Areas of Specialisation

Economics (BCom and BBusSc)

The School of Economics at UCT is one of the largest departments in the University offering tuition to more than 3500 undergraduate students and approximately 100 postgraduate students. At UCT, as at universities all over the world, enrolments in economics classes are growing more rapidly than in any other discipline. This is not surprising. There exists ever broadening scope for students who have specialised, or majored, in economics during their studies who wish to pursue a career in the field.

Why Take a Programme with a Strong Economics Component?

Economics is the study of Economic life. It asks what, how and why goods are produced, and who benefits. Economics covers micro subjects like the economics of the firm (profit maximisation etc) and macro issues like unemployment, inflation and economic growth. All of UCT s Economics programmes require that you do core micro- and macro- courses in first, second and third year. Other economics courses (some optional, some compulsory depending on the programme) include International Trade, Labour and Development Economics, Public Sector Economics and Resource Economics

The more economics you do, the more you will understand economic policy dilemmas, the complexities of the economic growth crises, etc. You will, in other words, be able to talk much more sensibly about economic issues than you would if you just took core economics subjects. Having this skill will enrich your business life (and certainly make you appear more intelligent in an interview!). It will also improve your attractiveness to many employers. Graduates who can think clearly and logically about the broader economic environment have a lot to offer potential employers especially those in asset-management, stock broking, merchant banking, investment guidance and management consulting. Most jobs in business require further training, and a background in economics is usually a good signal to employers that you are capable of analytical thinking and are worth training further.

Philosophy, Politics & Economics

The PPE is the Schools mainstream undergraduate economics programme, offering students the full range of the disciplines areas and approaches, with a range of carefully chosen related subjects. The UCT PPE degree places a unique focus on the special economic, political and ethical aspects of private sector and public sector policy formation in the age of accelerating commercial and information globalisation. PPE seeks to prepare citizens of the world, with skills applicable to a broad range of challenging careers.

The PPE degree is designed to open a variety of career opportunities. Students who are interested in formulating economic policy, taking account of the implication of such policies for the political and ethical governance of the world, will find the PPE programme the ideal field of study for South Africa. Graduates will obtain an excellent first degree, which, especially if combined with postgraduate studies in Economics or related fields, will be a sound foundation for a career in policy making in the public and private sector. It is also an ideal beginning for a student who aspires to a career as an international trade diplomat or private/ public sector trade policy analyst.

Economics & Finance

The Economics and Finance programme combines a full major in Economics with courses in financial options and management that together provide students with the skills needed to understand and operate in the world of finance. Students interested in careers in investment banking, asset management, equity consulting and other areas of finance that required both technical expertise and a critical understanding of economic forecasting will find this an ideal first degree.

Economics & Statistics

The Economics and Statistics programme combines full majors in both Economics and Statistics. It provides a highly distinctive first degree for students interested in careers as economic forecasters and econometricians (the name of the profession that measures such crucial concepts of daily attention and importance as GDP, the inflation rate, the national savings rate, etc.) A student who completes this programme thereby sends an unusually strong and convincing signal to the market that he or she has strong technical aptitude and confidence, attributes of which the employment market is always short.

Economics & Law

The Economics and Law programme is intended only for students who are interested in a law career with a commercial background or who wish to continue with an LLB degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

How, where and when do I register as a professional economist?

Economists do not have to register with a professional body or write a qualifying exam before they can work as economists. In fact, very few economics graduates will ever be appointed in positions carrying the job description of Economist.

Economics is offered in three faculties, and in this Faculty in four different programmes. How do I know which programme is right for me?

The answer depends to a large extent on the career that you hope to follow. While you can easily switch between economics programmes during the first two years, each programme takes a different focus in year three. Consult a student advisor and study the programme content carefully to help you decide which is best for you.

What are the possibilities for further study at postgraduate level?

Graduates from all economics programmes will be eligible to apply for Honours level (and beyond) study in economics at UCT or abroad. The school of Economics also offers a Masters by dissertation and coursework and Ph.D. degrees.

Graduates with a PPE degree will also be eligible for postgraduate study in Political Science, Public Administration, Philosophy, Mathematics, Accounting or Finance, depending on the students choice of second major. A graduate of the Economics and Finance programme will also be eligible for postgraduate study in Finance, and a graduate of the Economics and Statistics programme will be eligible for postgraduate studies in Statistics. UCT s Economic degrees carry full international recognition because of their carefully designed content, which make them complementary with all similar programmes abroad.

Visit the Department of Economics' Website