Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Why should I come to UCT?
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UCT is the oldest university in South Africa and is one of the leading
research universities on the African continent. Many researches are A-rated and
are recognized as world leaders in their field. It has a diverse student body
and has over 3000 international students from over 90 countries. Resources and
facilities available to students are superb. The Commerce Faculty prides itself
on being the largest of all faculties at UCT and offers a wide range of
programmes, preparing students for the personnel needs of the fast-growing world
of financial service industries and for participation in the global economy.As an example, the Accounting Department in the Commerce Faculty:
- Focuses on technical and "soft" skills e.g. communication verbal and
written, development of lateral thinking and critical analysis.
- Has an enviable track record in professional exams.
- Students receive guidance and assistance from 1st year through small group
tutorials, hot seat facilities, and have access to friendly academic staff.
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What subjects does one study in Commerce?
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All Commerce students do at least
- One year of Accounts
- One year of Economics
- 6 months of Statistics
- 6 months of Mathematics
- 6 months of Information Systems
- 6 months of thinking skills
- In addition each student will choose an area of specialisation from
Accounting, Economics, Information Systems, Actuarial Science or Management Studies.
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Do I need to have done Accounts at school?
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No, but you must have done Maths and
English. Preference will be given to students who have passed
matriculation Mathematics on the Higher Grade. Applicants with Standard
Grade Mathematics will only be considered where they have not had the
opportunity of doing Higher Grade Mathematics at school.
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What are the differences between a B.Com and a B.BusSc degree
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| Degree |
B.Com |
B.BusSc |
| Length |
- 3 years (4 years for extended programme)
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- 4 years (5 years for extended programme)
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| Mandatory Maths Course |
- is 6 months
- offered by the Statistics Dept as STA101F/S
- If one has a C at HG one can replace it with MAM102W
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- is 1 year
- offered by the Maths Dept as MAM102W or MAM100W for students who
require second year Maths for their programme.
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| Breadth of Coverage |
- Nothing to stop above average students picking up additional courses
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- as it takes longer it covers a broader range of business related
subjects including Marketing and Human Resource Management
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| Areas of Specialisation |
- Normally 1
- The student could spend a fourth year doing this area of
specialisation at the Honours level.
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- Business Strategy and one area taken at the Honours level.
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If you start with a BCom degree can you change to a BBusSc degree later
on?
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Yes, but this will depend on your
academic progress and you would need to have done pre-requisite courses
for the BBusSc, e.g. a year-long Maths course. |
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How do I become a Chartered Accountant (CA)?
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See poster / CA route handout below. Click on the image below to view a
more detailed roadmap to becoming a Chartered Accountant.
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What is the difference between the General Accountant and Chartered
Accountant streams?
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The difference are as follows:
- 1st and 2nd year are common
- 3rd year the only difference is the General Accountant stream does ACC
IIIT and TAX IT versus ACC III and TAX I in the CA stream. The T indicates
courses that cover breadth rather than technical depth.
ACC IIIT is an overview of ACC III and ACC IV done in the Postgraduate
Diploma in Accounting. TAX IT is an overview of TAX I and TAX II done in the
Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting.
Click on the image below to view a breakdown of the typical
Accounting Programmes.
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What is the difference between Actuarial Science offered in the Science
Faculty and Actuarial Science offered in the Commerce Faculty?
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Actuarial Science is offered as a
4-year BBusSc degree in Commerce, whereas
it is a 3-year BSc degree in Science. In order to gain equivalence to a BBusSc a
student would have to do a 4th year (Honours) in Science. The core Actuarial
Science courses offered in the BBusSc and BSc degrees are the same, but the
BBusSc has extra Commerce-type courses. In addition, the entrance requirements
for admission to the BBusSc are more demanding than those for the BSc. |
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What are the main differences between Organisational Psychology,
Industrial Psychology and Human Resources Management?
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In the old days we called our subject
area Industrial Psychology, because we mainly worked in the
manufacturing industry. However, as economies and work changed, we also
started working in financial institutions, information technology
companies, the public sector, NGOs, etc. So we changed our name to
Organisational Psychology to reflect that we work in all types of
organisations. However, some universities have retained the name
Industrial Psychology.When you look at the names of our sections/departments in the yearbooks of
different universities, you will note a variety of labels. As we noted above,
some departments are called Departments of Industrial Psychology. Others are
called Departments of Organisational Psychology and to add to the confusion,
some are called Departments of Human Resources.
At UCT our current name is the Section of Organisational Psychology/Human
Resource Management. This is confusing and long-winded and will be changed by
2005. We have taken the standpoint (supported by social historians in the
Netherlands) that as economies and work change, the focus of Organisational
Psychology also changes. The current focus of Organisational Psychology is a
trend called Human Resource Management. This trend emphasises the idea that
people are an asset, rather than just a cost factor in the work place.
Therefore, well-trained and highly skilled people can be viewed as a competitive
advantage in an organisation.
In summary then, Industrial Psychology (although still in use), is an older name
for Organisational Psychology. Human Resource Management is the current trend in
Organisational Psychology. This trend may change as the economy and work change
over time.
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Does the Faculty offer entrance scholarships?
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Yes, but these are not awarded
automatically on excellent Matric results
only, but are also used as a recruitment tool for equity purposes. The current
entrance scholarship policy is under review and is likely to change for 2005. |
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Does the Faculty accept courses passed at Technikons and Damelin
College?
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No |
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