It all starts here Engineering
INDEMNITY Notice Study information is subject to change and is but a summary of the general fields of study. This information was compiled for introduction and orientation purposes and the North-West University accepts no liability for inaccuracies that may occur in this guide. The official yearbook of the University must in all cases be consulted during the process of compiling a programme for a specific field of study. The appropriate yearbook is available on request at the Admissions Office: magda.fourie@nwu.ac.za or phone 018 299 2636. Acceptance and boarding Please note that, owing to specific capacity constraints, the University reserves the right to select candidates for admission to certain fields of study. This means that prospective students who comply with the minimum requirements will not necessarily be admitted to the courses in question. Because of the capacity limitations and the high demand from students for admission to particular fields of study, students will be selected on the basis of their scholastic achievements for admission to these fields. The same rule applies for residence application. GENERAL enquiery Potchefstroom Campus Phone or write to: The Marketing and Communication Department (NWU- Potchefstroom Campus), Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520. NWU-Pukke NWUPUK 018 299 2772 NWU-PUKKEtv 018 299 2772 navrae@nwu.ac.za 018 299 2772 nwu.ac.za www.nwupukvirtual.co.za 2015 NWU. Compiled by the Marketing and Communication Department (NWU Potchefstroom Campus) together with the faculties and the Admissions Office of the Potchefstroom Campus of the NWU
Faculty ENGINEERING Engineering comprises the designing, construction and management of products, processes and systems which transform and optimise the physical environment we live in, simultaneously using innovative applications to simplify and enrich our daily lives. Engineers study the application of mathematics and science in solving day to day engineering related problems and in so doing they address the needs of our society. Engineers are dedicated professionals who ultimately apply their specialised knowledge in the quest for sustainable economic development and the prosperity of mankind. Some engineering principles were already implemented during the earliest development of humankind, but engineering as a formal profession was only established during the nineteenth century. As technology advanced, the need for faster and better innovations grew rapidly. Because of this ongoing quest for improvement, excellent career opportunities exist for professional engineers in basically all sectors of growing economies, both nationally as well as internationally. a researcher participating in groundbreaking research programmes at university or in the private sector; an innovative design engineer; a knowledgeable project engineer; a production and/or maintenance engineer; or an executive in a major company, ultimately in the upper echelons (the CEO s of many of our largest companies started their careers as engineers). All BEng degrees presented by the Faculty of Engineering at the Potchefstroom Campus of the NWU are acknowledged by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) as qualifying degrees for registration as Professional Engineers. In terms of the law, certain projects and careers may only be fulfilled by a professional engineer, especially involving Taking each individual s potential, personality and preferences into account, professional engineers may succeed in any of a myriad available occupations, such as being: an entrepreneur owning and managing his own consulting and/or manufacturing company; an academic at an established university, molding the next generation of engineers;
specialised projects.. ECSA is a co-signer of a number of international agreements which implies that the BEng degrees awarded by the Faculty of Engineering are also acknowledged in various other countries. The following BEng degree programmes are currently offered by the Faculty of Engineering: Chemical Engineering; Chemical Engineering specialising in Minerals Processing; Electrical and electronic engineering; Computer and electronic engineering; Mechanical and nuclear engineering. Industrial Engineering Electromechanical Engineering Excellent job opportunities exist for engineers in practically all sectors of the economy; both locally and overseas. General information The Faculty of Engineering comprises three (3) undergraduate schools that present the following courses in Engineering: School of Chemical and Minerals Engineering Chemical Engineering (Program Code: 700105: l103p) Chemical Engineering with specialisation in Mineral Processing (Program Code: 700106: l104p) School of Electric, Electronic and Computer Engineering Electric and Electronic Engineering (Program Code 700107: l203p) Computer and Electronic Engineering (Program Code 700108: l204p) Electromechanical Engineering (Program Code 700113: I301P) School of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Mechanical Engineering (Program Code: 700109: l303p) Industrial Engineering (Program Code 700112: I301P) Admission requirements National Senior Certificate (NSC) with university admission; Mathematics with at least level 6 (70%); Physical Sciences with at least level 5 (60%); An APS score of at least 31; Prospective students, not meeting the admission requirements for the BEng programme, enrol for Year level 1 for a BSc programme at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, with applicable subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics, etc. At the end of his/her first year, the student may again apply for admission at the Faculty of Engineering. Admission is subject to performance and all modules of the first year must be passed; An admission test. Method of presentation and duration of the programme This is a full-time programme presented over four (4) years. The minimum study period for the degree is four (4) years and the maximum period for completion of the degree is six (6) years.
