2021 - Stellenbosch University

1 2016 CALENDAR PART 520212021 Academic Programmes and Faculty InformationFaculty ofScienceVERSION HISTORY VERSION DATE PUBLISHED 1 29 March 2021 8 9 April 2021 Science i Accuracy, liability and changes Stellenbosch University has taken reasonable care to ensure that the information provided in the Calendar parts is as accurate and complete as possible. Take note, however, that the University s Council and Senate accept no liability for any incorrect information in the Calendar parts. The University reserves the right to change the Calendar parts at any time when necessary. Please note that the information in this Calendar part, and also in the other Calendar parts, is subject to change, as and when necessary, for as long as uncertainty regarding the Covid-19 situation persists. The division of the Calendar The Calendar is divided into 13 parts. Part 1, 2 and 3 of the Calendar contain general information applicable to all students.

2 Make sure that you understand all provisions in Part 1 (General) of the Calendar that are applicable to you. Part 4 to 13 of the Calendar are the Faculty Calendar parts. Part Calendar Part 1 General Part 2 Bursaries and Loans Part 3 Student Fees Part 4 Arts and Social Sciences Part 5 Science Part 6 Education Part 7 AgriSciences Part 8 Law Part 9 Theology Part 10 Economic and Management Sciences Part 11 Engineering Part 12 Medicine and Health Sciences Part 13 Military Science Availability of the Calendar parts The printed versions of the Calendar parts are available at the University s Information Desk in the Admin A Building. The electronic versions of the Calendar parts are available at There are English and Afrikaans (Part 1 to 12) copies available. Science ii Science iii Table of Contents How to use this Calendar 1 Prospective undergraduate students .. 1 Prospective postgraduate students .. 1 Registered undergraduate students.

3 2 Registered postgraduate students .. 2 General Information .. 3 1. History and functions of the Faculty of Science .. 3 History, structure and mission .. 3 Teaching, research and social impact .. 4 2. How to communicate with the Faculty .. 5 Contact details of the Faculty of Science .. 5 Physical address and contact details of the Dean s Office .. 5 Contact details of Departments .. 6 Contact details of the Society for Science Students .. 6 3. How to communicate with the University .. 7 Using your student number .. 7 Contact details of the University .. 7 4. Language at the University .. 7 5. Qualifications offered at the Faculty of Science .. 8 6. Examination, promotion and Faculty provisions .. 8 7. Module requirements (prerequisite pass, prerequisite and corequisite modules) .. 9 Condition for the granting of a qualification or degree .. 9 Subjects in the BSc degree programmes .. 10 8. Rules for the Dean s Concession Examinations.

4 22 Undergraduate Programmes .. 24 1. Admission requirements .. 24 School-leaving qualifications .. 24 Minimum admission requirements for BSc degree programmes .. 24 Additional requirements for all applicants .. 25 Prospective students who are already in possession of a school-leaving certificate, as certified by Umalusi, when applying .. 26 Science iv Admission requirements for the BSc (Extended Degree Programmes) .. 26 Admission to the BSc degree programme with prior tertiary learning .. 27 Applicants from programmes; or with qualifications obtained at Stellenbosch University .. 28 Applicants from programmes; or with qualifications obtained from other universities in South Africa .. 29 Applicants from universities outside of South Africa .. 31 Recognition of prior learning not covered in the sections 31 Summary of undergraduate programmes and admission requirements per programme .. 32 2. The principles according to which the BSc degree programme is compiled.

5 38 3. First-year curricula for BSc degree programmes .. 39 First-year curricula for BSc degree programmes .. 39 First-year curricula for BSc (Extended Degree Programmes) .. 41 4. Curricula for all years of study in the BSc degree 41 Programmes in the Biological Sciences .. 41 Biodiversity and Ecology .. 42 Molecular Biology and Biotechnology .. 43 Human Life Sciences .. 45 Stream: Biology .. 45 Stream: Biology with Psychology .. 47 Sport Science .. 48 Programmes in the Physical Sciences .. 50 Chemistry .. 50 Stream: Chemistry and Polymer Science .. 50 Stream: Chemical Biology .. 53 Stream: Materials Technology .. 54 Physics .. 56 Streams: Laser Physics (Physical), Nuclear Physics, Radiation and Health Physics .. 56 Stream: Laser Physics (Biological) .. 60 Stream: Theoretical Physics .. 61 Earth Science .. 63 Stream: Applied Earth 63 Stream: Geo-environmental Science .. 65 GeoInformatics .. 67 Programme in the Mathematical Sciences.

