WATCH: Alumna - Minette Weideman
The Department of Economics and Finance is a dynamic department in search of dynamic academics and students.
Economics as a discipline is the root science of the economic and management sciences and has been taught at the UFS since 1910. The Department of Economics was established in 1917, making it the oldest department in the faculty.
Entering its second century of teaching at the UFS, Economics as a discipline has branched out into several areas, with our ex-students becoming, among others, economic analysts, economic forecasters, policy analysts, investment/portfolio managers, bank managers, stockbrokers, and business and strategic advisers.
During the past 15 years, five PhD students and academics from the Department of Economics have received the Founder’s Medal of the Economic Society of SA for the best doctoral thesis in Economics completed at a South African university (the last one being in 2009). Four of our master’s students received the same award on master’s degree level.
The Department of Economics has a team of lecturers who are eager to equip students with the necessary practical and theoretical knowledge of the economic world. Its academic corps includes internationally and nationally recognised academics, with scholars from the department contributing to specialised fields as divergent as monetary and fiscal policy making, the economics of HIV and AIDS, and the economics of public-private partnerships. The Department of Economics also employs outstanding academics and experts who visit the department as extraordinary professors.
A high premium is placed on dynamic teaching methods. The aim is to stimulate independent thinking skills and critical evaluation to enable students to innovatively address the challenges they will face some day.
The undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce in Investment Management and Banking is proudly affiliated with the CFA® Institute’s University Affiliation Program. The CFA Institute stands as the world's largest association of investment professionals. Within this prestigious programme, candidates pursue the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, a globally recognised and esteemed professional credential offered by the CFA Institute, headquartered in the United States. The CFA designation is revered as a gold standard in the investment management industry worldwide, signifying a pinnacle of achievement in the field of investment management and finance.
Our Bachelor of Commerce programme's affiliation with the CFA programme is a testament to our commitment to delivering an education that aligns closely with the globally recognised and prestigious institutions such as the CFA programme’s Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and adherence to the highest standards of professional conduct. This affiliation underscores the rigour and value inherent in our Investment and Portfolio Management degree programme. Our curriculum is carefully designed to mirror real-world professional practice, equipping our students with the knowledge and skills essential for a successful career in the investment sector and providing them with a solid foundation for CFA examination success.
Furthermore, through our participation in this esteemed programme, the university is eligible to receive CFA programme student scholarships (Student Scholarship) each year. These scholarships are instrumental in contributing to the development of highly skilled and well-grounded financial analysts, addressing a critical need in the industry for top-tier talent.
In summary, our affiliation with the CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program underscores our dedication to preparing our students for success in the world of finance, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities necessary for a promising career path in investment management and banking.
CFA Institute and CFA® are registered trademarks of the CFA Institute.
