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ECONOMICS

Economics Major Combinations for the Bachelor of Arts (Generic)
NQF Level 1: ECS1501, ECS1601
NQF Level 2: ECS2601, ECS2602, ECS2603, any TWO if 1st major or ONE if 2nd major: ECS2604, ECS2605, ECS2606, ECS2608, ECS2609
NQF Level 3: ECS3706, any FOUR of the following: ECS3701, ECS3702, ECS3703, ECS3704, ECS3705, ECS3707

Labour Economics - ECS2604
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: To gain insight into the economic analysis of labour and the labour market with regard to the supply of and demand for labour, education and training of the labour force, unemployment, vacancies and the migration of labour, trade unionism and collective bargaining, discrimination in the labour market, and to apply this knowledge to the South African labour market.
South African Financial System - ECS2605
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: To gain insight into the operation of the South African financial system with reference to financial institutions, instruments and markets, and to demonstrate an understanding of the way that the monetary policy is implemented in South Africa.
Environmental Economics - ECS2606
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module will enable students to determine the relationship between the macro- and micro-economy, and the natural environment, evaluate frameworks for environmental decision-making and assess the formulation of different policy measures.
Economic History of the World - ECS2608
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: Students will be able to engage in a scholarly debate about the economic history of the world and apply specialised knowledge of key terms, concepts and theories in the field to identify, analyse and solve problems in unfamiliar and relevant contexts. Students will be able to develop solutions based on evidence, apply scientific procedure and present cogent arguments in which they can reconcile conflicting opinions and formulate a logical conclusion concerning economic history of world economics.
Economic History of South Africa - ECS2609
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: Students will be able to engage in a scholarly debate about the economic history of South Africa and apply specialised knowledge of key terms, concepts and theories in the field to identify, analyse and solve problems in unfamiliar and relevant contexts. Students will be able to develop solutions based on evidence, apply scientific procedure and present cogent arguments. They will be able to reconcile conflicting opinions and formulate a logical conclusion concerning economic history of South Africa.
Monetary Economics - ECS3701
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2602
Purpose: Students will have a fundamental understanding of basic issues in monetary economics. They will be able to view, reflect on and solve current issues in the light of various theories that have been put forward concerning the role of money, the role of financial markets and interest rates and the role of the central banks in the economy.
International Trade - ECS3702
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601
Purpose: This module will equip students with the ability to understand and analyse different trade theories and trade policy issues, as well as to analyse the motives and effects of international capital flows.
International Finance - ECS3703
Diploma,Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2602
Purpose: Successful students will be able to select and apply relevant concepts and theories to address complicated issues in the field of International Finance by identifying, analysing, evaluating and critically reflecting on complex problems and providing evidence-based solutions and theory-driven arguments related to fiscal and exchange rate policies and balance of payments.
Public Economics - ECS3704
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601
Purpose: This module will enable students to analyse public finance issues and policy within the context of the South African economy and other developing countries. Students will be able to describe, evaluate and advise on the role of government, its expenditures and tax revenue sources as well as intergovernmental fiscal relations.
History of Economic Thought - ECS3705
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601 & ECS2602
Purpose: Students credited with this module will be able to critically evaluate have gained a better grasp of how economic thinking has developed over the centuries with references to the main schools of thought including pre-classical, classical, neoclassical, socialist, institutionalist, historical, Keynesian and Chicago school of economics. Students will be able to evaluate current economic ideas and policy proposals in light of a historical awareness and with reference to Sub-Saharan African context.
Econometrics - ECS3706
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601, ECS2602 & (DSC1520 or QMI1500 or [STA1501 & STA1502])
Purpose: This module will enable students to use economic theory, mathematical and statistical tools to specify and estimate the coefficients of a regression equation in the most efficient way. The goal is to find the most accurate estimates of the coefficients of the regression equation, whatever the difficulties which arise. Students will explain the purpose and method of econometrics, be able to apply statistics with confidence, specify an equation with skill and consideration and deal purposefully with econometric problems.
Development Economics - ECS3707
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601 & ECS2602
Purpose: This module will enable students to analyse economic development issues and policy within the context of developing countries. The study of development economics contributes to intellectual leadership and analytical perceptions of complex macroeconomic and socio-economic challenges, faced by the developing world. Students will be able to describe, evaluate and advise on development challenges within a national and international context.
Applied Microeconomics - ECS3708
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601
Purpose: Qualifying students in this module will be able to use mathematical tools such as calculus to solve complex microeconomic problems related to consumer and producer theories, market structures (perfect competition, monopoly and oligopoly), They will be able to analyze the market efficiency by using the general equilibrium approach. In addition, they will be able to use game theory to explain and solve real world problems. Lastly, they will be able to demonstrate how decision making is done in markets with asymmetric information and externalities.
Applied Macroeconomics - ECS3709
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601 & ECS2602
Purpose: This module will enable students to select and apply relevant economic growth theories to analyse economic growth performance of Sub-Saharan African economies in relation to the rest of the world. Students credited with this module will be able to analyse and solve economic problems using economic models, descriptive statistics, and econometric techniques.
Applied Health Economics - ECS3710
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601
Purpose: This module introduces Health Economics, and provides opportunities for practical application and a criterion-based evaluation of health systems. Qualifying students can critically analyse the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of health systems in South Africa and elsewhere. Students can apply relevant health economics concepts and theories to solve complex problems around critical issues in the health sector, including basic competitive markets, the role of the government, sources of financing the health sector, healthcare information systems and information technology capabilities. Students can analyse the economic impact of health issues, interventions and policies and present evidence-based arguments in an ethical and responsible manner.
