Postgraduate Studies​​

This Department was established in 1920 and has a long tradition of research in macroeconomics, structural economic issues, and economic policy formulation, implementation and assessment in the context of a developing country.

Exchange agreements exist with, among others, the Vrije University, and the Universities of Erasmus and of Maastricht. An exciting new development is the offering of a double degree master's programme in Development Economics in partnership with Göttingen University in Germany.

ReSEP (Research on Socio-Economic Policy) is a group of researchers consisting of staff members, contract research staff and graduate students that focuses on issues of poverty, income distribution, social mobility, economic development and social policy. Their research was further stimulated when Professor Servaas van der Berg in 2008 became the South African National Research Chair in the Economics of Social Policy, financially supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF).

*Medium of tuition is English and all programmes are suitable for international students.​​

The Department offers two full-time, taught honours programmes:

​​The Honours in Economics offers candidates two broad options. Candidates who take the General Economics option gain a specialised knowledge of economics and economic analysis. The Financial Economics option is career-oriented, preparing students for jobs in the financial sector of the economy.

​Our Honours in Economics and Mathematical Statistics programme covers a specialised study not only of economics, but also of statistical inference. This programme equips students to analyse relationships in the economy.

Building on from an honours degree, or its equivalent, students may choose between a research-based master's programme, requiring a thesis that is the result of independent research, or a taught master's programme. The latter is a full-time programme that aims to produce competent professional economists who can be employed in the public and private sector. Students can opt for General Economics, or specialise in Economics of Education or Development Economics.

A select number of students will be allowed to register for the double degree taught master's programme in Development Economics that is offered in partnership with Göttingen University, Germany.

The highest qualification offered by the Department is a Doctorate in Economics by way of a dissertation.