Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology (BCIT) - BCom BITC

QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Toowoomba campus: 905121; Distance education: 905125

CRICOS code (International applicants): 069698B

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Program focus

This double degree provides students with the opportunity to expand their knowledge in both commerce and information technology fields. Students must select a major from commerce and a major from information technology with considerable flexibility regarding the remainder of the program.

Commerce majors include:

• Accounting

• Business law

• Finance

• General commerce

• Sustainable business

• Sustainable economics and policy

Information technology majors include:

• Applied computer science

• Information systems development

• Information technology management

• Networking and security

Career opportunities

The double degree provides students with a wide range of employment opportunities including financial analyst, financial planner, investment banker, financial accountant, forensic accountant, stockbroker, small business manager, IS developer, IT manager, IT auditor.

Professional accreditation

The Bachelor of Information Technology component of this program is accredited at professional level by the Australian Computer Society and, through the Seoul Accord, is recognised in other countries.

Accounting major students will meet the educational entrance requirements of CPA Australia, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA) and the National Institute of Accountants (NIA). (Note: Students must also complete FIN1101 Introduction to Financial Management to meet the requirements of these bodies.) Accounting major students who complete a finance minor will meet the educational entrance requirements of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (Finsia).

Finance major graduates will meet the educational entrance requirements to become an Associate member of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (Finsia).

Program aims

The emphases of this program are:

• overview of the commerce environment (broadly defined to include both private and public ‘commerce’) with specific emphasis on accounting, finance and information technology issues

• vocationally and professionally oriented knowledge, qualities and skills in such areas as problem solving, communication, ethics and teamwork that will enable students to identify, analyse and resolve business management and information technology problems in both the private (profit and non-profit) and public sectors.

Program objectives

This program encompasses the objectives of both the Bachelor of Commerce and the Bachelor of Information Technology , that is, at the completion of the program, students should be able to:

• demonstrate strong communication skills

• understand the concepts, processes and procedures relevant to public and private organisations

• identify and evaluate the environments within which commerce is conducted

• demonstrate a sound understanding of the principles of accounting, finance and information technology

• identify information needs appropriate to their area of specialisation and apply the techniques required to gather and interpret such information

• identify, analyse and solve problems in two or more areas of commerce by selecting and using either quantitative or qualitative techniques appropriate to the resolution of business problems

• satisfy academic admission requirements for membership of relevant professional bodies

• work as a professional within commerce or information technology arenas and act within the ethics of the profession.

Admission requirements

Candidates for admission to this program must satisfy the normal USQ entry requirements for undergraduate programs. Please refer to Section 2.2 of the Admissions Policy, Section 2.2.1 (for Australian students) and Section 2.2.3 (for international students).

International applicants must have met the University's English language requirements or have completed the University's ELICOS/EAP program.

How to apply

Domestic students

Application for undergraduate programs may be made through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). The same procedure applies whether you plan to study on-campus or by distance education.

If you completed Year 12 at a Queensland secondary school you will be assessed for entry on the basis of your Overall Position (OP) or equivalent score. Year 12 students from other states or territories are considered for entry on the basis of their UAI, ENTER or TER and the subject prerequisites indicated. Other applicants will be based on their overall Rank.

International students

This program is offered to international students. An international student is a person who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen and not an Australian permanent resident. Please refer to USQ International for information about entry requirements, visa arrangements and how to apply.

Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of your higher education and you as a student pay a student contribution amount, which varies depending on the courses undertaken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.
Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called HECS-HELP.

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.
Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Program structure

This program comprises 32 single-unit courses made up of:

• a core of twelve courses (see below)

• one major from the Bachelor of Commerce

• one major from the Bachelor of Information Technology

• either a minor or four electives*

Program completion requirements

To be eligible to graduate with the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology, students must complete (or be awarded credit for prior equivalent study of) all 32 courses as outlined above.

