What types of qualifications are offered by universities?
Most universities offer the following qualifications that are on the higher education band of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), ranging from NQF Level 5 to Level 10.
Under-graduate qualifications: These are the first qualifications that you can achieve at a university or other training institution after completing your schooling.
- Higher Certificate
- Advanced Certificate
- Diploma
- Advanced Diploma
- Bachelor’s Degree
Post-graduate qualifications: These are qualifications for which you can enrol after you have obtained your first post-school qualification.
- Postgraduate Diploma
- Bachelor Honours Degree
- Master’s Degree
- Doctoral Degree
Note: Only under-graduate qualifications are described under Higher Education on this website.
Click here for a table that indicates all the types of qualifications on the NQF.
What is the nature of programmes offered by universities and how are they delivered?
Most of the programmes offered at the traditional universities are academic, focussing on the underlying theoretical frameworks of the different fields in which programmes are offered. Some programmes include a great deal of application to the real world (e.g. programmes in architecture, nursing and teaching), while others are more theoretical (e.g. theology). However, even the more traditional ‘academic’ universities are increasingly building real-world application into their programmes to assist students to prepare for employment or self-employment in the world of work. Many qualifications require students to complete specified work experience, especially the programmes offered by the universities of technology. Most professions also prescribe work experience during or after completing university programmes for professional registration (e.g. the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) requirements for engineers).
Universities of technology place greater emphasis on application of learning. They offer technological career-directed programmes that prepare students more directly for the world of work. These universities interact closely with industry, in particular, to ensure that their programmes address real industry needs.
The ‘comprehensive’ universities (e.g. UNISA and the universities of Johannesburg and Zululand) offer vocational diplomas and degrees that are focused more on preparing students for specific careers, in addition to more academic programmes.
There are a number of ways in which university programmes are delivered:
- Programmes are offered through formal lectures at the institutions, through distance learning (e.g. through UNISA), or even via on-line delivery. Some programmes are even offered through a combination of class attendance and other delivery modes, commonly referred to as blended learning.
- Students can enrol for full-time study for the entire duration of the programme or they can choose part-time study. Part-time study allows people who are working to attend classes in the evenings or to attend short study schools that are offered throughout the academic year. Universities will indicate which programmes can be completed on a part-time basis.
What are the key features of under-graduate qualifications?
Key features of under-graduate qualifications
The table below provides the titles, levels, credits and other distinguishing features (such as Work-Integrated Learning) of under-graduate qualifications.
Title | NQF Level | Duration | No. of Credits | Distinguishing features | Admission requirements | Access to higher qualifications |
Higher Certificate | Level 5 | 1 year | 120 credits |
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Examples:
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Advanced Certificate | Level 6 | 1 year | 120 credits |
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Examples:
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Diploma | Level 6 | 2 or 3 years | 240 or 360 credits |
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Examples:
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Advanced Diploma |
Level 7 | 1 year | 120 credits |
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Examples:
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Bachelor’s Degree |
Level 7 | 3 years | 360 Credits |
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Examples: ‘general’ Bachelor’s Degree:
‘professionally-oriented’ Bachelor’s Degree:
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Bachelor’s Degree | Level 8 | 4 years | 480 credits |
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Examples: Same as for the Level 7 Bachelor’s Degree above |
How do I find the qualifications offered by universities?
There are a number of ways to find the qualification and university you are looking for. Three are described here:
- South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA),
- National Career Advice Portal (NCAP), and
- University and other websites.
Option 1: South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
The SAQA website has a list of all the registered qualifications under ‘Registered Qualifications’ (http://regqs.saqa.org.za/search.php?cat=qual). You don’t need to complete the entire table in order to search for registered qualifications on the website; only complete two or three key items, e.g.
- Under ‘Qualification Title’ type in a key word of the area in which you want to study, e.g. ‘Chemistry’, ‘Nursing’, ‘Agriculture’ or ‘Sport’. If you select ‘View as table’ at the bottom of the table and select ‘Go’, you will get a list of all the qualifications with that key word in the title. To avoid having to read through the long list, complete more items in the table.
