About Bachelor Of Commerce in Southern Institute of Technology

SIT's Bachelor of Commerce is a high quality three year degree programme that will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in business. 

With a choice of three majors (accounting, management or marketing), you have the flexibility to design a programme that best serves your career aspirations, and to enjoy the mix of academic theory and strong practical and applied skills taught by our experienced and respected tutors. 

This programme is approved and accredited with both Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ) and NZQA.

Our teaching staff have extensive business experience, combined with excellent academic backgrounds and strong links with the professions, while the Bachelor of Commerce has a strong practical and applied focus. We know that our programmes will challenge you, but that you will feel supported and excited about your future once you decide to study with SIT. Our business staff are passionate about teaching and enjoy working with students of all ages and from different cultures.

We have strong links with local businesses and focus on creating opportunities whereby our students can obtain real world experience before they graduate.

Career Opportunities

Graduates will have a sound understanding and awareness of the New Zealand business environment alongside practical skills that will add value to a business, either as an employer, employee or business owner.  Possible careers include:

• Accounting majors can find careers in financial accounting, financial management, corporate accounting, taxation, auditing and business consulting. Students can apply to become members of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)
• Management majors can find careers in production management, supply chain or logistics management, human resources management, project management or general management (after obtaining relevant experience in the business environment)
• Marketing majors can find careers in marketing and sales management, product management, merchandising, services marketing, market research, brand management, customer services management, key account management or general management (after obtaining relevant experience within a sales and marketing environment)

Satisfactory Completion

Every candidate for the qualification of Bachelor of Commerce, is required to follow to the satisfaction of the Teaching and Learning Board of Studies, a programme of study for a minimum period of three years. Each year of study comprises two 17-week semesters.

Programmes of study for the Bachelor of Commerce are made up of clusters of papers taken at the appropriate levels as outlined in the Programme Schedule of this document.

The Bachelor of Commerce qualification conforms to the NZQA credit requirements of 360 credits from Level 5 to Level 7. Study scheduled for each of Levels 5 to 7 is in accordance with the processes, learning demand, and responsibility that are detailed in the Programme Schedule.

Individual papers may have specific pre-requisites or other knowledge/skill requirements, which may be required to be satisfied by students.

Candidates may withdraw without penalty, provided they do so before the approved withdrawal date for the programme. Refunds and other financial arrangements attached to the SIT Zero Fees Scheme are detailed on the application form, and in the SIT Student Handbook and Policies and Procedures Manual of the QMS.

In order to be awarded the Bachelor of Commerce, the student will have been credited with all required papers and electives as specified in the programme schedule.

A student completing the Bachelor of Commerce will normally be expected to complete the three year programme (full-time equivalent) within ten years.

Notwithstanding the requirements set out above, the Head of Faculty with the approval and recommendation of the Teaching and Learning Board of Studies may allow a student a longer period to complete the programme.

(Please note: students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit Zero Fees entitlement.)

University Entrance - NCEA Level 3 

 Three subjects at Level 3, made up of:

• 14 credits each, in three NZQA University Entrance approved subjects, and
• Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of five credits in reading and five credits in writing, and
• Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of specified achievement standards through a range of subjects, or a package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 – all three required)

Entry may also be granted to mature applicants who are at least 20 years of age when the programme begins and can provide evidence of aptitude or appropriate work or other experience, or completion of an external or overseas qualification which is considered to be the equivalent of any of the above qualifications as approved by the Programme Operations Manager.

Special Admission
A student who has successfully completed a minimum of three papers in the New Zealand Diploma in Business may transfer their enrolment and be admitted onto the Bachelor of Commerce programme.  The Programme Operations Manager will advise according to the current cross credit schedules.

Language Requirements
Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate of at least 80 percent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having passed an NZQA approved English Proficiency Assessment, or one of the following tests of English language competence in accordance with the NZQA rules below:

• IELTS test – Academic score of 6, with no band score lower than 5.5
• TOEFL Paper-based test (pBT) – Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE)
• TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) – Score of 60 (with a writing score of 20)
• University of Cambridge English Examinations – FCE, or FCE for schools, or CAE, or CPE with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill
• NZCEL – Level 4 with the Academic endorsement
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) – PtoE (Academic) score of 50
• City and Guilds IESOL – B2 Communicator with a score of 66

Applicants from countries with an annual student visa approval rate below 80 per cent, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English must provide evidence that they:

1. Have gained NCEA Level 3 and met New Zealand University Entrance requirements or
2. Hold a bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, The Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States of America or
3. Have achieved a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, CELTA or
4. Have achieved one of the English Language competence tests  specified  above

Provisional Part time Admission
An applicant who does not meet academic criteria, may be provisionally admitted to enrol in one or more year one papers. Upon successful completion of the papers, the student may apply for admission by mature entry.

Southern Institute of Technology Highlights

New Zealand Living Expenses

You'll require between $20,000 and $25,000 a year ($380–480 per week) for housing/rent, food, transportation, phone bills, internet usage, and entertainment, in addition to your tuition and insurance fees. The average living expense will be the same for everyone, regardless of their tuition or course price. Please keep in mind that these are only suggestions; the Immigration New Zealand requirement is $15,000 per year including return travel or an additional $2,000.