my Unisa Unisa shaping futures Choose Unisa, choose your qualification & apply online university of south africa

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1 2014 my Unisa Unisa shaping futures Choose Unisa, choose your qualification & apply online university of south africa

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3 CONTENTS Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 4 Get to know ODeL 4 Apply to start your Unisa journey 6 Choose Unisa 8 Choose your career 13 Choose your qualification 23 Admission requirements College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences College of Economic and Management Sciences College of Education College of Human Sciences College of Law College of Science, Engineering and Technology Apply f admission 42 Qualifications College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences College of Economic and Management Sciences College of Education College of Human Sciences College of Law College of Science, Engineering and Technology Qualifications with wk-integrated learning and/ practical components Funding your studies 103 Honours degrees, postgraduate certificates & postgraduate diplomas 108 Apply f admission 110 Qualifications College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences College of Economic and Management Sciences College of Education College of Human Sciences College of Law College of Science, Engineering and Technology 112 Examination centre codes 136 Other application codes 143 Master's and doctal studies All master's and doctal infmation is available online: The infmation contained in this brochure was crect at the time of publication (25 July 2013). F updates, please go to the Unisa website Website: Mobi: study-info@unisa.ac.za

4 Unisa is Unisa is changing changing

5 Welcome to Unisa. If you are thinking of studying at Unisa, this brochure contains all the infmation you need to help you with the process. Unisa is changing in various ways and it is imptant that you take note of the following: 1 You must apply f each new qualification even if you already have a Unisa student number. If you have never befe studied at Unisa you must: have a valid address submit electronic copies of all your suppting documents group your documents as follows: Identity document, school leaving certificate and academic recds If you are a returning student a student who wants to change your qualification start a new qualification, you must: reapply online even if you already have a student number and, if you do not reapply, you will not be able to register 2 You can only apply online using your own computer, an internet café a Unisa self-help terminal. If you are applying at a Unisa centre using our self-help terminals, you must bring a flash drive CD with your suppting documents To apply online go to 3 You need access to a computer and the internet undergraduates must do a compulsy online course; postgraduate coursewk is now largely online. Applications f August to 20 September 2013 M&D application dates will be available online

6 Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees Get to know ODeL You re at the centre. You can make it happen. At Unisa, you study in your own space, not on campus. You learn from a distance and connect via the internet, which means that there will be no face-to-face lectures daily contact with students. You control when, where and how you study. In other wds, your qualification is all about you. Am I a typical distance learning student? Self-driven Self-motivated Hard wking Diligent Commited to taking responsibility f my own studies Am I ready? Do I have... A place to study Time to study Adequate funding f my studies Good reading & writing skills Industry professionals Online resources Ments Experts in your field Unisa has some exciting initiatives affdable laptops and tablets, and 3G internet access to help you get connected at affdable rates. These initiatives are available to registered Unisa students. Lifestyle on the internet Our lives will become increasingly me difficult if we are not connected in some way to the internet. Here's what is already offered: Banking E-commerce Entertainment News Socialising Shopping Communicating Unisa Applying, registering, researching, netwking, e-tuts, academics, counsells, signature courses, open educational resources and studying. 4

7 Library Student counselling and learner suppt e-tuts Signature and online courses Get connected Connect to Unisa through myunisa and get access to... Download your study material Do admin such as hand in assignments and pay fees Interact with lecturers and fellow students Scan the QR code to watch the YouTube video go to 5

8 Apply to start your Unisa journey Choose & apply First, decide whether Unisa is right f you and whether you are right f Unisa. You need to be very sure befe applying f admission. Choose a career path, decide on a qualification, then apply f admission during the prescribed application periods. You can only apply online by visiting a Unisa regional office to submit your application online. If your application f admission to study through Unisa is incomplete, you will have to re-apply during the next application period, as no incomplete applications will be considered. We ve developed questions to help you (you ll find them later on in this brochure). Even if you ve chosen your career path, we suggest you answer them. They will help to confirm your decision. Register Unisa will infm you once your application has been approved. Visit the Unisa website f the registration infmation and registration dates (semester 1: December - January; year modules: December - February; semester 2: mid June - mid July). F registration infmation, refer to the my Unisa brochure visit the website at To register online during the relevant registration period, visit the website at Teach & learn After you ve registered successfully, you ll receive your study material and the my Unisa brochure. This tells you how to access your study material online. The internet plays a vital role in the learning process at Unisa, as does discipline, commitment and hard wk. A Unisa qualification behind your name opens many dos, but like everything of value, open distance learning is not an easy path. Graduate & lifelong learning Once you graduate, you join the group of Unisa alumni. We encourage our alumni to remain in contact with Unisa f netwking and academic opptunities, as well as the menting of new students. 6

