IIE Bachelor of Accounting – (Distance)

Admission requirements

• National Senior Certificate (NSC): Bachelor’s Degree pass with 50% for English; 50% for Maths (HG) or 80% for Maths Lit/SG/Technical Maths OR
• National Certificate (Vocational) [NC(V)]:Bachelor’s Degree pass with 50% for English; 50% for Maths (HG) or 80% for Maths Lit/SG/Technical Maths OR
• Senior Certificate (SC):Endorsement pass, with 50% for English; 50% for Maths (HG) or 80% for Maths Lit/SG/Technical Maths OR
• Senior Certificate (Amended) [SC(a)]:Bachelor pass with 50% for English; 50% for Maths (HG) or 80% for Maths Lit/SG/Technical Maths
• For International Qualifications:An USAf Exemption Certificate and meeting the relevant Maths and English requirements.
• Alternatively, A cognate Higher Certificate OR cognate 240 credit Diploma OR an Advanced Certificate OR 360 credit Diploma or Degree may satisfy the minimum admission requirements to degree studies.
• If discipline not cognate at least 20% of credits must be academic literacy or numeracy related.
• Candidates who have obtained a registered and accredited Advanced Certificate or Higher Certificate in Accounting or similar, with Accounting as a core module for a full year, who do not have a 70% average for Accounting on that qualification must complete the Introduction to Accounting online workshop in the first semester of first year.
• Non-completion of the workshop at the end of first semester, will result in the cancellation of second semester registration (i.e. cancellation of the Bachelor of Accounting degree).
• Candidates who do not have Accounting as a grade 12 subject or have not obtained 50% for Accounting in grade 12 must complete the Introduction to Accounting online workshop in the first semester of first year.
• Non-completion of the workshop at the end of first semester, will result in the cancellation of second semester registration (i.e. cancellation of the Bachelor of Accounting degree).

For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment. Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.

Curriculum

*There are prerequisites for this programme that must be met in order to progress through the qualification.

**NB. All 4 modules in Year 4 must be completed in one academic year to allow for entry into the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting.

Articulation options

A cognate Higher Certificate OR cognate 240 credit Diploma OR an Advanced Certificate OR 360 credit Diploma or Degree may satisfy the minimum admission requirements to degree studies. If discipline not cognate at least 20% of credits must be academic literacy or numeracy related.

For alternative articulation options within our other schools please contact your campus for further information.

Study further with our pathways

The path to becoming a Chartered Accountant

1. Complete a 3-year (full-time) or 4-year (distance) SAICA endorsed accounting degree (IIE Bachelor of Accounting Degree).
2. Complete a 1-year SAICA endorsed postgraduate Diploma in Accounting.
3. Complete a 3-year training contract with an accredited training provider (usually an audit firm).
4. At the beginning of the training contract, the first SAICA professional exams is written, the Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC).
5. At the end of the 2nd year of the training contract, the second of the SAICA professional exams is written, the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

Accreditation

The IIE Bachelor of Accounting degree is endorsed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) as an undergraduate degree to prepare students for the Chartered Accountant qualification. This qualification is accredited by the Council of Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as a 360-credit qualification on level 7 (SAQA ID: 99284).

Career opportunities

• Chartered Accountant (CA(SA))
• Professional Accountant
• Certified Management Accountant
• Chartered Certified Accountant

This qualification will open up career opportunities in a diverse and exciting range of business-related careers, including: 

• Public Practice
• Consulting in Taxation, Management Accounting, International Financial Reporting Standards and Auditing
• Finance and Management functions, including Financial Manager (FM), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
• Academia (teaching and learning, research and community-based involvement).

Teaching and Learning strategy

At Emeris, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our academic team design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.

On-Campus written examination venue information

For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of Emeris as their Examination Centre.

An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no Emeris campus. If there is no Emeris campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-Emeris venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.

Device and connectivity specifications required for online study

• Reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month and an internet speed of at least 0.15 Mbps). 
• Desktop PC or laptop with at least an i3 processor and 4GB RAM memory. 
• Windows 8 or MacOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for Emeris students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox. 
• A working webcam and microphone. 
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended. 
• Exams are written at an exam centre and in some instances online. These details will be specified in your programme assessment schedule.