Bachelor of Commerce in Fashion

Our Bachelor of Commerce in Fashion (BCOM) is the only qualification of its kind that effectively merges the skills of fashion retail management, buying, merchandising, fashion practice and trend analysis, with the traditional in-demand commercial modules aligned to this kind of qualification. This includes micro-and macroeconomics, strategic business management, law and supply chain management.

This qualification is designed to produce skilled graduates who can move into specific roles in the fashion retail industry, which are prestigious and potentially lucrative but always fail to attract candidates with the right combination of skills and knowledge. Young South Africans genuinely love fashion and have a fine appreciation of trends and textiles, but there is a smaller, more niche grouping emerging from the fashion tribe – these are the fashion nerds who analyse the shelves and instinctively understand and take an interest in the development of the product of fashion. These students will hone their skills in managing the brands of designers, owning their own lines of brands, or taking up the distinct roles offered by fashion retailers. In the pressurised global fashion markets, retailers are seeking fresh graduates who are energetic and passionate about fashion, but also have strong analytical skills and business acumen, understand merchandising and retail management, and understand the fundamentals of business strategy.

As a graduate of the B.COM in Fashion at STADIO, you will be able to compile and present, range reviews and post seasonals to retail heads supported by sales and trend data (which you will be able to expertly analyse thanks to skills developed in Trend Analysis and Merchandise Planning and Buying modules). Your understanding of Supply Chain principles will help drive your decision-making in managing assortments and suppliers, while your knowledge of Strategic Business Management will ensure that you understand the fundamentals of your company’s business strategy and deliver on key performance indicators. In our own meetings with industry stakeholders, professional veterans of the industry have emphasised that more than ever that they seek to employ graduates who demonstrate passion, commercial awareness and business acumen, but also strong problem-solving and analytical skills. These skills are developed in graduates’ understanding of the local and global business environment, from the economic principles of the fashion markets to the consumer itself (who our graduates are trained to analyse using theories, ideas and research found in consumer psychology).

You will benefit from studying a B.COM that is bespoke and designed to meet the requirements demanded by employers in the fashion industry while simultaneously equipping you with skills that unlock various career pathways in other industries and commercial arenas. It is, therefore, a highly versatile qualification. The B.COM’s focus on fashion specifically means that you will utilise skills and knowledge sets that are directly relevant to the contexts of niche and mainstream fashion markets – from underground sneaker culture and its inverted scarcity-based economy to consumer data analytics and omnichannel retailing; from the unpacking of African luxury and symbolic consumer psychology to e-commerce business model innovation – The School of Fashion lives at the cutting edge of the fashion business, and it is here that future fashion business leaders will foster partnerships (and friendships) with the leading up-and-coming fashion designers while also gaining access to work experience opportunities in fashion-related environments.

THE ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR THE BACHELOR OF COMMERCE IN FASHION ARE:

Candidates who matriculated after 2008 require:

• A Senior Certificate (SC) with degree endorsement and a minimum symbol of E in Mathematics HG, or D in Mathematics SG; or
• A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a minimum of 50% in four 20-credit subjects;  a minimum of 45% in English Home Language or First Additional Language; and a minimum of 55% in Mathematics or 75% in Mathematical Literacy or 50% in Accounting; or
• National Certificate – Vocational Level 4 (NC(V)) with a minimum of 60% in three  fundamental subjects including English; and minimum 70% in four vocational subjects; or
• The STADIO, Higher Certificate in Fashion Retail (NQF 5); or Higher Certificate in Fashion (NQF 5); Higher Certificate in Digital Marketing Practice (NQF 5); Higher Certificate in Photography (NQF 5); or
• Higher Certificate (NQF 5), Advanced Certificate (NQF 6) or Diploma (NQF 6)  in the field of: Fashion; or Commerce

OR

• National Certificate (Vocational) with a minimum of 60% in three fundamental subjects including English, and a minimum of 70% in four vocational subjects

• Candidates with an NSC must produce a National Benchmark Test (NBT) for diagnostic purposes.

Candidates who matriculated prior to 2008 require:

• A Senior Certificate (SC) with endorsement and a minimum of 45% for English as a first or second language

• Candidates with a SC require a minimum of an E in Higher Grade Mathematics or a D in Standard Grade Mathematics

STADIO is committed to achieving inclusion and to overcome barriers to access and success in higher education. Applicants who do not meet the stated admission criteria, but who have relevant work experience and/or prior learning may apply for admission under the policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). STADIO admits a maximum of 10% per cohort via RPL. The implementation of RPL is context-specific, in terms of discipline, programme and level.  Further information may be obtained from your Student Recruitment Advisor.