The Bachelor of Commerce Honours specialising in Economic Analysis of Financial Markets [CH022ECO17-January Intake] [CH023ECO17- June Intake] aims to prepare candidates to participate as highly competent professionals in the financial sector of the economy. To this purpose, the programme is comprised of a range of modules which include studies in economic principles of finance, analysis and interpretation of financial statements, application of economic modelling and econometrics in financial economics, equity valuation, futures and derivatives, fixed income securities, investment decision theory and securities legislation.

The structure is such that the graduate should be able to analyse financial situations at an executive level; utilise advanced quantitative methods to make financial decisions based on financial forecasts; to interact between different disciplines to form financial strategies.

Please note: this programme was previously known as Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management.

Duration: This is a 12 to 18- month programme with intakes in January and June.

Prescribed curriculum/ structure: 

The curriculum consists of eight courses (14 NQF credits each) and a long paper (30 NQF credits). Each course is modularised for 4-6 weeks, with classes presented outside normal working hours. All courses listed below are compulsory.

Assessment: 

To qualify for the Honours degree, students must attain at least 50% for each course.

Readmission rules:

Students are allowed to re-register once for a maximum of 2 courses. Students who fail to meet the re-admission requirements will be deregistered from the programme. Students who receive a sub-minimum of 40% for the Long Paper will be allowed to revise and resubmit their paper for re-examination within 4 weeks of receiving their grade. The revised research paper will be eligible for a maximum grade of 50%. No supplementary examinations are awarded. Students with a deferred examination will be required to write the first available deferred examination offered. These deferred examinations will generally be offered in the subsequent semester. Students failing to write the first available deferred exam will be classified as AB for that exam.

Enrolment in the programme may not be extended beyond 2 years.

Distinction Rule: The degree may be awarded in “the first class” if a student has an overall average of at least 75% at the first attempt. The candidate obtains not less than 70% for both the coursework component and the Honours research paper.

Entrance requirements:

A minimum requirement to be considered for admission is a bachelor’s degree from an institution recognised by the Senate, with an average of at least 60% in the level 7/8 subjects. Candidates must have completed at least statistics (STA1000 or equivalent), mathematics (MAM1010 or equivalent), Economics (ECO1010 and ECO1011 or equivalent), Financial Accounting (ACC 1006 or equivalent), and Financial Management (FTX2024 or equivalent), with a final grade of at least 60% for each course.

Applicants who fail to meet the above requirements will be required to pass an entrance examination in the respective subject(s). Applicants who have passed these courses with a mark of less than 60% but have passed more advanced courses in the same discipline will be excused from the requirement to obtain a mark of 60%.

However, there would be no entrance examination for applicants whose third year (or final year) level average is below 60%.

For purposes of entrance examinations, we regard MAM1000W (or equivalent) as more advanced than MAM1010 and STA1006 (or equivalent) as more advanced than STA1000.

For more information, please email eafm@uct.ac.za.

For more information on the courses, please refer to Commerce Postgraduate Handbook.