Yearbooks

Programme: PGDip Accounting Sciences

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty
07220036 Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Credits Duration
Minimum duration of study: 1 year Total credits: 160
Contact:
Prof JGI Oberholster
[email protected]
+27 (0)124203788

Programme information

This full-time diploma is the specialised qualification 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.

Admission requirements

For UP graduates:

  • BCom (Accounting Sciences) or equivalent SAICA-accredited degree with an average of 57% for Auditing, Financial Accounting, Financial Management and Taxation on 3rd year level, and
  • At least 53% for Auditing Financial Accounting Financial Management and Taxation on 3rd year level.
  • The above to be passed in the year immediately preceding the postgraduate diploma year.
  • Undergraduate degree must be completed in a maximum of four years.

Other criteria apply to applicants from other SAICA-accredited universities, and only top students from other universities will be considered for the postgraduate diploma.

Please note that the Department of Accounting reserves the right to limit the number of students admitted to the Postgraduate Diploma 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 Postgraduate Diploma (Accounting Sciences).

1. 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 or postgraduate diploma at this or another university, may, with the permission of the Dean, register for another degree or postgraduate diploma, 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 or postgraduate diploma and the second degree or postgraduate diploma. Such a concession may be withdrawn by the Dean/Deans if the student does not perform satisfactorily.

Additional requirements

Please note that 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 PG Dip.

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 will 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 PGDip examinations in his/her department will take place, provided that:
  1. PGDip 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; and
  2. PGDip 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;
  • NB: For the purpose of this provision, the phrase "not sit for an examination more than twice in the same subject" as it appears in General Regulation G.18.2, implies that a candidate may not be admitted to an examination in a module, including a supplementary examination, more than three times.
  • the manner in which research reports are prepared and examined in his department.

NB: Full details are published in each department's postgraduate information brochure, which is available from the head of department concerned. The minimum pass mark for a research report is 50%. The provisions regarding pass requirements for dissertations contained in General Regulation G.12.2 apply mutatis mutandis to research reports.

Subject to the provisions of General Regulation G.12.2.1.3, the subminimum required in subdivisions of modules is published in the study guides, which is available from the head of department concerned.

Minimum credits: 160

Core modules

  • Module content:

    This module will be principle based and a lot of attention will be given to ensuring students have grasped and can apply the core principles, with emphasis on developing lifelong learners. Our aim is to equip students with sufficient base knowledge about tax to further upskill themselves as tax legislation changes or as they move into a tax specialist role in future.

    Provisions from the following Acts are included in the syllabus:

    • The Income Tax Act, 1962 (Act 58 of 1962);
    • The Estate Duty Act, 1955 (Act 45 of 1955);
    • The Value-Added Tax Act, 1991 (Act 89 of 1991);
    • The Tax Administration Act, 2011 (Act 28 of 2011).
    • The Transfer Duty Act, 1949 (Act 49 of 1949); and
    • The Securities Transfer Tax Act, 2007 (Act 25 of 2007).

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  • 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).

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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.

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