The regulations for the degrees published here are subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information.
The General Academic Regulations and General Student Rules apply to all faculties and registered students of the University, as well as all prospective students who have accepted an offer of a place at the University of Pretoria. On registering for a programme, the student bears the responsibility of ensuring that they familiarise themselves with the General Academic Regulations applicable to their registration, as well as the relevant faculty-specific and programme-specific regulations and information as stipulated in the relevant yearbook. Ignorance concerning these regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression, or basis for an exception to any of the aforementioned regulations.
1. Requirements for admission
Refer to General Academic Regulation G1 for admission to undergraduate programmes as well as specific admission requirements published with the relevant programmes in the Yearbook.
2. Transfer to the Faculty of Humanities
The closing date for application to be transferred to the Faculty of Humanities is 30 September. Students applying for selection degree programmes must follow the closing dates as outlined in the faculty brochure.
Also refer to General Academic Regulations G4 and G19.
Students who apply to be readmitted after academic exclusion/dismissal must submit an online application for admission in the following year. The following documents must be submitted together with the online application for the student to be considered for readmission:
The Faculty Admissions Committee will consider the student’s application based on overall academic performance, the student’s letter of motivation and other supporting documents.
Students are required to follow the closing dates as outlined in the faculty brochure. No application will be considered after the closing date.
In the absence of complete supporting documentation, the Committee will not be able to take a decision, and the application will be rejected. It is the student's responsibility to provide all the required and relevant information. The Faculty is entitled to verify the documents or proof submitted, if necessary.
Also refer to General Academic Regulations G1, G7 and G9.
In the case where the credit system differs from the one used by UP, students will be considered on the following criteria:
3. Cancellation and deregistration of modules
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G2.5.
Closing dates for students to make changes or cancellation of modules (year, semester and quarter modules) are published annually in the University’s calendar and the cut-off date will be four weeks after the commencement of lectures. If the change or cancellation is done before or on the relevant closing dates, the module will not appear on the student’s academic record. Any module cancelled after the closing date will be reflected on the student’s full academic record.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G4.2.
In the event that a student registers for second-semester modules at the beginning of a year of study, and it becomes evident at the end of the first semester that he or she no longer complies with the prerequisites for the second-semester modules, the registration of such second-semester modules will be cancelled and the student’s account will be credited accordingly. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all affected modules have been deregistered at the beginning of the second semester.
4. Community engagement
The Faculty of Humanities creates opportunities for community engagement in which students may actively participate in order to promote social responsibility, through modules designed for this purpose. Students register for community engagement modules that have been approved by Senate as part of a study programme.
5. Deviations from the prescribed programme combination
Any deviation from a prescribed programme or programme combination (e.g. recognition of credits already obtained, admission to further modules, deviations from the prescribed module structure, etc.) may only be made subject to the approval of the Dean, after consultation with the programme manager and coordinator concerned.
6. Specific requirements for undergraduate programmes
Prospective students must check which requirements apply to particular programmes and modules offered in the Faculty of Humanities and other faculties. The details of the particular requirements for programmes are set out in the section on curricula.
Should a student wish to take a module offered by another faculty, he or she must determine the admission requirements for that module, as well as the subminimum required for examination papers, supplementary examinations, and the number of credits allocated by the faculty concerned.
Furthermore, at the end of a semester or a year of study, a student may be restricted in the number of credits he/she is allowed to register for in the subsequent semester/year(s) of study, or the student may be transferred to the BA – Extended programme, depending on the student’s previous academic achievements. Please refer to Regulation 6.a. below.
Any student who wishes to undertake additional credits above the 120 credits specified for the degree must seek the advice of programme coordinators and obtain their permission before being allowed to register. If permission is granted:
Since the Faculty places a high premium on the development of thinking skills and specific academic competencies, class attendance in all modules and for the full duration of a programme is compulsory for all students enrolled in degree programmes of the Faculty of Humanities.
