Varsity College IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication

Introduction to IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication
Click here to download a detailed fact sheet about this programme.
The Independent Institute of Education (IIE) Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication (BA Corp Comm) degree offers students a quality learning experience in the contemporary, interesting and stimulating communication field. Corporate communication is the key method employed by organisations to align their strategies internally and externally to achieve business excellence. Corporate communication includes all the processes of facilitating information and knowledge exchanges with and between internal and key external stakeholders and individuals that have a direct relationship with the organisation. By providing you with a thorough grounding in the key disciplines of communication science, corporate communication and business management, this degree will equip you with solid theoretical knowledge backed with strong problem solving, critical thinking and strategic skills linked to communication at both an individual and societal level in a socially responsible and creative way.

What is this Degree’s accreditation status?

The IIE’s Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication degree is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 372-credit qualification on level 7 (SAQA ID: 83847).

Who is the Bachelor’s degree aimed at?

This degree will appeal to you if you are a creative thinker who enjoys social interaction and using communication as a key means to achieve goals. You will be interested in this degree if you value the formation of strong relationships, are outgoing and interested in a team and goal orientated career in which you can research, plan and implement communication and communication related activities in a range of corporate contexts and if you are interested in influencing communication at a strategic level.
If you are keen to use your skills within the business environment and you find the idea of being able to assist an organisation in looking at strategic ways to improve their communication with their stakeholders, so that they can reach their business objectives in an ethical and socially responsible manner, improve their public image, solve communication issues, invest in their community and plan corporate communication strategies to name but a few, then this is the degree for you.

Who are our partners on this qualification?

Open University
The Open University (OU), United Kingdom (UK), recognises The IIE as a degree awarding body. Specifically, The IIE BACC degree has been given a General Credit Exemption rating of up to 240 credit points of a credit transfer towards The OU Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) Open degrees with Honours. The IIE BACC degree therefore provides you with a pathway towards studying an internationally recognised BA or BSc Open degree with Honours from The Open University. These Open degrees can also be studied online through The Open University.
For more information please visit: http://www.ouworldwide.com/varsity_college_about.asp

What entry requirements will I need to study this Bachelor’s degree?

A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with Degree admission- A minimum of 30 % for English coupled with a minimum of 50% for four x DESIGNATED NSC subjects (This excludes Life Orientation which is a 10 credit subject); OR
A National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) with Degree admission – A minimum of 60 % in English on either First Additional Language or Home Language level AND Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy AND Life Orientation , with a minimum of 70% in the four vocational subjects is required; OR
A Senior Certificate (SC) (with endorsement) or equivalent; OR
Alternatively a Higher Certificate, an Advanced Certificate or 240 or 360 credit Diploma in a cognate field may satisfy the minimum admission requirements to degree studies.

If a Higher Certificate, Advanced Certificate or 240 or 360 credit Diploma is not in a cognate field, then at least 20 % of the credits of such qualification must relate to academic literacy or academic skills in order for an applicant to be admitted to degree studies. Such applications will be reviewed by the relevant HoF at The IIE CAT in collaboration with the Registrar
If you are an international student, you must ensure that:

you have an equivalent qualification to the aforementioned;
your equivalent qualification is evaluated by Universities South Africa;
you have a valid study visa issued in the name of The IIE that covers the duration of your studies.

If you have not met these minimum entry requirements but have an NSC with higher certificate or diploma entry into higher education, you may wish to consider registering for The IIE’s Higher Certificate in Event Management (HCEM) or the Higher Certificate in Business Principles and Practice (HBPP) first as a pathway to this degree. Further information on this qualification is available from our student advisor team.

Other considerations
Mature Age Exemption:

Candidates having attained the age of 23 before or during the first year of registration with a Senior Certificate with a minimum of 40% in at least four higher or standard grade subjects, at least three of which shall have been passed simultaneously and one of which shall be a recognised higher grade subject; OR
Candidates must have attained the age of 45 before or during the first year of registration.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Demonstrate suitability for admission in terms of Senate’s resolution 6.6 of 20 October 2005 which allows for Senate’s discretionary conditional admission (if applicable).
Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of printing, however, these may change. At the time of registration, please check that the entry requirements have not changed.

National Benchmarking Tests

All applicants wishing to study an IIE undergraduate degree on a full-time basis including international students, are required to write the National Benchmark Test (NBT) Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL).
The applicant is exempt from writing the NBT AQL test if he/she:

is 23 years old or turns 23 during the first year of registration
has successfully completed a higher certificate (or equivalent), an advanced certificate or diploma.
has previously been admitted to degree studies elsewhere (proof must be supplied)
is admitted on the basis of mature age.

