The BAcc programme (undergraduate)

A CA can work inter alia:

As an auditor and/or accountant for an auditing firm and is responsible for inter alia:

  • Performing statutory audits.
  • Supplying management advice services, tax advice services and advice about information technology.
     

As an accountant in commerce and industry, (e.g. the financial or mining sector) performing a range of duties including:

  • Management information.
  • Financial reporting.
  • Internal control.
  • Tax matters.
  • Asset management.
    ​

As an independent consultant in areas including management advice, tax advice and advice regarding information technology​

As an independent businessman/woman

Multiple career opportunities exist. A chartered accountant is in huge demand, not only in South Africa but worldwide. Auditing firms are some of the major employers of CA's. Some of the bigger auditing firms are Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc.

A CA uses the designation CA (SA) and is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). Following the route offered by Stellenbosch University, a student has to register for the BAcc degree (3 years), and then obtain a postgraduate qualification, namely either the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) (1 year), or the BAccHons degree (1 year). After gaining the required technical knowledge at university, students have to enter into a 3-year contract with a registered auditing firm or other registered training organisation in commerce and industry to gain the required practical experience. In the first year of their traineeship, trainees are allowed to write the first part of SAICA's professional examination known as the IAC (initial assessment of competence).

Passing the IAC allows a prospective CA to complete a specialism course (not offered by the University of Stellenbosch) and, after completing 20 months of traineeship, he/she is eligible to write the final part of SAICA's professional examination known as the Assessment of Professional Competence. A prospective CA, who has met all these requirements and has completed his/her 3 years of traineeship, is allowed to register as a CA (SA) with SAICA.

The BAccounting-programme (or BAcc) is primarily aimed at the education of students who intend to qualify as chartered accountants. Admission to the first professional examination (known as the IAC, see below for details) is obtained by persons who have a BAcc degree (or similar qualification) and a BAccHons/PGDA degree. The broad objectives of the BAcc degree programme entail the following: To almost fully cover the basic content of the educational part (university training) of SAICA's Competency Framework of the chartered accountancy profession, as issued by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. To present the study material in such a way that independent and constructive critical thinking is encouraged in students, as well as establishing the principles for lifelong learning. To impress upon students from the first year of study the virtues of integrity, a sense of responsibility and a positive attitude and many other professional characteristics and skills, which are necessary for a future professional career.

For detailed information please consult the 2026 EMS Yearbook

• Overall National Senior Certificate average of at least 70%, excluding Life Orientation 
• Mathematics 70% or 
• Mathematics 60% and Accounting 70% 
• One of the following: 
o Afrikaans Home Language 50% or 
o English Home Language 50% or 
o Afrikaans First Additional Language 70% or 
o English First Additional Language 70% 

Please note: This programme is presented in English and Afrikaans. For the first-year modules there are separate Afrikaans and English groups. In later study years some modules are presented in English with simultaneous interpreting in Afrikaans. 

Enquiries 

To find out more about admission, selection and registration procedures, module options and credit requirements, please contact: 

Ms Lauren Delport, Mr Meyrick Balie or Ms Nadia Cassiem 
Faculty administrator 
Administrative Building A 
Tel: 021 808 9111 
E-mail: [email protected] 

For general enquiries about the academic content of the programme, please contact: 
Ms Ilse Frans 
Student academic advisor 
Tel: 021 808 9525 
E-mail: [email protected] 
 

Please follow this link to the EMS Yearbook 2026 for information on content (Pages 73-74).

To find out more about admission, selection and registration procedures, module options and credit requirements, please contact: 

Ms Lauren Delport, Mr Meyrick Balie or Ms Nadia Cassiem 
Faculty administrator 
Administrative Building A 
Tel: 021 808 9111 
E-mail: [email protected] 

For general enquiries about the academic content of the programme, please contact: 
Ms Ilse Frans 
Student academic advisor 
Tel: 021 808 9525 
E-mail: [email protected] 

For more program-specific information, please contact the Programme Leaders:

Prof. Pieter von Wielligh, Prof. Stiaan Lamprecht & Sybil Smit


 

The prospectus lists all SU's undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and allows users to search for programmes using keywords or a range of filters, such as occupations, length of study, and programme type. Visit the new prospectus here: Undergraduate | Stellenbosch University