The School offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in programmes based on Biochemistry, Genetics & Microbiology

You can either click on them here or on the menu to the left.

For a more detailed overview of the courses we offer throughout the year, as well as our postgraduate offerings and degree structures please download our complete booklet here:

Rules for Qualifications section of the Handbook at http://www.ukzn.ac.za/handbooks/

The following Qualifications are offered:

Undergraduate Qualifications

(a) A three-year course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science (BSc). This may be achieved through a general formative programme of study or through a focused programme of study around an area of specialisation. In the latter case the field of specialisation is indicated after the words Bachelor of Science Science & Agriculture

(b) A three-year course leading to one of the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in Dietetics (BScDiet), Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition (BScHumNut), Bachelor of Agriculture (BAgric) or Bachelor of Agricultural Management (BAgricMgt).

(c) A four-year course leading to a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BScAgric)

(d) A four-year course known as the BSc4, also leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Honours Qualifications

A one-year postgraduate specialist Honours course following the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Agriculture and Bachelor of Agricultural Management is offered to eligible students.

Note:
Under special circumstances, a student who has completed post-matriculation courses may be admitted to the second year of study and may complete an Honours degree in three years. As the subjects offered must meet the requirements of the Honours curriculum to be followed, the prior approval of the Dean must be obtained.

Masters and Doctoral Qualifications

(a) Following on the BScHons, a research programme towards the Master of Science (MSc), lasting a minimum of one year. Examination is normally by thesis only.

(b) In certain disciplines, the MSc or MScAgric degree may also be obtained through the following programmes: one of advanced study and research, with coursework contributing up to 50% of the total required credit and a dissertation the remainder.

(e) Following on the BScAgricHons, a research programme towards the Master of Science in Agriculture (MScAgric).

(i) A research programme towards the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), lasting a minimum of two years, and showing that the candidate has carried out a programme of original research.

Bachelor of Science Degrees

The Faculty of Science and Agriculture offers two types of programmes: a general and flexible BSc that equips graduates with the necessary skills to pursue a career in several professional areas, and a specific focused BSc that has a more structured selection of modules with a strong vocational outcomes-based orientation.

General Bachelor of Science (BSc)

The BSc degree allows students to design a curriculum to suit their particular interests and requirements, subject to certain constraints. In fact, it is the only manner in which certain disciplines or combinations of disciplines can be studied, such as Cellular Biology and Chemistry, or Physics and Mathematics, or Statistics and Economics, or Computer Science and Economics.

All degrees require a minimum of 384 credits for a degree, and a student normally takes 128credits each year. Each subject (such as Physics or Geology) is made up of a number of modules, and each module is given a credit rating based on the number of lectures, tutorials and practicals in the module. A typical semester-long module is worth 16 credits, and students normally study four of these 16-credit modules per semester. In their first year students usually take modules from four different disciplines but at higher years would select more modules from two or three subjects (called major subjects). Students may choose to take 2 majors, e.g. Cellular Biology and Chemistry, or they may prefer to have one full major (between 64 and 80 credits) with the remaining credits taken from more other disciplines, e.g. Applied Mathematics as major (64 credits), together with 32 credits each from Computer Science and Physics.

Focused BSc

Some of these programmes represent existing popular choices amongst the possible degree structures available within the BSc options. Others have been formulated in an attempt to provide exciting new academic offerings leading to specific careers. In general they all have focused structured curricula, although some offer almost as much flexibility of choice, within some constraints, as does the general BSc.

Postgraduate Study

A candidate may be admitted to postgraduate study in any of the areas of specialisation in the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, provided that the candidate holds an acceptable primary degree, and provided also that the standard of proficiency previously attained in the intended area is sufficiently high.

2. Biochemistry (Pietermaritzburg, Westville)
Year 1 BIOL101 (16), BIMI120 (16), CHEM110 (16), 120(16), MATH133 (16), PHYS131 (16)
Year 2 Pietermaritzburg: BIOC201(16), 212(16), CHEM220(16), RDNA202(16)
Westville: BIOC201(16), 202(16), CHEM220(16), RDNA202(16)
Year 3 Pietermaritzburg: BIOC304(8), 310(8), 311(16), 315(16), 316(16).
Westville: BIOC307(16), 308(16), 315(16), 316(16)

10. Genetics (Pietermaritzburg)
Year 1 BIOL101(16), BIMI120(16), CHEM110(16), 120(16), MATH133(16), MATH143(8)
Year 2 BMET210(16), GENE213(16), 214(16), RDNA202(16)
Year 3 GENE319(8), 329(16), 332(8), 342(8), 360(8), 16C from (AGPS306(16), GENE323(16), 350(16))

