WHY THIS MASTER’S DEGREE?
If you are aspiring to be a Chief Financial Officer, Audit Partner, Board Member, Regulator or Academic, this qualification will equip you with the skills that will both help prepare you for those roles, but also set you apart from others. This qualification focuses on real world applications and enhances the skills required to achieve leadership in accounting, corporate financial analysis, and corporate governance decision making.
All course content also explores different philosophical and methodological approaches to research with a view to helping you understand the logic and rationale of different research perspectives. This enables you to undertake demanding investigations, collect, organise and analyse data, and effectively progress in the writing of your research dissertation. These are value-adding skills in all areas of business.
Entrance requirements
An HEQSF level 8 qualification in Accounting/Finance or relevant work experience in Accounting/Finance or a CA(SA). Applicants may be required to present themselves for an interview.
Application deadline
30 September
RESEARCH METHODOLOgY
The aim of this course is to equip students with a range of skills to prepare them for writing their dissertations. During the course, students will write their research proposal, under the guidance of a supervisor, and present it to a panel of academics and students. In doing so, they will develop the skills to conceive a research idea and acknowledge earlier research in the field. The course will offer guidance for students to undertake intricate investigation, and enable the ability to collect, organise and analyse data.
CORPORATE FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Students will be enabled to analyse a company effectively within its respective industry, market and macroeconomic environment. Key insights into monetary policy, financial analysis and both technical and fundamental analysis will be employed. Concurrently, an evaluation of the role of manager and investor sentiment on perceived company performance and financial statement presentation will be discussed.
FINANCIAL AND EXTERNAL REPORTING
Understanding how external reporting meets the needs of the public interest and contributes towards the reporting entity’s value creation process is the aim of this course. Students will be exposed to different types of reports and will be required to develop an understanding of the basis on which they are prepared, including critical analysis of their content.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT
This course equips students to identify and exploit opportunities while reducing risks (strategic, operational, financial, marketing, legal, environment, etc.) in pursuit of an entity’s overall objectives. Students will analyse the leadership process of the board or other governing body, analyse the role of the audit committee and review the role of the internal audit function.
Duration
Students will register for and complete all the compulsory coursework in year 1. The preferred option is to register concurrently for the research dissertation in year 1. As an exception, students may elect to register for the dissertation in year 2.
Assessment
Assessment will include individual and group work assignments (submissions and presentations). There are no separate written examinations.
Fees and Funding
The approximate tuition fee for all compulsory courses and the dissertation component is R77 000. You can find the latest fee information (including fees for international students) in UCT’s Student Fees Handbook:
For funding information, you can contact the postgraduate centre and funding office.
What are our graduates saying?
“The programme immensely contributed to my growth, providing invaluable skills beneficial in my role as an Analyst. The teaching methods facilitated engaging discussions, and the real-life examples and guest lectures were particularly useful. I highly recommend the MCom FRAG to prospective students. Despite the demanding workload, the journey fosters academic growth and develops resilience and problem-solving skills valuable in a professional context.”
Michelle Dube
“The MCom programme significantly improved my writing skills, revealing my passion for it. I now convey ideas better in reports and apply integrative thinking in my daily writing. The immersive block weeks on campus were my favourite, offering diverse perspectives that enriched my professional development. Advice to prospective students: have a structured approach but stay flexible. Don’t be too hard on yourself - you’ll get it done.”
Songezo Hlwele
“Pursuing the MCom in Financial Reporting, Analysis, and Governance has been a transformative experience in my career. The programme not only deepened my technical knowledge but also honed my communication and critical thinking skills through exposure to complex scenarios within the safety of the classroom. My favourite aspect of the course was the opportunity to interact with other Chartered Accountants from diverse areas of finance, which enriched my learning experience.”
Evan Walker