Rhodes University Courses and Curriculum 2025/2026

Rhodes University Courses and Curriculum 2025/2026

Rhodes University Courses 2025/2026 – See below Details of available Rhodes University Courses and Curriculae:

Rhodes University Courses

Rhodes University Fees

Rhodes University Commerce Courses

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS SCIENCE

The degree of Bachelor of Business Science is a four year career-focused degree premised on the application of quantitative methods. The curriculum for this degree aims to provide a thorough grounding in the principles of the candidate’s chosen field of expertise to the postgraduate level, supported by ancillary subjects which will equip candidates for the professional and managerial requirements of their chosen field at the highest level.

Five specialised curricula are offered are: Economics, Information Systems, Management, Quantitative Management, and Computer Science.

Entry into the second and fourth years of study for the degree is by permission of the Faculty Board.

The curriculum for the degree consists of compulsory courses in Accounting, Commercial Law, Communication, Computing, Economics, Mathematics, and Statistics, together with courses in subjects comprising fields in which the student has a special interest. In-depth specialisation takes place in the fourth academic year during which the student will generally be taking honours courses. The degree can be taken with specialisation in any one of the following fields, or jointly in two of these fields:

Economics                               Computer Science                   Quantitative Management

Information                             Systems Management

An example of a curriculum in each of these fields of specialisation is given below. Note that other subject combinations are possible.

Curriculum 1: (Economics)

Curriculum 2 (Information Systems)

Curriculum 3 (Management)

Curriculum 4 (Quantitative Management)

Curriculum 5 (Computer Science)

2. BACHELOR OF COMMERCE

This is a three-year degree aimed at providing the graduate with a good academic grounding in the major subject areas of Commerce. The curricula provide for  specialisation up to third year level in two or more of any of the following fields: Accounting, Economics, Information Systems, Law, Management, Science, Social Science and Statistics, in any of four curricula as follows:

The General Curriculum allows for a wide combination of subjects in second and third year including at least two major subjects. Provided the appropriate combination of courses is chosen, the curriculum enables students to qualify as members of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators with the minimum of additional examinations. Further particulars are available from the Student Adviser. Extensive exemption is also available from the examinations for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

The Accounting Curriculum is intended for students wishing to enter the accounting profession or to take the BCom degree with an accounting emphasis. If this curriculum is followed, the Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy (PGDip(Accounting)) can be completed in one further year of study after credit is also obtained for Auditing 1, Management Accounting and Finance 1, and Taxation 1. Students who obtain a BCom degree with this curriculum will qualify for exemption from the entire Foundation Stage of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) examinations together with papers 5 and 8 in the Certificate stage. Extensive exemption is also available from the examinations for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Further particulars may be obtained from the Head of the Department of Accounting.

The Law Curriculum is intended for students wishing to enter the legal profession, or to take a BCom degree with a legal emphasis. Following this curriculum, a candidate can obtain enough exemptions from the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree subjects to complete the LLB requirements in two further years of study.

The Inter-Faculty Curriculum enables students to include a major subject in the Social Sciences in their BCom degree, and, depending on the subjects chosen, is suitable for candidates interested in personnel management or industrial relations. This curriculum also enables students to include a Science major or any Humanities major in their degree.

 Curriculum 1: (General)

This curriculum is designed for those who wish to specialise in one or more of the following fields: Accounting, Economics, Information Systems, Management or Statistics.

Various combinations of subjects are possible, and it must be stressed that the following is just one example of a number of general curricula that can be followed:

* Computer Science 101 is a pre-requisite for Information Systems 2

Curriculum 2: (Accounting)

Students who wish to enter the Accountancy profession are advised to follow this curriculum, which will enable them to register for the DipAcc(PG) in their fourth year of study and also entitle them to be registered with the Institute of Accounting Technicians. They are also exempted from the Foundation stage and two papers in the Certificate stage of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) examinations. Entry into the DipAcc (PG) is subject to the approval of the Faculty Board which only admits candidates with a good academic record. Accounting Honours is also an option for selected students.

