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Faculty of Theology and Religion

Faculty regulations and information

The rules for the degrees published here are subject to change and may be amended after the publication of this information.

The General Regulations (G. Regulations) and General Rules apply to all faculties of the University of Pretoria. It is expected of all students to familiarise themselves well with these regulations and rules as well as all faculty-specific and programme-specific regulations and information as stipulated in the online yearbook. Ignorance concerning these regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression.

1. General
The programmes of the Faculty of Theology and Religion are aimed at theological training with a view to church ministry. Some offer general training and formation, which can be used by churches as basis for church-specific training and formation. Other programmes, which are offered in co-operation with church partners, offer both generally formative and church-specific formative theological training.
The programmes can be divided into two further categories:

1. those meant for early specialisation [MTh, PhD]
2. those offering a broad, general education to a reasonably advanced stage, before focussing on a specific field of specialisation and research [BDiv, MDiv, MTh, leading to PhD].

2. Selection
A selection procedure takes place prior to admission to any degree programme in this Faculty. Students who do not pass a sufficient number of modules at the end of the first year of study to be admitted to the second year of study, have to apply for re-admission.

3. Academic literacy
The academic literacy of all students who enrol at the University of Pretoria for the first time and all new students enrolling with the Faculty of Theology and Religion for the first time will be assessed at the start of the academic year by means of their NSC-marks. 

Students following a degree programme: 
The NSC Grade 12 English mark will be used to determine whether students in the Faculty of Theology and Religion should register for the academic literacy modules (ALL 110 and ALL 120 ):

• Home Language: Students with a 4-symbol or lower register for ALL 110 and ALL 120.
• First Additional Language: Students with a 5 or lower, will register for ALL 110 and ALL 120.

NB: Grade 12 examination refers to the final National Senior Certificate examination.

4. Examination admission and pass requirements
A performance mark of at least 40% is required in order to be admitted to the examination in a module, with the exception of first-semester modules at 100-level for which the requirement is at least 30%. 
Excluding cases where faculty regulations require a higher percentage, a subminimum of at least 40% is required in the examination in each module. Should the student fail to achieve the required subminimum, the lecturer could grant a supplementary examination provided that the average of the semester mark and the examination mark is at least 40%.
A final mark of at least 50% is required to pass. The pass mark for a mini-dissertation is at least 50%. The stipulations of G.39 regarding pass requirements for dissertations apply mutatis mutandis to mini-dissertations.

4.1 Subminima in examinations
Where applicable, the subminima required in examinations appear in the regulations of the qualification in question and in the syllabi of the modules required for that qualification.

4.2 Examinations
The examinations for semester modules take place at the end of the semester.
The examinations for year modules take place in October/November, except where such modules are presented according to a block system, in which case the examinations take place at the end of the particular block period.
Each student has the responsibility to ascertain when modules will be written according to the official examination timetable.
No cell phones or any other electronic communication aids are allowed in test or examination venues.

4.3 Ancillary examinations
After completion of an examination and before the examination results are published, the examiners may summon a student for an ancillary examination on particular aspects of the work of that module.

4.4 Re-marking of examination papers (also consult Gen Reg G.14)
After an examination, departments give feedback to students about the framework used by the examiners during the examination. The heads of department determine the feedback process. Students may apply for re-marking of an examination paper within 14 calendar days of commencement of lectures in the next semester. The prescribed fee has to be paid. The paper will then be re-marked by an examiner appointed by the head of the department.
A student is only allowed either to write the supplementary examination or to apply for a re-mark but not both.

4.5 Supplementary examinations

1. Supplementary examinations take place after the regular examinations, as scheduled by the Dean.
2. To pass a supplementary examination, a student must obtain a minimum of 50% - the semester mark does not count.
3. The highest final percentage a student can obtain in a supplementary examination is 50%.
4. All students with a final mark of 40%-49% will qualify to write the supplementary examination. If a student does not write the supplementary examination on the scheduled day, there will not be any later opportunity  for a rewrite.

