Commerce: Teaching in 2021

Our teaching in 2021 will be guided by keeping students and staff safe and creating an optimal environment for teaching and learning activities to continue.

To achieve these two essential objectives, the Commerce Faculty will offer all undergraduate courses (from 1st to final year) in a physically distanced learning mode (PDL) during the first semester of 2021.

Read more about Teaching in 2021 here.

Undergraduate course requirements (first semester 2021)

Please note: The information below only relates to first semester. 

• Department of Finance and Tax(FTX course codes)
• School of Management Studies (BUS course codes)
• College of Accounting (ACC course codes)
• Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics (MAM course codes)
• School of Economics (ECO course codes)
• Department of Information Systems (INF course codes)
• Department of Computer Science (CSC course codes)
• Department of Statistical Sciences (STA course codes)

For more information on each course, please consult the Commerce Undergraduate Handbook.

Faculty of Law courses (CML, PVL and PBL courses)

Please note that all courses offered by the Faculty of Law will be fully online in the first semester, including all assessments (tests and exams) and tutorials. 

Please also read: Recommended minimum laptop/desktop specs.

Department of Finance and Tax

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School of Management Studies

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College of Accounting

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Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics

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School of Economics

Department of Information Systems

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Department of Computer Science

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Department of Statistical Sciences 

Recommended minimum  Laptop/Desktop specs:

• i3/i5 Processor
• 8GB of RAM 
• 250GB hard drive minimum 

For students who will be required to run large datasets or application development software such as Visual Studio, the above specification will not be sufficient and the following should be considered: 

• i5/i7 Processor
• 16GB of RAM
• 250GB hard drive minimum

Please consult with your course convener to ask about the recommended hardware specs to run the software required in specific courses.

Further details regarding special deals on laptops for students can be found here.

READ MORE:

• UCT’s Laptop Programme 2021
• ICTS new computer setup
• Campus Announcement: What you need about coming to UCT in 2021

What is PDL in the Commerce Faculty?

PDL means that the key orientation activities and first semester lectures and tutorials will be offered online. Assessments (for example tests and exams) during and at the end of the semester will be invigilated for certain courses in appropriate venues on campus. Invigilation means that you write in a venue - with invigilators present - and the assessment is set for a particular duration. We will upload details on this site for the courses requiring this type of assessment.

Each course convenor decides how teaching activities are offered. There are two types of online teaching: synchronous or asynchronous format. Synchronous means that you need to log on at a particular time and take part in a live-teaching activity. Asynchronous refers to a learning activity where material is uploaded to the course Vula site. You can study it in your time, but must meet the timelines that will be given for completion. We expect that most lectures will be held in an asynchronous format while some tutorials (or workshops) will be synchronous.

What does that mean in practice?

• Students are expected to attend all synchronous teaching and learning activities.
• For each course, the course convener will communicate the form/s of assessment.

To successfully take part in PDL, each student is required to have sufficient connectivity and access to complete the expected 45 weekly hours throughout the semester. This will require at a minimum:

• Access to a computer with appropriate soft– and hardware to maintain a stable internet connection and access relevant software.
• Uninterrupted internet access with no data restrictions.
• Stable internet connectivity to the UCT required platforms (Vula, library resources, Office 365, STATA).

What does this mean for Commerce First Year Students?
Students must ensure that they can participate in all orientation and teaching activities. First-year orientation lays the foundation of your courses. During orientation you will be given important information on the Faculty’s curriculum options and choices and you will learn how to engage with your courses online. This is a critical period of preparation and you need to participate fully in all orientation activities.

Commerce Orientation opens on the 1 March 2021. It is essential that you are ready and able to engage with all online orientation activities. Attending orientation is required for registration. The orientation site and orientation activities run until the semester starts.;

Once the semester starts formally on the 15th March, there will be additional support and information available to help our students adjust to UCT. We also have orientation leaders available every day to answer your queries and guide you along the way. Our orientation leaders are senior students in the faculty who know what goes into adjusting to UCT and being successful in Commerce.