Curriculum 3 (Law)

This curriculum is designed to enable students to complete the LLB degree in two further years of study. A number of different subject combinations are possible, the following being one example:

Curriculum 4: (Inter-faculty)

This curriculum is designed for students who wish to combine a study of commerce subjects with subjects in Science, Social Science or Humanities. A number of different subject combinations are possible, the following being one example:

Bachelor of Economics (BEco)

This is a three-year degree which is designed for students who wish to include the maximum number of Economics courses and related subjects in their curriculum. The BEcon degree offers a suitable preparation for candidates interested in economic forecasting and analysis and economic planning, in both the public and private sectors. The following specialized curricula are offered:

The Bachelor of Economics (Environmental Science) is intended for students wishing to pursue careers in the economic aspects of environmental studies. The curriculum is designed to train students in the application of economic principles to environmental studies, and combines courses from the Faculties of Science and Commerce.

The Bachelor of Economics (Mineral Economics) is intended for students who wish to become economists with a geological background. The curriculum is designed to apply economic principles to the exploitation of mineral resources, and combines courses from the Faculties of Science and Commerce. Because of timetable constraints this degree cannot be completed in the minimum period of three years.

Commerce Extended Studies Programme

This programme is intended to supplement the instruction of major subjects within the Commerce Faculty. Students enrolled in the Commerce Extended Studies Programme receive additional literacy and numerical instruction via extended, augmented or developmental courses. Successful completion of the programme is recognized with the awarding of a certificate. Students, after successfully completing the two years of the programme, are awarded with 165 SAQA credits and may proceed to the regular degree streams – BCom, BEco – offered by the Faculty.

Rhodes University Education Courses

Bachelor of Education Foundation phase (BEd)

The Rhodes BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching is an initial teaching programme designed to produce capable, well-educated teachers with a strong sense of self. Successful learning and teaching depends on students having confidence in themselves and their knowledge and abilities, the resilience and self-reliance to overcome difficulties, and the capacity for critical reflection to enable them to introspect and learn from experience. Living in a multilingual society, students also need confidence in their ability to speak and teach at least two languages. These capacities are essential if BEd students are to become caring, competent, critical and creative teachers.

The BEd is a 4-year, full-time programme which prepares students to teach in Grades R to 3. The programme develops strong capabilities. It gives students a well-rounded education, as well as providing them with subject knowledge, pedagogy and appropriate experience for teaching. The programme aims to prepare students to teach in a diversity of contexts, but especially in rural schools in the Eastern Cape where isiXhosa is the language of learning and teaching.

Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

This one-year full-time course prepares graduates for teaching in the Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase and Senior Phase of the General Education and Training band; the Further Education and Training band and non-formal contexts. The qualification is recognised by the national Department of Education as a qualification for either primary (grades 1 – 7) or secondary school teaching (grades 8-12). It is also recognised and valued internationally.

Entry requirements

An undergraduate degree (e.g. BA, B.Soc Sc, BCom, BMus, BSc). For secondary schools you are required to have teaching subjects as part of your undergraduate degree. This course is open to graduates and is recognised by employing authorities as a qualification for either the Intermediate Phase or Senior Phase of the GET band and the FET band of schooling.

FET Phase (Grades 10 − 12)

 Senior Phase (Grades 7 – 9)

PGCE (Intermediate Phase, Grades 4 − 6) and

PGCE (Foundation Phase, Grades 1 − 3)

Any appropriate undergraduate degree − please check with the Dean or HOD that your subjects are relevant.

Rhodes University Humanities Courses

BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE

A BA degree normally takes three years to complete. Ten courses need to be completed which must include two major subjects. To obtain a major subject, first, second and third year level courses must be completed, e.g. History 1, History 2, History 3. Some majors require only two courses, e.g. Philosopy 2, Philosophy 3 and Classical Civilisation 2, Classical Civilisation 3. These are prerequisites to being admitted into these 2 major courses though.

