Business Studies: What to study?
The ICB’s 5 business studies programmes are designed to give you the most relevant, practical and useful knowledge and skills around. This means that whether you’re undertaking a bookkeeping course, accounting course or business management course, you can be certain that you’ll be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to make you employable and valuable.
When you look at the programmes in details, you’ll see that some subjects appear in all of them. These are the courses that give you the most essential skills no matter what programme you choose. We update our course structure and content on the 1st of April each year to keep everything relevant. This means you can hit the ground running at work with what you’ve learnt, with knowledge that is completely up to date.
Level Up!
The ICB’s programmes are divided into different levels. When you complete just a few subjects successfully you’ll be awarded an ICB Programme Certificate and can move up to the next level. It’s really motivating to have such achievable goals! And you can do it all at your own pace. Before you know it, you will advance to our highest accounting qualification.
Need to press pause?
If life responsibilities or finances mean you need to take a short break from your studies, you can. Simply pick up where you left off when you’re ready to start again. Just don’t leave it too long as the subject material does get updated every year.
EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS SOMEONE TO MANAGE THEIR BOOKS
If you want to offer indispensable bookkeeping and accounting skills the Financial Accounting Programme is for you!
LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS YOU!
If you want to work in finance in government or municipalities, Public Sector Accounting is the programme to study.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE A BUSINESS SUCCEED!
The Business Management Programme is just the ticket if you have ambitions of managing a business and its finances.
DREAMING OF RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
The Entrepreneurship Programme is the study stream if you are financially-minded and have dreams of starting a business.
BE AN INDISPENSABLE ALL-ROUNDER
The Office Administration Programme is perfect for those who want to learn bookkeeping and all-round office knowledge.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
Total = 3 years
Start Here
Bookkeeper
12 months
National Certificate: Bookkeeping
NQF L3 SAQA 58375
Certified Junior Bookkeeper
CJBIcba(SA)
Senior Bookkeeper
6 months
FET Certificate:
Bookkeeping
NQF L4 SAQA ID 58376
Certified Senior Bookkeeper
CSBIcba(SA)
Accounting Technician
6 months
National Diploma:
Technical Financial Accounting
NQF L5 SAQA ID 36213
Certified Technical Financial Accountant
CTFAIcba(SA)
Financial Accountant
12 months
National Diploma:
Financial Accounting
NQF L6 SAQA ID 20366
Certified Financial Accountant
CFAlcba(SA)
PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING
Total = 3 years
Start Here
Public Accounts Administrator
12 months
National Certificate:
Public Sector Accounting
NQF L4 SAQA 20352
Certified Public Accounts Administrator
CTPAIcba(SA)
Public Accounting Technician
12 months
Diploma:
Public Sector Accounting
NQF L5 SAQA ID 20353
Certified Technical Public Accountant
CTPAIcba(SA)
Public Sector Financial Accountant
12 months
National Diploma:
Financial Accounting
NQF L6 SAQA ID 20366
Certified Financial Accountant
CFAlcba(SA)
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Total = 3 years
Start Here
Business Administrator
9 months
National Certificate:
Small Business Financial Management
NQF L4 SAQA 48736
Certified Small Business Financial Manager
CSBFMIcba(SA)
Senior Business Administrator
15 months
Higher Certificate:
Office Administration
NQF L5 SAQA ID 23619
Certified Senior Office Administrator
CSOAIcba(SA)
Senior Business Administrator
12 months
Higher Certificate:
Office Administration
NQF L5 SAQA ID 23619
Certified Senior Office Administrator
CSOAIcba(SA)
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Total = 3 years
Start Here
Entrepreneur
9 months
National Certificate:
Small Business Financial Manager
NQF L4 SAQA 48736
Certified Small Business Financial Manager
CSBFMIcba(SA)
Senior Entrepreneur
15 months
Higher Certificate:
Office Administration
NQF L5 SAQA ID 23619
Certified Senior Office Administrator
CSOAIcba(SA)
Management Accountant
12 months
National Diploma:
Financial Accounting
NQF L6 SAQA ID 20366
Certified Financial Accountant
CFAlcba(SA)
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Total = 3 years
Start Here
Office Administrator
18 months
Certificate:
Office Administration
NQF L5 SAQA 23618
Certified Junior Office Administrator
CJOAIcba(SA)
Senior Office Administrator
15 months
Higher Certificate:
Office Administration
NQF L5 SAQA ID 23619
Certified Senior Office Administrator
CSOAIcba(SA)
Administration Manager
9 months
Diploma:
Office Administration
NQF L6 SAQA ID 35958
Certified Office Manager
COMlcba(SA)
The ICB’s Business Courses Study Programmes share Common Subjects
These contain fundamental business studies skills and knowledge that are relevant and valuable to more than one stream.
The table below shows how some of the subjects overlap across our programmes. You can see which are the specialist subjects for each stream – shown in the programme colours – and how easy it is to complete just a few extra subjects to attain a second programme qualification.
Note, they are not in any kind of order. You would need to complete the subjects and levels of our programmes.
Join a Professional Body or Study Further
Start Exploring Options
Are you ready to find out how to study?