Teaching
Postgrad Programmes
Honours
Honours Programmes in Economics (2026)
The Honours programme in Economics is a rigorous, one-year programme aimed at providing students with a thorough and balanced grounding in the theory and policy applications of economics, in preparation for careers in business, government or further academic study. The programme is designed to give students a good understanding of macro- and micro-economic theory, applied sub-fields, and of policy issues. Emphasis is also placed on developing research skills, which includes the art of writing research reports and papers, and conducting quantitative studies.
The first semester starts early in January and the second semester in the middle of July. All respective modules are taught and examined over the course of one semester. The graduation ceremony is held in March or April every year.
The department offers two options to Honours students, depending on interests and prior qualifications.
HonsBCom in Economics
Admission requirements
Selection
Selection of students in accordance with the University's official selection policy may be unavoidable due to the limited number of students that can be accommodated on the programme.
Duration
12 months. Programme must be completed within 3 years of date of first registration. If not, the compulsory modules need to be redone.
Credits
A minimum of 120 credits. A maximum of 20 credits may be earned from a related and approved field of study.
Assessment
Examinations are written at the end of the first semester in June and at the end of the second semester in November. Examination results are supplemented by the assessment of course work, including a relatively large number of essays and an assignment.
Programme content
The programme has one stream: Pure economics.
Medium of instruction
English.
Closing date for applications
Applications for a specific year must be received by 30 September of the previous year (international applicants) and by 31 October of the previous year (South African applicants). Applications must be completed and submitted on SUNStudent.
Commencement of programme
Early January.
Compulsory modules
Course outlines of modules can be found here
Research Assignment (30 credits) - Semesters 1 and 2
Macroeconomics (12 credits) - Semester 2
Microeconomics (12 credits) - Semester 1
Mathematical Methods for Economics (14 credits) [preceded by a 3 week intensive mathematics course] - Semester 1
Introductory Econometrics (12 credits) - Semester 1
Electives
At least 4 electives must be taken. Not all these modules are necessarily available every year. All modules listed below count for 10 credits each.
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
| Development Economics | Economics of Education I |
| Economic History | Financial Economics |
| Public Economics | Industrial Organisation |
| Monetary Economics | |
| Behavioural Economics | |
| International Finance | |
| International Trade Theory and Policy | |
| Elective modules not offered every year | |
| Institutional Economics | |
| Elective modules offered again in 2027 | |
| Economics of Exclusion | Health Economics |
| Labour Economics | |
HonsBCom (Economics and Mathematical Statistics)
Admission requirements
Students have to be accepted for honours studies in both the Department of Economics (at least 65% average for Economics 3) and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science (at least 65% average for Mathematical Statistics 3).
Mathematics in the final Senior Certificate (Matric) Examination:
Selection
Selection of students in accordance with the University's official selection policy may be unavoidable due to the limited number of students that can be accommodated on the programme.
Duration
12 months. Programme must be completed within 3 years of date of first registration. If not, the compulsory modules need to be redone.
Credits
A minimum of 164 credits.
Assessment
Examinations are written at the end of the first semester in June and at the end of the second semester in November. Examination results are supplemented by the assessment of course work, including a relatively large number of essays and a research assignment.
Programme content
The programme comprises at least 54 credits (4 modules) from Economics and 48 credits (4 modules) from Mathematical Statistics. Two additional modules must be taken from Economics and/or Mathematical Statistics and 42 credits are earned from an assignment consisting of a statistical application in a field of economics, with joint supervision from both departments.
Compulsory modules (98 or 110 credits):
Research Assignment (statistical application on economic data) (42 credits)
Macroeconomics (12 credits)
Microeconomics (12 credits)
Econometrics (20 credits)
Multivariate Statistical Analysis (both semesters) (24 credits) or Stochastic Simulation (12 credits).
Electives in Economics (minimum 10 and maximum 38 credits. Not all these modules are necessarily available every year. Modules listed in this table count for 10 credits each):
Course outlines of Economics modules can be found here
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
| Development Economics | Economics of Education I |
| Economic History | Financial Economics |
| Public Economics | Industrial Organisation |
| Monetary Economics | |
| Behavioural Economics | |
| International Finance | |
| International Trade Theory and Policy | |
| Elective modules not offered every year | |
| Institutional Economics | |
| Elective modules offered again in 2027 | |
| Economics of Exclusion | Health Economics |
| Labour Economics | |
Electives in Mathematical Statistics (with Multivariate Statistical Analysis minimum 24 and maximum 36 credits; with Stochastic Simulation minimum 36 and maximum 48 credits):
Please note
The first semester of a two-semester module is a requirement for continuing study in the second semester.
- Multivariate Statistical Analysis* (1st semester 12 credits; both semesters 24 credits)
- Time Series Analysis (12 credits)
- Stochastic Simulation* (12 credits)
- Data mining (12 credits)
* If not already taken as compulsory modules
Medium of instruction
English.
Closing date for applications
Applications for a specific year must be received by 30 September of the previous year (international applicants) and by 31 October of the previous year (South African applicants). Applications must be completed and submitted on SUNStudent.
Commencement of programme
January.