Bachelor of Commerce
Undergraduate
ACU-COM-DEG 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Launch straight into your business career
Explore the foundations of business. Choose your specialisation from areas including accounting, marketing, and HR. This course is co-designed and recognised by industry. It includes certifications and job-ready skills to launch your business career.
- Study method
- 100% online study with practicum placement
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Commerce
About this degree
Our Bachelor of Commerce has your career goals in mind. You can tailor your degree to your interests and enhance your career opportunities with specialisations in areas such as accounting, marketing, management and human resource management.
Create a unique career path whilst honing communication skills as part of your commerce degree. We start with four foundation units that provide you with the business grounding needed to decide on the career direction you want to take. From as early as second semester you can select your major from accounting, human resource management or marketing. Our Work Integrated Learning programs give you essential job-ready skills and experiences throughout your degree and our industry partnerships and connections ensure you will be ready for any career path while our specialisations come with a range of relevant credentials.
Recommended study pattern
Students are required to complete the Business Foundation units (BUSN104, BUSN112, BUSN113 and ITEC100 or equivalent) prior to progression to level 200 units. Students who complete a minimum of 2 Foundation units may progress to level 200 units with the permission of the Course Coordinator. Students should follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progress through the course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.
To qualify for the degree, a student must complete 240 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:
- 60 cp from Specified Business Units (Part A)
- 20 cp from Core Curriculum Units (Part B);
- 80 cp from Major Units (single major) (Part C);
- 80 cp consisting of any combination of second major, minor or electives (Part D, E and F).
Award requirements
- 60 cp from Specified Business Units
- 20 cp from Core Curriculum Units
- 80 cp from Major Units (single major)
- 80 cp consisting of any combination of second major, minor or electives
Choose your subjects
Majors
A Major consists of 80 cp. Students must complete at least one major. A Minor consists of 40 cp.
For professional accreditation in Accounting, students must complete both the major and minor in Accounting. Students who do not wish to gain professional accreditation in Accounting may select a second major (80cp) or choose from the minors (40cp) or elective units.
Majors Available:
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Human Resource Management
Minors Available:
- Accounting
- Marketing
- Human Resources Management
Electives
Students can complete up to 80 credit points in elective units
Students may select elective units at the 200 and 300 level.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$15,072
Indicative total fee $45,216
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about ACU.
Explore ACU courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 34
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 29
How to apply
Australian Catholic University manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to Australian Catholic University who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed English at the year 12 level, or equivalent.
You’ll need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course.
If you have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above, you’ll be assigned a selection rank based on your study level, duration and grade point average that will be applied during the admission process.
If your previous study has equipped you with knowledge, skills or experiences that align with the learning outcomes of units in your new course you may be able to apply for recognition of prior learning and you may be able to complete your course sooner. Speak to your course consultant about credit or recognition of prior learning.
You’ll need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course
If you’re a current Year 12 applicant you can be given a selection rank separate from, and in addition to, your ATAR if you’ve completed a competency-based and graded AQF Certificate III or above.
If you’ve completed, or are completing a competency-based AQF Certificate IV or AQF diploma you will be assigned a selection rank. This is an entry score based on your individual qualifications and achievements.
If you have no formal education qualifications you may be eligible for a selection rank based on your work, life or service experience. Speak to your course consultant.
- If you’ve been in paid employment, relevant to the course you’re applying for, for a minimum of six months full-time (or equivalent), this work may be assessed for your selection rank.
- If you’re 21 years or older you can sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) through your local TAC.
- You can apply for an ACU bridging course. Our bridging courses allow you to transition back into studying and can give you a head start on the relevant undergraduate degree.
- If you have served in the defence force, your rank and time in service may contribute to your selection rank.
An overall academic IELTS score of 6.0 (with minimum scores of 6.0 in speaking and writing, and 5.5 in listening and reading).
Recognition of prior learning is recognised but must be applied for using the prescribed forms
Study method requirements
As part of our Work Integrated Learning program you’ll gain 105 hours of industry placement in your area of specialisation. We have embedded employability into your degree with our Future Ready program where we build on your professional skills each year, supporting you every step of the way. These placements will give you the confidence, knowledge and skills to prepare to fast track your career or move to another career. You’ll learn to apply what you learn online to real life scenarios and you can even utilise your own workplace if you wish.
As part of your degree you’ll have the opportunity to work with not-for-profit organisations wherever you live with 35 hours of community engagement experience and gain 10 credit points towards your degree. You’ll foster knowledge and understanding and its application within communities experiencing marginalisation and disadvantage while applying ethical personal and professional skills developed during your studies at ACU.
Career opportunities
Our graduates can pursue careers as:
- chartered accountants
- human resource managers
- marketing managers
- advertising executives
- auditors
- recruitment consultants
- personnel managers
- market analysts
- general managers
- corporate training officers
- brand managers
Professional recognition
Our commerce specialisations come with a range of relevant credentials, such as the prestigious EFMD international accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development. If you graduate with a major or a minor in accounting you may be eligible for membership with CPA Australia, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand , and the Institute of Public Accountants. Choose human resource management and you can become a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute. Marketing graduates, meanwhile, can become graduate members with the Australian Marketing Institute.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
---|---|---|
Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Managers | Over $120K | Up 18.5% |
Finance Managers | Over $120K | Up 24.7% |
Human Resource Professionals | $75K to $93K | Up 24.6% |
Management Consultants | $93K to $120K | N/A^ |
^ There is no data available