidates who are graduates from other tertiary institutions or have been granted the status of graduates of such institutions; and candidates who are graduates of another faculty at the University of Pretoria.
  • Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS.

Transferring students

Candidates previously registered for the BCom — Extended programme

The Admissions Committee of the faculty considers applications of candidates who were previously registered for the BCom — Extended programme according to specific guidelines as stipulated in the Transfer Guide of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences as published on the EMS Faculty website.

Candidates previously registered at UP or at another university

The Admissions Committee of the faculty considers applications of candidates who have already completed the final NSC or equivalent qualification and/or were previously registered at UP or at another university according to specific guidelines as stipulated in the Transfer Guide of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences as published on the EMS Faculty website. A complete academic record, as well as the final school leaving results, are required for such applications.

NB: Candidates who are still registered at another university must submit an academic record of their studies to the faculty as soon as possible after their final examinations. The closing date for these applications is 30 September.

Qualifications from countries other than South Africa

  • Citizens from countries other than South Africa and South African citizens with foreign qualifications must comply with all the other admission requirements and the prerequisites for subjects/modules.
  • In addition to meeting the admission requirements, it may be expected from candidates to write the SAT, if required.
  • Candidates must have completed the National Senior Certificate with admission to degree studies or a certificate of conditional exemption on the basis of a candidate’s foreign qualifications, the so-called “Immigrant” or “Foreign Conditional Exemption”. The only condition for the “Foreign Conditional Exemption” that is accepted is: ‘completion of the degree course’. The exemption certificate is obtainable from Universities South Africa (USAf). Detailed information is available on the website at click here

University of Pretoria website: click here

Minimum requirements

Achievement level

English Home Language or English First Additional Language

Mathematics

APS

NSC/IEB

AS Level

NSC/IEB

AS Level

5

C

6

B

34

* Cambridge A level candidates who obtained at least a D and International Baccalaureate (IB) HL candidates who obtained at least a 4 in the required subjects, will be considered for admission.

Note: Accountancy is not a subject requirement for any of the BCom or BAdmin programmes.

Additional requirements

  1. General Regulations G.1 to G.15 (with the exception of Regulation G.11.2(c)) apply to a bachelor's degree.
  2. A student may not take more than the prescribed number of modules per semester unless the Dean decides otherwise.
  3. A student may take a module not listed as an elective module only if the prior approval of the Dean has been obtained.
  4. A student who is in possession of a bachelor's degree may not present any modules passed for that degree for another field of specialisation or degree in this Faculty. (See General Regulations G.8 and G.9)
  5. A module already passed may only be repeated with the approval of the Dean.
  6. A module passed may not be taken into account for more than one degree or field of specialisation.
  7. It remains the student's responsibility to ascertain, prior to registration, whether all the modules he/she intends taking can be accommodated in the class, test and examination timetables.
  8. The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences supports an outcomes-based education system and places a high premium on the development of specific academic competences. Class attendance in all modules and for the full duration of all programmes is therefore compulsory for all students.
  9. The Dean has the right of authorisation regarding matters not provided for in the General Regulations or the Faculty Regulations.

Other programme-specific information

  1. The specialisation modules on first to third year for the degree BCom (Accounting Sciences), may only be taken by students who are selected for this degree.
  2. A student who failed FRK 100 must repeat FRK 100 and is not allowed to register for FRK 101. A student who failed FRK 101 may only repeat FRK 101 if his/her final mark for this module was below 35%. If his/her final mark for FRK 101 was 35% or higher, the student must register for FRK 100.
  3. Note: If second-year modules clash with FRK 101 periods, students are advised not to register for those modules as class attendance for FRK 101 is compulsory.
  4. Students are strongly advised to take KOB 183 in the third quarter of their second year as prescribed only and not in their first year. KOB 183 presupposes a basic knowledge of second year Accounting, Auditing, Financial management and Taxation and first-year students have not been exposed to all four these subjects.

Please note: See the alphabetical list of modules for the prerequisites for individual modules.

