How do my career interests link with this field?
Read the statements below and select the statements that apply to you. The more statements that apply, the stronger your interest in this career field.
Economic and management sciences
(Main motivation: Business leadership)
You may enjoy:
- Leading a group of people
- Managing finances
- Marketing
- Working with numbers and figures
- Overseeing administrative procedures and systems
- Planning and organising the activities of others
- Running my own business
- Running someone else’s business
- Selling products or services
Career fields, possible job titles and work environments
The economic and management sciences fields offer a range of career options. Click on the career fields below to read more about each field, possible job titles and work environments.
Careers marked with an * are listed on the National List of Occupations in High Demand: 2024.
This information is a starting point for exploring options related to specific career fields. Be sure to expand your research by downloading our Career Research document and exploring additional resources.
Banking, risk and financial management
In Finance, Risk Management and Banking, we prepare graduates for the financial sector and financial services industry. This field encompasses a wide range of topics, including investment analysis, financial planning, risk assessment, and the management of financial institutions. Graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate complex financial landscapes, make informed decisions, and contribute to the stability and growth of financial markets. Additionally, they can pursue roles in corporate finance, asset management, insurance, and regulatory bodies, playing a crucial role in ensuring the financial health and compliance of organisations.
Related job titles
- Bank manager
- Broker
- Company secretary
- Credit manager *
- Credit risk analyst
- Director
- Financial investment advisor *
- Finance manager *
- Financial manager
- Insurance consultant
- Investment analyst
- Management consultant *
- Risk manager
- Treasury manager
- Portfolio manager
- Risk manager
Possible work environments related to banking and financial management
- Accounting firms
- Commerce and industry
- Commercial and general banks
- Credit bureaux
- Financial and insurance institutions
- Investment banks
- Merchant banks
Find out more about careers in this field
Business informatics
In Business Informatics, we aim to produce graduates who can provide for the current needs in the business workplace in areas such as systems analysis, database development and software systems design, enhancement, management and evaluation.
Related job titles
- Business analyst
- Business consultant
- Chief information officer (CIO) (with further experience)
- Database designer and administrator *
- Database developer
- Enterprise architect
- ICT consultant
- ICT project manager *
- ICT security analyst
- ICT security specialist *
- ICT systems analyst *
- ICT trainer *
- Information analyst
- Knowledge manager
- Management consultant *
- Network analyst
- Software entrepreneur
- Software production manager
- Software system designer
- Systems analyst *
- Technical ICT Support Services Manager *
Possible work environments related to business informatics
- Commerce and industry
- IT consulting firms
- Self-employed as a consultant or business owner
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the IT @ Unisa brochure to learn more about preparing yourself for career opportunities in this field.
- Career Opportunities Guide (Media, Information and Communication Technologies SETA)
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Decision sciences
Decision sciences applies mathematical, statistical and computer science-related tools to analyse and solve business problems and optimisation challenges in various industries. Professionals in decision sciences utilise advanced modelling techniques and data-driven insights to inform critical decisions, improve operational processes, and achieve sustainable competitive advantages.
Related job titles
- Business analyst
- Data modeller
- Decision scientist
- Decision support analyst
- Financial modeller
- Lecturer (university) *
- Management analyst
- Management consultant *
- Operations researcher
- Quantitative analyst
- Research analyst
- Statistical analyst
Possible work environments related to decision sciences
- Financial institutions
- Government departments (national, provincial, and local)
- Industry (eg mining, finance, retail, media and health)
- International organisations (eg World Bank)
- Management consulting companies
- Market research firms
- Statistical services organisations (including StatsSA)
Find out more about careers in this field
Economics
In Economics, we study the production and allocation of resources and include several focus areas, such as micro and macro-economics, labour economics, monetary economics, international trade, econometrics, public finance, development economics and natural resource economics. In addition to qualification options in the College of Economic and Management Sciences, Economics can also be taken as a major subject for the Bachelor of Arts (99311) and Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (90079) degrees.
Related job titles
- Behavioural science technician
- Behavioural scientist
- Business consultant
- Client portfolio administrator
- Commercial broker
- Commercial manager
- Commodities trader
- Credit risk analyst
- Demand-supply planner
- Development economist
- Econometrician
- Economic advisor
- Economic analyst
- Economic consultant
- Economic forecaster
- Economist *
- Financial markets practitioner
- Financial programming analyst
- Industrial economist
- Importer or exporter
- Investment analyst
- Investment manager
- Labour market analyst
- Labour market economist
- Lecturer (university) *
- Management consultant *
- Macro-economist
- Market research analyst
- Micro-economist
- Mineral economist
- Portfolio administrator
- Property analyst
- Research analyst
- Research economist
- Researcher
- Risk analyst
- Small business economist
- Stockbroker
- Technical investment advisor
Possible work environments related to economics
- Economic consultants in both the public and private sectors
- Government departments (eg Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Mineral Resources, municipalities)
- International organisations, such as UNESCO and the World Bank
- Manufacturing and consulting firms
- Research organisations
- Self-employment
- South African Reserve Bank and other banking and financial institutions
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Economics @ Unisa brochure to learn more about preparing yourself for career opportunities in this field.