For applicants wishing to enrol on a distance programme, the writing of the NBT AQL test is recommended but not compulsory.
Please note an applicant’s Academic Literacy (AL) score of the NBT AQL test is used for placement in student support programmes and does not replace the admission requirements for a specific degree programme. Applicants may, on provision of an AL score of the NBT AQL test of 64 or above, be exempted from one or both Academic Literacy modules, namely Introduction to Scholarship A (ITSA010) and Introduction to Scholarship B (ITSB010), if and only if these are non- credit bearing modules in the qualification. Applicants who achieve an AL score of the NBT AQL test lower than 64 are required to register for and successfully complete ITSA010 and ITSB010..
Applicants who do not write the NBT AQL test prior to registration, will automatically be registered for ITSA010 and ITSB010 whether or not they are credit bearing modules in the qualification.
Furthermore, students who are completing ITSA010 and ITSB010 as a result of the lower than 64 AL score or who did not provide an AL score, will be required to successfully complete these modules before their third year as they are a pre-requisite for entrance onto third year studies. Students enrolled on a distance programme will have access to ITSA010 and ITSB010, but it would not be a pre-requisite for registering for any third year modules.
Where ITSA (ITS5111) is credit bearing in the qualification concerned, successful completion of one or both (depending on the curriculum structure) is also a graduation requirement.

What must I pass in order to graduate with this Bachelor’s degree?

In order to be awarded this qualification, you must have achieved a minimum final year mark of fifty percent (50%) for each module of the programme.

With what qualification will I graduate?

You will graduate with The IIE Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication degree.

Career opportunities: what career areas can I pursue once I have completed this Bachelor’s degree?

This degree will open up an attractive range of career options; this degree is a perfect stepping stone to a diverse and exciting range of career opportunities, depending on which core discipline you choose.

Corporate affairs
Corporate communication
Internal and external communication strategist
Event Management
Public Relations
Digital and Social Media
Research
Internal and external communication strategist

Would it be possible to study further to obtain a postgraduate qualification once I have completed The IIE BA Corporate Communication degree?

The IIE’s BACC degree is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and is registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) at level 7 – the same level as other equivalent undergraduate degrees at South African universities. The opportunity to apply for a postgraduate certificate/diploma or honours degree at any South African university exists subject to meeting specific programme entrance requirements.

After my degree, how can I study further with the Open University?

Varsity College is offering alumni of The IIE BACC degree the opportunity to count their IIE Bachelor’s degree toward a UK Honours degree with the Open University. The Open University (OU), United Kingdom, recognises the IIE as a degree awarding body. Specifically, The IIE BACC degree has been given a General Credit Exemption rating of up to 240 credit points of credit transfer towards The OU Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) Open degrees with Honours. The IIE BACC degree therefore provides you with a pathway towards studying a BA or BSc Open degree with Honours from the Open University.
For more information please visit: http://www.ouworldwide.com/varsity_college_about.asp.

How do I find out more about these further study opportunities?

As a registered student at Varsity College, we will support you to explore the possible postgraduate options that align to your chosen career area. Each year we also provide our students with a postgraduate information pack. It is important to remember that your academic results remain a key factor when applying for further studies.
Speak to your Student Advisor regarding the IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Communication degree.

How is this Bachelor’s degree structured at Varsity College?

The IIE BACC degree is a three year degree. The academic year runs from February to November. The modules are delivered on a full-time basis with lectures and tutorials being scheduled during the day from Monday to Friday.
In addition to attending lectures, you will be expected to spend time conducting your own study plan as well as research and work on assignments. Learning material is of the highest quality and offers students a blended learning experience where the face-to-face teaching sessions are supplemented with specific online learning activities, digital content/study material, relevant current textbooks and assessments.
To gain the most from the blended learning experience and VC’s Wireless classrooms and campuses, students are required to BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology) mobile device – netbook, laptop or tablet – to develop the necessary academic and digital literacies over the three years of this degree.
The curriculum below is correct at the time of print. Please note that in line with academic practice, The IIE’s curriculum is annually reviewed thus changes may occur in module structure and sequence in order to ensure that the qualification remains relevant. The exit level outcomes of the programme do not change. Registered students receive updated programme curriculum on an annual basis.
Documents detailing specific module outcomes per core discipline are available from the campus should you require these details.
Please click here to view the IIE’s terms and conditions
Click here to download a detailed fact sheet about this programme.
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