Welcome to the Department of Accounting

Focus

The Department of Accounting at UCT was founded in 1921. It has a professional focus under-pinned by sound academic process. We subscribe to the IFAC principles regarding professional and general education, which are consistent with UCTs mission of educating for life. Consequently quality is an uncompromising goal. Our graduates are in demand by the accounting profession and other businesses, and are found in senior positions in the financial capitals of the World. Notwithstanding the high levels we set, we provide access and support for under-prepared candidates.

Head of Department

Michael Wormald is an Associate Professor in the Department of Accounting, University of Cape Town. His teaching responsibilities include teaching Managerial Accounting and Finance to the Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting and B. Com. Honours students. 

He is a co-author of the text "Financial Management" which is widely used by both accounting and business finance academics. He has twice received the Standard Merchant Bank Prize for the best research paper published jointly in de Ratione. He has delivered a number of academic papers at both local and overseas conferences, has published in the financial press and acts as a reviewer for scholarly journals.

Prof. Wormald is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Teaching Philosophy

Our goal is to engender life long learning among our students. We provide our graduates with sound technical skills coupled with the ability to apply these skills in settings, which require a broader understanding of the issues. We expect students to work hard, read widely, and to engage in substantial self-learning. Interpretative, analytical, and communication development is high on our priorities, as a result a carefully designed suite of projects is required in each year of study.

Undergraduate and Professional

Programmes are designed to enable graduates to progress to the accounting profession. Our main programmes are geared towards Chartered Accountants, General Accountants, converting graduates from other disciplines to accounting, and converting accounting graduates from non-accredited institutions to our levels. Through these programmes our graduates have access to various facets of the accounting profession (for example, ACCA, CA(SA), CFA(SA), CIMA, AGA.) and the financial and business community.

We are proud of our achievement of regularly qualifying a large number of professional accountants coupled with high pass rates. In addition, our graduates are sought after in the employment market both locally and overseas.

Post-Graduate and Research

In keeping with our professional focus, we have coursework post graduate programmes, which focus on the interface between theory and practice in our major sub-disciplines, Financial Reporting, Auditing, Taxation, and Managerial Accounting and Finance. Our research output is amongst the highest among accounting departments in South Africa, and this has drawn many research students to us.

Academic Development and Enrichment

The Commerce Faculty has an Academic Development Programme for disadvantaged students. In addition the accounting department has a number of initiatives. Support is also provided for all students who may benefit from additional tutorials.

An enrichment programme is provided for strong students in each year of study. They are exposed to current issues through a series of presentations and debate. These seminars are provided by guests from practice and by senior academics.

International Links

Staff members have connections with academics and practitioners all round the world. We are currently working on formal student exchange and other collaboration with leading universities.