The Bachelor of Business Science specialising in Economics is a good fit for students who want to focus on their university journey in the Faculty of Commerce, unlike the BSocSci in Economics which allows students to major in economics and one other Humanities subject within a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree.

Why take a programme with a strong economics focus?

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 firm's economics (profit maximisation etc.) and macro issues like unemployment, inflation and economic growth. All UCT s Economics programmes require that you do core micro-and macro- courses in the 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, stockbroking, merchant banking, investment guidance and management consulting. Most jobs in business require further training, and a background in economics is usually an excellent signal to employers that you are capable of analytical thinking and are worth training further.

Please refer to the Commerce Undergraduate Handbook for more information on the courses. 

For information on applying to UCT, admission requirements, National Benchmark Tests, and key dates, please consult UCT’s Undergraduate Prospectus.