9 Application process 1 Choose Unisa 2 Choose your career 3 Choose your qualification 4 Check that you meet the relevant admission requirements 5 Apply online f admission and upload the suppting documents 6 Receive reference number 7 Pay application fee Apply online Application dates Semester 1, semester 2, year modules: 15 August - 20 September 2013 Semester 2: 7 April - 25 April 2014 New application requirement All students starting a new qualification changing to a new qualification must apply during the application periods. Signature courses Each college has a signature course, where everything is done online. e-tuts e-tuts guide you, help when you get stuck, explain concepts and give advice. They communicate exclusively via the internet. Successful application Visit the Unisa website f registration infmation Admission Your admission to Unisa is dependent on you meeting the specific admission requirements f your chosen qualification. Re-admission As an undergraduate student, you must register f, and pass, at least 36 credits ( 3 modules) per year/2 consecutive semesters. From your second year of study, you need to pass a minimum of 48 credits (4 modules) per year/2 consecutive semesters. Register online December - January (semester 1) December - February (year modules) mid June - mid July (semester 2) Contact details Website: Mobi: study-info@unisa.ac.za Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 7

10 Choose Unisa Is the Unisa journey f me? Remember, ODeL takes diligence, drive and determination, initiative and commitment. The following selfevaluation questions indicate the changes you may need to make to accommodate your studies. Part 1 is an abilities profile, addressing your personal abilities and characteristics. Part 2 addresses your personal circumstances (eg family, friends, wk) and practical considerations (eg computer access, proximity to an exam centre and funding). These questions are designed to help you to assess what you need to succeed. There are no right wrong answers simply answer "yes" "no" f each statement. Part 1 Abilities statement Yes No 1 I obtained a minimum of 50% f matric English Afrikaans, and enjoy reading and writing. 2 I am goal directed, because when I set my sights on end results, I usually achieve them. 3 I am self-motivated, because my goals are clear. 4 I am a self-starter, because I know what I need to do to reach my goals. 5 I like to get things done today rather than putting them off until tomrow. 6 I am self-disciplined, because I start and finish tasks on time. 7 I can wk independently, because I prefer to st out difficulties on my own. 8 I do not give up easily, because I make a plan to cope with difficulties. 9 I am capable of independent study, because I can study on my own. 10 I think I am ready f university-level wk, because I am willing to master new and difficult ideas. 11 I am an ganised person, because I plan my life and do things step by step. 12 I use my time effectively, as I put aside sufficient time to study. 13 What I learn and do not learn is my responsibility. 14 I consider myself to be responsible because I find study help when I need it. 15 I am confident of my ability to read academic texts. 16 I am confident of my ability to write examinations. 17 I consider myself to be a capable reader. 18 I know how to make notes from study guides, textbooks and tuts (if I attend tutial classes). 8

11 19 I read a lot (fiction and non-fiction). 20 I consider myself to be a university-level reader, as I am willing to read difficult books. 21 I know how to use a library to search f specific infmation. 22 I know how to use the internet to search f specific infmation. 23 I am able to analyse multiple-choice questions. 24 I am willing to learn how to analyse multiple-choice questions. 25 I know how to structure and write an academic essay. 26 I am willing to learn how to structure and write an academic essay. 27 I can do basic calculations. 28 I can apply ideas that I learn about to real-life situations. 29 I am comftable asking questions when I feel uncertain. 30 I know how to prepare f examinations. 31 I know how to manage my stress levels during exam times. 32 I am willing to participate in programmes that prepare me f university studies. 33 I have made arrangements so that my studies are my priity until I graduate. 34 I am aware that I may need to purchase prescribed books that may be expensive. 35 I have regular access to a computer and the internet, and am confident about my computer skills. 36 I read books, newspapers and magazines, and am comftable with gathering infmation. Count your "yes" answers: "yes" answers: Open distance e-learning will suit you. If you experience problems later on in the journey, there are suppt services at Unisa to assist you "yes" answers: Get to know the suppt services that Unisa offers when you register, and make use of tuts, myunisa and counsells "yes" answers: You may find it difficult to succeed. Study your answers and assess how to improve your sce. If improvement is relatively easy, register f the minimum number of modules and make use of as many of Unisa s suppt services as possible. 0-5 "yes" answers: You are not suited to open distance e-learning at this stage. Use your sces to identify the changes you need to make to improve your abilities. Continue to re-assess your readiness. The "no" statements represent barriers to your academic success. Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 9

