Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology

School of Engineering
The requirements for the following degrees are:
Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics Physical Science APS
5 (60-69%) 7 (80-100%) 6 (70-79%) 36

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: School of Engineering • Provisional admission to the Four or Five Year Programme in the School of Engineering will be
• Grade 11 results are considered for the provisional admission of prospective students. determined based on the fact that a candidate complies with the NSC minimum requirement of
• A valid National Senior Certificate with admission for degree purposes is required. Afrikaans or English at level 5 (60-69%), Mathematics at level 6 (70-79%), Physical Science at
• Minimum subject and level requirements, as set out above, are required. At first year level, level 5 (60-69%); an APS of 30 and the results of the compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test.
students have a choice between Afrikaans and English as language medium. In many instances, • Admission to ENGAGE i.e. the Five Year Programme in the School of Engineering will be
lectures are only offered in English, for example for elective modules, specialist modules, where determined on the basis of (a) faculty selection; (b) the results of the Institutional Proficiency
a lecturer is not competent in Afrikaans, or where it is not economically or practically justifiable. Test; (c) the National Senior Certificate; (d) achievement of a 5 in Mathematics and a 4 in
• Provisional admission to the Four Year Programme in the School of Engineering is only Physical Science as well as a 4 in Afrikaans or English; and finally (e) an APS of 25.
guaranteed if prospective students meet ALL the subject requirements in the row above. If • Please note that prospective students may apply directly for entry into the Five Year Programme
they do not, prospective students must write the Institutional Proficiency Test. The results of the (i.e. ENGAGE).
Institutional Proficiency Test, together with their National Senior Certificate results will determine
whether prospective students qualify for admission to the Four or Five Year Programme (now For more information: www.up.ac.za
called ENGAGE i.e. the Engineering Augmented Degree Programme).

Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities

Chemical Engineers are involved in industrial processes that convert raw materials into products with a higher
economic value. This is achieved by means of physical, thermal, chemical, biological or mechanical changes to
the raw materials. Industries where chemical engineers apply their knowledge are the petroleum, food, minerals
BEng (Chemical Engineering) processing, power generation as well as the paper and pulp industries. Water and effluent treatment as well as
[4 years] environmental engineering activities including air pollution control also need the expertise chemical engineers can
offer. Like other engineering disciplines, chemical engineers are involved in research and development, techno-
economic evaluation, equipment and plant design, process control and optimisation, construction, commissioning,
operation and management and final product marketing and distribution.
Civil Engineers design, build and maintain constructions such as tower blocks and skyscrapers, dams, canals and
BEng (Civil Engineering) pipelines, roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, power stations, television towers, water works and out-fall
[4 years] installations. They are involved in financial modelling, feasibility studies and the management and rehabilitation
of large asset portfolios.
Computer engineers are active in all fields of the “Information Super Highway” and the ICT world, which include
the fields of computer systems, software engineering, computer and communications networks, wireless sensor
BEng (Computer Engineering)
networks, embedded software, electronics, SMART control systems and automation, data security, e-commerce,
[4 years] pattern recognition (face and speech recognition), artificial intelligence, etc. They specialize in combining
hardware, software and communication technologies to optimize system performance.
Electrical engineers are active in the generation, storage, transmission, distribution and utilization of electrical
energy. There is a brilliant future in renewable energy. Electrical engineers design, supervise the construction,
BEng (Electrical Engineering) oversee the optimal operation and assure perfect and timely maintenance of all electrical installations for
[4 years] municipalities, residential areas, commercial buildings, factories, mines and industries. Rail transport, water
pumping, electrical grids, telecommunications, energy management and SMART lighting are all fields of
application of electrical engineering.
Electronic engineers are active in all fields eg. telecommunications (fixed network, wireless, satellite, television,
radar, RF, etc), entertainment, medical (MRI, X-ray, CPR, IR tomography, EEG, ECG, rehabilitation engineering,
BEng (Electronic Engineering) biokinetics, etc), integrated circuit design, bio-engineering, military (vehicle electronics, smart bombs, night
[4 years] vision, laser systems, etc), transport (e-tag, speed measuring, railway signalling, GPS, mapping), SMART dust,
safety and security systems (face and speech recognition), banking (ATM), commerce, robotics, education,
environmental management, tourism and many more.
Industrial Engineers design, test, implement and manage a wide range of man/machine systems for the delivery
of production and services. Organisational matters which require optimisation include site selection and layout of
BEng (Industrial Engineering)
facilities, manufacturing, inventory control, materials handling, supply chain management, quality management,
[4 years] cost control, financial services, maintenance, reliability, computer simulation, information systems, human
resources and business law.
Mechanical and aeronautical engineers are concerned with power-generating machines and systems such as
vehicles, ships, airconditioners, pebble bed nuclear reactors, aeroplanes, engines and turbines, robots and
biomedical systems. Areas of specialization include product design and manufacturing (e.g. design, testing
BEng (Mechanical Engineering) and improvement of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems), marine engineering and naval
[4 years] architecture, bio-medical engineering, air-conditioning and refrigeration, aerospace systems and aircraft/missiles
engineering, vehicle engineering, maintenance engineering and energy management (e.g. gas and steam
turbines, nuclear power reactors, petrol engines, cooling towers and renewable energy systems).

