Bachelor of Commerce

Course summary for local students

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Professional recognition
• Fees and charges
• Career opportunities
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Major sequences
• Course structure
• Entry requirements - general
• Entry requirements - specific
• Pathways
• Credit for prior learning - general
• Further study
• Workload

Course overview

A Bachelor of Commerce graduate can be confident that they have a philosophy for decision-making that prepares them for the careers of the future.  Studying Commerce at Deakin gives you a world-class degree accredited by AACSB and EPAS.

From accounting, to economics, to marketing, tailor your degree and open up opportunities in every area of business, not for profit organisations and government.

The core of the Bachelor of Commerce is built around three pillars (financial, market and personal acumens) designed to provide a common and comprehensive foundation for students in their first year.  From second year students can extend their knowledge within career focussed, discipline areas (majors).  A range of experiential opportunities including internships and international experiences are offered to ensure graduates are professionally ready.  You can also choose from specialised areas offered by other faculties such as public relations, politics and policy studies, languages, and psychology. 

Professional recognition

Graduates who complete the accounting major sequence plus specified finance and commercial law units, provides an opportunity for students  to be eligible to apply for admission to the:

CA Program of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)
Associate membership for the CPA Program, CPA Australia
IPA Program of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) and
Exemptions may apply for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Graduates who complete the Financial Planning major sequence in the Bachelor of Commerce are eligible to join the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and eligible for entry into the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Certification Program which is offered by the Financial Planning Association of Australia and is recognised by the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA) as a pathway into the Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner (FChFP) designation.

Students should consult with a Faculty course adviser to identify the units required by each professional body, and also consult with the professional body. Eligibility may depend on work place experience.

Fees and charges

The tuition fees you pay will depend on the units you choose to study as each unit has its own costs. The ‘Estimated tuition fee’ is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved Credit for Prior Learning you have.

Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. The ‘Estimated tuition fee’ is calculated by adding together 8 credit points of a typical combination of units for that course. Eight credit points is used as it represents a typical full-time enrolment load for a year.

You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the Handbook.

Learn more about fees and available payment options.

Career opportunities

There are employment opportunities for Bachelor of Commerce graduates in virtually every area of business and government – in Australia and overseas. Potential careers include becoming a professional accountant, IT and systems professional, economist, financial planner, human resources manager, social and economic policy developer, international trade officer and marketing assistant/manager. As this is a very broad course there are further possibilities in other professions especially if taken with further study.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Commerce students must attain 24 credit points. The 24 credit points include 8 core units, 8 units from a major (you will be required to complete at least one major), and 8 elective units (you may choose to undertake another 8 unit major). Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to 1 credit point. Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester, and usually undertake 2 trimesters each year.

Major sequences

Refer to the details of each major sequence for availability.

All students in the Bachelor of Commerce are required to complete at least one major sequence chosen from the following:

• Accounting^
• Business Analytics
• Commercial Law
• Economics
• Finance
• Financial Planning^
• Human Resource Management
• International Trade
• Management
• Management Information Systems
• Marketing

^ M300 Bachelor of Commerce is the recommended pathway to qualify for membership of professional organisations.

Course structure

Core units

Course structure

Elective units

Students may choose up to eight credit points of electives. These may constitute a second commerce major, or a major available in another Faculty (provided any prerequisites can be met), or a combination of units (again pre-requisites allowing) chosen by the student.

These may include the following Work Integrated Learning (WIL) units and general elective units offered by the Faculty which are specifically designed to enhance a student’s experience of the workplace:

Other elective unit:

Unit selection

Students admitted to the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) will be given advice on unit selection, however students must take responsibility for planning their own studies within the course structure and course rules.

Part-time studies

Part-time study is available via Campus and Cloud (online) mode.  Part-time study refers to academic workload, not mode of study.

Entry requirements - general

Deakin University offers admission to undergraduate courses through a number of Admission categories.
In all categories of admission, selection is based primarily on academic merit as indicated by an applicant's previous academic record.

All applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements.

Entry requirements - specific

Entry for school leavers will be based on their performance in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or its equivalent, with pre-requisite units 3 and 4; a study score of at least 25 in English EAL (English as an additional language) or 20 in English other than EAL. Applicants will be selected in accordance with the published clearly-in Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) for that year.

Refer to the VTAC Guide for the latest pre-requisite information www.vtac.edu.au

Entry for non school leavers will be based on their performance in:

• a Certificate IV in a related discipline OR
• a Diploma in any discipline OR
• successful completion of relevant study at an accredited higher education institution equivalent to at least two Deakin University units OR
• other evidence of academic capability judged to be equivalent for example relevant work or life experience

For more information on the Admission Criteria and Selection (Higher Education Courses) Policy visit Deakin Policy Library.

Pathways

Expand your career options and create pathways into further study. Visit our Honours in Business page for further information.

Credit for prior learning - general

The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.

You can also refer to the Credit for Prior Learning System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree and how to apply for credit.

Further study

M400 Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

Workload

As a student in the Faculty of Business and Law, you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.