12 Part 2 My personal circumstances Tick 1 I am a special needs student and require special assistance. 2 I live in a rural urban area with no postal service. 3 There is not an exam centre close by (go to pages to answer this question). 4 I do not have access to a computer the internet. 5 I am a single parent with small children to look after. 6 I wk full time. 7 I wk during the day and at night/weekends. 8 I do not have access to a cellphone. 9 I am battling financially and do not know how I will fund my studies and buy books. 10 I have enough time to study (at least 8 hours per week per module) The statements you ticked represent barriers to your chances of academic success. Can you overcome these barriers? Which areas can I change? Which areas do I need help with? Who can I talk to about helping me with these areas and how do I think they can help? What is my plan to meet these challenges? Why do I want to make these changes? By when do I want to have made these changes? 10

13 It s a question of resources Your internal and external resources can prepare you f change, resources such as your drive to succeed, time to study, finances, computer access, the internet and infmation knowing the Unisa system and processes, your family and your employer (if you are employed). List the resources you rely on f your studies. You may, f example, need to brow funds from a family member employer to pay f your studies. Or you may need to use a friend s computer. Your circumstances will change while you re studying. What will happen when things change (eg when a family member can t pay f your studies any longer your friend no longer owns a computer)? What are the small, practical things you could do when you can no longer affd to study? you no longer have access to a computer and/ the internet? you have less time f your studies? Anything is possible - if you make it possible! Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 11

14 12 Destiny awaits the brave

15 Choose your career We want you to make career decisions that contribute to your graduateness. Your graduateness is linked to your ability to find and maintain employment continuously (referred to as employability). your ability to learn skills required f specific fields. personal attributes (especially positive beliefs about yourself and what you can contribute). your ability to reflect on what you are doing and how you are doing it. As you progress with your qualification you will acquire knowledge, skills, competencies and values that will change your life. Take time to reflect on how this impacts on your wk, your relationships and your community. Employers seek transferable wk-related skills that make you adaptable in the fast-changing wkplace. The Institute f the Future has identified a number of disrupts (drivers f change) that affect an individual s wk, such as needing to wk past 65 to ensure resources, the rise of smart technology, the internet and ganisations functioning outside traditional ganisational boundaries, enabled by social technologies. Uncertainty is everywhere. Chance events can have a huge influence on your career. Opptunities and challenges are everywhere. Changes do and will happen. Are you prepared? my future Your career vision is your picture of what you want from life where you see yourself in the future. If you re thinking about studying at Unisa from 2014, how do things change in your imagination? What will be different? As you are thinking about studying, you have hopes that represent a picture of what you want from life where you see yourself in the future. Think about your situation at the moment (eg you are a school leaver, unemployed, employed, a graduate retrenched). Write down what it is like f you at the moment and what you would like to change about your current situation. Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 13

16 I want to be a because I want to contribute (write down how you would want to help others) I want to achieve (write down what you want f yourself) This diagram represents the ingredients necessary to make a decision about your career. my future my interests my planning Thinking about these aspects will assist you with the decision you are making now, but also f future decisions. my career influences my skills my values Further resources: The Windmills Interactive programme can help you understand where you are now, where you want to be and how you plan to get there. The activities in this programme can be completed (free of charge) on the following website: 14

17 my planning Despite uncertainty, we need to act. Otherwise the future will be me uncertain. Making decisions prepares us f the future. If in 2014, f example, you re planning to complete a qualification by 2019, how do you know where you ll be at that time? The future holds no guarantees. Planning prepares you to some degree. How do you plan f uncertainty? Think about how to make your hopes f the future real. What practical things must you do to realise it? Do you need to find out me about your chosen qualification? Do you need to do a BA degree first to become a psychologist, f example? Do you need to talk to people in your chosen field? Think about it and make some notes. What else could you be? Have you thought about other career options where you could utilise your unique strengths? How else could you use the qualification you re interested in? What will happen if you can t achieve your plan due to unfeseen circumstances? What if you can t become what you want to? Who else can you talk to so that you can identify the changes you need to make? What infmation do you still need to help you plan what you need to do? Who can you talk to? Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 15