Specialisation modules: FRK 300, FBS 300, BEL 300 and ODT 300.

A candidate who has

  1. passed the Grade 12 examination in Mathematics with at least 5 (60-69%) obtains admission to the module COS 110 in Computer Science; or has passed COS 153 or COS 131 or COS 132 and WTW 133, obtains admission to the module COS 110 in Computer Science;
  2. passed the Grade 12 examination in Mathematics with at least 4 (50-59%), will be admitted to WTW 134, WTW 115 and WTW 152 and with at least 5 (60-69%) to WTW 114, WTW 126, WTW 158 and WTW 161 in Mathematics, and to WST 111 in Mathematical statistics. (For the degree programme in Actuarial and Financial Mathematics, 80% in Mathematics is required.)
  3. obtained at least 5 (60-69%) in Mathematics in the Grade 12 examination, or at least 50% in both Statistics 113, 123 will be admitted to Statistics (STK 110 and STK 120);
  4. been admitted to the degree BCom (Accounting Sciences), will be admitted to Financial accounting 100 (FRK 100) ONLY on achieving a result in the compulsory accounting proficiency test written before lectures commence, that is acceptable. Candidates who did not take Grade 12 Accounting will be admitted to Financial accounting 101 (FRK 101) irrevocably. Accounting in Grade 12 is not a prerequisite for admission to any BCom degree programme;
  5. obtained at least 4 (50-59%) in Mathematics in the Grade 12 examination, or at least 60% in both Statistics 113 and 123 will be admitted to Informatics 112 and Economics 120, and at least 6 (70-79%) in Mathematics or 60% in both Statistics 113 and 123 will be admitted to EKN 113 and 123;
  6. obtained at least 5 (60-69%) in Mathematics or 4 (50-59%) in Mathematics, will be admitted to Informatics 154, 164 and 171.

Note: "Grade 12 examination" refers to the final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.

"Major subject"
To be considered a "major subject" the equivalent of four 14-week modules, including two at 300-level, must be passed provided that:

  • a module passed at 300-level shall only be recognised for degree purposes if the corresponding prescribed module(s) at 200-level has/have been passed, unless the Dean decides otherwise;
  • the following modules which are offered at 300-level only, are also considered "major subjects": Labour law 311 (ABR 311), Labour relations 320 (ABV 320), and International business management 359 and 369 (OBS 359 and 369); and
  • only two 14-week modules, or the equivalent thereof, that are not preceded by the 100- and  200-level modules, may be taken for degree purposes. In other words, at least four 14-week modules must be taken at 300-level that are preceded by the 100- and 200-level, except for modules offered on 200- and 300-level only.

It is thus the responsibility of students to ensure before registration, that their curricula comply with all the requirements of the applicable regulations.

Promotion to next study year

According to General Regulation G.3 students have to comply with certain requirements as set by the Faculty Board.

  1. A student must pass at least 4 core semester or 2 core year modules to be admitted to the subsequent year of study.
  2. If a student has passed less than the required minimum of 4 core semester or 2 core year modules, he/she will not be readmitted to the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Such a student may apply in writing to the Faculty's Admissions Committee to be readmitted conditionally – with the proviso that the Admissions Committee may set further conditions with regards to the student's academic progress. The Faculty's Admissions Committee may deny a student's application for readmission.
  3. If a student has been readmitted conditionally, his/her academic progress will be monitored after the first semester examinations to determine whether he/she has complied with the requirements set by the Admissions Committee. If not, his/her studies will be suspended.
  4. A student whose studies have been suspended because of his/her poor academic performance has the right to appeal against the decision of the Faculty's Admissions Committee.
  5. A student may be refused promotion to a subsequent year of study if the prescribed tuition fees are not paid.
  6. A student may be refused admission to the examination, or promotion to a subsequent year of study or promotion in a module (if applicable) if he/ she fails to fulfil the attendance requirements. Class attendance in all modules and for the full duration of all programmes is compulsory for all students.