The programme offers admission to post-graduate study for the degree MEng. The minimum period for the completion of a master s degree is one year and the maximum period is three (3) years. Master s degree studies require one of the three following possibilities: A dissertation and compulsory module in research methodology; A dissertation plus five (5) chosen modules from a prescribed list, as well as a compulsory module in research methodology; and A thesis, plus eight (8) modules from a prescribed list, as well as a compulsory module in Research Methodology. A Doctoral degree programme is also offered with a minimum period of two years study. Doctoral studies entail a thesis, based on original research on an approved subject within the faculty s research focus areas: energy systems, separation sciences and separation technology. Curriculum The curriculum for the first two years of undergraduate study includes mainly subjects from the basic natural sciences, such as Chemistry, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Physics. Computer programming and introductory engineering subjects are also offered. In the second year of study additional engineering subjects are introduced as well as selected subjects from the natural sciences which are specifically structured for the individual courses.
The curricula for the third and fourth year students mainly consist of various engineering subjects as well as a selection of subjects in the natural sciences field with some management subjects also included. In the final year the focus is mainly on design and synthesis. Selection Even if a prospective first-year meet the academic admission requirements for Engineering (APS score of at least 31 with at least 70% for mathematics and 60% for physical sciences), he/ she must still write an admission test. The test is used together with his/her grade 12 results, in order to evaluate the prospective student s potential for successful placement. As with all academic institutions, there is only limited space available in the different programmes and only the best candidates will be selected from the prospective applicants. Even if the applicant is successfully selected, this selection is still subject to his/her grade 12 results. An appointment to write the test must be made before 30 June. See contact details below. Admission test enquiries Sonette Becker Tel: 018 299 1318 Email: sonette.becker@nwu.ac.za
Chemical Engineering (Program Code: 700105: l103p) Chemical Engineering includes research, development, construction and industrial processes, during which raw materials are processed by means of chemical and physical intervention to produce new products of higher economic value. These processes exist in the fields of plastic, synthetic fibre, oil refinery, explosives, food processing, pharmaceutical substances, fertilisers and nuclear installations. The modern chemical engineer can be involved at any stage of the process: from the initial stages of the process right through to the final commodity. Tel: 018 299 1998 Email: annieta.bok@nwu.ac.za Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za Chemical Engineering with specialisation in Mineral Processing (Program Code: 700106: l104p) Mineral processing engineering is a specialist course in chemical engineering and covers the physical and chemical processes through which especially metals are recycled from minerals. Industries proffer job opportuniets to mineral engineers in different divisions of the profession. This includes research and development, economic evaluation, design, the production of equipment, construction and operation of plants, plant maintenance, product sales and service delivery.
Mineral engineers (extractive metallurgists) are mainly employed by the mineral extracting mine companies of South Africa. Other companies, who operate mines, including Mittal Steel and SASOL, also employ mineral engineers. Tel: 018 299 1998 Email: annieta.bok@nwu.ac.za Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za Electric and Electronic Engineering (Program Code: 700107:l231P) Electrical engineers are mainly involved in the generation, control, conditioning and application of electric energy. This involvement focuses on the design, production, operation and maintenance of electrical systems. New components and methods are continuously being developed. Focus is therefore also on regeneration and improvement when updating existing techniques and equipment. The electronic engineer is mainly involved in the development of micro-electronic circuits but also with control- and communication systems as well, all of which can be put into practice in the diverse disciplines of electronic and electric engineering. Micro-processors form part of the core of most electric and electronic equipment in industries, the consumer market, medical field, telecommunication, process control, power distribution systems and avionics, as well as in specialist applications such as artificial intelligence systems. Tel: 018 299 1978 Email: louise.cilliers@nwu.ac.za Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za Computer and Electronic Engineering (Program Code: 700108: l204p) The computer engineer is mainly involved with the development of software and electronic systems for application in numeric computer systems, which in turn can be used in all disciplines of engineering. Micro-processors and numeric electronic systems form part of the core of most electronic and electric equipment in the industry, consumer market, power distribution systems, transport systems, avionics and in specialist applications such as in artificial intelligence systems, which is becoming more common. Computer and electronic engineers are needed in all disciplines of the industry and generally have the choice if they want to be involved in pure engineering development or in engineering management. In both cases they are usually responsible for project management and in the operation of industry installations. Their broad theoretic background is of the utmost importance in virtually every discipline of the engineering practice to ensure that systems are designed and operated efficiently.
