Last Updated on January 4, 2023
Aside from our personal motivation, at some point, we have to choose a degree that promises us a brighter future in terms of financial gain. In some specific areas, competition is stronger than in others.
Consequently, in some of them, the economic benefits will be greater than in others. Given this, you may prefer a degree that offers countless job opportunities and high incomes.
The trends in the job market are complex and every attempted precise prediction will remain a probability measurement. However, to a certain degree, it can give us an idea of what university degree to choose which is among the most important decision in our lives.
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10 Best Marketable Courses To Study In South Africa
Below are given the most marketable courses in South Africa.
1. Medicine and Surgery (MBCHB)
Medicine is one of the best marketable courses to study in South Africa. It is a vast course with different branches. It is so lucrative that getting a job is easy for graduates. Most students get a job immediately after they graduate. The reason for the increase in demand for medical courses is due to the rise in the number of the South African populace who fall sick daily.
As stated earlier, medicine is vast and has other. Hence, the three important medical related courses that have been making waves in South are Immunology, Clinical Medicine and Microbiology.
Clinical Medicine: This is a field of medicine that deals primarily with the direct examination of the patient. In clinical medicine, medical practitioners come in contact with patients in order to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease.
Immunology: Immunology is a high-ranking medical course in South African Universities. It is a very important branch of the medical and biological sciences that involves the study of immune system organisms. The Department of Immunology in most SA varieties mostly offers MSc and Ph.D. courses. Nevertheless, there’re undergraduate courses in basic immunology too. It’s an interesting course to study if you’re very enthusiastic about medical and biological sciences.
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Microbiology: Also on the list is Microbiology which deals with the study of small living things that cannot be seen without the use of a microscope.
This course is available at various levels including undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma level. Many graduates of microbiology follow career paths of biomedical scientist, scientific laboratory technician.
The courses provide good basic knowledge of the various groups of microbes, their morphology, metabolism, genetics, and taxonomy.
University of South Africa, Rhodes University offers Microbiology undergraduate degrees. When it comes to the best Universities to study this course, you cannot overlook the University of Cape Town, the University of Pretoria and the University of Witwatersrand.
According to research, there are some Universities who have shown strength in these courses. They are;
- University of Cape Town
- University of KwaZulu Natal
- University of Pretoria
- University of Witwatersrand
- Stellenbosch University
- North West University, South Africa
Note that the above listed Universities are not the best in this field but give you an idea of how to choose your medical school.
2. Engineering Courses
This is one field that ticks a lot of boxes. This is to say there are numerous engineering fields to opt for. Many who do not have adequate information regarding this profession end up making mistakes in the choice of qualification? What some are after is just getting a certificate that certifies them as an Engineer.
Engineering is vast as it has other aspects ranging from Chemical, Electronic, Software, Mechanical, and Petroleum Engineering among others. With this, some Engineers earn more than others as well as have greater opportunity to become self-employed because of the type of engineering field which they specialize in.
Electrical engineering students do not have to graduate to start enjoying the fruits of this course. As early as the second year, they can start small-scale electrification at residential houses. After graduation, they offer their wiring services for bigger building projects depending on how much they market themselves.
Software engineers do not hesitate to start developing their software and applications and selling expensively to the demanding clients. They can also design personal websites for blogging and also earn from it.
The engineering industry in South Africa is in demand for young graduates to employ annually because the industry keeps growing. Engineers are well respected and receive good pay for their service. The importance in the country makes it one of the best courses to study in South Africa.
3. Accounting
This is one beautiful course to study in SA. Accounting is a course whose application is needed in all fields, be it a hospital or companies.
Accountants are saddled with the responsibility of examining and preparing financial reports. Chartered accountants are responsible for ensuring that financial records are accurate and filed on time.
An accountant is needed to audit the company’s account too. An accounting graduate has many opportunities to get a job because their service is needed in virtually all fields. To have an upper hand when it comes to employment, accounting graduates can write a professional exam to add value to their certificate.