Pass with distinction

  1. A degree may be awarded with distinction provided the candidate meets the following criteria:
  1. Completes the degree within three years;
  2. Obtains a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 75%;
  3. Repeated passed modules will not be considered. The initial pass mark of module will be used when calculating the GPA.
  1. A degree will only be awarded with distinction to transferees from other degrees in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, other faculties and from other universities who still complete their bachelor degrees within three years (including the years registered for the other degree and credits transferred and recognised).
  2. The GPA will be not be rounded up to a whole number.
  3. Exceptional cases will be considered by the Dean.

General information

Minimum requirements for bachelor's degrees; semester and year modules; new regulations

  1. Students who commenced their studies before 2015 must complete the programme in terms of the curriculum of the year in which they commenced their studies, or in terms of the curriculum of the year in which they switched to their current field of specialisation. Students who prefer to do so may, however, apply to change over to the latest curriculum, but then they should comply with all the requirements thereof and they may not revert to the regulations of an earlier year.
  2. Students who are registering for a degree programme for the first time from 2015 onward must take the modules indicated under the particular field of specialisation.

Minimum credits: 122

Fundamental modules

Core modules

  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics. A distinction between macroeconomics and microeconomics is made. A discussion of the market system and circular flow of goods, services and money is followed by a section dealing with microeconomic principles, including demand and supply analysis, consumer behaviour and utility maximisation, production and the costs thereof, and the different market models and firm behaviour. Labour market institutions and issues, wage determination, as well as income inequality and poverty are also addressed. A section of money, banking, interest rates and monetary policy concludes the course.

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  • Module content:

    This module deals with the core principles of economics, especially macroeconomic measurement the private and public sectors of the South African economy receive attention, while basic macroeconomic relationships and the measurement of domestic output and national income are discussed. Aggregate demand and supply analysis stands core to this course which is also used to introduce students to the analysis of economic growth, unemployment and inflation. The microeconomics of government is addressed in a separate section, followed by a section on international economics, focusing on international trade, exchange rates and the balance of payments. The economics of developing countries and South Africa in the global economy conclude the course.

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  • Module content:

    *Only available to BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    Introduction to management accounting, critical reasoning skills and problem solving techniques for management accounting, cost concepts, simple linear regression analysis for the purpose of forecasting future sales volumes and costs, time series analysis for the purpose of forecasting future sales volumes, Indexing for the purposes of inflating and deflating a set of financial data, introduction to financial management, the functioning of the financial markets including interest rate and foreign exchange mechanisms, mathematics for business including time value of money calculations, and the critical reasoning skills and problem solving techniques in a financial management context. Where appropriate spread sheet applications (Excel) will be addressed as part of the respective topics being covered.

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  • Module content:

    *Only available for BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    *Students who registered for FRK 101 in a previous academic year and did not pass the module, are only allowed to register for FRK 101 again if they achieved less than 35% for the module and may, with a mark below 35%, not register for FRK 100.
    (This is a core module for BCom (Accounting Sciences) that forms part of the CA Programme. Modules are compiled and presented taking cognisance of the requirements of the SAICA syllabus.)
    An introduction to the conceptual framework (theory of accounting); basic accounting equation; value added tax; discounts, revenue; accounting procedures from source documents via subsidiary journals to general ledger and trial balance; annual financial statements of a sole proprietorship; adjustments to financial statements; control accounts; departmental accounts; bank reconciliation statements; inventory; property, plant and equipment; cash and cash equivalents; investments; borrowings; interest calculations; insurance claims; entities without profit motive; branch accounting; permanent partnerships; partnership accounts; changes in partnerships; close corporations; companies; analysis and interpretation of financial statements using a cash flow statement; manufacturing entities; tracing and correction of errors; incomplete records.
    A technical ability to apply the aforementioned knowledge to complex problems is essential.

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  • Module content:

    Introduction to information systems, information systems in organisations, hardware: input, processing, output, software: systems and application software, organisation of data and information, telecommunications and networks, the Internet and Intranet. Transaction processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, information systems in business and society, systems analysis, systems design, implementation, maintenance and revision.

