Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will offer Associate Degree in Commerce with specialisation in Accounting and Finance, Banking and Finance from Monday (today). This was announced by Director Admissions, AIOU Syed Zia-ul-Hasnain Naqvi.
Admission forms would be available from the sale points at the main campus of University and from all its regional campuses across the country. Naqvi said that Associate Degree Programme has been designed in consultation with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to develop professionally trained human resources for the specific needs of the industry.
The associate degree is primarily developed for those students who cannot join four-year programme due to specific constraints and want to seek jobs at early stages.
He said that after successful completion of the degree the students would not only be able get jobs in industry but may also join B.S programme in fifth semester or M.Com programme at any time in future.
He said that associate degree is equivalent to two-year graduation. This degree is skill-oriented education and better as compared to general graduation.
He said that the Associate Degree Programme has two-year duration and consists of four semesters. He said that criteria for admission is intermediate or equivalent having at least 2nd division (45 percent marks).
The Programme will be offered at all Regional Centres of the University where a reasonable group of students is enlisted. At least 70 percent class attendance of students would be mandatory to qualify them for appearing in exams.
Similarly, Department of Commerce will also offer the admissions of M.Com (Accounting & Finance) programme, which will consists of four semesters (2 years).
Admission Criteria is having 14 years of Commerce/ Business Degree (B.Com/ BBA/AD with minimum 45 percent marks from any HEC recognised University. The programme would be offered through approved study centres of the University.