Commerce
This section outlines the Master’s, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Commerce offered by the University of Sydney Business School.
| Course name |
Master of Commerce |
Graduate Diploma in Commerce |
Graduate Certificate in Commerce |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRICOS code | 077328F | 019182M | 023939C |
| Course abbreviation | MCom | GradDipCom | GradCertCom |
| Credit points required for completion | 96 | 48 | 24 |
| Duration (minimum) | 2 years full-time | 1 year full-time | 0.5 years full-time |
| 4 years part-time | 2 years part-time | 1 year part-time |
Students commencing the Master of Commerce may be eligible for a reduction in the volume of learning for certified prior business study or professional business work experience.
Master of Commerce
The Master of Commerce is a two-year program of full-time study (or four years part-time) designed to enable graduates with a recognised bachelor’s qualification in any field (and at a standard acceptable to the Business School) the opportunity to acquire an applied understanding of business concepts and practices, including in-depth knowledge in up to three preferred areas of business practice. While designed specifically for those from a non-business degree background, the program is also open to those with a prior bachelor’s qualification or higher in a business-related field. A prior bachelor’s qualification or higher in a business-related field may be recognised by means of waivers and/or a reduction in the number of credit points required for completion. Graduates with three or more years of professional experience may also be eligible for a reduction in the volume of learning.
Graduate Diploma in Commerce
The Graduate Diploma in Commerce is based on the master’s programs but requires the completion of fewer units of study. It is an option for students who do not want to commit to a full master’s program in the first instance, but who still wish to gain a solid grounding in their chosen field. Students can choose to progress to the Master of Commerce after satisfactory completion of at least four units in the graduate diploma (with a WAM of 65%+).
Graduate Certificate in Commerce
The Graduate Certificate in Commerce is for students who wish to undertake a short academic training course for career purposes, or who would like to experience further study options to ascertain whether a graduate diploma or master’s program would be suitable. It is also an entry point for students with extensive work experience but without a previous academic qualification. Students can choose to progress to the graduate diploma or master’s course in Commerce after successful completion of the graduate certificate (with a WAM of 65%).
Course structures
Master of Commerce
To be awarded the Master of Commerce, students complete a total of 16 units of study (96 credit points), comprising:
- two core units of study (12 credit points) - one in the first semester of study and one in the final semester of study
- two to six foundational units of study (12 to 36 credit points)*
- at least one specialisation consisting of four advanced units of study (24 credit points) selected from the Commerce areas of specialisation
- additional specialisation/s, dissertation and/or elective units of study required to make 96 credit points in total for the degree (excluding foundational units) selected from the Table of postgraduate units of study: Commerce.^
* Students with a prior business qualification may apply to have foundational units waived.
^ High-performing students who have completed at least 48 credit points (eight units of study) in the program may be eligible for BUSS6500 Industry Placement, if selected for work placement on competitive merit. High performing students who have completed at least 48 credit points (eight units of study) may also be eligible to undertake a research dissertation equivalent to 24 credit points (four units of study).
Graduate Diploma in Commerce
To be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Commerce, students complete a total of eight units of study (48 credit points), comprising:
- a core unit of study (six credit points) to be completed in the first semester of study
- two to three foundational units of study (12 to 18 credit points)
- additional elective units of study required to make 48 credit points in total for the course (excluding foundational units) selected from the Table of postgraduate units of study: Commerce.
Graduate Certificate in Commerce
To be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Commerce, students complete a total of four units of study (24 credit points), comprising:
- a core unit of study (six credit points) to be completed in the first semester of study
- two to three foundational units of study (12 to 18 credit points)
- additional elective units of study required to make 24 credit points in total for the course (excluding foundational units) selected from the Table of postgraduate units of study: Commerce.
Core units of study
Master of Commerce students must complete both of the following core units of study. Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Commerce complete only BUSS5000.
- BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business (must be completed in the first semester of study)
- BUSS6000 Succeeding in Business (must be completed in the final semester of study)
Foundational units of study
Students enrolled in the Commerce programs select foundational units of study as follows:
- Master of Commerce: two to six foundational units (12 to 36 credit points)
- Graduate Diploma in Commerce: two to three foundational units (12 to 18 credit points)
- Graduate Certificate in Commerce: two to three foundational units (12 to 18 credit points).
