In an interview published on Litnet, Prof Pierre Erasmus of the Department of Business Management at Stellenbosch University spoke about the BCom (International Business) degree, of which he is Programme Coordinator.

The four-year BCom (International Business) programme was launched in 2016 to deliver graduates that will be equipped at being role-players in the international knowledge economy. The first group of 22 students who completed this degree, graduated on 10 December 2019.

The following is an excerpt from the interview:

According to programme coordinator Professor Pierre Erasmus, this programme is the first of its kind in South Africa and a pioneer in business education at undergraduate level in the country.

Professor Erasmus explains why this degree is different to other similar degrees in the country, and why this degree is important in today's day and age.

In December last year, the first group of 22 students from the BCom (International Business) class of Stellenbosch University received their degrees – please tell us more about this degree and what it entails?

The BCom (International Business) degree is a four-year degree that provides our students with a similar foundation as a BCom (Management Sciences) degree. Throughout the first three years, students are required to complete subjects from the departments of economics and business management. During their final year, they need to major in at least one of three business management subjects (marketing management, financial management, or entrepreneurship and innovation management), while investment management and economics are available as electives. Introduction to intercultural communication, a module developed specifically for the degree, is included with other compulsory modules, such as strategic management and management of corporate social responsibility.

In addition to these subjects offered by the faculty of economic and management sciences, various subjects from the faculty of arts and social sciences also form part of the programme structure. Students successfully need to complete a first-year language module (French, German or Chinese), as well as political science modules in their second and third years. Other electives include philosophy, sociology and social anthropology. The degree also includes a customised subject (legal aspects of international transactions) presented by the faculty of law.

The most exciting feature of the degree, however, is the inclusion of an international exchange semester. In the second semester of their third year, students enrol at one of our partner universities abroad. During this time, they must successfully complete modules presented at the partner university to obtain the required academic credit. While two thirds of the required academic credit must be from subjects within the field of economic and management sciences, students are given free choice in how they earn the remaining credit. For example, previous students selected modules in graphic design, an additional language, local culture and history, fashion management, gender and communication, etc.

• To read the full interview on Litnet, click here​.
  
• Photo (provided): Top performing students of the first BCom (International Business) class to get their degrees