Possible major subjects are listed below:

Afrikaans en Nederlands (2)                                       Greek+

Anthropology                                                              History

Applied Mathematics (2)                                            Human Kinetics and Ergonomics

Art History and Virtual Culture                                   Organisational Psychology (2)

BA Studio Practice (Fine Art)                                      Industrial & Economic Sociology (2)

Classical Civilisation (2)                                             Journalism & Media Studies

Computer Science                                                      Latin+

Drama                                                                      Legal Theory

Economics                                                                 Mathematics

English                                                                       Mathematical Statistics

English Language and Linguistics                                  Music

Environmental Science (2)                                           Philosophy (2)

Ethnomusicology                                                         Politics

French++                                                                   Psychology

Geography                                                                  Sociology

German*                                                                    Xhosa (Non Mother Tongue)*

+ With the exception of Latin IB, other Latin and Greek courses will only be offered if staffing resources permit. The courses indicated with (2) are possible 2 year major subjects. Please note that apart from Classical Civilisation, all courses do have a specific 1st year subject prerequisite.

++ An Introductory course is offered in this language, four years being required to complete a major in French if one does not begin with Matric level.

* The German and isiXhosa courses are designed for students with little or no prior knowledge of the language.

These Sample Curricula are provided to illustrate how to build up a three year BA degree. Note that these are only examples of numerous possible curricula. Ancillary subjects may be chosen from a wide variety of Humanities courses.

* ancillary courses

++ compulsory course for Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 3

B. BACHELOR OF FINE ART DEGREE

C. BACHELOR OF JOURNALISM DEGREE

It must be stressed that these are only examples of a number of possible curricula.

D. BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREE

E. BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

To obtain a BSocSc degree you must obtain 10 credits. At least 5 credits (courses), including at least one major subject, must be chosen from the following:

Anthropology                                      Economics                  Organisational Psychology

Industrial & Economic Sociology         Politics                        Psychology

Sociology

An African Language may be taken as the second major subject with a major in Anthropology. Other subjects which may be taken as major subjects for the BSocSc degree: Geography; History; Information Systems; Legal Theory; English Language & Linguistics; Mathematics; Mathematical Statistics; Philosophy; Computer Science; Environmental Science; Management.

The following are possible examples of degree structures:

* if you intend majoring in Management in a Bachelor of Social Science you need to obtain credit in Accounting 1, Economics 1, Statistics 1D and Theory of Finance (TOF) – therefore a good mathematics mark would be a requirement.

Humanities Extended Studies Programme

This programme offers an alternative route through a Rhodes degree in the humanities faculty. This programme is intended for South African English Second Language speakers who show potential to succeed at university but who might not achieve the entry requirements for a 3 year humanities degree. It is open to students with a matric exemption, not less than 28 admission points and at least a 4 for English as an additional language.

Entering this programme generally means that the degree must be taken over four years instead of three. Students take two mainstream humanities subjects from a limited choice of subjects offered. These two subjects are supported with additional extended studies classes. These classes aim to develop reading skills and conceptual understanding of the subjects, to give students assistance in preparing for tutorials and assignments and to develop subject specific vocabulary. In addition students take general skills classes which aim to provide students with skills they need to cope academically at university. Students also take computer literacy classes and an information literacy course.

After the first year, students can choose any subjects open to humanities students. Extended studies students are usually limited to taking a maximum of 3 credits in one year.

Sample extended studies degree

Year 1: (2 credits plus 2 support credits) Anthropology 1      Journalism and Media Studies 1

Year 2: (3 credits)                   Anthropology 2           Politics 1          Economics 1

Year 3: (3 credits)                  Anthropology 3           Politics 2          Psychology 1

Year 4: (2 credits)                   Economics 2                Politics 3

Rhodes University Law Courses

BACHELOR OF LAWS (LLB)

The LLB degree is the minimum academic qualification for practising law in South Africa. At Rhodes, the LLB degree is offered as a four year programme, a two-year programme, or a three-year programme. Only in exceptional circumstances will students who enter university for the first time register in the Faculty of Law at Rhodes. In their first year, all prospective LLB students register for a general degree in another faculty (Humanities, Science or Commerce) where they do some non-law courses as well as two law courses. Students may select courses from a wide range of subjects and a variety of permutations exists. Only in their second year, after obtaining sufficient information to make a proper decision, do students decide which route to follow. It also enables students who discover in their first year that they are not suited to a career in law to change their study direction without forfeiting a year of study. The Faculty’s resources are limited and students’ academic results play an important role when applications for admission into the LLB are considered.