4. Pharmacy
Pharmacy is another highly marketable course in South Africa. This is one of many feared courses in the health field but it’s very lucrative.
Unfortunately, not everyone can cope with it. Hence, it takes a focused and dedicated mindset to pull through while in these. Pharmacists are trained on how to formulate drugs and how a drug works. A pharmacist can work in a pharmaceutical company or establish on their own. They can also work for a federal government drug agency.
5. Nursing
This is a course that is highly needed in South Africa, thus making it one of the best courses to study there. As a nurse, there are so many opportunities for in South Africa and beyond. A Nurse can either set up a small clinic or work in a pharmacy
Many countries like the UK are in high need of nurses. If you don’t like the working conditions in South Africa, you can opt for this option.
6. Law
Law remains a very good career. From time immemorial, law has always been among the highly demanded courses in Universities. In South Africa, it is also among the best courses to study.
This is so because it is a lucrative course. Lawyers earn big and there are so many ways in which they can make money outside the courtroom, they can work as an attorney for a company or as a family lawyer. If you are considering studying law in SA you are on the right track.
There are several universities offering this course with the aim of producing skilled legal professionals who will ensure the maintenance of law and order in South Africa.
Here are the best-ranked universities in South Africa to study Law.
- Stellenbosch University
- University of Cape Town
- University of Pretoria
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Witwatersrand
7. Real Estate and Property Management
Real Estate managers are needed to provide more building and property managers are also required to manage people’s house. This career path involves the management of land and other related properties in the public and private sectors.
An estate manager is concerned with the historical or heritage preservation of a site with the main aim being to enable an estate to run as effectively as possible in order to maximize financial returns from the estate.
As the population in South Africa increases, there is a demand for more buildings to accommodate the population. Hence, real estate management courses have become one of the best courses to study in South Africa.
8. Architectural / Construction Related Courses
Architects are responsible for the design of cities and homes. This is a highly demanded and well paid job. With an increase in the number of real estate firms in South Africa, services of Architects are in higher demand as the day goes by.
Architecture and construction technology go hand in hand and they are highly marketable. There are several wonderful opportunities for Architects and Structural Engineers.
Remember structures are built everywhere every day, hence there is a bigger market pool against limited qualified individuals. Graduates of this course may acquire drawing and designing skills that can be used to design house plans for individuals and companies thus earning a living comfortably.
If you want to be self-employed, you should study architecture in South Africa. The course gives you an opportunity to be your own boss if you don’t want to work for a company.
9. Business Courses
The service of business managers and marketers are demanded in all companies. As a marketer, you are needed to market your company goods or services to prospective customers. Marketers are paid well by companies. To be a good marketer, you have to be conversant with how to speak to your audience and studying this course prepares you for that. As one with humanities major, you may already know how to get inside people’s heads in order to convince them to buy.
These days where entrepreneurship has become the order of the day, individuals with degrees in this course are made.
10. Agricultural Sciences
One of the major faculties in the university is the Faculty of Agriculture. There are over 120 courses within this faculty of which many of them are less important in this present generation. However, gone are the days when people see the Agricultural faculty as a dumping ground for students who could not get their desired course. These days, students apply for these courses on their own discretion.
Agriculture is life, it is everywhere and studying a course under Agriculture will put you at the forefront of employability and entrepreneurship.
This means that if you don’t get employed, you will automatically become an employer of labour.
Below is the list of Top Agricultural courses worth studying in schools.
- Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Agricultural Economics
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- Forestry and Wood Technology
- Plant pathology
- Food Science and Business
- Environmental Management and Toxicology
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology
- Animal Production and Health Services
- Livestock Production Technology
- Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology
- Crop, Soil and Pest Management
- Production and Landscape Management
There are two recommended universities in South Africa to study Agricultural Science. They are;
- Stellenbosch University
- University of Pretoria