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  • Module content:

    Computer processing of accounting information.

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  • Module content:

    General introduction.
    General principles of the law of contract: introduction to the law of contract; consensus; contractual capacity; legality and physical possibility of performance; formalities; parties to the contract; conditions and related legal concepts; special terms and the interpretation of contracts; breach of contract and the termination of the contractual relationship.

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  • Module content:

    Law of purchase and sale; law of lease; credit agreements; law of agency; law of security.

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  • Module content:

    The entrepreneurial mind-set; managers and managing; values, attitudes, emotions, and culture: the manager as a person; ethics and social responsibility; decision making; leadership and responsible leadership; effective groups and teams; managing organizational structure and culture inclusive of the different functions of a generic organisation and how they interact (marketing; finance; operations; human resources and general management); contextualising Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in each of the topics.

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  • Module content:

    Descriptive statistics:
    Sampling and the collection of data; frequency distributions and graphical representations. Descriptive measures of location and dispersion.
    Probability and inference:
    Introductory probability theory and theoretical distributions. Sampling distributions. Estimation theory and hypothesis testing of sampling averages and proportions (one and two-sample cases). Supporting mathematical concepts. Statistical concepts are demonstrated and interpreted through practical coding and simulation within a data science framework.

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Minimum credits: 171

Fundamental modules

  • Module content:

    In the first quarter of this module students are equipped with an understanding of the moral issues influencing human agency in economic and political contexts. In particular philosophy equips students with analytical reasoning skills necessary to understand and solve complex moral problems related to economic and political decision making. We demonstrate to students how the biggest questions concerning the socio-economic aspects of our lives can be broken down and illuminated through reasoned debate. Examples of themes which may be covered in the module include justice and the common good, a moral consideration of the nature and role of economic markets on society, issues concerning justice and equality, and dilemmas of loyalty. The works of philosophers covered may for instance include that of Aristotle, Locke, Bentham, Mill, Kant, Rawls, Friedman, Nozick, Bernstein, Dworkin, Sandel, Walzer, and MacIntyre. In the second quarter of the module the focus is on professionalism, careers and ethics. Codes of ethics in business and professions, professional codes, as well as ethical issues in the accountancy profession are discussed.

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Core modules

  • Module content:

    In this module an introduction to taxation as a discipline in the South African tax environment is provided. The income tax concepts covered in this module are gross income, special inclusions, exempt income, general deductions, special deductions, prohibited deductions and allowed assessed losses. The implications of a capital gains tax event, specific sections of the Income Tax Act applicable on individuals as well as fringe benefits and specific allowances for individuals are discussed. Concepts such as the prepaid tax system, tax implications of donations tax events as well as the tax implications of a deceased person will be covered. Finally an introduction to the basic principles of VAT is included. 

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  • Module content:

    *Only for BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    The purpose and functioning of management accounting, cost classification. The determination of product costs including raw material costs, labour costs, overheads and the allocation thereof according to traditional and activity-based costing methods, inventory management, the accumulation of costs according to job and process costing systems, the treatment of joint and by-products and the determination of costs according to a direct and absorption costing approach. Decisionmaking with reference to cost-volume-profit ratios, relevant costs, risk and uncertainty, decision trees, linear programming and capital investment budgets. Planning and control through the application of quantitative techniques, budgets and standard costing.

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  • Module content:

    *Only for BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    (This is a core module for BCom (Accounting Sciences) that forms part of the CA Programme. Modules are compiled and presented taking cognisance of the requirements of the SAICA syllabus.)
    Preparation and presentation of company annual financial statements in compliance with the requirements of the Companies Act and Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice relating to the following: the presentation of financial statements; revenue; inventory; property, plant and equipment; investment properties; impairment (of individual assets); provisions; leases; events after the balance sheet date; earnings per share; accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates and errors; certain aspects of financial instruments. Introduction to consolidations, including basic consolidation techniques for both wholly-owned and partly-owned subsidiaries. Certain aspects of the Companies Act, including directors’ emoluments and Schedule 4.
    A technical ability to apply the aforementioned knowledge to complex problems is essential.