BEng (Metallurgical Metallurgical engineers unlock the riches of deposits of metal ores, coal and diamonds and optimise the
manufacture of metal components. They work in plants where valuable minerals are recovered from ore, where
Engineering)
metals are produced out of the minerals and where the metals are converted into useful materials – such as
Presented in English only steel or aluminium. The types of careers include those of production engineers, plant managers, consultants and
[4 years] researchers.
Mining engineers have a wide range of opportunities, namely mining (mine management, technical management
BEng (Mining Engineering) of ventilation, rock mechanics, rock breaking, mineral resources), financial evaluation and management (mine
design, mine financial evaluation, mine feasibility studies, mine environmental impact studies), mining and
Presented in English only
drilling contracting (mining, tunnelling, shaft sinking, mine development, ore evaluation), mining research,
[4 years] mining equipment design and manufacture, mining marketing and mining administration at national, provincial or
international level.

Admission Requirements and General Information 2011 16

 School for the Built Environment
The requirements for the following degrees are:
Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics Physical Science APS
5 (60-69%) 4 (50-59%) 4 (50-59%) 27
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
Candidate senior architectural technologist, the first step to registration as architect. Technologists can
BSc (Architecture)
design designated building types and also provide assistance in practice to architects, interior architects and
[3 years]
urban designers; their responsibilities include the documentation of projects, project administration and site
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June
management. A further two years of study is required for registration as a candidate professional architect.
Candidate interior designers, the first step to future registration as senior interior designer or interior
BSc (Interior Architecture) architect. Technologists provide assistance in practice to interior architects and designers, architects and
[3 years] product designers; their responsibilities include the documentation of projects, project administration and site
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June management. A further two years of study will in future be required for registration as a candidate professional
interior architect.
Candidate senior landscape architectural technologists can design designated building types and it is also
BSc (Landscape Architecture) the first step to registration as landscape architect. Technologists provide assistance in practice to landscape
[3 years] architects, architects, urban designers and environmental practitioners; their responsibilities include the
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June documentation of projects, project administration and site management. A further two years of study is
required for registration as a candidate professional landscape architect.

