IIE BCom in Strategic Brand Management - Distance

January and July intake

The IIE BCom in Strategic Brand Management grooms graduates for leadership positions in brand management and business strategy in a range of industries in both developed and developing markets. The programme is focused upon the development of smart, original and cohesive brand, business, and management strategies that challenge existing paradigms. As part of the experiential component of the qualification, students work in multidisciplinary teams engaging in real-world brand challenges. Action learning is rounded off with the option of an Industry Immersion programme with companies, agencies or consultancies of choice.

So, you are about to enter higher education, or you are pursuing a career and want to accelerate to the next level, or you may be at a time in your life where you can finally follow the path you’ve desired for so long.

This is exactly why distance learning with The IIE’s Vega School is the perfect fit for ambitious individuals who lead full lives and want to pursue a rewarding career as an innovative strategic brand builder. Whether you are entering higher education for the first time or returning to studies to make a career move, you will benefit from the flexibility that distance learning offers. More importantly, you gain access to hands-on specialist training unique to The IIE’s Vega.

IIE-Vega is distinctively a brand-centric school enjoying high respect in industry. Our tutors possess the requisite expert knowledge and experience to encourage and develop strategic thinking, creativity and innovation.

By joining us you can pursue your purpose, advance your career and become part of an influential network of industry partners and alumni.

Structure of the degree for distance learning:

The IIE BCom in Strategic Brand Management consists of 24 modules and has been set up to support a four year journey with a maximum completion time of eight years. Students are required to register per academic year; and each academic year consists of two semesters.

Brand Activation in Year 3 and Brand Challenge in Year 4 are hallmark IIE-Vega projects that provide exciting opportunities to engage with real-life briefs and apply what it means to be creatively strategic and strategically creative. Students participate in distance (online) collaboration with real-world challenges and clients.

Students have the option to complete 120 hours (in one or several periods) of industry immersion and receive an IIE Vega Industry Immersion certificate of completion before they graduate. These immersions create unique opportunities for students to explore their professional interests and potentially secure an internship programme or full-time position in a company, agency or consultancy.

Year 1:

• Accounting 1A
• Brand Management 1
• Critical Thinking and Media Studies 1
• Accounting 1B
• Business Management 1
• Quantitative Techniques

Year 2:

• Creative Development 1
• Brand Management 2: Channel Planning
• Financial Management for Strategic Brand Management 2
• Introduction to Micro and Macro Economics
• Practice of Innovation
• Brand Management 2: Developing Markets and Consumer Behaviour

Year 3:

• Economics in Brand Building 2
• Business Management 2A: Entrepreneurship
• Brand Management 3A: Strategy
• Brand Activation
• Business Management 2B
• Brand Management 3: Strategic Brand Evaluation

Year 4:

• Digital Brand and Business Strategy
• Introduction to Research for Commerce
• Business Management 3A
• Brand Challenge
• Research Practice for Commerce
• Business Management 3B

Study further with IIE Pathways

The successful completion of the IIE BCom in Strategic Brand Management enables you to progress into the IIE BCom Honours in Strategic Brand Management delivered at IIE Vega, subject to meeting the admission requirements.

Distance delivery includes:

• A distance learning system that leads students through the content, prescribed material and activities.
• Distance academic navigators (tutors) who are subject experts and maintain the human experience of the learning process.
• Weekly live sessions with your distance navigators.
• A dedicated success navigator who supports students throughout the learning journey.
• Our flagship Brand Challenge project – a distance transdisciplinary collaboration with real world challenges and clients.
• Access to our distance information centre and resources.

Note: While you can generally structure your study time as you need, there are scheduled distance sessions during which you will get mediated support. Scheduled assessments in the form of online activities, assignments and exams are paced to ensure your studies progress.

What you need in terms of time and materials

• Prescribed textbooks are available for online purchase.
• Distance students need to commit to approximately 12-15 hours a week for distance engagement (most of which is after hours) with material and assessments to succeed.

Please note synchronous sessions generally take place after hours.

To succeed in your distance journey, you need to be:

• Self-motivated and invested in your learning journey.
• Disciplined and able to balance studying with work and family commitments.
• Able to direct your own studies, maintaining a diligent pace.

To assist you in succeeding in your distance journey, our teaching approach is:

• Student-centric: we facilitate your thought processes to foster innovative ideas and creative solutions.
• Authentic: we use real-life examples and case studies.
• Activity-based: We move your learning forward through applied activities and assessments.
• Discussion-based: we ask you questions and stimulate debate to provoke deep thought and insights about course content.

Device and Connectivity Specifications Required for Online Study: 

• Reliable internet connection (we recommend 5-10 GB of data per month and an internet speed of at least 0.15 Mbps)
• Desktop PC or laptop with at least an i3 processor and 4GB RAM memory
• Windows 8 or macOS 10.15 (Microsoft Office 365 is available as a free download for IIE students), and Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge Chromium or Firefox
• A working webcam and microphone
• An uninterrupted power supply is also highly recommended

Exams are written at an exam centre and in some instances online. These details will be specified in your programme assessment schedule.

Where assessments are written in person

• For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of The IIE’s Varsity College, Rosebank College, Vega, or IIE MSA as their Examination Centre.
• An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no IIE campus. If there is no IIE campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-IIE venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.