18 my skills Skills are abilities you ve developed and can use effectively. You learn skills from your experiences. These include voluntary, paid unpaid wk, and family and community responsibilities. Basic skills are imptant when wking within a fast-changing society: communication skills (reading, writing, creating online content, communicating visually & evaluating infmation) social intelligence (connecting meaningfully with others and wanting to make a difference) teamwk (negotiating, motivating and engaging with diverse groups online and offline) problem solving and novel thinking (creating unique solutions to problems) infmation management (filtering and making sense of infmation) You will learn new skills in each module of your qualification. These can help you become employed and improve your community contribution. You need to connect what you learn at university with what you can contribute in the wkplace and in your community. As you study and your skills develop, your frame of reference will expand and you will become aware of me opptunities to apply the new skills you have developed. Think about your life experiences (wk, volunteering, school, studies and personal) and then answer the following questions: What skills do I have? What skills do I need to develop related to the kind of opptunities I am hoping f? How will I develop these skills? my values Your values show what is imptant to you. As such they have a significant effect on your career choices. Values are shaped by your family, community, wk environment and life experiences. Here are examples of how values can influence career decisions: Matome is unhappy with his current administrative job and wants me challenges. He sees a job advert at his company f a sales representative training programme and is interested. If he takes the position, it will mean a lot of travelling. Is he willing to be away from his family f long periods? Is the excitement of travelling f a sales job me imptant? Shamila is good at ganising events such as weddings and birthday parties f her family and friends. Does she take the risk and resign from her secure job to make event planning a full-time business? 16

19 Below are some common values (you can add your own if you prefer). Read through the list and tick the five that are most imptant to you: Adventure Curiosity Individuality Authity Duty Influence Autonomy Effectiveness Knowledge Beauty Excellence Money Belonging Excitement Power Challenge Friendship Public contact Commitment Health Quiet Community Helping Recognition Competition Honesty Religion Co-operation Humour Spirituality Creativity Independence Status Write them down in der of imptance: Can you link your values to specific occupations? How would your values be suppted by the career choice you are making? How would your career choice suppt your values? Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 17

20 Further resources: O*Net online has a function where you can search f occupations linked to specific values. Click on Advanced search on and then select Wk values from the drop-down list. Click on the value that matches your top values as identified on the previous page. You will get a list of occupations related to the values imptant to you. Complete the following sentences to understand how your values influence your studies: My life is meaningful when My career is meaningful when My study time at Unisa is meaningful when My three years with Unisa have been rewarding, and an investment in a better future. Puseletso S Qaba National Diploma in Marketing Bloemfontein 18

21 my career influences Where and who do your career influences come from? Think how those people, things and events have influenced you. What? How? School subjects Friends Family Knowing myself Money Media (TV, movies, the internet, radio) Observing others at wk Economic/job trends Money Role model I was also influenced by Chance events have a huge influence on careers. Think about the times when something happened that you did not plan f and could not control, but that impacted on your career direction, such as how you heard about Unisa got your first job. Make some notes about a chance event that influenced your career decision. Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 19

22 my interests Interests are imptant to our choices. If you re interested in wking with people, f example, how would you want to help them? If you re interested in wking with money, would you want to manage other people s money? Each of the following categies represents a group of career options. Read through and tick the statements that are most true f you. Then add up the number of ticks under each categy. Your highest sce ( two sces) will give you a starting point f expling qualifications related to your interests. Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (main motivation: living environment and consumer science) physical activity wking with plants agriculture wking with my hands wking with people fixing things wking with animals caring f the environment developing sustainable resources life sciences wking with clothing Economic and Management Sciences (main motivation: business leadership) overseeing administrative managing finances procedures and systems selling products running my own business services running someone else s numbers and figures business leading a group of people planning and ganising the activities of others marketing Education (main motivation: inspire learning) wking with the teaching children from development of children Grades 4 to 7 wking with learners with special needs (inclusive education) teaching children from birth to Grade 3 teaching children from Grades 8 to 12 teaching adults upgrading my current teaching qualification assessing, testing and referring learners 20

23 Human Sciences (main motivation: studying and/ creating new unusual social cultural practices) art speaking to in front of a group of people perfming f an audience music learning about different cultures taking care of people languages wking with communities spiritual religious issues reading writing helping people cope with their problems interacting with people (in groups individually) politics and society histy Law (main motivation: to serve and protect society) legal matters solving difficult situations wking with those who have lost direction persuading people influencing people protecting others social justice applying rules and regulations Science, Engineering and Technology (main motivation: finding solutions to complex problems) sciences (chemistry and knowing how things wk physics) engineering mathematics designing things technology problem solving computers inventing new things The open distance learning mode offers great benefits to students to connect with the best practitioners locally and globally. Mathew E Egu Business Management Abuja, Nigeria Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 21