Research Methods in Economics - ECS3711
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS2601 and ECS2602
Purpose: The purpose of the module is to equip students with the competencies required to select, motivate, apply and integrate relevant research methods such as quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods to study complex problems in the field of Economics.
Advanced Macroeconomics - ECS4861
Honours,Post Graduate Diploma Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS3701
Purpose: The main focus of this module is to critically compare and contrast the different schools of thought in macroeconomics. The module studies different theories of the economy as a whole, focusing on economic aggregates such as the level of and changes in national output, income and employment, inflation and interest rates and the relationships between them. The way in which the authorities can use economic policy to influence the economy is studied, especially the role of monetary and fiscal policy.
Advanced Microeconomics - ECS4862
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: This module will equip students with insight into the economic behaviour of households, firms and markets as presented in microeconomic theories, such as neoclassical microeconomics and new institutional economics. Along with Advanced Macroeconomics, this module provides the basic knowledge and tools to be used in the other advanced modules in Economics.
Advanced Econometrics - ECS4863
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Recommendation: ECS3706 or ECS307K
Purpose: This module is an advanced course in econometrics and its purpose is to equip students with the relevant toolset to practically solve real live economic related problems they may encounter in their work environment. Qualifying students will have both a solid grounding in the theoretical backbone of econometrics as well as the practical application of the relevant econometric techniques. The aim is to introduce students to non-stationary time series analysis which is vital to overcome the problem of spurious regression relationships. The student will develop an ability to identify the time series characteristics of data while estimation in a non-stationary environment will be dealt with, using amongst others the concept of co-integration. The aim is also to introduce students to different modelling techniques using different types of data, including qualitative data as well as situations where there is a two-way flow of influence among economic variables.
Money, Banking and Financial Markets - ECS4864
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The overall purpose is that students demonstrate an advanced understanding of the world of banking and finance. For that purpose, students should be able to explain how that world historically developed, consider the way it impacts prices and output in the real economy, critically evaluate how central bank policies influence the real economy by manipulating bank behaviour, and explain how the authorities regulate and supervise banks and financial markets to reduce the frequency and severity of banking and financial crises.
Advanced International Economics - ECS4865
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The aim of this module is to provide students with a thorough grasp and understanding of the main theoretical aspects of international trade and international monetary systems to explain the theory and principles of international economics. The module will enable the students to critically analyse the current policy debates on international trade and finance, as well as the economic implications of different monetary systems, in order to evaluate different problems and offer possible solutions to important international economic problems. Through this module students will be equipped to analyse a comprehensive, up-to-date, and clear exposition of the theory and principles of international economics that are essential for understanding, evaluating, and suggesting solutions to the important international economic problems and issues facing the global economy today and the near future.
Advanced Public Economics - ECS4866
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The module will enable students to critically discuss and analyse the complexities regarding the role of government in a market economy. Students will be able to analyse and reflect on public expenditure and sources of government revenue and its implications for efficiency and equity and will also be able to engage with additional sources on these topics.
Advanced Development Economics - ECS4867
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: The module will enable students to critically assess the fundamental differences between developed and developing countries so as to identify underlying problems and challenges that confront developing countries with the aim of formulating appropriate policies for mitigation.
Research Report in Economics - HRECS83
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 36
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: One of the following: ECS4864, ECS4865, ECS4866 or ECS4867
Purpose: The purpose of the module is to equip students with the competencies required to plan, execute and write an acceptable academic research paper in Economics. Students will be able to reason and debate in written format a specific economic topic, recognising existing international and national research on the topic and integrate appropriate research methodologies in Economics.
South African Economic Indicators - ECS2603
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: This module will enable students to demonstrate an understanding of the meaning, calculation and interpretation of a wide range of economic indicators and to apply this understanding to recent South African economic data. These indicators include various national accounting and employment concepts, price indices, balance of payments statistics and social indicators."
Introduction to Economics - ECS1500
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma,Higher Certificate Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: Qualifying students will have an informed understanding of the economic problem of scarcity in societies and will be able to explain how this problem is addressed in various economic systems. Students will be able to explain the role and relationship between different economic participants and will be able to use graphs, equations and tables to represent and illustrate relevant economic theory. Students will be able to use key concepts such as demand and supply analysis and elasticity to analyse microeconomic problems. Students will be able to broadly appraise the South African economy in terms of macroeconomic objectives and propose and analyse policy measures that can be used to attain such objectives.
Economics IA - ECS1501
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma,Higher Certificate Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: To gain insight into how the basic economic problem is solved in different economic systems, how economic activity is measured and how prices are determined through decisions made by individual households and firms under conditions of perfect and imperfect competition.
Economics IB (Macroeconomics I) - ECS1601
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Year module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1501 Co-requisite: ECS1501
Purpose: This module introduces students to basic macroeconomic theory and variables which will enable students to explain the functioning of the economy as a whole and assess the performance of the economy.
Intermediate Microeconomics - ECS2601
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1501
Purpose: The module introduces students to neoclassical microeconomic theories of consumer and firm behaviour. Students will be able to explain the behaviour of consumers and firms and predict the performance of the economy by using concepts such the demand and supply and price sensitivity; consumer behaviour; production; and the operation of different market structures such as perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly.
Intermediate Macroeconomics - ECS2602
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Pre-requisite: ECS1601
Purpose: This module will enable students to analyse the functioning of a macroeconomic system by focusing on the development of the students' understanding of different theories regarding the determination of output and income and the different assumptions which underlie the theoretical models, the interaction between the various macroeconomic variables, the different analytical tools, and the economic policy implications of stabilisation policies of each model to gain a comprehensive picture of how the economy works.