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship focuses on preparing students first to become entrepreneurs. However, not everyone can be an entrepreneur. However, a qualification in entrepreneurship can be a manager of a business, a corporate entrepreneur (someone running a business unit like it is his/her own business, CEO in business. Well-known family businesses such as BMW, LG, SAMSUNG, and TOYOTA are all founded by entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship can allow a student to become an importer or exporter of the products that are creatively and innovatively manufactured by them. The qualification can also equip a student who wants to pursue franchising and venture corporations.
Related job titles
Visit the National Career Advice Portal for more information about these occupations.
- Business consultant
- Business development officer *
- Entrepreneur/ business owner
- Management consultant *
- Small business development practitioner
- Small business manager
- Lecturer (university)
Possible work environments related to entrepreneurship
- Financial institutions (eg banks)
- Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) development agencies or organisations
- Government departments (provincial, national and local, such as the Department of Small Business Development and the Department of Trade and Industry)
- Higher Education Institutions (universities, universities of technology)
- Management consulting companies
- Self-employment as an owner or consultant
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Entrepreneurship @ Unisa brochure to learn more about preparing yourself for career opportunities in this field.
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Human resource management
Human Resource Management is primarily concerned with the management of people within organisations, focusing on policies, procedures and systems. After completion of HR qualifications, graduates can register with the South African Board of People Practice (SABPP) as either Master HR Professional, Chartered HR Professional, HR Professional, HR Associate or HR Technician, based on the level of qualification.
Related job titles
- Business training manager *
- Compensation manager
- Employee relations manager
- Entrepreneur
- Human resource advisor *
- Human resource consultant
- Human resource director
- Human resource information manager
- Human resource manager *
- Human resource practitioner
- Labour relations practitioner
- Management consultant *
- Municipal manager
- Recruitment manager *
- Recruitment officer *
- Recruitment practitioner
- Skills development administrator *
- Skills development practitioner *
- Supervisor
- Training and development professional *
Possible work environments related to human resource management
- Commerce and industry
- Government (local, provincial and national)
- HR consultancies
- Self-employment
- Higher education institutions (public and private universities, universities of technology & colleges)
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Human Resources @ Unisa brochure to learn more about preparing yourself for career opportunities in this field.
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Industrial and organisational psychology
Industrial and organisational psychology (IOP) focuses on the psychology of people's behaviour in work settings on individual, team and organisational levels. The IOP field covers diverse themes such as psychological testing and assessment, research methodology, career and personnel psychology, organisational leadership, personnel psychology and development, change management, employee wellness, personnel selection, workforce diversity, employee relations and team dynamics. To register as a psychometrist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), you must complete an HPCSA-accredited BPsych degree OR the HPCSA-accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychometry. You must also meet other requirements, such as completing a practicum and passing a professional board examination. To register as an industrial psychologist with the HPCSA, you must complete an HPCSA-accredited Master’s coursework degree, and meet other requirements, such as completing an internship and passing a professional board examination. After completion of the IOP qualification, the candidates can register with the South African Board of People Practice (SABPP) as either Master HR Professional, Chartered HR Professional, HR Professional, HR Associate or HR Technician, based on the level of qualification.
Related job titles
- Benefits and compensation practitioner
- Business development manager
- Business training manager *
- Career development practitioner
- Change management consultant
- Chief executive officer
- Change management practitioner
- Community development practitioner
- Employee engagement specialist
- Employee lifecycle and payroll specialist
- Employee wellness manager
- Employee wellness practitioner
- Entrepreneur
- Executive coach
- Human resource advisor *
- Human resource director
- Human resource manager *
- Human resources practitioner
- Human resources project coordinator
- Industrial psychologist (with further training)
- Labour relations practitioner
- Learning and development practitioner
- Management consultant *
- Manager
- Market researcher
- Market research analyst
- Municipal manager
- Occupational analyst
- Occupational trainer
- Office manager
- Organisation and methods specialist *
- Organisational development practitioner
- Product manager
- Project manager
- Psychometrist (with further training)
- Recruitment manager *
- Recruitment officer *
- Recruitment practitioner
- Skills development administrator *
- Skills development practitioner *
- Small business development practitioner
- Supervisor
- Talent acquisition specialist
- Talent manager
- Training and development professional *
- Transformation officer
Possible work environments related to industrial and organisational psychology
- Commerce and industry
- Government (local, provincial and national)
- Mining companies
- Research organisations
- Self-employed
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Psychology @ Unisa brochure to learn more about preparing yourself for career opportunities in this field.