(i) Foundational units of study offered by the University of Sydney Business School:
- ACCT5001 Accounting Principles
- CLAW5001 Legal Environment of Business
- FINC5001 Capital Markets and Corporate Finance
- IBUS5002 Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- IBUS5003 Global Business
- INFS5001 Project Management
- ITLS5000 Foundations of Supply Chain Management
- MKTG5001 Marketing Principles
- QBUS5001 Quantitative Methods for Business
- WORK5003 Management and Organisations.
(ii) Foundational units of study offered by the School of Economics (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences):
- ECMT5001 Principles of Econometrics
- ECON5001 Microeconomic Theory
Specialisations and electives
Master of Commerce
Master of Commerce students must complete one specialisation. It is, however, possible to complete up to three specialisations (limited combinations without waivers for foundational units). For a specialisation, students normally complete at least one foundational unit of study (six credit points) and must complete four advanced units of study (24 credit points) in a single subject area. Foundational units are normally completed within a student's first semester of study (full-time), or first two semesters (part-time). Advanced units of study cannot be counted towards more than one specialisation. Elective (non-foundational) units of study are selected from the Table of postgraduate units of study: Commerce.
Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Commerce
Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate students select their elective (non-foundational) unit/s of study from the Table of postgraduate units of study: Commerce which includes the Commerce areas of specialisation. Four electives chosen from one subject area will not constitute a specialisation as specialisations are only awarded at the master’s level.
Areas of specialisation
(i) Specialisations offered by the University of Sydney Business School:
- Accounting
- Banking
- Business Information Systems
- Business Law
- Finance
- International Business
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Marketing
- People, Management and Organisations
- Project Management
- Quantitative Business Analysis
- Quantitative Finance
- Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
(ii) Specialisations offered by the School of Economics (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences):
Industry placement
Students who achieve a WAM of 65%+ in a minimum of eight units of study (48 credit points) in the Master of Commerce may apply for an assessable work integrated learning unit: BUSS6500 Industry Placement (six credit points). Access to this unit will be subject to the availability of suitable placements, with available placements offered on a competitive basis, subject to WAM performance and interview by the Program Director or delegate.
Note: This unit cannot be counted towards a specialisation.
Dissertation
Students in the Master of Commerce program who achieve a WAM of 80%+ in a minimum of eight units of study (48 credit points) in the Master of Commerce may apply to complete a research dissertation (24 credit points) comprising: BUSS7002 Business Dissertation (full-time students), OR BUSS7000 Business Dissertation A and BUSS7001 Business Dissertation B (part-time students). Access to these units will be subject to the availability of suitable supervisors, WAM performance and interview by the Program Director.
Note: These units cannot be counted towards a specialisation.
Professional accreditation program requirements
Australian Computer Society (ACS) accreditation
Students planning to satisfy the accreditation requirements of the ACS should include in their degree a prescribed set of units of study, including a specialisation in Business Information Systems. The required units of study are listed below:
- The foundational unit of study INFS5001 Project Management; and
- At least five INFS coded 6000-level elective units of study (30 credit points).
These accreditation requirements are valid until February 2014. This program will be re-assessed by ACS for accreditation at that time. Students should refer to the Business School website for the latest information regarding accreditation.
Professional accreditation in accounting
Students seeking associate membership of CPA Australia or the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA) should complete the Master of Professional Accounting which is accredited by both CPA Australia and the ICAA. Depending on the area(s) of specialisation and elective units they select, however, students enrolled in the Master of Commerce can complete all the required units of study covering the core knowledge areas to meet the joint accreditation requirements for CPA Australia and/or the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia (ICAA).