1. A five year combined Law and Humanities OR Law and Commerce OR Law and

Science LLB stream

Students enter this stream with the intention of following a programme in Law and Humanities OR Law and Commerce OR Law and Science, leading to a BA/BSocSci or BCom/BBusSc or BSc and thereafter a two-year LLB. The objective of a broad-based education is achieved in this stream by including courses which ensure that students have a thorough grasp of at least one discipline outside Law. Students register for a BA, BSocSci, BCom, BBusSci or BSc in their first year of study and continue with that degree with Legal Theory as a major subject.

Having obtained the first degree, students then register for the LLB, to be completed over two years. To do so, one must have obtained sufficient law credits in the first degree, which is usually the case if one has majored in Legal Theory.

Normally candidates who obtained at least 60% in their Legal Theory major will be admitted, as will candidates from other universities who obtained an average of at least 60% in their previous year of study. Where a candidate has not met these requirements, the Dean of Law has the discretion to admit that person, on good cause shown and subject to availability of Faculty resources. Preference will be given to those candidates who obtained their first degree at Rhodes University.

2. A four year LLB stream

In their first year of university study students will be required to register in any one of the Faculties of Humanities, Science and Commerce, according to their subject choices. After their first year of study, those who meet the academic criteria may choose between following a five year (eg, BA or BCom LLB) curriculum, or a four-year LLB curriculum. Those who don’t meet the academic criteria must follow the five-year combined route.

Candidates who do not have a degree may be admitted to the second year of study for the LLB degree, provided that they have passed both the law courses offered in their first year of study (Foundations of Law and Introduction to Law) with an average of 60% as well as have obtained an overall average of 60% for three non-law courses studied in that year. (Students who do not meet these criteria must follow the five-year route.)

3. A three year LLB for graduate students

Students enter this stream after having completed a Bachelor’s degree without law subjects, or with insufficient law credits. They may be admitted to the second year of study for the LLB degree, provided that they obtained 60% for their major subjects. Where a candidate has not met this requirement, the Dean of Law has the discretion to admit that person, on good cause shown and subject to availability of Faculty resources.

 BA, BCOM, BSC CURRICULUM: (3 YEARS), TO BE FOLLOWED BY A 2 YEAR LLB

This curriculum exempts one from the first two years of the LLB degree. The LLB curriculum following this degree will therefore be the same as that for the Penultimate and Final years of the LLB curriculum.

 THE LLB CURRICULUM FOLLOWING A BA, BCOM OR BSC (LAW CURRICULUM): 2 Years 

 THE LLB CURRICULUM FOLLOWING ANY DEGREE WITH NO LAW COURSES: 3 Years

This route is for students who have a degree but either have no law credits at all, or insufficient law credits to qualify for the two-year option.

Details of the degree structure and requirements for the LLB degree can be found in the Faculty of Law section of the University Calendar, and are obtainable on request. Rhodes University Courses

LIST OF ELECTIVES WHICH COULD BE TAKEN IN THE FINAL YEAR OF STUDY:

In both the first and second semesters, a research paper may be completed for one semester credit. All electives will not necessarily be offered every year. The availability of options will depend upon teaching arrangements in the Faculty of Law. For the same reason electives may be taught in different semesters.

