University of Venda Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Science Foundation Programme

1 Candidates with matric exemption and a minimum of F (SG) in matric Mathematics, Physical Science and Biology/Agriculture may be admitted to the Science Foundation Programme.

2 Admission into the Science Foundation Programme may be through a Senate Entrance/Admission test for candidates with senior certificates who have attempted Physical Science and Mathematics at Grade 12 level.

3     The Science Foundation Programme will be of one year duration.

4    For a student to proceed to the 1st year, he/she should have obtained at least 120 credits.

1.5 Approved qualifications for which students will be registered in the Science Foundation Programme
(i) BSc(Majors in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Statistics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Computer Science)
(ii) BENVSC (Environmental Sciences)
(iii) BENVM (Environmental Management)
(iv) BSCAGR  (Agriculture)
(v)  BSCNUT (Health Sciences)

Bachelor of Science

1 Candidates wishing to enrol for a BSc degree must have obtained a minimum admission requirement in a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by the Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) with an achievement rating of 4 (adequate achievement, 50-59%) or better in four subjects chosen from the recognised 20-credit NSC subjects, (which should include Mathematics and Physical Science), or matriculation certificate with exemption as awarded by the National Department of Education, or equivalent FET Level 4 qualification.  In addition, candidates should have at least

(i) Mathematics E (SG) and Biology or Physical Science D(HG)
OR
(ii) Mathematics D (HG) and Physical Science E (SG)
OR
(iii) Mathematics D (HG) and Biology E (SG)
OR
(iv) Mathematics E (HG) and Physical Science E (HG).

Candidates may be subject to selection.

2 Students from the Foundation Programme should have obtained 120 credits which should include all the modules in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

3 Students from other Schools wishing to follow modules in this School, will only be permitted in accordance with a predetermined number of students for the relevant department, and will only be permitted to follow non-service modules if they fulfil the prerequisites of subjects registered.

4 Candidates may also be admitted as students in the School on the basis of relevant prior learning.
Such candidates will be subjected to an evaluation programme by the School’s Assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) committee. Final admission will only be granted by SENATE.

5 Students will only be allowed to register or change registration for modules if a full academic record, which includes credits for each module, accompanies such registration form.  Students will also only be allowed to register for a module if its prerequisite/s has/have been satisfied, except otherwise waived by the Head of Department after consultation with the Dean.

DURATION OF STUDY

1. SCIENCE FOUNDATION PROGRAMME

BSCSF	4 years
BSCSE	4 years
BENVSC	4 years
BENVM	5 years
BSCAGR	5 years
BSCNUT	5 years

2. BACHELORS’ DEGREES

The B.Sc. curriculum covers at least three years of study

COMPOSITION OF THE B.SC CURRICULUM

1        Students must follow one of the learning programmes listed under Bachelor of Science Learning Programmes.

2        Students may not select modules that clash on the lecturing and practical timetables.

3        No curriculum change, whether within or from outside the School, will be recognised unless approved by Senate.

4        A full-time student may take a maximum of 32 credits over and above the minimum 360 credits required for the degree, subject to the approval of the Head of Department and the Dean.

5        Students are allowed to register only for modules for which prerequisites have been satisfied.

MODULE CREDITS

1        Students retain credit for all modules passed.

2        In order to qualify for a BSc degree in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, students must obtain at least half of their credits in a learning programme within this School.

3        Second year modules may only be taken when the student has earned at least 60 credits in core and fundamental modules at first year level, and has no outstanding foundation modules.  To register for third year modules, a student must have accumulated at least 180 credits in core and fundamental modules at first and second year levels.

4        To obtain a degree from the School, students must have earned at least 360 credits including all core and fundamental modules in one of the learning programmes listed in Rule S8.  Departments may prescribe additional credits provided these do not exceed 32 credits. To complete a three-year learning programme, students are required to enrol for at least 120 credits per year, with the minimum number of credits at each level of study (NQF 5,6, and 7) being 72 credits at that level

MODULES FOR NON-DEGREE PURPOSES

Students wishing to enrol for such modules must consult the Head of the Department and the Dean.

ASSESSMENT

Continuous assessment will consist of tests, practicals, tutorials, projects, assignments and reports.
Students will write examinations at the end of each semester.
The minimum final pass mark in any module is 50%.
A student passes a module with distinction if the final mark is 75% or higher.
To obtain the degree cum laude, a candidate must attain an aggregate of at least 75%.

BSc LEARNING PROGRAMMES

Students who register for the first time should select one of the learning programmes offered by the School.

RULES FOR POST-GRADUATE STUDIES IN SCIENCE

HONS B.Sc. Degree

ADMISSION

1. A candidate will be allowed to register for the Honours degree only if he/she possesses a B.Sc. degree or equivalent or subject to Senate approval, if he/she has completed the modules for a B.Sc. degree, or if equivalent status has been conferred on him/her by Senate.

2. Candidates must have passed the final-year modules of the subject in which they wish to study with an aggregate of at least 60%.  Candidates with lower level passes may be accepted subject to Senate approval.

