Learn how to capture and edit high-quality digital photographs for business or personal purposes.

Images are a powerful way to immortalize moments and tell compelling stories. Whether you plan to draw on photography in a personal or professional capacity, these skills are a valuable addition to your repertoire of competencies.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Digital Photography online short course introduces you to the features and functionalities of digital SLR cameras and teaches you how to use different settings to take high-quality images under a range of conditions. You’ll also discover the principles of composition, and learn basic photo-editing techniques.

During the course, you’ll apply what you learn practically to produce a range of images, and you’ll benefit from ongoing constructive feedback from your head tutor, and professional photographer Roberta Crumplin.

Is this course for you?

This course covers foundational digital photography terms and techniques. It’s therefore suited to both hobbyists and aspiring or self-taught photographers wanting to build or refine a practical skill set. Similarly, the content will appeal to professionals looking to develop digital photography skills for application in marketing, journalism, and other business contexts. In order to complete this course, students need access to their own digital SLR camera.

Learn how to apply costing techniques and generate financial insights to inform key business decisions.

In a highly competitive corporate environment, more managers and business owners are seeking to streamline processes and optimize the use of resources. Those working in cost and management accounting roles are responsible for providing information that can guide economical decision-making and play an important part in maximizing profit by controlling financial wastage.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Cost and Management Accounting online short course introduces you to the core principles of this function and covers a range of central concepts, such as job costing, process costing, absorption costing, and variable costing. You’ll discover how to use costings to make informed management decisions, and learn to perform a cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis and manage funds through budgets.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed for finance and accounting professionals looking to refresh their knowledge and gain specific skills in the field of cost and management accounting. It’s also aimed at managers who want to improve their ability to make sound decisions based on financial insights, and business owners and entrepreneurs who need knowledge of costing techniques and systems.

Learn the foundations of web design, and grow the confidence to structure, create, and maintain an original and responsive website.

As the virtual face of a company, websites are a key component of many businesses marketing and operating strategies. For this reason, organisations across industries value the skills of professionals who can create engaging web pages that set the company’s brand apart from the crowd.

The Web Design online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) introduces you to the building blocks of web design and aims to equip you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to build a strong online presence for yourself or your company. You’ll develop a basic understanding of coding languages and discover how to test and publish online pages that render across devices.

Throughout the course, you’ll apply your learnings to produce a four-page website, and have the chance to present your work to peers for feedback in a series of group ‘crit’ sessions. You’ll walk away with the confidence to start your career in the growing field of web design.

Is this course for you?

This introductory course is designed for working professionals who want to remain relevant in the competitive digital age. Equally, it’s suited to anyone eager to change career direction or upskill in tasks related to web design, graphic design, art direction, and digital marketing. Individuals with existing web design experience can validate their skills with a UCT certificate of completion. Please note, students will be responsible for the purchase of their own domain names for this course. It’s recommended that you have basic computer literacy before taking this course.

Explore corporate taxation and learn how to effectively manage employee compensation.

Poor management of payroll and tax matters can cost a business significantly in both time and money and is likely to frustrate and demotivate employees. Effective payroll administrators that are familiar with current legislation and best practices are, therefore, valuable assets to any organization.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Payroll and Tax Administration online short course is designed to empower you with the skills to effectively perform these vital bookkeeping-related functions. You’ll be introduced to key concepts underpinning individual and business taxation, and gain an understanding of how eFiling and VAT returns work. You’ll also learn about different payroll systems and packages, and acquire the tools to manage employees’ remuneration effectively and efficiently to ensure a happy workforce.

Is this course for you?

As this course covers current legislation and practices, established payroll administrators, finance clerks, bookkeepers, and business owners will be able to update current skills and refresh their tax legislation knowledge. Those looking to develop their careers and move into the administrative, finance, or human resources function of a business will also likely benefit from this curriculum. No prior knowledge of bookkeeping, accounting, or finance is needed for this course.

Navigate the styles, structure, and processes of feature journalism.

The rise of online content marketing and brand journalism has ignited the demand for professionals who produce quality content that is accurate, informative, and generates readership. The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Feature Journalism online short course equips you with the skills needed to research, write, and sell your features to a variety of publications. Over the course of 10 weeks, you’ll refine and enhance your writing skills as you become a better journalist and build towards your writing career.

This highly practical online course explores the development of feature stories, research methods, and interview techniques, amongst other essential content elements such as language, structure, and editing methods. Navigate the legal aspects and ethical implications of journalism, and discover best practices for working with editors. Throughout the course, you’ll produce your own 2000-word feature article, guided and reviewed by the award-winning journalist André Wiesner.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed for anyone wanting to develop their professional writing by acquiring in-depth research and interviewing skills, as well as those hoping to improve their readers’ experience by refining their structuring and editing knowledge. This is valuable to anyone hoping to enter into the journalism industry and existing writers who wish to further enhance their skill set and expand their expertise. The course also offers the chance to validate your feature journalism skills with a certificate from UCT, and offers you the chance to expand your writing network by collaborating with fellow writers.

Gain an in-depth understanding of the specialized frameworks underpinning public sector financial reporting.

Rising concerns around global government spending has led to public demand for accurate and transparent financial reports, setting higher standards for treasury management. To meet these requirements, it’s imperative that professionals in this field use the Generally Recognised Accounting Practice (GRAP) frameworks that underpin financial reporting in the public sector. In doing so, they can create a credible record that communicates high-quality expenditure information, which informs policy and decision-making, and in turn, drives the better use of public resources.