Provisional Sentence; Appeals, Reviews and Rescission of Judgment; Costs; Enforcement of Judgments and Administration Orders. Rhodes University Courses

Collective Labour Law

Sources of Labour Law; Framework of the Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995; Organisational Rights; Collective Bargaining Structures; Collective Agreements; Agency Shop Agreements; Closed Shop Agreements; Worker Participation; and Industrial Action.

Constitutional Law A

Sources and general principles of constitutional law, historical survey of constitutional development in South Africa and a detailed analysis of the structures of government created by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act 108 of 1996.

Constitutional Law B

The protection of human rights in a constitutional state. This will include a detailed analysis of the Bill of Rights and the state institutions supporting constitutional democracy (such as the Public Protector and the Human. Rhodes University Courses

Collective Labour Law (one semester credit: one two-hour paper (70%), class work(30%), November examination)

Sources of Labour Law; Framework of the Labour Relations Act 55 of 1995; Organizational Rights; Collective Bargaining Structures; Collective Agreements; Agency Shop Agreements; Closed Shop Agreements; Worker Participation; and Industrial Action. Rhodes University Courses

Rhodes University Pharmacy Courses 

The Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at Rhodes University is a 4 year programme.  The curriculum for this degree is laid down by the South African Pharmacy Council and all students must pass all courses of this prescribed curriculum to be awarded the degree in Pharmacy.

Whilst the general curriculum is prescribed, each of the universities that offer pharmacy, have different emphases, thus making transfers between different Schools or Faculties of Pharmacy in South Africa difficult.

In the final year students are permitted to select electives and undertake a research project in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree.

The following is a brief description of the courses in the BPharm Degree:

Chemistry: Chemistry 101 (CHE 101) is held in the first semester and Chemistry 102 (CHE 102) in the second. CHE 101— includes learning about chemical symbols and numeracy, nuclear chemistry, atomic structure and bonding, chemical and physical equilibrium, introduction to organic chemistry. CHE 102—includes learning about properties of inorganic systems, chemistry and the environment, organic functional group chemistry, biological building blocks, reaction rates, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry. Rhodes University Courses

Cell Biology: This course compares cell structure in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and examines cellular processes including cell to cell communication, photosynthesis and cell respiration. Cell division and fundamental genetics, including the structure of genetic material and how it controls cellular processes. Rhodes University Courses

Mathematics for Life Sciences: A study of mathematical concepts and applications relevant for the study and practice of Pharmacy. Rhodes University Courses

Anatomy and Physiology: A study of the functional anatomy and physiology of humans.

Pharmaceutical Biochemistry: A study of the important molecules found in living organisms.

Introduction to ICT (Information & Communication Technology): Fundamental concepts and applications of hardware, computing environments, editing and word processing, spread sheets, databases, other software packages, networks, the Internet, social issues, and the logic of problem solving. Rhodes University Courses

Foundations of Pharmacy: An introductory course in Pharmacy, where learners will be introduced to the fundamentals of Pharmacy Practice, Pharmaceutics, and Ethics. Rhodes University Courses

Anatomy Physiology, Pathophysiology & Pathology: A study of the functional anatomy and physiology of humans and of diseases and pathological conditions in different body systems, how diseases develop, their characteristics, features of common diseases and conditions as they occur in humans, and the effects of diseases on human functioning.

Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology:  A study of the important molecules found in living organisms and of the role of Pharmaceutical Microbiologists and the application of microbiology in the practice of pharmacy, the health and economic implications of microbial contamination of pharmaceutical and hospital environments, the basic characteristics,  pathogenesis, diagnosis, disease, epidemiology, prevention and treatment of microorganisms found in pharmaceutical and hospital environments, water and sewage systems.    Rhodes University Courses

Pharmaceutics:   A 2½-year course covering basic pharmaceutical principles and their application to the formulation, production and assessment of medicinal products, microbiology and sterility. Rhodes University Courses

Pharmaceutical Chemistry: A two-year course covering the study of the purity and chemical properties of various materials and formulations used in the practice of pharmacy. Rhodes University Courses