Tel: 018 299 1978 E-mail: louise.cilliers@nwu.ac.za Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za Electromechanical Engineering (Programme code: 700106: I104P) In the field of engineering, electromechanics is a combination of electrical and mechanical processes and procedures arising from both electrical and mechanical engineering respectively. Devices that are electrically powered by making use of moving parts are known as electromechanics. Strictly speaking, a handcontrolled switch is an electromechanical component, but the term can be better understood by referring to devices such as a relay, which allows that a tension or current controls other isolated tensions or currents through sets of mechanical switch contacts. Mechanical Engineering (Program Code: 700109:l303P) The mechanical engineer is mainly involved in the development, design, operation and maintenance of energy conversion systems, transportation systems, production systems and industry installations. With the current global emphasis on industry development, mechanical engineers are in high demand as key members of innovative teams to upgrade existing industries or to establish new ones. Mechanical engineers are usually employed in the following industrial sectors: Aviation; nuclear and conventional electricity supply; transport; shipbuilding; research organisations; as well as in a variety of metal, production, and heavy industries. Mechanical engineers are also sought after employees at consulting engineering firms who handle high-tech projects for clients. Tel: 018 299 1665 E-mail: sanette.loots@nwu.ac.za Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za Industrial Engineering Industrial Engineers enable people, technology, information, materials, methods and money to work together productively and effectively. Industrial Engineering originated more than a century ago from the industrial revolution when industries started to search for the best, cheapest and fastest way to manufacture products. Today, Industrial Engineers are found in all kinds of industries. It is an Industrial Engineer who helps on an airport to decide when and from which gate should airplanes depart or in a hospital how many beds and nurses to be allocated to each hospital ward. Whether you use a motor vehicle, a chocolate bar or a cell phone or whether you withdraw money or withdraw blood, you can be pretty sure that an Industrial Engineer was involved in the design, manufacturing or distribution of that product or service.
Industrial engineers use various software programs, like Simio to do designs and simulations. As an Industrial Engineer you will have great employment prospects in South Africa and abroad. In South Africa, Industrial Engineers are for example contributing to the following industries: Automotive manufacturers; Food and Beverages (e.g. SAB, KWV and Unilever); Information and Communication Technology (e.g. Vodacom, MTN and Telkom); Mining, Oil and Energy (e.g. Sasol and Eskom); Logistics and Supply Chain; Healthcare; Banking; Aerospace and Aviation International companies which are currently or recently headed up by Industrial Engineers include: Apple Inc. Northwest Airlines Burger King General Motors and United Parcel Service Dr Liezl van Dyk (Programme Manager) le-mail: iezl.vandyk@nwu.ac.za Tel: (018) 299 1524 Postgraduate qualification in Nuclear Sciences and Engineering NWU was the first university in South Africa to be awarded a chair in Nuclear Engineering by the Department of Science and Technology. The faculty offers two post-graduate courses
in Nuclear Science, i.e. an MEng and an MSc in Nuclear Engineering. Introductory modules simplify the crossover from applicable BEng degrees to the MSc qualification. Students who obtained a BEng in Chemical Engineering or in Mechanical Engineering may apply for exemption from these modules. The course is offered over two years (full-time) or three years (part-time) and opens the door to a PhD in Nuclear Engineering. NWU has already been involved with research in this field for a considerable time in order to assist in expanding South-Africa s ability to generate nuclear power. Through this course NWU offers students the opportunity to become involved in various new nuclear power projects in South Africa, for example the development of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) as well as the building of additional conventional nuclear power stations. Lilian van Wyk Tel: 018 299 4363 Email: lilian.vanwyk.ac.za NWU Puk Engineering Schools Become a NWU-Puk for a while and experience how much fun engineering can be. At Engineering School prospective students are exposed to all the available fields of study and also to various aspects of Engineering as a career. The Engineering School experience will most certainly assist you in making informed and well considered decisions when choosing your preferred undergraduate subjects for the qualification you wish to pursue. Engineering Schools are offered during April and June holidays. Visit our website for more information, dates and online registration at www.nwu.ac.za Tel: 018 299 1445 Email: karle.leroux@nwu.ac.za
Vocationally directed Internationally recognised degrees Afrikaans (with educational interpreting in some courses) Pulsating student life Safe campus 018 299 2772 navrae@nwu.ac.za nwu.ac.za nwupuk.mobi NWU-Pukke NWUPUK NWU-PUKKEtv