What to study next *still can't decide*

[Polk]

Hi everyone,

I'm busy submitting my applications for further studies next year and I'm having difficulty deciding which of the below three courses I should enroll in to suppliment my financial studies. This may be the wrong forum but unfortunately I don't know many people in my daily life who can give guidance.

My choices are:
-- BSc Mathematics and Statistics (UNISA) - I would love to do this but I'm concerned that this will be my 4th degree at UNISA - all your eggs in one basket.

-- MCOM Finance (Wits or UJ) - already submitted forms, waiting for acceptance letters.

-- CFA: which is a must have but I feel if I do this one first I won't have the drive to complete anything else afterwards.

Thanks

 

[Bronzed_Skarab]

What do you want to achieve? Depth of study in specialist area? Broad financial and business understanding? Credibility? International recognition? What have you studied already? Are you working or planning to study full-time? Without this info, anyone who even attempts to answer won't be able to give decent advice.

 

[Polk]

Thanks for the reply B!

I would like to specialise. Mainly because I don't want to be in competition
With CAs and I would prefer to be quantitative based.

So far I have a bcom hon fin, bcom fin and eco, the saifm exams and a ba com science.

All qualifications were completed part time, unfortunately I'm not able to study full time.

Credibility is a big one, int rec for now is not so important

Been toying with the idea going mcom wits then doing the one year london school of economics postgrad maths dip. Would diversify my quals nicely but then I think to myself I'd prefer doing the full bsc

 

[Dolby]

How about relaxing for a year?

 

[Bronzed_Skarab]

Don't do another undergrad degree. What you want is to show that you have serious depth of knowledge, and another undergrad degree won't get you that.

It's also time to leave UNISA behind. Great in some respects, but the quality of some of their courses is poor. I'm not saying yours are, but you need to worry about perception issues as well.

CFA is respected, to an extent, but many people have it. It is ultimately quite lightweight in terms of quants, stats, economics etc but does provide good insight to investment processes and how to be an analyst. The ethics side, while it may seem a waste initially, will stand you in good stead if you remember the principles in your career. This differentiates you from most CAs.

A serious academic path, involving a Masters in Finance, Economics, Financial Maths etc. on the other hand puts you on a serious path to respect over time. The benefits may come more slowly, but there will always be fewer people with a masters degree than CFA. Getting a Masters ultimately from a good international school (LSE, University of London etc many of which can be done by correspondence) will be of additional value both locally and internationally.

The other side to consider is that, whether you want to admit it or not, part-time studying is a distraction. You will either sacrifice your personal and social life (however noble that may seem, don't - that is what life is all about) or focus less on experiential learning, networking and general career development with great work experience. Whatever you study should have a specific goal in mind (or be purely for self-actualisation, but don't confuse the two issues). There is very little that I've studied that I've regretted, but am increasingly finding it hard to justify further studying when so much is going on at work. Learning about people and clients and business growth happens while you are not studying a formal qualification.

Hope these thoughts help.

 

[Polk]

B, thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.

All of what you said makes a lot of sense to me and it was what I needed to hear.

Thanks again

 

[Jladan]

Tis indeed good advice, Wits is offering a fantastic MMIT program which I would love to do unfortunately I have so much going on at work that I jsut cannot see myself being able to do it anytime soon

 

[Fuma]

So far I have a bcom hon fin, bcom fin and eco, the saifm exams and a ba com science.

How long did it take you to complete these? I'm sure you got some credits for some subjects?

 

[Polk]

How long did it take you to complete these? I'm sure you got some credits for some subjects?

Took me 7 years for the BCom, Hon and BA another 2 for a BSC IT which I never completed. Unfortunately only a few credits for some maths I did during the BSC but going to take the given advice and move away from UNISA

 

[Fuma]

Took me 7 years for the BCom, Hon and BA another 2 for a BSC IT which I never completed. Unfortunately only a few credits for some maths I did during the BSC but going to take the given advice and move away from UNISA

Undergrad = UNISA (because you do not have time to study full time since you are working)
Post Grad = another institution (UCT, Tuks, Wits, Stelli, UJ or UKZN) in that order.
I will be doing my BCom (or BCompt) Internal Auditing at UNISA next year and probably go to Tuks/Wits for my hons.

 

[Y'all Qaeda]

Undergrad = UNISA (because you do not have time to study full time since you are working)
Post Grad = another institution (UCT, Tuks, Wits, Stelli, UJ or UKZN) in that order.
I will be doing my BCom (or BCompt) Internal Auditing at UNISA next year and probably go to Tuks/Wits for my hons.

Its Bcomm technically. Not Compt. It is short for Bachalaureus(spelling, this one is a bitch.) commercii.