Pharmacy  Practice:   A  2½-year  programme,  which  examines  Pharmaceutical  Care  and  the  role  of  the  pharmacist;  various  aspects of management including performance management, organizational management, managing pharmaceutical supply; Understanding and influencing behavior; Primary Health Care; legal and psychosocial principles and their application in providing safe and effective medicine use by pharmacists and patients. Rhodes University Courses

Pharmacology: A 1½-year study of the interaction between medicaments and the human body; disease states and medicinal therapy used to relieve these; the toxic effects of household agents, medicines and street drugs. Rhodes University Courses

Biostatistics: A study of statistics that is used in pharmaceutical and biomedical research, so as to use and understand different statistical methods used in research. Rhodes University Courses

Pharmacotherapy: A study of the relevant pathophysiology of diseases and conditions, how mechanisms of action of medicines are used to treat these diseases and/or disorders to counteract their pathophysiological origins, synthesizing and integrating information to make an informed and rational pharmacotherapeutic decision justifying the selection of appropriate dosage forms.

Research Project: An individual project on an approved topic in any pharmaceutical field.

Electives: Candidates may select elective courses offered in other Faculties provided they are relevant to Pharmacy and can be accommodated in the time-table for that academic year. Rhodes University Courses

The specific subjects for each year of the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree are listed below:

Rhodes University Science Courses

Bachelor of Science (BSc)

The ordinary first degree is taken over three years and the key feature of the BSc is its flexibility. Within the confines set by the timetable, it is possible for students to combine subjects in myriad ways to create curricula that meet their particular interests. This flexibility includes allowing students to take a major subject from commerce, the humanities and law such that students can major in environmental science and anthropology, biochemistry and law or geology and economics. As a Faculty, we appreciate the value that can be added by allowing students some flexibility when choosing their subjects. The BSc does not set out to educate or train a student for a particular career but rather allows for the construction of a knowledge and skills base that prepares a student for a wide range of possible careers or advanced study in their chosen subject. Emphasis is on discipline specific knowledge and skills as well as the cross cutting skills including experimental design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and scientific communication, that form the essential base for research. The flexibility in curriculum design creates an opportunity for students to decide if they are attracted to transdisciplinary academic training and education.

The Science Faculty offers four degrees:

• The BSc (Bachelor of Science) is the usual “first” degree in the Faculty, requiring a minimum of three years’ study after school. A wide range of subjects – most of which are “scientific” in nature – can be studied in order to qualify for this degree.
• The BSc (lnfSys) (Bachelor of Science (Information Systems)) is a 3 year degree intended for students who wish to become computer specialists in a commercial environment. It has a more rigid curriculum than the ordinary BSc degree.
• The BSc(SofDev) (Bachelor of Science (Software Development)) is a 4 year degree intended for students who wish to become computer specialists in a software systems environment.
• The BSc(F) – (Extended Studies Programme). This programme is taken by students who have the ability to undertake tertiary education but whose schooling or other experiences have left them not adequately prepared for university. These students spend two years as BScF students after which they join the BSc students and graduate with a BSc.

All of these degrees share a similar basic structure. In the typical BSc, a student will do eight semester courses in First Year, six in Second Year and four in Third Year. The four semesters in Third Year will belong to two subjects (= major subjects; e.g. Zoology 301 & 302 or Biochemistry 301 & 302). The same subjects will be taken in Second Year (Zoology 201 & 202; Biochemistry 201 & 202) with two additional semester courses. The subjects taken in First Year are those required to allow access to the chosen Second Year subjects and will include both those needed for the majors (e.g. First Year Zoology) and also any co-requisite subjects such as Chemistry for Zoology 2 or Maths 1 for Physics 2.

Full details on co-requisite subjects can be found on the web site.

Most subjects are taught through a full year with two semesters of work (Chemistry 101 and

Chemistry 102 = First Year Chemistry). A few are offered as stand alone single semesters

(Physics 1E2, Maths 101, introduction to ICT C5C1L and of these only CSC1L is taught in both semesters. Maths 1 is the only non-semesterized course in the science faculty. Most subjects are taught in all three academic years (Physics 1, Physics 2 and Physics 3) however a few are taught in Second and Third Years only (Entomology 2 and Entomology 3).

