University Regulations

Online Regulations

The following regulations apply to students commencing study within the 2012 academic year (January 2012-December 2012). For previously published regulations, refer to the Calendar archive (Academic Quality Assurance Unit website).

Regulations for the Degree of Master of Commerce

See also General Course and Examination Regulations.

1.
Qualifications Required to Enrol in the Degree

Every candidate for the Degree of Master of Commerce in a given subject, before enrolling in a course of study for this degree, shall have:

(a)
been approved as a candidate for the degree by the Dean of Commerce and either:
(b)
qualified for a degree of this university or been admitted ad eundem statum as a holder of such a degree, and satisfied the prerequisites for the subject as specified in the schedule to these regulations and for such other courses as the Heads of Departments concerned may require.

No candidate shall enrol for Part I of the degree in any subject for the degree in which he or she has already qualified for the award of one of the following degrees: Bachelor of Science with Honours, Master of Science, Bachelor of Arts with Honours, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce with Honours.

Note: Relevance and standard of undergraduate studies are the main criteria for approval.

2.
Examination for the Degree

An examination for the degree shall comprise such combination of courses and other written work as may be prescribed for the subject offered.

No candidate for the degree shall graduate who has failed more than one of the courses offered.

3.
Courses from Other Subjects

A candidate may, with the approval of the Heads of Departments concerned, replace one or two of the courses prescribed for the subject offered by one or two courses prescribed for another subject or subjects for a Master's degree or at an equivalent level for an Honours degree.

4.
Candidates with a Bachelors degree with Honours in an approved subject

A candidate who has qualified for the award of a Bachelors degree with Honours, or the equivalent, in a relevant subject may, subject to approval of the Head of Department, complete a Master of Commerce degree in the same subject by submission of a thesis as described in the Schedule for Part II of that subject and, if prescribed, an oral examination.

5.
Award of BCom(Hons)

A candidate who has presented the course work component of a Master of Commerce degree that includes a thesis but who has not submitted his or her thesis, may apply to the Academic Board for the award of the Bachelor of Commerce with Honours degree, or the Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, provided that the course work passed for the Master of Commerce degree satisfies the requirements for the Bachelor of Commerce with Honours degree in that subject, or the requirements of the Postgraduate Diploma in Economics.

6.
Thesis Requirements

The following conditions shall apply to the preparation and presentation of a thesis:

i.
The presentation of the thesis shall conform to the requirements of the General Course and Examination Regulations, Part L, and shall be submitted in accordance with this regulation.
ii.
The thesis shall describe the work done by the candidate in an investigation in a subject approved by the Head of Department. The investigation shall be carried out by the candidate under the direct supervision of a university teacher.
iii.
The candidate shall submit the thesis by the date specified by the Head of Department.
iv.
If the thesis at its first presentation is inadequate to secure a pass in the examination, the Dean of Commerce may, when recommended by the examiners and assessors, permit the candidate to revise the thesis and resubmit it by a specified date.
7.
Time Limits

A candidate must complete all requirements for the Master of Commerce degree in accordance with the time limits set out in the Commerce Graduate and Postgraduate Qualifications Time Limit Schedule.

8.
Class of Honours

There shall be two classes of Honours: First Class Honours and Second Class Honours. The list of candidates obtaining Second Class Honours shall be listed in two divisions: Division 1 and Division 2. In the case of a candidate granted an extension of time for the completion of the degree the Academic Board shall decide on eligibility for Honours.

9.
Eligibility for Honours

Honours shall not be awarded if the scripts in the first year in which a candidate sits an examination for the degree are unsatisfactory, or if the thesis at its first presentation is unsatisfactory, provided, however, that a candidate whose performance at a written examination has been seriously impaired by illness or other critical circumstance in terms of the aegrotat regulations (see General Course and Examination regulation H) may elect, instead of applying for an aegrotat award, to sit at a subsequent written examination and still be eligible for the award of Honours, subject to Regulation 5.