New Admission Requirements

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Admission Requirements for 2009

General Information

1. Introduction
2. General Criteria for Adimission to the University
3. The Point System
4. Specific Admissions for Specific Faculties and Programmes

 

 

1. Introduction

Our University is committed to provide access to students who have the potential to succeed. However, the University does not compromise on the standards of excellence required to obtain certificates, diplomas or degrees. A flexible admission system and equitable selection procedures are used to ensure that students from all sectors of the community have a fair chance to gain access to university studies.

In order to study at the University of the Western Cape the candidate must have met the following criteria:

  • 1. The National Senior Certificate (NSC) required for Degree, Diploma or Higher Certificate study, as appropriate - see section 2 below.

     

  • 2. A minimum number of points calculated on the university's points system (this does not apply to the Higher Certificate) - see section 3 below.
  • 3. A pass at the required level in each of the subjects specified for the programme into which the candidate seeks admission - see section 4 below.

Where there is competition for places in any particular programme - that is, where the number of qualified candidates exceeds the number of available places - selection will take place on the basis of criteria that have been determined by faculty selection committees.

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2. General Criteria for Admission to the University

 

2.1. For the Bachelor's Degree:

 

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 4 (Adequate achievement, 50-59%) or better in four subjects chosen from the following recognized 20-credit NSC subjects (known as the 'designated subject list'): Accounting, Agricultural Sciences, Business Studies, Dramatic Arts, Economics, Engineering Graphics and Design, Geography, History, Consumer Studies, Information Technology, Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and two other recognized language subjects), Life Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Music, Physical Sciences, Religion Studies, Visual Arts.

 

2.2. For the Diploma:

 

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in four recognized NSC 20-credit subjects.

 

2.3. For the Higher Certificate:

 

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate as certified by Umalusi.

 

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3. The Points System
For admission to degree and diploma programmes UWC will use a weighted system for calculating points, as follows:

NSC LEVELS   UWC POINTS      
Level Percentage Points for English(*) Points for Maths or Maths Lit Points for Life Orientation Points for Each other Subject
8 90-100% 15 15 3 8
7 80-89% 13 13 3 7
6 70-79% 11 11 2 6  
5 60-69% 9 9 2 5
4 50-59% 7 7 2 4
3 40-49% 5 5 1 3
2 30-39% 3 3 1 2
1 20-29% 1 1 1 1
  Less than 20% 0 0 0 0  

(*)- ‘English’ here refers to either English home language or English first additional language, not second additional language, which would rather fall under ‘other subjects’

In order to be admitted to degree studies the candidate should have attained a minimum of 27 points, and, to diploma studies, a minimum of 23 points.

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4. Specific Admissions Criteria for Faculties and Programmes
In addition to the general criteria for admission to the university mentioned above, additional criteria must be met to qualify for admission to particular study programmes. This information can be found on page 4

Admission criteria for specific Faculties & Programmes

Faculty of Arts
Programmes
BA General
Bachelor of Library & Information Science
Bachelor of Theology

    • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
    • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
    • Math or Math Literacy at level 3
    • One of the following at level 3:
      • History
      • Geography
      • Religious Studies
      • Physical Science
      • Life Sciences
      • German
      • French
      • Latin

 

Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
BSc Complementary Health Sciences
English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4
Life Sciences at level 4 and Physical Sciences at level 3

    • Bachelor of Social Work
    • BA Sports & Recreation Management
    • BA Sport & Exercise Science
    • Bachelor of Psychology

 

BA Human Ecology

 

    • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
       
    • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
       
    • Math or Math Literacy at level 3
       

BSc Sports & Exercise Science
BSc Occupational Therapy
B Cur
BSc Dietetics

    • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
    • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
    • Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4
    • Life Sciences at level 4

BSc Physiotherapy
English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4
Life Sciences at level 4 or Physical Sciences at level 3

 

Faculty of Education

B Ed (Senior Phase)

    • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
    • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
    • Math or Math Literacy at level 3
    • Two subjects at level 4 for the learning area specialisation

 


Certificate and Diploma in Adult Education

    •   No specific subject requirements other than the relevant NSC for certificate or diploma studies (as well as 23 points in the case of diploma studies)

 

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
B Admin

    • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
    • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
    • Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4

 

B Com General (three-year stream)

B Com Law

  • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
  • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)

  • Math at level 4 or Math Literacy at level 5
  •  

     

  • B Com General (four-year stream)

        • English at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4

     

    B Com Accounting (3-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 4 or Math Literacy at level 5
        • Accounting at level 5 (Not required if student has Math at level 5)

    B Com Accounting (4-year stream)

        • English at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3 or Math Literacy at level 4
        • Accounting at level 4 (Not required if student has Math at level 4 or Math lit at level

    Faculty of Natural Sciences

    BSc Environmental & Water Science (3-year stream)
    BSc Biotechnology (3-year stream)
    BSc Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (3-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 4
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences at level 4

    BSc Environmental & Water Science (4-year stream)
    BSc Biotechnology (4-year stream)
    BSc Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (4-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3 or Math lit at level 4
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences at level 3

    Bachelor of Pharmacy

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 4 or Math lit at level 4
        • Physical Science and Life Sciences at level 4

     

    Medical Biosciences (3- year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3  
        • Life Sciences at level 4

    Medical Biosciences (4- year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3 or Math lit at level 4
        • Life Sciences at level 3

    BSc Mathematical & Statistical Sciences (3-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 4 "
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences at level 4

    BSc Mathematical & Statistical Sciences (4-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional language)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional language)
        • Math at level 3
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences at level 4

    BSc Physical Science (3-year stream)
    BSc Chemical Science (3-year stream)
    BSc Applied Geology (3-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 4
        • Physical Science at level 4

    BSc Physical Science (4-year stream)
    BSc Chemical Science (4-year stream)
    BSc Applied Geology (4-year stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 3 or Math Lit at level 4
        • Physical Science at level 3

    BSc Computer Science (3-year Stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 4 
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences or Information Technology at level 4

    BSc Computer Science (4-year Stream)

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 3 or Math Lit at level 5
        • Physical Science or Life Sciences or Information Technology  at level 3

     

    Faculty of Dentistry


    BChD

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 4
        • Physical Science and Life Sciences at level 4

    Diploma in Oral Health

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math at level 3 or Math Lit at level 4
        • Life Sciences at level 3

       

    Faculty of Law


    LLB

        • English at level 4 (home or first additional lang)
        • Another language at level 3 (home or first additional lang)
        • Math or Math Lit at level 3

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