Careers › Business & finance

How to become a Business & Management Professional

Runs the operations, marketing and strategy side of an organisation.

What does a Business & Management Professional actually do?

More about this career

A broad qualification covering strategy, operations, marketing and people management – useful because almost every industry needs managers, but less specialised than accounting, law or engineering. What you actually do depends entirely on which industry and function you land in after graduating.

Where this degree can take you

  • Marketing Manager
  • Operations Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Entrepreneur / Business Owner

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Mathematics
  • Business Studies (helpful)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the degrees we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 18 of 23 degrees
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 6 of 23 degrees

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each degree links to the page it came from.

Degrees that lead here

23 degrees at 15 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Durban University of Technology

Partly verifiedNo cut-off published

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Arts & Design · 3 years

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy or Accounting – Mathematics at level 2, or Mathematical Literacy at level 3, or Accounting at level 3.

There is no dedicated hospitality career on Studypath yet, so this is filed under the closest existing category. DUT did not state a single APS number on this page. Closes 30 September 2026. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Nelson Mandela University

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

BCom General (Business Management)

Business & Economic Sciences · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 390 out of 600 (+7 bonus in some cases)

  • Mathematics: 50%

5 years part-time also available. From NMU’s own faculty "UG Guide" PDFs, most of which are dated/closing in 2024 - apparently covering the 2025 intake, not independently confirmed as current for 2027 (NMU appears to roll these forward with the same structure each year, but treat the figures as "last confirmed" rather than "2027-verified"). No 2027 closing date is stated.

Source: View the official page (business.mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Rhodes University

BCom

Commerce · 3 years

Rhodes points 40 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

Rhodes points of 34-39 are considered at the Dean’s discretion; 40 or more receives a provisional offer. We show 40 as the qualifying number so that "you qualify" means exactly that - but you are still worth an application from 34. Rhodes has no Engineering and no MBChB. The NBT is recommended, not required. Life Orientation is not scored, but you need at least 50% in it.

Source: View the official page (ru.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BBusSc

Commerce

Rhodes points 45 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 6 (70% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

Rhodes points of 38-44 are considered at the Dean’s discretion; 45 or more receives a provisional offer. We show 45 as the qualifying number so that "you qualify" means exactly that - but you are still worth an application from 38. Rhodes has no Engineering and no MBChB. The NBT is recommended, not required. Rhodes does not state the duration for BBusSc in this document. Life Orientation is not scored, but you need at least 50% in it.

Source: View the official page (ru.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Stellenbosch University

Selection programme

BCom Management Sciences

Economic & Management Sciences · 3 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 65 %

  • Mathematics: 60%

Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher.

Source: View the official page (files.su.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Selection programme

BCom International Business

Economic & Management Sciences · 4 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 80 %

  • Mathematics: 70%
  • English: 70% if it is your Home Language, 80% if it is your First Additional Language

Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher.

Source: View the official page (files.su.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Tshwane University of Technology

Partly verified

Diploma in Hospitality Management

Tourism & Hospitality Management · 3 years

TUT APS 24 points

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Mathematics, Technical Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy – Any one of these three at level 3.

There is no dedicated hospitality career on Studypath yet, so this is filed under the closest existing category. Closes 30 September 2026. From TUT’s 2027 First-Year Course Information and General Information PDFs. Applications opened 1 April 2026 (fee R240).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Partly verified

Diploma in Marketing

Management Sciences · 3 years

TUT APS 24 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics, Technical Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy – Any one of these three at level 3.

Recommended: Accounting, Business Studies, Economics. Closes 30 September 2026. From TUT’s 2027 First-Year Course Information and General Information PDFs. Applications opened 1 April 2026 (fee R240).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Partly verified

Diploma in Public Affairs (Administration of State)

Humanities · 3 years

TUT APS 20 points

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 3 (40% or more)

Public-sector administration specifically (careers include clerk and public official/manager) - there is no dedicated public administration career on Studypath yet, so this is filed under the closest existing category. Closes 31 July 2026. From TUT’s 2027 First-Year Course Information and General Information PDFs. Applications opened 1 April 2026 (fee R240).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Cape Town

BCom / BBusSc (all specialisations except those listed separately)

Commerce · 3 years

UCT Faculty Points Score 435 out of 600 (band a)

  • Mathematics: 60%
  • English: 50% if it is your Home Language, 60% if it is your First Additional Language
  • NBT – NBT Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy must be Upper Intermediate or above. The NBT Maths test is not required for Commerce.

Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 435. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 470 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (430-434, Education Development Unit only) applies to redress categories only. Includes the CA / Accounting streams. BBusSc is 4 years.

Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Fort Hare

Partly verified

Bachelor of Commerce

Management and Commerce · 3 years

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Four more subjects – Four further subjects at level 4 or better.
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

UFH does not state a numeric APS minimum on this programme’s own page, only subject-level requirements. 2027 undergraduate applications: opened 1 May 2026, close 31 October 2026 (from ufh.ac.za/admission).

Source: View the official page (ufh.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of KwaZulu-Natal

From an older document

BCom General

Law & Management Studies · 3 years

UKZN APS 30 points out of 48

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

The published APS range is 48-30. This comes from the Study@UKZN 2026 brochure, the most recent official source we could find. UKZN had not published a 2027 table when we checked, so treat these as 2026 figures pending a 2027 update. Applications go through the CAO.

Source: View the official page (studyatukzn.ukzn.ac.za) (opens the official page)

University of Mpumalanga

Partly verified

Bachelor of Commerce

Economics, Development and Business Sciences · 3 years

UMP APS 30

  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • English: level 4 (50% or more)

Mathematical Literacy is not accepted. We could not confirm the 2027 application closing date on ump.ac.za itself (only unverified third-party claims).

Source: View the official page (ump.ac.za) (opens the official page)

University of Pretoria

BCom (3-year)

Economic & Management Sciences

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of South Africa

Partly verified

Bachelor of Commerce (General)

Economic & Management Sciences

Unisa APS 21 points

  • English: 50%
  • Mathematics: 50%

NSC with Bachelor’s Degree endorsement required (alternative routes exist via a Senior Certificate or a higher certificate/diploma). Maximum 8 years to complete. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Partly verifiedNot fully verified

Bachelor of Administration

Human Sciences

Unisa APS 21 points

  • Subject-level requirements – Not shown on the page we read (it covered curriculum/modules, not entry requirements) - only the APS minimum was confirmed.

A public-administration-flavoured degree with electives across Accounting, Business Management, Economics, Law and Psychology. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of the Witwatersrand

From an older document

BCom General / Information Systems / PPE

Commerce, Law & Management · 3 years

Wits APS 38 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

This figure comes from the Wits schools-liaison Grade 12 guide, which is headed for 2026 entry. We have not yet found a 2027 course-finder page confirming it, so treat it as the most recent official figure rather than a confirmed 2027 one.

Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Zululand

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Commerce (General)

Commerce, Administration & Law · 3 years

UniZulu APS 28 points out of 48

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 6 (70% or more)

From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Commerce (4-Year Augmented Programme)

Commerce, Administration & Law · 4 years

UniZulu APS 26 points out of 48

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

A lower-threshold, longer route into the same BCom. From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Administration

Commerce, Administration & Law · 3 years

UniZulu APS 28 points out of 48

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Consumer Science (Hospitality and Tourism)

Science, Agriculture & Engineering · 3 years

UniZulu APS 28 points out of 48

  • English: 50%

There is no dedicated hospitality career on Studypath yet, so this is filed under the closest existing category. From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Vaal University of Technology

Partly verified

Diploma in Hospitality Management (Food Service Management)

Human Sciences

VUT APS 20 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Hospitality-related subject – One of Hospitality Studies, Hotel Keeping, Tourism, Catering, Accounting, Business Studies or Consumer Studies at level 4.
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

There is no dedicated hospitality career on Studypath yet, so this is filed under the closest existing category. VUT also requires chef uniforms as a practical condition of enrolment. APS 20 on the Mathematics route, 21 on the Mathematical Literacy route. From VUT’s 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements PDF. Academic applications close 30 September 2026 (residences 31 October 2026); fee R110.

Source: View the official page (vut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Walter Sisulu University

Partly verified

Bachelor of Commerce

Economic & Financial Sciences · 3 years

WSU APS 25 points out of 48

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)

From WSU’s 2027 Undergraduate Information Brochure & Admission Requirements. We could not confirm the application closing date from the pages we read - check the current date on wsu.ac.za.

Source: View the official page (wsu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

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