The Public Sector Financial Reporting online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT) is based on the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Sector Accounting offered by UCT. Part of this program has been developed into smaller online short courses that allow professionals to study specific areas of public sector structures, governance, accounting and finance, in order to bolster their skills in this important and relevant field.

This online short course covers specialized and highly technical concepts to help you accurately recognize, measure, and report on current and non-current assets within the public finance sector. Over 12 weeks, you’ll gain expert tools and insights from faculty at Africa’s leading university, as you learn to draft in-depth financial statements for public sector entities.

Is this course for you?

This highly intensive course is aimed at private or public sector professionals looking to enable career growth in the public finance sector. It’s valuable to those who are starting their career and would like to prepare for a future role in public sector finance within South Africa, as well as other countries in Africa. Established balance sheet custodians, accounting consultants, and financial managers who are interested in formalizing and augmenting their knowledge within the specialized field of public sector accounting will also benefit from the tangible outcomes and analytical toolkit delivered throughout this 12-week course.

Elevate your ability to manage volatility and uncertainty to support company performance.

Owing to widespread economic, political, ecological, and technological change, businesses of today are facing a broad range of risks that, if not adequately addressed, could threaten their survival. As a result, more organizations are realizing the importance of having competent senior risk management professionals on their side.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Advanced Business Risk Management online short course moves beyond foundational concepts to teach you how to not just identify and assess organizational risks, but develop strategies and controls to mitigate them. You’ll explore the management of reputational, financial, investment, and behavioral risks, and discover how to use insights to inform decision-making.

As the course journey simulates the risk management process, you can expect a highly practical learning experience, with the chance to apply theory and best practices to real-world case studies.

Is this course for you?

Working professionals who want to build or further a career in business risk management will find this course useful. Established risk officers can update their skill sets and boost their knowledge of new developments to ensure optimal performance in their current roles. At the same time, those with business and management experience can acquire the tools and know-how necessary to shift into a risk-focused role. There are no formal prerequisites for this course, but financial literacy would be advantageous and it is recommended that students have either completed the UCT Business Risk Management online short course or are currently working in the risk management field.

Build your confidence and develop your competence as an internal or external business coach.

At some point in their careers, professionals in management roles are likely to require external support to better tackle challenges or boost productivity. Executive coaches specialize in offering such support, and because they help leaders to perform better, they can ultimately impact organizational performance as a whole.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Executive and Management Coaching online short course aims to familiarise you with key coaching philosophies and methodologies and to empower you with the expertise to manage professional coaching relationships. You’ll acquire the knowledge to facilitate the various stages of the coaching process, and you’ll learn how to leverage technology to effectively coach clients in the digital age. Over 12 weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to observe five coaching meetings and conduct your own program with an assigned partner. These required practical sessions will help you develop coaching competencies, and offer you a platform from which to grow in confidence and skill.

Is this course for you?

Anyone interested in coaching as a profession may find this course beneficial. It’s designed for both existing executive coaches who want to further develop their brand, and professionals aspiring to become an internal business coach or external coaching consultant. It’s also suited to human resource professionals, department heads, and team leaders eager to enhance their ability to guide and support staff members. While the focus of this course is on executive coaching, it will likely be of value to anyone considering a career in the broader coaching field.

Gain a foundation in business finance and the tools to help your organization thrive.

One of a business's best chances of success lies in how it manages its financial resources. Financial management is an integral function of every business, and it ensures responsible investment decisions and the long-term sustainability of operations.

Maintain the financial well-being of your organization on the eight-week Fundamentals of Financial Management online short course from the University of Cape Town (UCT). No matter your business, role or position, this course will improve your understanding and practice of finance by exploring financial management through the lens of retail, manufacturing, service, and tech-based industries. The course aims to empower you with a financial toolkit to manage both the short- and long-term financial needs of your company, preparing you to make informed, strategic decisions.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed to equip mid to senior managers, directors, and administrators with an understanding of business finance and how financial management can be used to support the success of an organization. These professionals are looking to add value to their businesses by incorporating financial data into their strategic decision-making. Students will also gain the knowledge to apply financial management tools within operational and strategic business processes. Aspiring managers and entrepreneurs with minimal experience in finance will learn to bolster the efficiency of a business through responsible financial management practices.

Learn how to lead, manage, motivate, assess, and compensate a sales team.

Despite the emergence of numerous different business models, many enterprises still rely heavily on sales for profit. As a result, sales management is a vital business function that can have a significant impact on a company’s bottom line.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) Sales Management online short course aims to prepare you for success in this important field. It’s designed to teach you skills that are both relevant and practical, so you can not only improve your understanding of personal selling best practices, but also enhance your ability to build, train, motivate, and assess a sales team. You’ll learn how to perform cost analyses, select appropriate customer relationship management (CRM) systems, identify pricing strategies, and measure the business impact of your operations.

Class-wide online discussions will give you the opportunity to learn from fellow students and discuss topical issues, like closing techniques and recruitment challenges. Alongside course content, these sessions are designed to help you gain confidence in your ability to lead the sales function within any organization

Is this course for you?

This course is suitable for both sales professionals pursuing a promotion into a management role and existing sales managers looking to validate their skills and enhance their performance. Those who want to improve their knowledge of sales within a business development context will, most likely, also benefit from this content. To get value out of this course, it is recommended that you already have some experience in the sales field.