A typical BSc over three years might look like this:

Note: That in this example, the majors are Zoology and Entomology. First Year Zoology comprises CEL 101 (a cell biology course) and ZOO 101. To major in Zoology you need to pass CEL 101, ZOO 101 and BOT 102 AND Chemistry 1 (a co-requisite). Entomology is one of a number of subjects taught in Second and Third Years only. To major in Entomology, you must pass CEL 101, ZOO 101, BOT 102 and Chemistry 1. Clearly, subject choice in First Year is set by your selection of major subjects.

THE BASIC BSC OVER FOUR YEARS

For some students it is necessary to reduce the workload in First Year and spread the degree over four years. In this case we try to gain at least eight and preferably ten semester credits in two years. A typical 4 year curriculum would look like this:

Note: The exact structure of the first two years is very variable but typically the student will only start Second Year subjects in Year Three. In this example the students has three additional credits.

The BScF (Extended Studies Programme) is a four year degree in which students who do not meet the usual Faculty entrance requirements are provided with an opportunity to complete a degree over four years. In First Year, these students do three specially designed courses, one in maths, one in computer literacy and an introduction to the concepts and methods of science. In Second Year, the students will take a selection of standard First Year courses and in their Third Year, they join the BSc year two group.

BSc (InfSys) and BSc (SofDev) are designed for students who plan to use computers in a commercial environment. The degree structure is not very fl exible and students must pass 20 semester credits; a typical example is presented below:

In these two degrees, students must pass the following courses:

First and Second Years

Computer Science 1 & 2

Information Systems 2

Economics 1, Management 1, Accounting 1

Statistics 1D or 101, Physics 1E2, Maths 1 or Maths 102 and one other course approved by the Dean.

Third Year (BSc (InfSys)).

Computer Science 3, and one of Information Systems 3, Accounting 3, Economics 3, Management 3, Pure Maths 3, Mathematical Statistics 3, Applied Statistics 3.

Third & Fourth Years (BSc(SofDev)).

Computer Science 3 and Information Systems 3, and Computer Science and Information Systems 4.

SUBJECT CHOICES IN THE ORDINARY BSc DEGREE.

The subjects that can be taken in a BSc degree are classified into two groups, A & B.

Group Acomprises subjects that you would expect to find in a Science Degree. Most are taught over three years (e.g. Botany, Chemistry, Physics) while some are taught in Second and Third Years only (e.g. Ichthyology, Entomology, Microbiology, Biochemistry). A few are non major subjects and used to provide necessary additional skills such as Electronics (PHY 1E2), Statistics (STATS 101) and Introduction to Computer Literacy (CSC 1L1).

Group Bincludes all other subjects including those taught in the Humanities (such as Anthropology and History) or Commerce (Accounting or Management) and Law.

If the two majors are from Group A the degree comprises 18 credits of which no more than 4 semester credits may come from a single department in Group B.

If one major is from Group B, then the degree comprises 20 credits and All credits EXCEPT those for the three years of the Group B major MUST come from Group A. A typical 20 credit degree with a Group B major looks like this:

Note in this curriculum the student is majoring in Psychology (PSY) and Human Kinetics and Ergonomics (HKE). There are 20 credits of which ONLY the three years of Psychology are from Group B.

A few other examples of possible curricula follow:

One possible Biology curriculum:

In recent times several students have combined Legal Theory with Science, rather than only with Humanities or Commerce, and gone on to acquire the initials “BSc LLB” after their names before following specialised careers in Law. Here is a curriculum that might appeal to those who wish to become experts in Environmental Law:

Finally, while many combinations of subjects are possible, some combinations are prevented by timetable clashes. You can use the online timetable clash checker at:

http://scifac.ru.ac.za/wwwtime/timetable.php to see if your chosen subjects will clash.