Where the electronic media (such as clickUP) predominate in a module, it may be that class attendance is not a requirement. In these modules students are obliged to comply with all requirements as prescribed for the specific module.
Students may be refused admission to the examination in a particular module if they have failed to fulfil the published attendance requirements in that module.
At the beginning of a module, the study guide for that module will inform students about the requirements and monitoring of class attendance in that particular module.
Also refer to General Academic Regulations G8 and G23.
The maximum duration for the retention of credits after an interruption in studies is five (5) years. If a student wishes to continue with a degree at a higher (second, third or fourth) year level after an interruption, he or she will have to repeat all previous modules within that programme passed more than five years prior to the year in which they plan to re-register.
The regulations set out below apply to the assessment of modules in the Faculty of Humanities, but departments may, in exceptional cases and in consultation with the Dean, make alternative arrangements for specific modules.
At the beginning of a module, the study guide for that module will inform students about all arrangements regarding assessment in that particular module.
d.1. Examinations
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G12.
d.2. Supplementary and special examinations
Students who did not write the main examination on the scheduled day may apply for special examination at the Student Administration office. Lecturers are not allowed to grant students access to such examinations. Applications for these must be handed in together with a valid medical certificate and/or supporting documentation/affidavits not later than three working days after writing the main examination.
A medical certificate will not be accepted where it states that students appeared ill or declared themselves unfit to write the examination. The medical practitioner must be consulted on or before the date on which the examination was scheduled.
A medical certificate will not be accepted if it does not contain the physical address and telephone number of the doctor/medical practice as well as the practice number. In cases where a reason other than sickness is given, students must submit an affidavit that reflects the reason for their absence from the examination. An affidavit will not be accepted unless it is accompanied by the relevant substantiating documentation. It is the responsibility of students to ascertain whether their requests have been successful or not.
Students who have been granted permission to write a special examination and who then fail to write the examination will not qualify for any further special examinations.
d.3. Chancellor’s examination in the Faculty of Humanities
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G12.5.
Students who complied with all the requirements of a degree with the exception of at most a year module, or the equivalent thereof, in which they obtained a final mark of at least 40%, may with the approval of the Dean, on recommendation of the head(s) of department, be admitted to a Chancellor’s examination at the beginning of January. Students who obtained a final mark of less than 40% in any of the applicable modules will not be considered. The maximum final mark that may be awarded is 50%. Students only qualify for a Chancellor’s examination if they have completed the prescribed examination in their final year of study.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G14.1.
After the main examination, departments will give students the opportunity to peruse their examination answer scripts and give feedback about the criteria used by examiners. The date/time of the perusal and the manner in which feedback is given shall be determined by the department concerned and notices will be posted in departments about when perusal will take place. Students who are unable to attend the official perusal session may apply to the department for an opportunity to see the examination answer script. No lecturer is under any obligation to grant any student such a perusal opportunity more than two weeks after the commencement of the following semester.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G14.2.
Students may apply for re-marking of an examination answer script after perusal of such a script, but within 14 calendar days after commencement of lectures in the next semester. Students who wish to have their scripts re-marked must pay the prescribed fee and submit their request to the Dean of Humanities (Student Administration office), who will inform the department concerned if a re-mark is granted. The answer script will then be re-marked by an examiner appointed by the relevant head of department. Marks will be adjusted according to the re-marking, but no supplementary examination will be granted.
Final marks will be released by the Student Administration office after which students may access results via student portal.
Lecturers may destroy examination answer scripts once a period of one year has passed from the date on which the examination was written.
Departmental test policy will be communicated to students by means of study guides and/or departmental guidelines.
Students who do not comply with the relevant requirements, may be penalised.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation A8 and G3
A student must be able to complete the programme for which he or she is re-registering, within the prescribed minimum period (years = N) plus one year (N+1).
Exclusion after the first-semester examination:
The Dean may, on the recommendation of an appropriate Faculty Admission Committee, cancel the registration of a student or the registration for a module during an academic year if the student fails to comply with the minimum requirements determined by the Faculty Board with regard to tests, examinations or any other work, with the proviso that a student may request that the Dean reconsider the decision in terms of the set procedures.