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  • Module content:

    Application of spreadsheets and query languages in an accounting environment.

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  • Module content:

    *Module content will be adapted in accordance with the appropriate degree programme. Only one of KOB 281– 284 may be taken as a module where necessary for a programme.

    Applied business communication skills

    Acquiring basic business communication skills will enhance the capabilities of employees, managers and leaders in the business environment. An overview of applied skills on the intrapersonal, dyadic, interpersonal, group (team), organisational, public and mass communication contexts is provided. The practical part of the module (for example, the writing of business reports and presentation skills) concentrates on the performance dimensions of these skills as applied to particular professions.

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  • Module content:

    Company law, law concerning close corporations, law of partnerships, labour law, law of arbitration and transport, law of insurance, law concerning negotiable documents, law of insolvency, law of succession and trusts.

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  • Module content:

    History of auditing: the concept ''profession''. The theory, including the postulates in auditing. Most important concepts, selected sections of the Companies Act which are prescribed by the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board (PAAB) and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Publications of the SAICA and the PAAB. Principles of auditing, the audit process. Internal control and system design and evaluation.

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Minimum credits: 160

Core modules

  • Module content:

    The purpose of the module is to enable the learner to calculate the value-added tax liability and to journalise transactions; calculate the normal tax liability (including the determination of taxable capital gains and assessed capital losses) of individuals, companies, estates and trusts,discuss tax principles on value-added tax and normal tax; and calculate and discuss provisional and employees' tax and to object against an assessment.

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  • Module content:

    *Only available to BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    The purpose and functioning of management accounting, cost classification. The determination of product costs including raw material costs, labour costs, overheads and its allocation according to traditional and activity-based costing methods, the accumulation of costs according to job and process costing systems, the treatment of joint and by-products and the determination of costs according to a direct and absorption costing approach. Decisionmaking with reference to cost-volume-profit ratios, relevant costs, risk and uncertainty, decision trees, linear programming and capital investment budgets, principles of project management. Planning and control through the application of quantitative techniques, budgets and standard costing. Performance measurement by means of the principles of responsibility accounting and the determination of transfer prices.
    Financial management by taking cognisance of the purpose of financial management, working capital management, financing decisions, cost of capital, dividend policy, capital structure decisions, share valuation. The student should be capable of applying the underlying theory to advance case studies.

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  • Module content:

    *Only available for BCom (Accounting Sciences) students
    (This is a core module for BCom (Accounting Sciences) that forms part of the CA Programme. Modules are compiled and presented taking cognisance of the requirements of the SAICA syllabus.)
    Revision of work covered in FRK 201 and application of this knowledge to advanced problems. Preparation and presentation of company annual financial statements in compliance with the requirements of Statements of Generally Accepted Accounting Practice relating to the following: income taxes; leases (including sale and leaseback transactions); property, plant and equipment; investment properties; provisions; events after the balance sheet date; earnings per share (including headline earnings); intangible assets; impairment (including introduction to cash generating units); government grants; the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates (including hedge accounting); borrowing costs; employee benefits; non-current assets held for sale and discontinued operations; associates; joint ventures; cash flow statements; further aspects of financial instruments. Complex consolidation issues, including intra-group transactions; dividends; preference shares; revaluations; horizontal, vertical and mixed groups; insolvent subsidiaries; the acquisition of an additional interest. Analysis and interpretation of financial statements, as well as changes in capital structures.
    A technical ability to apply the aforementioned knowledge to complex problems is essential.

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  • Module content:

    Application of statistical sampling methods in auditing. Sections of the Companies Act and the Closed Corporation Act prescribed by the PAAB and the SAICA. Publications of the SAICA, the PAAB and selected international auditing standards. The audit process. Internal control and system design and evaluation. Test of controls. Auditing and controls in an electronic data-processing environment.

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The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information. The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section. Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

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