AFDA
Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
ZAR 83,115 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* rolling admissions - before Late Enrollment window closes
** Total Tuition Fees 2023
Introduction
NQF Level 7 | SAQA ID 94705
The BCom in Business Innovation at AFDA is a project-based degree designed to future-proof, stimulate and build capacity in students to drive digital transformation and advancement in the South African and African markets to compete globally.
The degree focuses on business start-up theories and models that can meaningfully apply to and create tech-based projects. BCom students apply market research and entrepreneurial strategies to real digital outcomes for testing and a greater probability of release to the marketplace.
Overview
The tech-focused outcomes allow students to collaborate in a team to realize their businesses through tech prototyping and exploration of new technologies with more immersive experience content such as Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Virtual Reality. Each student's role in the business relates to their chosen discipline and they work together to develop, research, and prepare to launch a business start-up to be tested and monetized.
The tech-focus in the AFDA School of Business Innovation & Technology considers the necessity for students to learn coding techniques as well as Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Virtual Reality amongst other technologies. Research shows that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will become the computing platforms of the future (Goldman & Sachs 2016). VR and AR are changing how we design, create, and experience everything from retail to architecture, health industries, engineering, education, and entertainment. Global venture capital has invested $3.5 billion in VR and AR in the last two years and research shows that $30 billion will be invested in VR & AR by 2020 because VR & AR are destined to replace the future of computing, as these technologies begin to disrupt the PC and smartphone as they evolve towards smart glasses. This exponential leap towards immersive computing will affect all spheres of commerce (Goldman & Sachs 2016; Scoble & Israel 2017). Globally the VR and AR market will be worth $215 billion by 2021 (statista.com).
There are many benefits to this in that the integration of entrepreneurship and technology located in the two business hubs (AFDA Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses) will create many opportunities for students through collaboration, resources, and deeper learning opportunities for your benefit. This differentiates the AFDA BCom degree from any other business or IT degree programs available and adds more value for our current and future students doing this qualification.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the AFDA school of business innovation and technology Bcom differ from a Bcom type degree at other universities?
Our BCom degree has a number of elements that are similar to a traditional commerce degree in order to ensure its underlying credibility. However, it is unique in that it focuses on opportunities for meaningful project-based learning as a team where entrepreneurial strategies are applied to real digital outcomes through prototyping for testing and a greater probability of release to the marketplace.
The AFDA School of Business Innovation & Technology pedagogic approach utilizes a number of highly successful and progressive learning strategies which include:
- Individual & integrated outcomes
- Vocational specialization and collaboration
- Market-related outcomes and assessment
- Goal and challenge-based learning
What is the duration of the Bcom course?
The Bachelor of Commerce degree is a 3-year full-time course which will run alongside AFDA’s other undergraduate degrees.
Will there be exams in the AFDA school of business and innovation programs?
The Bachelor of Commerce in Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship (BCom) has an outcomes-based learning process and assessments. There are no written exams.
Admissions
Curriculum
Course Structure
Like the Bachelor of Arts degree at AFDA, the core course modules for The AFDA School of Business Innovation and Technology’s BCom degree are a unique and progressive approach to dealing with the vast expanse of knowledge and theories that are accessible today. More importantly, it is an approach to learning that is designed to stimulate innovative, conceptual and perceptual thinking; in doing so, allowing students to model and align existing knowledge to their integrated production outcomes. Shared production projects, team-based outcomes, and evaluation act as the ’glue’ between various degrees and disciplines. Students from various disciplines integrate and share creativity and innovation in a networked, concrete, outcomes-based manner.
Core course runs over the 3 years in the Bcom and includes the following 5 components:
- Assessing the Dissipation of a Value Flow
- Determining Market Need for the Dissipating Value Flow
- Originating a Sustainable Business Model
- Establishing Brand and Product/Service Appeal
- Business Presentation & Effective Delivery Control
Disciplines
There are five disciplines (areas of specialization) in the BCom degree. From the second year, the student will pursue two disciplines according to their aptitude and by the third year, the student would major in one of those disciplines:
- Business Leadership
- Marketing & Sales
- Finance
- Management & Operations
- Digital Technology
Program Outcome
Outcomes
First Year
Semester 1: Project teams that function like companies, will develop a digital business idea for the media industry in the South African market. This will include the design of an online application or website that will host media, such as short films, podcasts, or webisodes.
Semester 2: Project teams will develop a digital business idea for the South African music industry using virtual reality. This will include the design of an online application or website that will host music content on a virtual reality platform.
Second Year
Semester 1: Project teams that function like companies, will develop & monetize a digital business idea in the Fin-Tech space. This will include the design of an online application or platform that will enable customers to perform financial digital transactions in innovative ways.
Semester 2: Project teams will develop & monetize a digital business idea that will use Virtual reality or Augmented reality. This will include the design of an online application or platform that will enable your team to provide a variety of cutting-edge services or products.
Third Year
Semester 1: Project teams that function like companies, will visualize the world in 2030 and create an idea for a digital business that will be viable in that environment.
Semester 2: Project teams will isolate an aspect of the 2030 future business that can be implemented immediately with the aim of long-term exponential growth.
Students will pitch & refine their business model through prototyping a monetizable product, with the mentorship of industry experts. They will run aspects of the business for a term with the intent to launch a lean start-up entrepreneurial business into the real world.
Gallery
Career Opportunities
What companies will recognize the Bcom degree? Where will I work?
All companies in the new economy will be looking for people ready to face the revolution with imagination, creativity, and innovation. But more importantly, the BCom is designed to encourage graduates to create their own products, services, technology, and companies.