This programme is designed for students who have completed an undergraduate degree wanting to register modules for non-degree purposes.
The maximum study period for a module is one year.
Students may only be allowed to register a limited number of modules.
No application will be allowed after the closing date.
All registration for modules requires approval from the Departments.
If there is a formal exchange agreement between the department in the faculty and the department in the faculty of an overseas higher education institution, the mark obtained by our exchange student from the other overseas institution can be recognised if there is an agreed equivalence in the modules and assessment standards of the two institutions for the relevant modules. These matters must be agreed upon before student/s commence any exchange programme.
Except where otherwise indicated for individual programmes, in order to be awarded a degree/qualification with distinction, a student has to obtain a weighted average of at least 75% (not rounded) across 4 semester modules (or the equivalent thereof) at the highest year level of a programme and within the minimum period prescribed for the degree programme.
Specific regulations applicable to postgraduate qualifications
1. Academic literacy
It could be required from new postgraduate students to provide proof of their academic literacy.
2. Credit for modules
No credit will be given for modules which form part of another degree programme where the student has already complied with the requirements of such a degree. The rule is also applicable in instances where the student is currently registered for more than one degree programme.
3. Recognition of modules passed
The maximum duration for the retention of credits after an interruption in studies is three (3) years. If a student wishes to continue his or her postgraduate studies after an interruption, he or she will have to repeat all modules passed more than three years previously.
4. Awarding of credits obtained at other institutions
If there is an exchange agreement between the faculty and international institution, the mark obtained by an exchange student at the overseas institution can be recognised if there is agreed equivalence in the modules and assessment standards of the two institutions for the relevant modules.
5. Renewal of registration
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G18.
Subject to exceptions approved by the Dean, on the recommendation of the relevant head of the department, a student may not sit for an examination for the honours degree more than twice in the same module.
A student who is registered for an honours degree must complete his or her study, in the case of full-time students, within one year of registering for the degree and, in the case of part-time students, within two years of first registering for the degree. Under special circumstances, the Dean, on the recommendation of the relevant head of the department, may give approval for a limited extension of this period.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G32.
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G44.
6. Minimum study periods and requirements for degrees
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G34.
The doctorate is conferred on a student only if one of the following periods has expired:
In addition to the stipulations of the applicable General Academic Regulation G48 a doctorate is conferred on a student only if he or she has complied with all the requirements laid down in faculty regulations.
7. Procedures with regard to registration for master’s and doctoral degree programmes (by research)
Also refer to A12, G17, G32 and G43.
Postgraduate students, who fail to renew their registration annually, are regarded as having had an interruption in their studies.
Submit an approved research proposal after registration of a specific degree programme and in consultations with their supervisors or study leaders. The research proposal for the dissertation must be approved by relevant departmental research committees, after which it must be submitted to the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Humanities for final approval before data collection may commence.
In the case of ethical implications, submit a research proposal for a mini-dissertation beforehand to the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Humanities for approval before commencing data collection. Also refer to General Academic Regulation G39.5.
8. Assessment
Also refer to General Academic Regulation G26.
The regulations given below apply to the assessment of postgraduate modules for honours and master’s degree programmes with coursework offered by departments and schools in the Faculty of Humanities. Departments/Schools may, in exceptional cases and in consultation with the Dean, make alternative arrangements with regard to specific modules.
At the beginning of a module, students must be informed in the study guide about the arrangements regarding assessment in that particular module.
8.1. Examinations
*NB The Dean’s permission must be obtained beforehand in such cases.
8.2. Supplementary and special examinations
Supplementary and special examinations are normally not granted at honours level. In exceptional cases, these examinations may be granted in consultation with the Postgraduate Committee and with permission from the Dean.