• A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with Degree admission- A minimum of 30% for English, 40% for Mathematics or 60% for Mathematical Literacy/Technical Maths; OR
• A National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) with Degree admission – A minimum of 50% for English on either First Additional Language or Home Language level AND Mathematics 50% or 60% for Mathematical Literacy; OR
• A Senior Certificate (SC) (with endorsement) with at least 33.3% for English and 40% for Mathematics on the HG; OR at least 60% for Mathematics on the SG; OR
• A Senior Certificate(Amended) SC(A) with degree admission with at least 40% for Mathematics on the HG; OR at least 60% for Mathematics on the SG, A minimum of 30% in LOLT on NSC/SC(a) OR with a min. of 33.3% in SC
• For international qualifications: An USAf Exemption Certificate is required and meeting the relevant Maths and English requirements.
• Alternatively, a cognate Higher Certificate or cognate 240 credit Diploma OR an Advanced Certificate OR 360 credit Diploma may satisfy the minimum admission requirements to degree studies. If discipline not cognate at least 20% of credits must be academic literacy or numeracy related.

Senate Discretionary Admission
Mature Age Admission for applicants with SC with Endorsement, or NSC/NC(V)/SC(a) with Degree Admission

• Candidates 23 years and older at point of registration, with an endorsed Senior Certificate or a National Senior Certificate with Bachelor’s Degree pass or National Certificate (Vocational) with Bachelor’s degree Pass or Senior Certificate (amended) with Bachelor’s Degree pass can be accepted on a senate discretionary mature age admission if they do not meet the additional admission requirements. Their academic progress will be tracked and reported at Senate.
• A USAf Exemption Certificate is not required.

Mature Age Exemption - SC not endorsed

• Candidates having attained the age of 23 before or during the first year of registration with a Senior Certificate, with a minimum of 40% in at least four higher or standard grade subjects at least three of which shall have been passed simultaneously and one of which shall be a recognised higher grade subject.
• A USAf Exemption Certificate is required.

Mature Age Exemption - NSC/NC(V)/SC(a) with Diploma Admission

• Candidates having attained the age of 23 before or during the first year of registration with a Senior Certificate (Amended), National Senior Certificate or National Senior Certificate (Vocational) with a minimum of 40% in at least four higher or standard grade or 20-credit subjects (or equivalent), at least three of which shall have been passed simultaneously and in the case of a Senior Certificate (Amended), at least one of which shall be a recognised higher grade subject.
  A Diploma Pass on these certificates would imply that that the candidate qualifies.
• Senate Discretionary Admission - Mature Age NSC/NC(V)/SC(a) Hold must be selected so that the USAf Exemption Certificate may be applied for by the Office of the Registrar.

Mature Age Exemption - 45 years and older

• Candidates must have attained the age of 45 before or during the first year of registration.
• A USAf Exemption Certificate is required.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

• Where candidates do not satisfy the formal admission requirements for this qualification, The IIE may consider an admission application in terms of the Credit Accumulation and Transfer, Recognition of Prior Learning and Qualification Completion Policy (IIE010).
• If applicant does not meet minimum admission requirements and there is no alternative (such as completion of NQP modules) but they have relevant experience, the following must be requested:

1. Certificates for all formal (Accredited Higher Education qualifications) and/or informal qualifications/modules (SLP’s, Microcredentials etc). SAQA certificates must be provided for any international qualifications.
2. CV to determine whether the following are related to the qualification that the applicant is applying for:

1. 1. Formal (Accredited Higher Education qualifications) and/or informal qualifications/modules (SLP’s, Microcredentials etc)
   2. Relevant work experience

USAf approved cognate foundation programme

• Candidates who have completed an USAf approved cognate foundation programme from a registered and accredited provider may be admitted.
• An USAf Exemption Certificate is required - the Office of the Registrar will facilitate, on behalf of the student, an application for degree admission to USAf, once the student has provided proof of payment to USAf.

Transfer students

• Candidates who have successfully completed at least 120 credits on the first year of a cognate degree may be admitted. The additional Maths/Math Lit/Technical Maths criteria falls away. However, if a student completed less than 120 credits, the admission criteria on the NSC or equivalent apply.

OQSF qualifications

• Candidates with an OQSF Level 5 cognate qualification may be admitted, provided the OQSF qualification has at least 120 credits at NQF Level 5. An USAf Exemption Certificate is required - the Office of the Registrar will facilitate, on behalf of the student, an application for degree admission to USAf, once the student has provided proof of payment to USAf.

One Module Outstanding

• Candidates who have one module outstanding to complete an IIE Higher Certificate which is appropriate for admission to a degree, may register for the degree on the condition that they will register for the outstanding Higher Certificate module along with the first year of the degree.
• If a student does not pass the module, they will be allowed to register again* for this module and any modules failed in the first year of the degree; however, they will NOT be allowed to register for the second year of the Degree, or any subsequent year, until they have passed the Higher Certificate module.

*Registration is also subject to the maximum completion times rule in IIE010.

IEB International Secondary Certificate

• Candidates must have achieved Bachelor's Degree pass and meet the additional admission criteria (where applicable).
• The OoR will apply to USAf for Exemption based on Senate Discretion.

Should you have any other school leaving qualification not mentioned above, please reach out to a contact navigator.