The requirements for the following degrees are:

Physical Science or
Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
Accounting
5 (60-69%) 4 (50-59%) 4 (50-59%) 27
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
After completing the 3-year undergraduate programme, the student could enter a career in among others,
BSc (Construction Management) construction site management or subcontract work. On completion of the ensuing 2-year honours programme,
[3 years] the graduate is able to register as a professional construction manager and opportunities become much
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June wider, including project management, property development, portfolio management, commercial marketing and
managerial positions in the corporate environment.
Apart from a future in areas such as property investment, property finance and facilities and property
BSc (Real Estate) management, further studies to obtain an honours degree in real estate can lead to registration as a
[3 years] professional property valuer. Career opportunities encompass the whole spectrum of the property sector,
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June whether as entrepreneurs in the private sector or as employees in the private, government or semi-government
sectors.
Quantity surveying is the science that delivers specialised financial and contractual services and advice to
BSc (Quantity Surveying) clients in the building and construction industry, as well as related industries. The 3-year degree is the first
[3 years] step towards registration as quantity surveyor. The ensuing 2-year honours programme leads to registration as
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June candidate professional quantity surveyor. Career opportunities, apart from those in the private, government or
semi-governmental sectors, also exist in the property, banking, mining and manufacturing industries.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
4 (50-59%) 4 (50-59%) 25
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
Town and regional planner, development practitioner, urban manager, real estate analyst, researcher.
While most town and regional planners act as private consultants to the public and private sector they are
B (Town and Regional Planning)
also employed by all three spheres of government, research agencies such as the CSIR and the HSRC,
[4 years]
non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, major financial institutions and property
Selection Course: Closing date 30 June
developments groups. The qualification will enable a graduate to register as a professional town and regional
planner with the South African Council for Planners.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: School for the Built Environment All the Built Environment degree programmes have a limited capacity. Only first choices will be
All the programmes in the School for the Built Environment involve selection procedures based on considered for BSc (Architecture) and BSc (Interior Architecture).
academic merit. For BSc(Architecture), BSc(Landscape Architecture) and BSc(Interior Architecture) Both Afrikaans and English are used in one lecture or only one language is used, depending on the
selection is based on academic merit, departmental selection tests and an interview. composition of the group of students.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.up.ac.za

17 Admission Requirements and General Information 2011

 School of Information Technology
The requirements for the following degree are:
Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
5 (60-69%) 5 (60-69%) 30
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities

Information technologist, programmer, system analyst, computer consultant, buyer of hardware and software.
This programme provides knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of programming and
software engineering; theory and practice of the adoption and use of information systems in business
B (Information Technology)
organisations; aspects of collecting, retrieving, organising, managing and using information; philosophy,
[4 years]
language and mathematics. Should a candidate obtain an APS score of 25 to 29, the compulsory Institutional
Proficiency Test must be written. Consideration for admission will be based on the results of the Institutional
Proficiency Test, provided the quotas regarding student numbers have not been reached.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy APS
4 (50-59%) 3 (40-49%) 28
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities

Information and knowledge manager (manages information and knowledge resources), information /
e-commerce specialist (organises, retrieves and adds value to information), consultant on information products
(services and systems), information broker (acts as an infopreneur and buys and sells information products
BIS (Information Science) and services), system specialist/analyst/technologist (develops information systems). Should a candidate
[3 years] obtain an APS score of 25 to 27, the compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test must be written. Consideration
for admission will be based on the results of the Institutional Proficiency Test, provided the quotas regarding
student numbers have not been reached.If Informatics is selected at first year level, an achievement level of 5
(60-69%) must be obtained in Mathematics.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
4 (50-59%) 5 (60-69%) 30
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
Programmer, web designer, animation specialist, video editor, electronic artist. The programme prepares you
for work at any of the following content producers: paper publications, television, radio, phone technologies
BIS (Multimedia) and the web. You can become a hardcore coder and work for a programming company. You can develop
[3 years] skills in your particular area of interest, such as digital music or video, programming, graphic development,
games development, web development etc. Should a candidate obtain an APS score of between 25 and 29,
Four Year Programme also available.
See Important Information. a compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test must be written. Consideration for admission will be based on the
results of the Institutional Proficiency Test, provided the quotas regarding student numbers have not been
reached.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy APS
5 (60-69%) 3 (40-49%) 28
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
Entry level job opportunities include: assisting a specific role-player in the publishing value chain (e.g. MD of a
publishing house; commissioning editor; editor, production or marketing manager); market or picture research,
BIS (Publishing) copyright negotiations, copy-editing and proofreading, marketing and promotion, distribution and delivery.
[3 years] Should a candidate obtain an APS score of 25 to 27, the compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test must be
written. Consideration for admission will be based on the results of the Institutional Proficiency Test, provided
the quotas regarding student numbers have not been reached.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: School of Information Technology on (a) faculty selection; (b) the results of a compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test; (c) results of the
All modules in the School of Information Technology are presented in Afrikaans and English where final Grade 12 subject achievement levels together with the subject achievement levels as follows: a
possible. 4 in Afrikaans or English; a 3 in Mathematics with an APS of 25.
In the School of Information Technology students are admitted to the Four Year Programme in BIS FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.up.ac.za
Multimedia and the Four Year Programme in BSc (IT) Information and Knowledge Systems based