- If you know the institution where you want to study, under ‘Accredited Provider’ select the institution from the drop-down menu.
- If your achievements in Grade 12 meet the entry requirements to enrol for a Bachelor’s degree, under ‘Qualification Type’ select, ‘National First Degree’ (where you will find the Bachelor’s degrees on NQF Level 7). If your achievements in Grade 12 do not meet the entry requirements for a Bachelor’s degree, you could select ‘Higher Certificate’ or ‘National Higher Certificate’ (both on NQF Level 5).
The table below is an example of the information provided on qualifications on the SAQA website.
Table with qualification details from ‘Registered Qualifications’ on the SAQA website (www.saqa.org.za)
The table below appears if you type in ‘Agriculture’ under ‘Qualification Title’, and from the drop-down menus you select University of KwaZulu-Natal under ‘Accredited Provider’, and National First Degree under ‘Qualification Type’. The table confirms that the university offers three Bachelor Degrees in Agriculture on NQF Level 7 (that were on Level 6 before 2009, when the NQF Levels were increased from 8 to 10) and two on Level 8 (that were on Level 7 before 2009). It also indicates that the minimum credits vary from 384 (indicating a 3-year degree) to 514 (indicating a 4-year degree). The other information is not really important for prospective students looking for the qualifications offered by universities.
Qual / Prog ID | Qualification Title / Learning Programme Title | Pre-2009 NQF Level | NQF Level | Learning Subfield | NQF Sub-Framework | Originator | Field | Min Credits |
72830 | Bachelor of Agriculture | Level 6 | NQF Level 07 | Primary Agriculture | HEQSF | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Field 001 – Agriculture and Nature Conservation | 384 |
81006 | Bachelor of Agriculture: Rural Resource Management | Level 6 | NQF Level 07 | Primary Agriculture | HEQSF | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Field 001 – Agriculture and Nature Conservation | 384 |
81007 | Bachelor of Agriculture: Sports Turf Management | Level 6 | NQF Level 07 | Generic Management | HEQSF | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Field 003 – Business, Commerce and Management Studies | 386 |
81134 | Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Animal and Poultry Science | Level 7 | NQF Level 08 | Secondary Agriculture | HEQSF | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Field 001 – Agriculture and Nature Conservation | 514 |
78125 | Bachelor of Science: Agriculture | Level 7 | NQF Level 08 | Primary Agriculture | HEQSF | University of KwaZulu-Natal | Field 001 – Agriculture and Nature Conservation | 512 |
If you click on the hyperlink of the identity number 72830 of the first qualification in the first column, it will open the entire qualification as it is registered by SAQA. This will give you more detail on the qualification. The Exit Level Outcomes will give you an idea of the focus of the qualification and the knowledge and skills it will develop. The exit level outcomes for the Bachelor of Agriculture are:
- Understand the fundamentals of applied plant science, namely: soil/plant/atmosphere interactions and management; plant genetics, biochemistry and physiology; interactions of plants with pathogens/pests/weeds and management thereof; plant propagation; plant nutrition; crop production and utilization; and analysis and interpretation of statistical data.
- Develop generalist to specialist knowledge of, and practical skills in, a chosen qualification or combination of qualifications available within the programme.
- Through prescribed modules, develop effective: Time management and organisational skills; Interpersonal skills in order to work effectively in small to large groups; computer literacy skills (specific modules prescribed); data management, analysis and interpretation skills; Information retrieval, management and critical synthesis skills.
If this information confirms that you would like to enrol for this qualification at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), you need to contact UKZN for further details.
Option 2: National Career Advice Portal:
You can also search for qualifications and universities on the National Career Advice Portal: http://ncap.careerhelp.org.za/. The NCAP is an on-line source of information on careers developed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to assist users to make informed decisions about learning and career choices. The website enables you to search for qualifications under ‘What to study’ (http://ncap.careerhelp.org.za/qualifications) and for institutions under ‘Where to study’ (http://ncap.careerhelp.org.za/learningproviders). It lists public higher education providers and public FET colleges (i.e. TVET colleges), but not private institutions.