4.6 Aegrotat/extraordinary examinations
Students, who do not write their examination on the scheduled day, may apply for an aegrotat/extraordinary examination at the Student Administration Office. Each request is considered by the relevant head of department in consultation with the Dean for a decision. Lecturers are not allowed to grant any permission for this category of examination. It is the responsibility of the student to ascertain whether his/her request has been successful. If permission has been granted, the student must write the aegrotat/extraordinary examination during the supplementary examination. Such a student will not qualify for a further supplementary examination.
Application for the above examination must be handed in at the Student Administration Office together with a valid medical certificate not later than three working days after the modules were scheduled to have been written. The worn excuses of having “overslept” or “read the timetable incorrectly” will not be accepted.
A student who has been granted permission to write an aegrotat/extraordinary examination and who then fails to write the examination will not qualify to submit any such application at a later stage.

4.7 Special examinations
A final-year student who has complied with all the requirements for a degree, with the exception of a maximum of four semester or two year modules in which a final mark of at least 40% has been obtained, may be admitted to a special examination at any time prior to the scheduled examinations in the relevant modules. See also General Regulations G12.4 and G12.6.

4.8 Class attendance
Class attendance in all modules and for the full duration of the undergraduate programmes is compulsory for all students. The course coordinator of a particular module must also publish the attendance requirements of that module in the study guide and must set out how class attendance will be monitored. A student may be refused admission to the examination in a particular module if he/she failed to fulfill the published attendance requirements in that module.

4.9 PhD Procedures
To be read in conjunction with G.50 (4)

First year PhD students will be called for a proposal defence by their respective departments in the format deemed appropriate by the department. Only with the approval of the proposal at this departmental defence will a PhD student be allowed to register for a second year.

Evaluation of the thesis
Examiners’ reports

1. Every examiner independently and individually submits a report to the Head: Student Administration. The reports are treated confidentially.
2. Every report has to contain one of the following recommendations:

(aa)    that the degree be conferred  without any changes  to be made to the thesis  by the candidate;
(bb)    that the degree be conferred as soon as minor changes have been made to the thesis by the candidate, to the satisfaction of the head of the department;
(cc)    that the degree be conferred as soon as the candidate has made major changes to the thesis to the satisfaction of the examination panel;
(dd)    that the thesis does not meet the required standard, but that the candidate be invited to review the thesis and to resubmit the thesis at a later stage for re-examination;
(ee)    that the thesis be rejected and that the candidate does not pass.

3. The examiners’ reports are made available to the relevant head of department by the Head: Student Administration.
4. In the case of a thesis, the examiners’ recommendations made in terms of G.50.4(d)(ii) are preliminary in nature and subject to the successful completion of revisions as required by the examiners and the recommendation of the Postgraduate Committee.
5. If the examiner’s reports are conflicting or scenario ii (cc) is relevant, the candidate should be called for oral questioning to confirm the recommendation of the panel. In this case:

(aa) The head of department arranges and chairs an oral examination during which the candidate is required to do a presentation on the thesis. The examiners appointed in terms of  G.50.4(a) constitute the examination commission for the oral examination. If an examiner cannot participate in the examination the supervisor calls upon one of the substitute examiners appointed in terms of G.50.4(a) to act as a member of the examination commission.
If the head of department is the supervisor, a head of department from one of the other departments must be appointed.
After the presentation by the candidate, the examination commission constitutes a closed meeting chaired by the relevant head of department to consider the success of the candidate’s representation, to review all the examiners’ reports and to submit a consolidated report to the Postgraduate Committee with one of the following recommendations:

• that the degree be conferred;
• that the thesis does not meet the required standard, but that the candidate be invited to review the thesis and to resubmit it at a later stage for re-examination; or
• that the thesis be rejected and that the degree not be conferred on the candidate.