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25 Choose your qualification In the previous activity, you selected areas that interest you. Now go to the college that represents the interest area(s) you identified. Wk through the infmation and write down which career field(s) you want me infmation on. Go to the page number, indicated next to the career field, to find the Unisa qualifications related to your areas of interest. You ll also find the specific admission requirements f these qualifications. College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Career field Description Pg Agriculture and Animal Health Environmental Management Agricultural studies focus on how to produce, manage and market agricultural products, breed farm animals and cultivate plants. Knowledge of natural resource management and the environmental and community issues that affect agricultural production includes soil, fests, wildlife and the processing of food. Animal Health is a para-veterinary field and focuses on animal diseases and their control as well as public health issues. Graduates bridge the gap between rural communities, farmers and veterinarians. Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences are the cradle on which agricultural research, development and production are founded, whereas Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Management Sciences provide the pertinent control tools. Careers in this field focus on agriculture and animal health. Possible job titles: plant scientist, animal scientist, development officer; extension officer; farm manager; agricultural economist; food safety consultant; animal health technician; pharmaceutical representative; meat inspect; stock farm manager; labaty technician. A number of career opptunities have arisen as a result of sustainability concerns: managing our natural resources f future generations. The environment offers many exciting, interesting and satisfying career choices across a wide range of fields and disciplines. A career in the environmental field is rewarding because you can contribute to the maintenance and conservation of essential life systems necessary f our survival. There are two main routes you can follow: the social environmental perspective the environmental science perspective. These two perspectives complement one another and effective environmental management combines both. Possible job titles: environmental assessment practitioner; environmental manager and environmental researcher; cartographer; geographical infmation systems (GIS) specialist; conservation manager; conservationist; environmental campaign co-dinat; environmental planner; environmental educat , 54 Ornamental Hticulture Nature Conservation Consumer Sciences Life Sciences Geography Ornamental hticulture consists of fliculture and landscape hticulture. The turf industry is also considered a part of namental hticulture. Ornamental hticulture focuses on how to breed and grow plants while landscape hticulture focuses on using plants in artistic and pleasing ways. They also learn the basic principles of plant science. If you love the idea of being an artist and using flowers, trees, shrubs and natural objects on your palette, then this programme of study may be right f you. Possible job titles: garden centre assistant manager; hticultural consultant technician; hticulturist; plant propagat; retail nursery assistant; owner manager. Nature conservationists contribute to the conservation and management of protected and natural areas. The focus of the programme is on all components of the ecosystem and their response to changes in the urban and natural environment. They have an understanding of ecology, ecosystems and management to ensure biodiversity and sustainability. Possible job titles: conservation manager researcher technician; wildlife manager; veld manager; nature conservationist; natural resource conservationist; social ecologist. Consumer Sciences focuses on the study of consumer behaviour and the applied sciences in the disciplines of food, nutrition, hospitality management, consumer journalism, and clothing and textiles. The qualifications offer the student entrepreneurial and/ employment opptunities in ganisations in the public private sects. Possible job titles: consumer educat; clothing buyer and merchandiser; consumer journalist; consumer advis, entrepreneur; events planner; hospitality manager; educats (with further educational qualifications); researcher; research assistant. The focus of life sciences is on biological sciences and includes the fields of botany, microbiology, physiology, zoology, biochemistry, biotechnology and genetics. Specialists in these fields can be found in a variety of wking environments such as hospitals, food manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry, government, research ganisations and fensic investigation. Possible job titles: biochemist; biotechnologist; botanist; ecologist; fensic analyst; geneticist; labaty technician; microbiologist; pharmaceutical sales representative; physiologist; quality analyst; researcher; research assistant; zoologist. Geography deals with the wld around us. Studying geography will help you understand why places are the way they are and what role humans, places, phenomena and processes play in continually shaping the wld we live in. Of particular imptance is our focus on the interaction between people and their environment in der to make sense of our wld. Geography may be taken as a maj in the general BSc BA programmes as well as the environmental management programme. Possible job titles: geographer within a variety of social and/ natural sciences vocational fields , 54 Undergraduate higher certificates, diplomas & degrees 23