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Management and management support services
Business Management focuses on the critical managerial competencies and skills relevant to a changing environment, to ensure a sustainable and responsible organisation that makes an ethically sound and positive contribution to the broader society.
Related job titles
- Administrative assistant
- Administrative manager
- Administrative officer
- Business administrator *
- Business support coordinator
- Client services administrator
- Client services advisor
- Corporate general manager
- Corporate services manager *
- Customer service manager
- Director (Enterprise/ organisation) *
- Deputy Director
- Entrepreneur
- Import-export administrator *
- Lecturer (university) *
- Manager
- Management consultant *
- Office administrator *
- Office manager
- Organisation and Methods Analyst *
- Personal assistant
- Production/ operations supervisor (manufacturing) *
- Programme or project manager
- Programme or project administrator
- Researcher
- Small business manager
- Supervisor
Possible work environments related to management and management support services
- Manufacturing and consulting companies
- Private and public enterprises
- Research organisations
- Self-employment
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Marketing management
In Marketing and Retail Management we focus on the activities and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging value offerings with consumers, customers, partners, and society at large, and managing the relationship with those stakeholders in a societally responsible manner.
Related job titles
- Advertising account executive
- Advertising account planner
- Advertising and public relations manager *
- Brand manager
- Communication coordinator *
- Customer experience manager
- Customer relationship manager
- Customer service manager *
- Director of marketing *
- E-commerce manager
- Entrepreneur
- Industrial marketer
- International marketer
- Management consultant *
- Marketing consultant
- Marketing executive
- Marketing practitioner *
- Market development manager
- Market researcher
- Public relations officer
- Promotions manager
- Product manager
- Retail buyer *
- Retail manager
- Sales executive
- Sales and marketing manager *
- Social media and digital marketer
- Store manager
- Trade marketing manager
- Web content manager
Possible work environments related to marketing management
- Advertising agencies
- Consulting organisations
- Entrepreneurs or self-employed consultants
- FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industry
- Government departments (local, provincial and national)
- Manufacturers
- Specialist communication agencies
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Operations Management
The operations management field covers diverse areas such as administrative, operational and supply chain management; project management, quality management and safety studies, as well as administration and management.
Related job titles
- Administrative manager
- Business administrator *
- Dispatching and receiving clerk/ officer *
- Entrepreneur
- Management consultant *
- Municipal manager
- Office administrator *
- Office manager
- Operations manager (manufacturing) *
- Production/ operations supervisor (manufacturing) *
- Programme or project manager *
- Small business development practitioner
- Small business manager *
- Supervisor
- Supply chain manager
- Supply chain practitioner *
- Warehouse administrator/ clerk *
- Warehouse manager *
Possible work environments related to operations management
- Consulting firms
- Factories and manufacturers
- Government (local, provincial and national)
- Large retailers and retail firms
- Logistics and distribution companies
- Self-employment
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Public administration
Public administration and management is the study of activities, such as the provision of health, protection, education and housing in the public sector. Careers in the public sector focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of public policies, programmes and services at a local, provincial or national level. Opportunities also exist at non-governmental, national and international aid organisations.
Related job titles
Visit the National Career Advice Portal for more information about these occupations.
- Activist/lobbyist
- Administrative officer
- Budget and reporting manager
- Communication coordinator
- Communications practitioner
- Compliance officer
- Development economist
- Finance manager *
- General accountant *
- General manager (public service) *
- Government relations manager
- Human resource practitioner
- Human settlements practitioner and manager
- Immigration officer
- Lecturer (university) *
- Local authority manager
- Local government officer
- Monitoring and evaluation practitioner
- Non-profit administrator
- Policy advisor
- Policy analyst
- Policy and planning manager *
- Procurement manager
- Programme or project administrator *
- Programme or project manager *
- Project development specialist
- Provincial officer
- Public administration officer
- Public affairs researcher
- Public outreach officer
- Public policy analyst
- Public sector consultant
- Researcher/ research manager
- Senior government manager *
- Senior government official *
- Social security assessor
- Supply chain practitioner *
- Supply chain manager
Possible work environments related to public administration
- Quasi-autonomous government institutions, such as research institutions, universities, development agencies and state-owned enterprises
- International affairs organisations (United Nations, African Union, Southern African Development Community)
- Municipal (local government) affairs (eg municipal manager, water and electricity supply, roads, town planning, parks and recreation)
- National Affairs (eg education, health, commerce, law enforcement, defence, finance, transport, environmental affairs)
- Provincial affairs (eg tourism, nature conservation, education, health)
Find out more about careers in this field
Retail management
The retail industry sells goods and services to clients, while retail management aims to support this function by understanding how to effectively market these goods and services and how to plan efficient processes.
