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 first established in 1917, making it the oldest department in the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
Entering its second century of teaching at the UFS, Economics as a discipline has branched out into several areas, with our ex-students pursuing careers as, amongst 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 have received the Founder’s Medal from the Economic Society of SA (ESSA) for the best doctoral thesis in Economics completed at a South African university (the last one being awarded in 2009). In addition, four of our master’s students received the same award on Master’s degree level.
In 2019, the Department’s name was officially changed to The Department of Economics and Finance. The staff within the Department consist of a competent team of academics 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 research fields as divergent as monetary and fiscal policy making, the economics of HIV and AIDS, the economics of public-private partnerships, banking and personal finance. The Department of Economics and Finance also employs outstanding academics and experts who visit the Department as extraordinary professors. Since the beginning of 2020, the SARCHI academic chair on Urban Economics - chaired by prof. Ivan Turok, offering postgraduate programmes (Hons, Masters, PhD, and post-doc) is situated within the Department.
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. Details on all degrees offered can be obtained from the “Rulebooks” on the homepage of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.
Postgraduate studies in Economics
An honours degree offers opportunities to enhance scientific knowledge in a preferred field of specialisation significantly. The following honours and M degrees are available in our department:
- Bachelor of Commerce Honours with specialisation in Financial Economics and Investment Management
- Bachelor of of Commerce Honours with specialisation in Economics
- Master of Commerce with specialisation in Financial Economics and Investment Management (structured)
- Master of Commerce with specialisation in Financial Economics and Investment Management (research)
- Master of Commerce with specialisation in Economics (structured)
- Master of Commerce with specialisation in Economics (research)
- Doctor of Philosophy with specialisation in Economics
Application Form
DV3 Form
Direct your enquiries about Economics to:
The Chairman: Department of Economics and Finance
E: VanStadenCR@ufs.ac.za
T: +27 51 401 3453