6 69 Stream: Financial Mathematics .. 69 Stream: Computer Science .. 71 Option 1: Computer Science (excluding Genetics or Geographical Information Technology as second major) .. 71 Science v Option 2: Computer Science with Genetics as second major .. 74 Option 3: Computer Science with Geographical Information Technology as second major .. 75 Stream: Applied Mathematics .. 75 Stream: Mathematics .. 78 Stream: Mathematical Statistics .. 80 Stream: Operations Research .. 83 Stream: Abstract Mathematics .. 85 Stream: Biomathematics .. 90 Option 1: Molecular Biology .. 90 Option 2: Ecology .. 91 Interdisciplinary BSc programme .. 92 Stream: Biomedical Mathematical Sciences .. 92 Stream: Applied Medicinal Chemistry .. 94 Stream: Bioinformatics and Computational Biology .. 95 Interdisciplinary BDatSci programme .. 96 Focal area: Computer Science .. 98 Focal area: Applied Mathematics .. 99 Focal area: Statistical Physics.

7 100 Postgraduate Programmes .. 102 1. Summary of postgraduate programmes .. 102 2. General information on the postgraduate programmes .. 104 BScHons degree .. 104 MSc degree .. 104 PhD degree .. 105 DSc degree .. 105 3. Provisions regarding enrolment for, and the conversion of programmes .. 106 Periods of enrolment for master s and doctoral studies .. 106 Continued enrolment during the maximum period of enrolment .. 107 Continued enrolment after the maximum period of enrolment .. 107 4. Interruption of master s or degree studies .. 107 Acceptable reasons for interruption of studies .. 107 Procedure to apply for permission to interrupt studies .. 108 5. Conversion from master s to doctoral studies .. 108 6. Postgraduate programmes per department .. 110 Centre for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology .. 110 Science vi BScHons in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology .. 110 MSc in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

8 111 PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology .. 112 Department of Biochemistry .. 113 BScHons in Biochemistry .. 113 MSc in Biochemistry .. 114 PhD in Biochemistry .. 114 DSc in Biochemistry .. 115 Department of Botany and Zoology .. 115 BScHons in Biodiversity and Ecology .. 115 Postgraduate programmes in Botany .. 117 MSc in Botany .. 117 PhD in Botany .. 117 DSc in Botany .. 118 Postgraduate programmes in Zoology .. 118 MSc in Zoology .. 118 PhD in Zoology .. 119 DSc in Zoology .. 119 Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science .. 119 Postgraduate programmes in Chemistry .. 119 BScHons in Chemistry .. 119 MSc in Chemistry .. 120 PhD in Chemistry .. 121 DSc in Chemistry .. 121 Postgraduate programmes in Polymer Science .. 121 BScHons in Polymer Science .. 121 MSc in Polymer Science .. 123 PhD in Polymer Science .. 123 DSc in Polymer Science .. 123 Department of Earth Sciences.

9 124 BScHons in Earth Sciences .. 124 MSc in Geology .. 125 PhD in Geology .. 126 DSc in Geology .. 126 Department of Mathematical Sciences .. 126 Division: Mathematics .. 126 BScHons in Mathematics .. 126 MSc in Mathematics .. 130 Science vii PhD in Mathematics .. 131 DSc in Mathematics .. 131 Division: Applied 131 BScHons in Applied Mathematics .. 131 MSc in Applied Mathematics .. 133 MSc in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence .. 133 PhD in Applied Mathematics .. 135 DSc in Applied Mathematics .. 136 Division: Computer Science .. 136 BScHons in Computer Science .. 136 MSc in Computer Science .. 139 PhD in Computer Science .. 140 DSc in Computer Science .. 140 African Institute for Mathematical Sciences .. 140 MSc in Mathematical Sciences .. 140 Department of Microbiology .. 142 BScHons in Microbiology .. 142 MSc in Microbiology .. 143 PhD in Microbiology .. 144 DSc in Microbiology.

10 144 Department of Physics .. 145 Postgraduate programmes in Physics .. 145 BScHons in Physics .. 145 MSc in Physics .. 149 PhD in Physics .. 150 DSc in Physics .. 150 Postgraduate programmes in Physical and Mathematical Sciences .. 150 BScHons in Physical and Mathematical Analysis .. 150 MSc in Physical and Mathematical Analysis .. 153 PhD in Physical and Mathematical Analysis .. 154 Department of Physiological Sciences .. 154 BScHons in Physiological Sciences .. 154 MSc in Physiological Sciences .. 155 PhD in Physiological Sciences .. 156 DSc in Physiological Sciences .. 156 MSc in Exercise Science .. 156 7. Postgraduate programmes in other faculties .. 158 Faculty of AgriSciences .. 158 Science viii Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology .. 158 MSc in Entomology .. 158 PhD and DSc in Entomology .. 158 Department of Genetics .. 158 Postgraduate programmes in Genetics .. 158 a) BScHons in Genetics.