Where credit for prior study is awarded, a student must complete at least eight courses from the Bachelor of Commerce majors and at least eight courses from the Bachelor of Information Technology majors to be eligible to graduate with the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology.

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 9 years to complete this program.

Core courses

The Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology comprises 12 core courses as set out below:*

Major studies

A major study is a set of courses that make up a coherent, in-depth study of a specific discipline.

Students completing the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology must complete one major from the Bachelor of Commerce plus one major from the Bachelor of Information Technology.

Minor studies

A minor study is a coherent group of four units of courses that provides students with an appropriate breadth of study in their program. Students who wish to take a minor study not listed in the recommended minors must obtain permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Before undertaking any course, the pre-requisite courses must be completed or exempted.

Please note:

When students select a minor(s), courses will only count towards that minor(s) if they have not already counted towards another selected major or minor.

Not all minors are available on-campus at all campuses.

Students may choose courses from those listed in the Minor Studies section of this Handbook. Enrolment requirements must be satisfied for any course selected.

Elective courses

Students may select either a four (4) unit minor study or four (4) elective courses from courses offered at undergraduate level by Faculty of Business undergraduate programs or, with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, from undergraduate programs offered by other faculties at the University of Southern Queensland. For the purposes of satisfying the electives requirement, students may choose courses from those listed in the Minor Studies section of the Handbook. Enrolment requirements must be satisfied for any course selected.

IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the computer requirements section.

Other program requirements

Students must maintain good standing in this program. Please refer to Section 2 of theAcademic Standing, Progression and Exclusion Policy.

Students enrolled in the joint TAFE/USQ Diploma programs must complete their Diploma studies at the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE before continuing enrolment at USQ.

Articulation

Graduates of accredited Australian Training Packages (Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas) have access to established articulation pathways.

Exit points

Students must maintain good standing in this program (see Other program requirements section). Students not wishing to complete the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology double degree program may be permitted to exit with the Advanced Diploma of Business if they have completed 12 courses as follows:

• a minimum of four, up to a maximum of eight, from the specified core courses, and either

• four to eight courses from a single commerce or information technology major area of study, or

• four courses from a single Bachelor of Commerce , Bachelor of Information Technology or Bachelor of Business major area of study (minor study) and four elective courses of study.

Alternatively, students not wishing to complete the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology double degree program may be permitted to exit with the Diploma of Business Administration provided they have completed the eight (8) courses required for completion of that program.

Alternatively students not wishing to complete the double degree program may be permitted to exit with either the Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Information Technology providing they have completed all requirements for that program.

Exemptions

Candidates for admission into the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology program may be eligible for up to 16 units of exemption on the basis of successful completion of relevant, equivalent undergraduate study from a recognised university or institution offering equivalent study. Exemptions approved in this program will not automatically apply to other programs offered by USQ.

Claims for exemptions for previous study should be submitted prior to or at the time of enrolment. Each claim will be assessed on individual merit in line with the faculty's exemptions policies.

Note: Where exemptions are granted, maximum and minimum duration will be adjusted in the same proportion as exemptions, for example, where eight exemptions are granted, maximum time will be six years and minimum time will be four terms.

In this section:

• Recommended enrolment patterns
• Recommended enrolment pattern

Recommended enrolment patterns

Given the program structure information, students should plan their enrolment making sure that they have fulfilled all core, major, minor and elective requirements. Enrolment requirements must be satisfied before enrolling in a course.

As a guide, full-time students should plan to undertake eight courses per year and external students, who are in employment, a maximum of six courses per year, with a minimum of four courses per year. This is exclusive of any semester 3 enrolments. Students wishing to enrol in more than four courses per semester or more than two courses in semester 3 must obtain permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Courses are normally offered on-campus and externally in the same semester. If a course is offered twice in one year, the second offering will normally be on an external basis only. Students undertaking the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Information Technology may not enrol in any postgraduate courses.

Recommended enrolment pattern