Option 3: University and other websites
You can also search for qualifications directly on the websites of universities. Another useful resource is
http://www.smartstudent.co.za/university/. It provides guidelines for selecting a university programme and other information for students planning to enter university.
Which occupation-directed programmes are offered by higher education institutions?
There are many specialised institutions that offer programmes for specific occupations in fields such as agriculture, nursing, policing and teaching. In addition, universities and universities of technology also offer qualifications for these occupations.
Agricultural colleges: There are specialised agricultural colleges in all the provinces, except for Gauteng and the Northern Cape. The qualifications offered by these colleges, with their contact details, are provided in the table below.
Specialised Programmes in Agriculture | |||||
South African Agricultural Colleges | |||||
Cedara Agricultural College | |||||
Website: http://www.kzndae.gov.za/en-us/colleges/cedara.aspx |
Physical Address: Cedara Farm 1 Cedara Road Hilton KZN |
Telephone: 033 355 9306 033 355 9304 |
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Qualifications offered
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Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute/Cape Institute of Agricultural Training | |||||
Website: www.elsenburg.com |
Physical Address: Muldersvlei Road Elsenburg Western Cape |
Telephone: 021 808 5018/9 |
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Qualifications offered
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Fort Cox College of Agriculture and Forestry | |||||
Website: www.fortcox.ac.za |
Physical Address: Cwaru Road Middledrift (near King Williams Town) Eastern Cape |
Telephone: 040 653 8033/4 |
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Qualifications offered
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Glen College of Agriculture | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Brandfort Road Glen (25km North of Bloemfontein) |
Telephone: 051 861 8637 051 861 8328 |
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Qualifications: Details not provided | |||||
Grootfontein Agricultural Development Institute | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Rosemead Road Middleburg East Cape |
Telephone: 049 842 6725 049 842 1113 |
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Qualifications offered
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Lowveld College of Agriculture (Amalgamated with University of Mpumalanga) | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Cnr R40 White River Road & B725 Riverside Nelspruit Mpumalanga |
Telephone: 013 753 3064 |
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Qualifications: Details not provided | |||||
Marapyane College of Agriculture (Amalgamated with University of Mpumalanga) | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Stuinplass Road Skulpadfontein Marapyane Mpumalanga |
Telephone: 012 010 0010 |
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Qualifications: Details not provided | |||||
Madzivhandila College of Agriculture | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Budeli Village Thohoyandou Limpopo |
Telephone: 015 962 7200 015 294 3000 |
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Qualifications offered
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Owen Sithole College of Agriculture | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Old Matuba Road Empangeni KZN |
Telephone: 035 795 1345 035 795 1379 |
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Qualifications offered
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Potchefstroom College of Agriculture | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: 30 Chris Hani Drive Miederpark Potchefstroom North West Province |
Telephone: 018 299 6556 018 297 0023 018 299 6739 |
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Qualifications offered
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Taung Agricultural College | |||||
Website: www.taungagricollege.co.za |
Physical Address: Main Road Taung North West Province |
Telephone: 053 994 9800/1 053 994 9840 |
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Qualifications offered
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Tompi Seleka Agricultural College | |||||
Website not available | Physical Address: Phetwane Village (near Marble Hall) Limpopo |
Telephone: 013 268 9300/1 |
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Qualifications offered
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Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute | |||||
Website not available | Physical address: Tsolo (near Umthata) Eastern Cape |
Telephone: 047 542 6285 |
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Qualifications offered
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More details on these colleges are available on: http://www.careerhelp.org.za/page/education-training/fet/agricultural-colleges/1642217-Agricultural-Colleges.
Most agricultural colleges also offer short courses to develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills in areas relevant to agriculture in the region. Examples of some of the short sources offered by Cedara Agricultural College are:
- Agricultural Co-Operative Management,
- Hydroponics,
- Composting,
- Pig Production,
- Soil Classification,
- Basic Beef Production,
- Farm Record-Keeping,
- Tomato Processing, and
- Vegetable & Fruit Drying.