Related title titles
Visit the National Career Advice Portal for more information about these occupations.
- Area manager
- Customer service manager *
- Management consultant *
- Merchandise analyst
- Merchandise manager
- Planner
- Retail buyer *
- Retail general manager *
- Sales agent (commercial services) *
- Sales assistant (general) *
- Sales clerk/ officer *
- Sales executive
- Sales manager
- Sales representative (commercial) *
- Store manager
Possible work environments related to retail management
- Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry
- Retailers
- Self-employed
Find out more about careers in this field
Safety Management
Safety management refers to how organisations identify hazards and control risk in the organisation. Practitioners in this field are responsible for setting up safety management systems to manage safety risks.
Possible job titles related to safety management
Visit the National Career Advice Portal for more information about these occupations.
- Health and safety consultant
- Health and safety manager *
- Occupational safety inspector
- Safety advisor
- Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) practitioner *
Possible work environments related to safety management
- Airlines
- Construction industry
- Government departments (eg Department of Labour, SABS)
- Health and safety consultancies
- Manufacturing industry
- Mining industry
- Motor industries
- Self-employment as a consultant
Find out more about careers in this field
- Download the Career research document to learn more about how you could find information related to your career and study choices.
Tourism management
Tourism is one of the world’s most dynamic and lucrative industries. The programmes are designed to address the ever-changing needs of tourism societies and aim to equip students with managerial skills to implement strategic management aspects together with sustainable and responsible tourism practices. Qualifications in this field help you develop competencies in a variety of tourism-related fields such as accommodation, hospitality, attractions, events, travel, transport and tour operators and destination managers. Students are further equipped with scarce tourism skills for priority occupations such as travel consultation. The array of knowledge related to entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation within the context of tourism aims to enable students to start a business and to create jobs.
Related job titles
Visit the National Career Advice Portal for more information about these occupations.
- Concierge
- Customer care agent
- Customer service manager *
- Destination marketing manager
- Events designer
- Events manager *
- Front office receptionist
- Tourism distribution practitioner
- Tourism information officer
- Tourism marketing practitioner
- Tourism practitioner
- Tourism manager
- Tour guide *
- Tour operator
- Travel agent
- Travel consultant *
Possible work environments related to tourism management
- Events management organisations
- Local, provincial and national tourism departments, NGOs and associations
- Opportunities exist in different tourism sectors such as airlines, car rental, rail, cruise liners, hotels, restaurants and events companies
- Tourism information centres
Find out more about careers in this field
Transport economics, logistics and supply chain management
Transport economics and logistics focus on the allocation and planning of resources to transport goods and people from one point to another. These principles are also applied within the tourism industry, with a wider application in tourism distribution as well as information and communication technologies.
Related job titles
- Airport manager *
- Customer service manager *
- Demand and supply planner
- Distribution manager
- Events organiser *
- Fleet controller
- Fleet manager *
- Harbour manager *
- Inbound logistics analyst
- Logistics buyer
- Logistics manager *
- Logistics specialist
- Management consultant *
- Operations foreman (non-manufacturing)
- Operations manager (non-manufacturing)
- Passenger and/or freight transport entrepreneur
- Procurement manager
- Procurement officer
- Production control manager
- Production coordinator *
- Production manager
- Production/ operations supervisor (Manufacturing) *
- Project manager
- Purchasing manager
- Purchasing officer *
- Researcher
- Retail buyer *
- Retail general manager *
- Retail supervisor
- Road transport manager *
- Supply and distribution manager *
- Supply chain practitioner *
- Transport analyst *
- Transport clerk *
- Transport controller
- Transport manager
- Transport operations manager
- Transport route planner
- Transportation analyst
- Travel and tourism practitioner
- Warehouse administrator/ clerk *
- Warehouse manager *
Possible work environments related to transport economics, logistics and supply chain management
- Consulting firms
- Government departments such as the Department of Transport
- Factories and manufacturers
- Government (local, provincial and national)
- Large retailers and retail firms
- Logistics and distribution companies
- Self-employment
Find out more about careers in this field
Further career information
