Masters in Economics by Dissertation

Course Information

In addition to the coursework Masters and the Applied Masters degrees, the Department of Economics offers a Masters by Dissertation degree. The dissertation accounts for 100% of the final grade, which also allows students to qualify for NRF funding

Admission requirements/procedures

1. To apply for a Masters by dissertation you will require at least a 65% average for your Honours in Economics degree. If you have an Honours degree from another discipline, you are at a minimum required to have completed Honours level semester courses (48 hours teaching time) in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics.
   
   

2. Complete and submit the Departmental application form to the Graduate Administrator (Paula Bassingthwaighte). This application must include:
   (a) A 5 page outline of your proposed research with the JEL (Journal of Economic Literature) classification index
   (b) A Curriculum Vitae
   (c) An official transcript of courses passed up to and including the current year, with symbols/grades.
   
   

3. This proposal will be distributed to the relevant lecturers within the School of Economics and if a suitable supervisor is found, the Graduate Committee will send the recommendation to the Faculty Board for approval and you may register with the university as a provisional candidate for this degree.
   
   For a list of staff research interests see the Research web page.
   
   

4. A candidate registering for the first time for the degree may register at any time during the year, provided that any such candidate who registers after 1 May shall not be permitted to count the remainder of the year as part of the minimum prescribed period  of study for this degree.  (minimum 1 year).
   
   

5. The thesis submitted for the degree shall be between 40 000 and 50 000 words.

Foreign postgraduate applicants need to include a course outline, including core texts of their most advanced courses in the following areas:
(a) microeconomics,
(b) macroeconomics,
(c) econometrics/statistics/quantitative methods.

Job opportunities, such as tutoring, are available to all postgraduate students within the Economics department.

All international students must please contact our International Academic Programmes office.  Their email address is int-IAPO@education.uct.ac.za or visit UCT’s website.

For any other queries please contact the Graduate Administrator,  Paula Bassingthwaighte.
Email:  Paula.Bassingthwaighte@uct.ac.za

Bursaries and Scholarships

Click here for information on general bursaries and scholarships, or visit the Postgraduate Funding Office's website.