Specialised programmes in nursing
The South African Nursing Council (SANC) has the responsibility to oversee the quality of education and training in nursing and to accredit all institutions offering such training. This ensures that learners receive training that meets all the requirements for registration as a practitioner in South Africa.
The SANC website provides lists of all accredited public and private nursing education institutions per province: http://www.sanc.co.za/neis.htm.
Qualifications in nursing are offered by most public universities, many universities of technology and private institutions, such as Netcare. The following list indicates the range of qualifications offered:
- Bridging Diploma in Nursing (two or three-year programme, Level 5),
- Higher Certificate in Nursing (one-year programme, Level 5),
- Diploma in Nursing (programmes ranging from three to four years, Level 6),
- Further National Higher Diploma: Nursing (two-year programme, Level 6),
- Advanced Diploma in specialist areas of nursing (e.g. critical care or operating theatre nursing) (one-year programme, Level 7),
- Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and Midwifery (four-year programme, Level 8),
- Bachelor of Nursing Honours (one-year programme, Level 8), and
- Masters and Doctoral degrees are also offered in nursing.
Qualifications on lower NQF levels are also offered for students with or without a matric who need to complete basic training in order to enter a career in nursing. Some examples are:
- National Certificate (Vocational): Primary Health (one-year programme, Level 2),
- National Certificate: Auxiliary Nursing (one-year programme, Level 3), and
- Further Education and Training Certificate: Nursing (one-year programme, Level 4).
Specialised programmes in policing
The first police university in South Africa was opened on 30 January 2014 in Paarl in the Western Cape. The university will offer a Bachelor Police Science Degree as well as accredited leadership and management programmes which will be tailored to suit the developing needs of the police. The programmes are offered in partnership between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the University of South African (UNISA). More information is provided on: http://www.saps.gov.za/paarl/index.php.
Many public universities and private higher education institutions offer qualifications in policing, as indicated in examples in the table below taken from the website of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
SAQA ID | Qualification Title | NQF Level | Institution | Duration |
59989 | National Certificate: Resolving of Crime | Level 05 | SAPS In Service Training Provision Institution | one year |
62408 | National Diploma: Policing | Level 06 | University of South Africa | three years |
72627 | National Diploma: Policing | Level 06 | Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) | three years |
50194 | Bachelor: Policing Practices | Level 07 | Southern Business School | three years |
90533 | Postgraduate Diploma: Traffic Policing | Level 08 | Lyceum College | one year |
62360 | Master of Technology: Policing | Level 09 | University of South Africa | one year |
Specialised programmes in teaching
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) stated in its 2011-2025 Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development that there are 21 higher education institutions offering initial teacher education programmes. However, the Department confirmed that there is still a shortage of new teachers entering the profession.
Almost all public universities, some universities of technology, and some private institutions offer qualifications in education. These qualifications range from Level 5 to Level 10, and include:
- Certificate in education (one-year programme, Level 5),
- Advanced Certificate in Education (one-year programme, Level 6),
- Diploma: Specialised Education : Remedial Education (one-year programme, Level 7),
- Advanced Diploma in Education in Special Needs Education (one-year programme, Level 7),
- Higher Diploma (four-year programme, Level 7),
- Bachelor of Education (three-year programme, Level 7),
- Bachelor of Education Honours (three-year programme, Level 8),
- Post-Graduate Certificate: Education (one-year programme, Level 7),
- Post-graduate Diploma (one-year programme, Level 58), and
- Masters (Level 9) and Doctoral degrees in Education (Level 10).
What mechanisms ensure the quality of university programmes?
There are numerous internal and external mechanisms for the quality assurance of higher education institutions, the programmes they offer and the qualifications they issue.
- External mechanisms: The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has the mandate to ensure the quality of higher education institutions. The Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) has overall responsibility for ensuring the quality of teaching and learning. The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has procedures for quality assuring the qualifications that are registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Many South African universities are also members of international bodies that require them to meet strict quality criteria, e.g. the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).
- Internal mechanisms: All universities have units responsible for quality assurance of learning and teaching, and they establish and enforce processes and procedures to ensure quality.