(bb)    In the case of G.50.4 (d)(ii)(aa), the supervisor provides a short report on the result to the Postgraduate Committee for recommendation to the Dean.
(cc)    If the examiners recommend revisions as set out in G.50.4(d)(ii)(bb) to (dd) these revisions must be completed and the revised thesis submitted to the supervisor and the head of department, or the examination committee, as required.
(dd)    The supervisor in consultation with the head of department makes the relevant section(s) of the examiners’ reports available to the candidate in accordance with G.50.4 (e)(iii) in order for the necessary changes to be made to the thesis before the review or re-examination.
(ee)    If deemed necessary by the Chair of the Postgraduate Committee, the examination commission may be constituted in a closed meeting (which may be telephonic or electronic), chaired by the head of department, to consider the revised thesis, to review all the examiners’ reports and to submit a consolidated report to the Postgraduate Committee.

6. If all the examiners recommended in terms of G.50.4(d)(ii)(ee) that the thesis be rejected, the supervisor and the head of department review the examiners’ reports and submit a consolidated report to the Postgraduate Committee.
7. The Postgraduate Committee makes a recommendation to the Dean as Chair of the Faculty Board, as follows:

(aa)    that the degree be conferred; or
(bb)    that the thesis does not meet the required standard, but that the candidate be invited to revise the thesis and to resubmit it at a later stage for review, by the head of the department; or
(cc)    that the thesis does not meet the required standard, but that the candidate be invited to revise the thesis and submit it for re-examination by the examination committee; or
(dd)    that the thesis be rejected and that the degree not be conferred on the candidate.

5 Test policy
5.1 Semester tests
There will be at least two evaluation opportunities per semester module.
The scheduled dates of official semester tests may only be changed with the permission of all members of a class group present during a scheduled lecture. Should such a change of schedule occur, the onus is on each student to ensure that he/she is aware of the change.
Students are entitled to perusal of tests scripts but not to a re-mark by either the lecturer or an external examiner.

5.2 Aegrotat tests
A student who is unable to write an official semester test on the scheduled date or at the scheduled time, must apply in writing for an aegrotat or extraordinary test.
Written applications must be handed in to the lecturer who is responsible for the module, or to the relevant departmental secretary, beforehand, or within three working days after the scheduled date of the test.
In the case of illness, a medical certificate must be submitted to the lecturer or departmental secretary. The medical certificate must certify that the student was in the doctor’s opinion unfit to prepare for or to sit for the test as a result of ill health.
A student who has been granted permission to write an aegrotat or an extraordinary test and who fails to write the test, will not qualify for any such test at a later stage.

5.3 Announcement of test and examination results
Lecturers will advise students where test scripts will be made available. The lecturer will give the students feedback on semester tests, either by way of written memorandum or a class discussion. 
Final examination marks will be published by Student Administration. The lecturer will advise students in advance of the date on which perusal of examination papers will take place. 
Lecturers are entitled to destroy examination scripts one year after the completion of the relevant examination session.

5.4 Handling of problems
A student with a problem must first determine whether the problem relates to their registration with the University or to the module in which case the Student Administration should be contacted.
A problem regarding the content of a particular module must first be taken up with the relevant lecturer. If the student cannot be assisted with his/her problem at this level, he/she must consult with the relevant head of department and afterwards with the Dean, if necessary.
Students may consult the lecturer, head of department or the Dean by making an appointment during consulting hours.

6. Dean’s merit list for top achievers
In order to qualify for the Dean’s list, a student must have an outstanding academic record for completed studies.
Undergraduate students (BDiv, BTh and Dip[Theol]) must have achieved an average of 75%(GPA) or above in all of their years of study. No modules should have been repeated, and all modules must be registered in the same year for the specific year.
Honours students must achieve an average of 75% (GPA) or more. The degree must be completed in one year for full-time students and two years for part-time students. No modules should have been repeated.
Master’s students must achieve an average of 75% (GPA) or more, and the degree must be completed in the minimum prescribed time.
The top achievers of the Faculty selected to become part of the Dean’s list will annually be acknowledged at a function hosted by the Dean.