Admission Requirements and General Information 2011 18

 The requirements for the following degree are:
Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
5 (60-69%) 5 (60-69%) 30
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
Programmer, systems analyst, systems architect, consultant, database administrator, network analyst, researcher.
BSc (Computer Science) Should a candidate obtain an APS score of 25 to 29, the compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test must be written.
[3 years] Consideration for admission will be based on the results of the Institutional Proficiency Test, provided the quotas
regarding student numbers have not been reached.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Programme Afrikaans or English Mathematics APS
4 (50-59%) 5 (60-69%) 30
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities
BSc (Information and A graduate will differentiate him/herself in an application environment by choosing one of the following options:
Knowledge Systems) Applied Mathematics, Bioinformatics, Geographical Information Systems, IT and Enterprises, IT and Music,
[3 years] Operational Research, Philosophy, Psychology or Software Development. Should a candidate obtain an APS
score of 25 to 29, the compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test must be written. Consideration for admission will
Four Year Programme also be based on the results of the Institutional Proficiency Test, provided the quotas regarding student numbers have
available. See Important Information. not been reached.

The requirements for the following degree are:

Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities

BCom (Informatics)
See the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, page 11 - 12.
[3 years]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: School of Information Technology on (a) faculty selection; (b) the results of a compulsory Institutional Proficiency Test; (c) results of the
All modules in the School of Information Technology are presented in Afrikaans and English where final Grade 12 subject achievement levels together with the subject achievement levels as follows: a
possible. 4 in Afrikaans or English; a 3 in Mathematics with an APS of 25.
In the School of Information Technology students are admitted to the Four Year Programme in BIS FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.up.ac.za
Multimedia and the Four Year Programme in BSc (IT) Information and Knowledge Systems based

Faculty of Theology
The requirements for the following degrees are:
Programme Afrikaans or English APS
4 (50-59%) 25
Degree and duration of study Career Opportunities

BTh (for admission to MDiv studies).

Presented in separate groups in one language only First step to MDiv, preacher in certain denominations, missionary, youth officer.
(Afrikaans or English)
[4 years]

BA(Theology) (not for admission to MDiv studies) Preacher in certain denominations, missionary, youth officer.
Presented only in English
[3 years]

The requirements for the following diploma are:

Programme Afrikaans or English APS
3 (40-49%) 22
Diploma and duration of study Career Opportunities

University Diploma in Theology

Preacher in certain denominations, missionary, youth officer.
Presented only in English
[3 years]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION UP Institutional Proficiency Test: Applicants for BTh and BA(Theol) with an APS of 23 and 24 or
The requirements for the degrees are a National Senior Certificate with four 20-credit subjects with more and for Dipl(Theol) with an APS of 20 and 21 or more, can be admitted based on the results of
a rating of 4 from the designated subject list (see page 1) the UP Institutional Proficiency Test.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.up.ac.za

19 Admission Requirements and General Information 2011