Master of Commerce in Taxation [CM020]

M.Com. in Taxation 2009/10

Please note that this programme may be subject to change.

Application

Applicants to this course should ideally have a CA(SA), LLB or equivalent acceptable qualification.

The course is run every 18 months.

The closing date for applications for 2009/10 will be Monday 17 November 2008. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by the end of December 2008.

Registration

Registration will take place after the entrance examination in March 2009.

Please note the following - The Masters course codes are:

• Masters in Taxation Course Work is split into 3 semesters and therefore has three course codes, namely: ACC5010F/S (Part I), ACC5011F/S (Part II), ACC5012F/S (Part III)
• Masters in Taxation Group Project (Moot Courts) has one course code, namely: ACC5007W
• Masters in Taxation Dissertation (Research Paper) has one course code, namely: ACC5006F/S.

Preliminary Course (January - March 2009)

Students are required to have a level of knowledge of taxation equivalent to Taxation II at U.C.T. For this purpose, before the commencement of the Honours programme in April 2009, there will be a period of preliminary study followed by an examination of three hours’ duration. Students will be provided at registration with an abridged copy of the Tax I and Tax II lecture programmes, which will indicate recommended readings and tutorials to be attempted. Solutions will be supplied to all the tutorials and candidates will be able to work through the reading lists at their own pace. However, several classes will be held on Wednesday evenings during the period January to March 2009 and students will be able to discuss any problems they may have.

Entrance Examination

The entrance examination of three hours’ duration has been provisionally booked to take place on Monday 16 March 2009 and will cover the work done in the Preliminary Course. Students will be allowed to refer to copies of the Income Tax Act and the prescribed textbook during the examination. A pass in the entrance examination is a prerequisite for admission to the course.

Seminars - ACC5010F/S (Part I), ACC5011F/S (Part II), ACC5012F/S (Part III)

During periods April to December 2009 and January to March 2010 there will be a programme of approximately sixty-eight seminars, held twice a week for thirty-four weeks, from 7.30am- 9.00a.m.

These seminars will consist of guided group discussions of tax legislation and South African and other decisions in taxation cases heard by the courts over the years, aimed at developing the participant's ability to interpret the cases and to apply the principles established in a practical manner. There will be prescribed reading for each seminar and from past experience it is estimated that students would need to devote some fifteen hours each week to this preparation. The sessions are structured so as to ensure a high degree of participation from all students.

Masters in Taxation Group Project (Moot Courts) - ACC5007W

Candidates will be divided into four or five groups for this purpose. On three occasions during the course, a case study will be distributed setting out the circumstances of a dispute between a taxpayer and SARS. Each group will be required to do the necessary research and prepare Heads of Argument for both the taxpayer and SARS suitable for submission to the tax court. The intention is that candidates should develop their skills in doing research in tax legislation and judicial precedent, and in particular should prepare for the arguments of their opponent. The Heads will be marked by members of the Department and the members of each group will receive the mark awarded to that group. Two sets of Heads will be chosen by the convener and these will form the basis for a moot court to be held with members of the class taking the roles of the participants in the court. Each project will be concluded in this way.

The marks obtained for the three moot court research projects will collectively count one-third of the final mark for the course. There is a sub-minimum of 40% for this component of the course.

Taking into account the three Income Tax Moot courts, there are therefore approximately 37 contact weeks.

Masters in Taxation Dissertation (Research Paper) (April to September 2010) - ACC5006F/S

Students will be required to submit a dissertation or equivalent research project of some 25 000 words on a topic to be selected by the student and approved by the course supervisor. Students will be required to formulate detailed proposals and are advised to start their research during the vacation period in December 2009 at the latest. The dissertations or the equivalent research projects are to be submitted approximately five months after the last examination. This is also the deadline by which the articles must have been accepted for publication for students following the second option. Students should be aware that the acceptance process for most refereed journals takes a considerable time.

The marks obtained for the dissertation or equivalent research project will count one-third of the final mark for the course. There is a sub-minimum of 50% for this component of the course.

Progress Test, Examinations and Overall Requirements

There is a 2 hour progress test provisionally scheduled for Thursday 9 July 2009.

Three 4-hour examination papers will be written during the Masters programme, at the end of each module. The first provisionally scheduled for Thursday 22 October 2009, the second provisionally scheduled for Thursday 7 January 2010 and the third provisionally scheduled for Thursday 1 April 2010.

The results of these three papers will collectively count one-third of the final mark for the course. There is a sub-minimum of 50% for this component of the course.

Weightings

October/December/March Tests 1/3
Group Projects (Moot Courts) 1/3
You are required to obtain an average minimum of 50% for the above to proceed to the Masters Dissertation.
Masters Dissertation 1/3
You are required to obtain a minimum of 50%

Candidates' performance will be reviewed at each stage, i.e. after the progress test and each of the three examinations. Anyone whose performance is not satisfactory at any stage may not be permitted to continue.

Degree with distinction
Students with a weighted average of at least 75%, including at least 75% for the dissertation, will be awarded the degree with distinction.

Examination
FM10.1 Award of the degree of Master by coursework and dissertation or long paper shall be dependent on the candidate completing the prescribed courses and submitting an acceptable research dissertation or long paper.

FM10.2 When presenting a dissertation or long paper in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of a masters degree, Rules FM6.1 to FM6.5 shall apply mutatis mutandis, except that a candidate shall submit the dissertation or long paper in quadruplicate, two temporarily bound and two unbound.

Graduation

Successful candidates will graduate in December 2010.

Contact Us

For further information and application forms contact Eugene Williams at e-mail: Eugene.Williams@uct.ac.za  or telephone 021 650 2258 (between 8am and 1pm).