Wits Courses

This article provides all the programmes that WITS University offers including undergraduate programs, graduate programmes, and online and short courses.

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa, offers a wide range of courses across various disciplines.

Wits offers degrees in the Arts, Humanities, Commerce, Law, Health Sciences, and Sciences. The curriculum is cutting-edge and is continuously enhanced to ensure that our students and staff keep up to date with the newest knowledge from around the globe.

Degrees in Commerce and Law

World-class educational programmes that equip future leaders with business, management, and legal skills, while supporting their professional development. Our programmes include the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) with flexible major combinations and more specialised degrees:

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (General, Economics, Human Resource Management, Finance, Management)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Information Systems)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Politics, Philosophy and Economics)
  • Bachelor of Commerce with Law
  • LLB
    • Two-year stream
    • Three-year stream
    • Four-year stream
  • Bachelor of Accounting Science
  • Bachelor of Economic Science

Degrees in Engineering and the Built Environment

Our degrees address South Africa’s social, spatial, and infra-structural needs, and include architecture, urban and regional planning, property studies, and construction studies. We offer degrees in:

  • Engineering, in a range of fields
  • Biomedical Engineering (within Electrical Engineering)
  • Digital Arts (within Electrical  and Information Engineering)
  • Architecture
  • Urban and Regional Planning
  • Property Studies
  • Construction Studies

Degrees in Health Sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences pioneers African and global research that improves and saves lives. 

Degrees are offered in:

  • Bachelor of Health Sciences
    • Biomedical Sciences
    • Biokinetics
    • Health Systems Sciences
  • Clinical Medical Practice
  • Dentistry
  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pharmacy
  • Physiotherapy

You will receive academic and practical training at five major hospitals in Johannesburg, at several clinics and rural hospitals in Gauteng, and at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre, which also assists clinicians with all aspects of their clinical research.

More than 500 students graduate from our faculty every year.

Degrees in the Humanities and Education

Study in the Arts, Social Sciences, Human and Community Development, Education and Literature, and Media.

Choose between vocationally oriented programmes for specific careers, and theory and research-oriented programmes for careers in academia and research institutes, the public and private sectors, and non-governmental organisations.

Three schools in the Faculty of Humanities offer professional (vocational) programmes

  • Wits School of Arts (WSoA): Digital Arts; Theatre and Performance; Film and Television; Fine Arts and Music
  • Wits School of Education (WSoE): Foundation Phase Teaching; Intermediate Phase Teaching; Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching
  • School of Human and Community Development (SHCD): Speech-Language Pathology; Audiology; Social Work

Degrees in Science

The Faculty of Science has a long tradition of excellence in teaching and research. Studying science opens doors to careers in fields such as chemistry, computer science and biotechnology.

There are nine Schools in the Faculty, clustered into four groupings:

  • Mathematical Sciences: Actuarial Sciences; Computational and Applied Mathematics; Computer Science; Mathematics; Mathematics of Finance; Mathematical Sciences
  • Physical Science: Physical Science; Chemistry with Chemical Engineering; Material Science; Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Earth Sciences: Geography and Archaeology; Geospatial Science; Geological Science
  • Biological Sciences: Biodiversity; Ecology and Conservation; Organismal Biology; Applied Bioinformatics; Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Genetics and Development Biology; Microbiology and Biotechnology

In addition, Wits University offers short courses across disciplines, offered through Wits Plus, the Mandela Institute, Wits Business School, Wits School of Governance, and others.

Overview of Public Universities in South Africa

Here's an overview of some public universities in South Africa, including general admissions requirements and estimated application periods. Keep in mind, specific program requirements and dates can vary significantly, so it's important to check each university's official website for the most current information.

University of Pretoria

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with minimum scores in specific subjects related to the chosen program; for international students, equivalent qualifications.
  • Application Period: Usually opens in March and closes at the end of July for most programs.

University of Cape Town

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with pass levels required for degree study; subject-specific requirements depending on the program.
  • Application Period: Application opens in April and closes at the end of July.

Stellenbosch University

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required marks; some programs have additional testing.
  • Application Period: Opens in March and typically closes at the end of June.

University of the Witwatersrand

  • Admissions Requirements: Matriculation certificate with university exemption; required scores vary by faculty.
  • Application Period: Begins in March and ends on the 30th of September.

University of Johannesburg

  • Admissions Requirements: Matric exemption with a minimum APS score; specific subject requirements based on the faculty.
  • Application Period: Opens in April and generally closes by the 30th of September.

University of the Free State

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific marks for the program applied to; additional requirements for certain courses.
  • Application Period: Typically opens in April and closes at the end of August.

University of Venda

  • Admissions Requirements: Completion of the National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for diploma or degree studies; specific APS scores needed.
  • Application Period: Usually from May to September.

University of Fort Hare

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with university exemption; certain programs may have specific requirements.
  • Application Period: Opens around May and closes at the end of September.

University of the Western Cape

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific performance levels; additional requirements for certain programs.
  • Application Period: Generally from May to September.

North-West University

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with university exemption; program-specific requirements may apply.
  • Application Period: Opens in March and usually closes by the end of August.

Rhodes University

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate or equivalent; minimum academic performance in certain subjects.
  • Application Period: Applications open in April and close at the end of September.

Nelson Mandela University

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required scores for chosen programs; portfolio or additional tests for some faculties.
  • Application Period: Opens in April, with a deadline at the end of August for most programs.

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific scores; additional requirements for certain courses.
  • Application Period: Opens in May and typically closes by the end of September.

University of Limpopo

  • Admissions Requirements: Senior Certificate with endorsement for diploma or degree courses; specific APS scores for different programs.
  • Application Period: From April to September.

University of Zululand

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for bachelor’s degree studies; specific score requirements for various programs.
  • Application Period: Usually between April and November.

Central University of Technology

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with specific scores for the chosen field of study; additional criteria for certain programs.
  • Application Period: Application period generally starts in May and ends in October.

Vaal University of Technology

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with a pass that qualifies for admission to bachelor’s degree, diploma, or higher certificate programs.
  • Application Period: Typically from May to September.

Walter Sisulu University

  • Admissions Requirements: National Senior Certificate with required scores for chosen programs; additional criteria for certain faculties.
  • Application Period: From April to September.

This list provides a starting point for understanding the admissions landscape across South Africa's diverse higher education institutions. Given the variability in programs and requirements, it's crucial to consult each university's website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

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