The Discipline of Economics is housed on the third floor of the J Block, Westville campus, and on the third floor, New Arts Building, Golf Road on the Pietermaritzburg campus. Economics is also still taught at the full undergraduate level on the Howard College campus, from a service site on the 9th floor of the Shepstone Building.
The Economics section comprises of academics with a diverse range of research interests and who are wideley published in their fields of specialisation. Students therefore can choose from a broad array of research areas in pursuing further academic study including: trade and industry; environmental economics; labour economics; health economics; transport economics; conflict and security and macroeconomic policy.
Finance considers how individual organisations earn or raise money, how they employ or invest their money and how they distribute the money that they earn. Financial decision-making is complex because of the need to balance wealth creation against risk. Finance develops the principles and practices required by firms and investors in making financial decisions. Broadly, Finance can be divided into two areas, Investment Finance and Corporate Finance. Investement Finance focuses on the macro-level functioning of capital markets whilst Corporate Finance examines the optimal internal management of an individual firm’s finances.
Careers
Majoring in Economics gives a solid foundation to those who want to enter general business, Goverment Service, the banking sector etc. In addition Economics provides tools that are fundamental to running a successful entreprenuerial enterprise.
In addition to general government service, Economics also helps those individuals who wish to pursue a career in politics. It is essential that Cabinet Ministers have a grasp of the operation of the economy to assist them in decision making.
Career opportunities for Finance students include, but are not limited to, stock broking; asset manangement; currency trading; merchant banking; retail banking; commodity broking, derivatives trading and corporate financial management.