TUT National Higher Certificate in Financial Information Systems

NATIONAL HIGHER CERTIFICATE: FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS

• Qualification code: HCFI04 – NQF Level 5
• Campus: Ga-Rankuwa and Mbombela campuses

Important Information: The Baccalaureus Technologiae will be replaced by qualifications aligned with the new Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework from 2020 onwards.

Admission Criteria:

1. For those before 2008: A Senior Certificate with D symbols at Higher Grade and C symbols at Standard Grade for Mathematics and Accounting. A score of 30 or more using the Swedish formula is required for acceptance.
2. For those from 2008 onwards: A National Senior Certificate with certain endorsements and achievement levels in English and Mathematics/Mathematical Literacy. An Admission Point Score (APS) of at least 20 is needed.
3. For National Certificate (Vocational) at NQF Level 4: Certain achievement levels in English and Mathematics/Mathematical Literacy are required.

Other Details:

• Duration: 2 years.
• Presentation: Day classes.
• Intake: January only.
• Recognition of Prior Learning: As per Chapter 30 of Students’ Rules and Regulations.

Curriculum:

• First Year
  • Business Calculations I
  • Communication I
  • Commercial Law for Accountants I
  • Financial Accounting IA & IB
  • Financial Information Systems IA & IB
  • Cost Accounting I
  • Entrepreneurial Skills I
  • Software Skills IA
• Second Year
  • Auditing IIA & IIB
  • Cost Accounting IIA & IIB
  • Financial Accounting IIA & IIB
  • Financial Information Systems IIA & IIB
  • Software Skills IB
  • Taxation I

Subject Overviews:

1. Auditing: Introduction to the auditing profession, internal controls, and processes.
2. Business Calculations: Mathematical and financial calculations in business.
3. Commercial Law for Accountants: Introduction to South African law, contracts, and negotiable instruments.
4. Communication: Business and industry communication, including dialogue, interviews, reporting, and more.
5. Cost Accounting: Introduction to cost and management accounting, costing concepts, system design, cost behavior, overhead allocations, cost volume profit analysis, budgeting, overhead analysis, pricing, and more.
6. Entrepreneurial Skills: Basic business and economic principles, and entrepreneurial skills development.
7. Financial Accounting: Basic introductory elements, application of GAAP, accounting approaches for transactions, financial statements, group statements, cash flow, taxation recording, and financial statement analysis.
8. Financial Information Systems: Basics of computers, hardware, system development, data management, ethics, system planning phase, IT project management, systems design, systems implementation, and systems support and security.
9. Software Skills: The programming process, problem-solving, and data definition.

The syllabus content is always evolving to keep pace with industry changes. A more detailed syllabus can be found on the university’s website or through the respective departments.