18. Microbiology (Pietermaritzburg, Westville)
Year 1 BIOL101(16), BIMI120(16), CHEM110(16), 120(16), MATH133(16), PHYS131(16)
Year 2 Pietermaritzburg: (BIOC201(16) or CHEM220(16)), MICR213(16), PPTH214(16), RDNA202(16),
Westville: MICR213(16), 216(16), 218(16), RDNA202(16)
Year 3 Pietermaritzburg: MICR304(16), 305(16), 320(16), 360(16)
Westville: MICR303(16), 304(16), 305(16), 311(16)

Please note that this Handbook contains only modules to be taught in 2008. The modules listed in first year are for first-year students; those for second year are for second-year students and so on. Students in first year should not assume that the modules listed below will be the same by the time they reach second and higher years.

18. Microbial Biotechnology (Westville)
Year 1
Semester 1 BIOL101(16), CHEM110(16), MATH133(16), PHYS131(16)
Semester 2 BIMI120(16), CHEM120(16), Electives(32)
Year 2
Semester 1 BIOC201(16), CHEM220(16), MICR213(16), 216(16)
Semester 2 BIOC202(16), MICR218(16), RDNA202(16), Electives(16)
Year 3
Semester 1 BIOC315(16), 307(16), MICR305(16), 311(16)
Semester 2 BIOC316(16), MICR303(16), 304(16), 313(16)

5. Biochemistry
Year 1
Semester 1 BIOL101(16), CHEM110(16), MATH133(16), PHYS131(16)
Semester 2 BIMI120(16), CHEM120(16), COMP105(8), MATH143(8), Electives(16)
Year 2
Semester 1 BIOC201(16), BMET210(16), CHEM220(16), GENE213(16)
Semester 2 ANSI204(8), BIOC204(16), 212(16), MICR212(8), RDNA202(16)
Year 3
Semester 1 BIOC311(16), 315(16), Electives(32)
Semester 2 ANSI332(16), BIOC304(16), 310(8), 316(16), GENE350(16)
Year 4
Semester 1 BIOC701(16), 703(16), 705(16), 707(16)
Semester 2 BIOC706(48), 710(16)

7. Genetics
Year 1
Semester 1 BIOL101(16), CHEM110(16), MATH133(16), PHYS131(16)
Semester 2 BIOL102(16), BIOR118(8), 130(8), CHEM120(16), MATH143(8), PHYS133(8)
Year 2
Semester 1 BMET210(16), GENE213(16), Electives(32)
Semester 2 GENE214(16), RDNA202(16), Electives(32)
Year 3
Semester 1 GENE319(8), 329(16), 332(8), Electives(32)
Semester 2 AGPS306(16), GENE323(16), 350(16), 360(8), Elective(8)
Year 4
Semester 1 GENE707(32), 709(8), 717(8)
Semester 2 GENE712(8), Electives(24)
Year Modules GENE701(48)

9. Microbiology
Year 1
Semester 1 BIOL101(16), CHEM110(16), MATH133(16), PHYS131(16)
Semester 2 BIMI120(16), BIOR118(8), 130(8), CHEM120(16), Electives(16)

Year 2
Semester 1 BIOC201(16), BMET210(16), MICR213(16), Electives(16)
Semester 2 (BIOC204(16) or 212(16) or CHEM230(16)), MICR212(8), 214(8), RDNA202(16), 16C from (BMET222(16), CTEC233(16), ENVS211(16), PPTH214(16))
Year 3
Semester 1 MICR305(16), 310(16), 320(16), Electives(16)
Semester 2 MICR304(16), 360(16), Electives(32, at least 16 at Level 3 in either semester)
Year 4
Semester 1 MICR717(16), 718(16), 720(8), Level-7 Electives(16)
Semester 2 MICR716(16), Level-7 Electives (8)
Year Modules MICR710(48)

The following lists give the programmes of study within the degree of Bachelor of Science Honours. All elective modules must be chosen in accordance with Rule SH2 and require approval by the Academic Coordinator.

4. Biochemistry
Prerequisites: Completion of a major or programme in Biochemistry with a credit-weighted average of at least 60% in the Level-3 Biochemistry modules.

a. Pietermaritzburg
Core: BIOC701(16), 702(48), 703(16), 705(16), 707(16), 710(16).

b. Westville
Core: BIMI701(16), BIOC702(48), 708(16), 709(16), 711(16), 713(16).

18. Genetics (Pietermaritzburg)
Prerequisites: Completion of a major or programme in Genetics with a credit-weighted average
of at least 60% in the Level-3 Genetics modules.
Core: GENE701(48), 707(32), 709(8), 712(8), 717(8).
Electives: 24C selected from genetics and related disciplines in consultation with the Academic Coordinator and approved by the Dean.