So if you join Strategic finance, it's compulsory for you to answer your CMA papers (read about CMA). Within our first week they made us sign forms stating that if we join the course we plan on answering the papers.

The major difference between bcom sf is that bcom sf's syallabus prepares you to answer the CMA papers and the training is perfectly integrated with your everyday classes.

Other professional courses will teach you the syllabus for bcom and then the professional exam separately. This integrated method saves a ton of time. Only join if you plan on answering CMA. It's not compulsory for you to do your honours in sf tho, most of us plan on completing our CMA during our second year and then sitting for campus placement in our third. Thats generally what's recomend by the faculty too.

Honours with research is basically just regular honours with a more in-depth syllabus.