8.3. Assessment of master’s mini-dissertations and dissertations
Two examiners are required to evaluate a dissertation or a mini-dissertation. At least one of these examiners must be from outside the University of Pretoria from a recognised academic institution or must carry sufficient academic recognition in terms of specialisation and experience in the field to warrant such an appointment. Supervisors may not act as internal examiners for mini-dissertations or dissertations.
Upon receipt of examination reports, the Head of the relevant department, through the non-examining chairperson nominated by him/her or the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee must to assess the reports and provide a motivation whether the dissertation or mini-dissertation passes, passes with distinction or fails. Where examiners require revisions of the dissertation or mini-dissertation, the non-examining chair should also recommend these as well to the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee.
The recommended final mark of the dissertation or mini-dissertation should be based on the qualitative review of the examination reports. As such, averaging of the examiners mark is only recommended when the difference between the examiners is not more than 10 marks. Where there is a divergence of views on the part of examiners, and marks awarded reflect such, the final mark should be decided on the quality of the reports available. Where both reports are of poor quality, or one of them is adjudicated as such, the reports must be referred to the Postgraduate Committee for further recommendation. Normally a third, and preferably internal reviewer, must be nominated to finalise the assessment of the dissertation.
8.4. Assessment of doctoral examinations
Refer to General Academic Regulation G49.
8.5. Oral examination
An oral examination is a requirement for doctoral degrees in the Faculty of Humanities unless the Dean of the Faculty gives exemption. Exemption is granted to programmes with a practical or creative component such as fine arts, visual arts, literary arts, music, theatre, performance, dance, design and television. Refer to General Academic Regulation G49.2.
Please note: A candidate may not fail a dissertation or thesis twice. In such an event, the relevant examination reports as well as the dissertation or thesis will be referred to another examiner, approved by the Postgraduate Committee, for arbitration.
If there is no consensus between the examiners, the non-examining chairperson must indicate this in his or her report and recommend a result for consideration by the Dean or the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. When there are considerable differences of views, and no other result is agreed upon, an arbitrator may be appointed by the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee. The arbitrator will be sent a copy of the thesis as well as copies of the reports of the original examiners to consider these and recommend a decision. Such a decision is final. During arbitration, the identity of the original examiners will may not be revealed to either the arbitrator or the candidate.
The final decision based on the arbitration report will be communicated to the department at this stage. If the outcome of this process is a recommendation of resubmission after extensive revision, the original panel of examiners should be appointed to re-examine the thesis. If these are not available to do so, or there are sufficient grounds for not appointing the same panel of examiners, another examiner or other examiners may be appointed.
9. Degree with distinction
Except where otherwise indicated for individual programmes, a student has to obtain a weighted average of at least 75% (not rounded) in order to pass the degree with distinction and within the minimum period prescribed for the degree programme. The doctoral degree cannot be conferred with distinction.
A distinction for a mini-dissertation or dissertation should be awarded when there is unanimous recommendation by all the examiners. Where one examiner is not in favour of awarding a distinction, the non-examining chairperson should make a recommendation to Chair of the Postgraduate Committee on what the final mark is or whether to consult the examiner not in favour to finalise the matter. A distinction awarded for a mini-dissertation does not imply that the degree will be awarded with distinction.
10. Draft article for publication
Also refer to General Academic Regulations G39.13 and G51.
The draft article should be based on the research that the student has conducted for the dissertation and be approved by the supervisor concerned. The supervisor should then have the opportunity to take the paper through all the processes of revision and resubmission as may be necessary and/or appropriate in order to achieve publication.
A student, before or on submission of a thesis, must submit proof of submission of an article issued by an accredited journal, to the Head: Student Administration. The submitted article should be based on the research that the student has conducted for the thesis and be approved by the supervisor The supervisor shall be responsible for ensuring that the paper is taken through all the processes of revision and resubmission, as may be necessary.
Doctoral degrees with a practical or creative component may submit evidence of such practical or creative output as required for the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree. These include, and are not limited to programmes such as fine arts, visual arts, literary arts, music, theatre, performance, dance, design and television.
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