Program Overview

Programme: BComHons Accounting Sciences

Programme Information

This full-time degree is the specialised honours degree for candidates who are preparing for the relevant qualifying examinations of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors. Entrance requirements for the various modules are detailed in the departmental brochure.

Additional Requirements

• The Department of Accounting reserves the right to limit the number of students admitted to the Hons and CTA programmes, taking cognisance of available capacity in respect of teaching infrastructure and human resources.
• Only selected candidates will be allowed to register for the BComHons (Accounting Sciences).
  • Registration for a second field of study: With reference to General Regulation G.6, a student who has already completed a bachelor of honours degree at this or another university, may, with the permission of the Dean, register for another degree, subject to the regulations applicable to the field of study in question and to any other stipulations the Dean may prescribe on the condition that there shall be no overlap in the course content of the first degree and the second degree.
  • Acknowledgement of modules:
    • Subject to the stipulations of G.22.1, G.23.2 and the Joint Statute, a Dean may acknowledge modules passed at another tertiary institution or at this University in a department other than that in which the honours study is undertaken for the honours degree provided that at least half of the required modules for the degree in question are attended and passed at this university.
    • If there is overlap in the course content of the degree for which the student wishes to enrol or is enrolled and a degree already conferred, the Dean may not acknowledge any modules that form part of the degree already conferred.

Examinations and Pass Requirements

• In calculating marks, General Regulation G12.2 applies.
• Subject to the provisions of General Regulation G.26, a head of a department determines, in consultation with the Dean:
  • When the honours examinations in his/her department will take place, provided that:
    • Honours examinations which do not take place before the end of the academic year, must take place no later than 18 January of the following year, and all examination results must be submitted to the Student Administration by 25 January.
    • Honours examinations which do not take place before the end of the first semester, may take place no later than 15 July, and all examination results must be submitted to the Student Administration on or before 18 July.
  • Whether a candidate will be admitted to a supplementary examination, provided that a supplementary examination is granted, only once in a maximum of two prescribed semester modules or once in one year module.
  • Supplementary examinations (if granted) cover the same subject matter as was the case for the examinations.
  • The manner in which research reports are prepared and examined in his department.

Core Modules

• BEL 700: Taxation 700 (Credits: 40.00)
• FBS 700: Financial management 700 (Credits: 40.00)
  • Module content: This module covers two subject areas financial management and management accounting.
    • Financial management learning areas: Analysis and interpretation of the annual report and sustainability report of an entity; working capital management; financing covering the sources of financing including the capital, debt and money markets, export financing, off-balance-sheet financing structures, and an evaluation of the feasibility of the different financing instruments; cost of capital incorporating the calculation of the weighted average and weighted marginal cost of financing; capital structure theory; dividend theory; valuations incorporating the valuation of preference shares, debentures or bonds, selected financial instruments on a cash flow basis (swaps, options and forward rate agreements), the valuation of equity instruments (using the following models: intrinsic, dividend yield and dividend growth models, earnings yield and price-earnings, free cash flow or discounted cash flow) and the valuation of intellectual capital; mergers and acquisitions; and risk management, in particular managing currency and interest rate risk.
    • Management accounting learning areas: Costing in both manufacturing and service environments; decision making incorporating short-term decisions (incorporating cost-volume-profit analysis, relevant costing issues and linear programming), long-term decisions (incorporating different techniques for evaluating long-term decisions) and risk and uncertainty into the decision-making process; Transfer Pricing; performance measurement and management; planning incorporating budgeting, forecasting techniques, learning curves and human behavioural aspects of planning; standard costing and variance analysis; and trends in management accounting (developments in the subject area).
• FRK 700: Financial accounting 700 (Credits: 40.00)
• ODT 700: Auditing 700 (Credits: 40.00)

Minimum Credits

• Minimum credits: 160

General Regulations

• The information published here is subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information.
• The General Regulations (G Regulations) apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria.
• It is expected of students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations as well as with the information contained in the General Rules section.
• Ignorance concerning these regulations and rules will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.