MINIMUM DURATION OF STUDY

1      For full-time students, the honours degree is offered over one academic year and students write examinations and present themselves for continuous assessment during the year of registration.  For part-time students the degree is normally offered over two years.  Part-time students are assessed at the same time as full-time students during scheduled assessment and examination periods.  Except with the special permission of Senate, the duration of the full-time study will not exceed two years, and the duration of the part-time study will not exceed three years.

2      The degree will not be conferred on a candidate before at least one year has elapsed since he/she obtained the Bachelor’s degree or another undergraduate degree as set out in the school rules and unless he/she has been registered for one year at this University.
 
ASSESSMENT

1. Admission for assessment

1.1   Candidates will only be assessed in a particular module if they attended lectures, tutorials and prescribed practicals satisfactorily and obtained a semester mark of at least 50%.

1.2   A student must attain a minimum of 50% pass in each of the components of assessment.  A student, who fails one of these components, will be allowed to repeat only that component.  The written examination component will be conducted during the next normal examination period for that specific module.

1.3   All written examinations will be taken only during official examination sessions.

1.4   A candidate who fails two modules in the learning programme, and obtains an aggregate of at least 50% may be admitted for assessment in those modules on one further sitting.

2      Minimum pass and distinction

2.1   The minimum final pass mark in any module is 50%.  Subject to department rules, a subminimum of 50% in the assessment is required.

2.2   A student passes a module with distinction if the final mark is 75% or higher.

2.3   To obtain the degree cum laude, a candidate must attain an aggregate of at least 75%.

3      Aegrotat and Special examinations

3.1   An Aegrotat Examination may be granted to a student who has been prevented from sitting for the examination-

(a) by illness on the day of the examination or assessment, or immediately before the examination or assessment, provided that a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner is submitted to Senate, and/or provided that the student’s application is supported by the invigilator concerned or another responsible person; or
(b) as a result of domestic circumstances such as serious illness or death of a close relative during the examination or assessment, or other reasons, provided that the Senate judges it to be a bona fide case, and the student can provide satisfactory proof of such extraordinary circumstances.

3.2   Special examinations will not be offered to postgraduate students except with special permission of Senate.

CREDITS

To be awarded an honours degree, the candidate must accumulate at least 120 credits at this level.

Master’s Degree

ADMISSION

1      To be admitted to the programme a candidate must have obtained the Honours Bachelor’s degree with at least 60% in the subject for which he/she wishes to enrol, or have had equivalent status conferred on him/her by Senate.

2      The MSc degree is conferred on the basis of a dissertation and an examination, or a dissertation only, as determined by the Academic Board.

3      The Head of Department may prescribe certain ancillary modules which must be enrolled or passed before the date of the Master’s examination.

DURATION OF STUDY

1      The maximum period of study is TWO years full time and THREE years part-time.  Senate may refuse to renew the registration of a student who does not complete the study within the prescribed time, or may renew it subject to any conditions it may deem fit to impose.

2      Senate may, at any time, suspend or cancel the registration of any student who, in its view, is not making satisfactory progress.

3      Students who wish to defer their studies at any stage must submit an application to the relevant department.  If granted, such deferment will be for a maximum period of one year, after which a further application must be submitted.  Deferment will, at most, be granted twice.

4      Unless otherwise decided by Senate and subject to special provision in the school rules, the degree may be conferred if the candidate has been registered for at least a minimum of one academic year.

Doctoral Degrees

ADMISSION

1      To be admitted, candidates must have obtained the Master’s degree or such other qualification as in the opinion of Senate is of equivalent status, in the field where they wish to study, except if Senate approves that it may be in another field, in which case they must satisfy Senate as to their proficiency in the selected field.

2      Before a candidate’s application for registration can be considered, the title or topic of the proposed thesis, together with a brief outline of the research must be submitted to the department and School’s Higher Degrees Committee concerned for recommendation to the School of Postgraduate Studies and approval by Senate.  The Research proposal must be approved by the School’s Higher Degrees Committee.

DURATION OF STUDY

Unless otherwise decided by Senate and subject to special provisions in the school:

(a)        the degree may be conferred only after the candidate has been registered for a period of at least THREE years fulltime or FOUR years part-time for the degree concerned at this University, and

(b)        the maximum period of study is five years full time or seven years part-time, subject to Senate approval.  Extension may be granted only in exceptional cases and for only one year.  A student who desires an extension must submit a motivated application for consideration by Senate.

RE-REGISTRATION AND DEFERMENT OF STUDIES

1      For the duration of the programme a student must register each year by the stipulated date.
Registration each year is subject to the recommendation of the Head of Department and may be rejected in any year on grounds of unsatisfactory progress.   When applying for registration annually, the student must give, on the prescribed form a short exposition of progress to date and study plans for the year concerned.  A progress report must be endorsed by the Supervisor

2      Students wishing to defer studies at any stage must submit a motivated application beforehand.  If granted, such deferment will be for a period of one year only, after which a further application must be submitted.  Deferment will, at most, be granted twice.