Selection of the following units of study is recommended to maximise the coverage of the foundation core knowledge areas that are required by the two main professional accounting bodies in Australia:
| Professional accounting core knowledge area | Required unit of study |
|---|---|
| Accounting information systems | ACCT6014 Designing Accounting Systems |
| Accounting systems and processes | ACCT5001 Accounting Principles |
| Accounting theory | ACCT6001 Intermediate Financial Reporting |
| Audit and assurance | ACCT6007 Contemporary Issues in Auditing * |
| Commercial law | CLAW5001 Legal Environment of Business |
| Corporations law | CLAW6002 Corporate Structures in Practice |
| Economics and ethics |
BUSS5001 Firms, Markets and Business Management |
| Financial accounting | ACCT6010 Advanced Financial Reporting |
| Management accounting | ACCT5002 Managerial Accounting and Decision Making |
| Quantitative methods | QBUS5001 Quantitative Methods for Business OR ECMT5001 Principles of Econometrics |
| Taxation | CLAW6026 Taxation Law and Practice * |
* Note: CPA Australia allows graduates to cover audit and assurance and taxation core knowledge areas within the elective component of their professional level CPA Program, if required units have not been completed in their university degree.
Choice of units in the accounting major may depend on whether CA accreditation for ICAA or CPA accreditation for CPA Australia is preferred
As accredited units are subject to review by the professional accounting bodies, students should check the ICAA and CPA Australia websites for units accredited in the year they commenced their course. If required, the CPA/ICAA accreditation liaison officer in the Discipline of Accounting can provide further advice on professional accounting accreditation.
Progression guides
The following tables show course progression examples for a student enrolled in the Master of Commerce, the Graduate Diploma in Commerce or the Graduate Certificate in Commerce.
Master of Commerce
(i) The following table shows an example degree progression for a student who wishes to attain one specialisation in the Master of Commerce on a full-time basis undertaking four units of study per semester.
|
YEAR |
SESSION |
UNITS OF STUDY |
CREDIT POINTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year 1 |
Semester 1 |
foundational unit (articulates to specialisation) |
foundational unit |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business |
24 |
|
Semester 2 |
unit for specialisation |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
24 |
|
|
Year 2 |
Semester 1 |
unit for specialisation |
unit for specialisation |
elective unit |
elective unit |
24 |
|
Semester 2 |
unit for specialisation |
elective unit |
elective unit |
BUSS6000 Succeeding in Business (capstone) |
24 |
|
| 96 | ||||||
(ii) The following table shows an example degree progression for a student who wishes to attain two specialisations in the Master of Commerce on a full-time basis undertaking four units of study per semester.
|
YEAR |
SESSION |
UNITS OF STUDY |
CREDIT POINTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year 1 |
Semester 1 |
foundational unit (articulates to specialisation A) |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
foundational unit (articulates to specialisation B) |
BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business |
24 |
|
Semester 2 |
unit for specialisation A |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
unit for specialisation B |
24 |
|
|
Year 2 |
Semester 1 |
unit for specialisation A |
unit for specialisation A |
unit for specialisation B |
unit for specialisation B |
24 |
|
Semester 2 |
unit for specialisation A |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
unit for specialisation B |
BUSS6000 Succeeding in Business |
24 |
|
| 96 | ||||||
The Business School website illustrates other progression sequences for specific specialisations in the Master of Commerce. This information can be accessed at sydney.edu.au/business/courses/FC076/.
Graduate Diploma in Commerce
The following table shows a course progression example for a student enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Commerce on a full-time basis completing four units of study per semester.
Please note: Students cannot be awarded a specialisation in the Graduate Diploma.
|
YEAR |
SESSION |
UNITS OF STUDY |
CREDIT POINTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year 1 |
Semester 1 |
foundational unit |
foundational unit | foundational unit OR elective unit | BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business |
24 |
|
Semester 2 |
elective unit |
elective unit |
elective unit |
elective unit |
24 |
|
| 48 | ||||||
Graduate Certificate in Commerce
The following table illustrates a course progression example for a student enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Commerce on a full-time basis completing four units of study per semester.
|
YEAR |
SESSION |
UNITS OF STUDY |
CREDIT POINTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year 1 |
Semester 1 |
foundational unit |
foundational unit |
foundational unit OR elective unit |
BUSS5000 Critical Thinking in Business |
24 |
Please note: The information listed in these examples is based on the unit of study offerings for 2014 and is intended as a guide only. Students are usually able to complete the units of study in different sequences to those listed (including enrolling in units in Summer or Winter School sessions when available). Students are advised to plan their degree based upon their individual needs and to contact the Student Information Office if they need any assistance in planning their course progression.