Geology is the study of the Earth and includes aspects related to its formation, composition, structure and processes. South Africa is known for its large reserves of gold, platinum, chromium, vanadium and other metal ores, as well as substantial diamond and coal reserves. A mere hour’s drive from UP takes one to the Karoo coalfields, the site where the Cullinan diamond was discovered, the Bushveld platinum mines and the gold mines of the Witwatersrand. South Africa also has some of the Earth’s oldest well-exposed geology and significant fossils informing us about the history of the planet.
UP is well situated within easy reach of the mining and applied geological industries and offers a strong programme in the applied fields of economic geology, structural geology and mechanics, and engineering geology and hydrogeology. Candidates who successfully complete this programme qualify for professional registration as geological scientists.
The programme requires an appreciation for mathematics and chemistry. A love for the Earth and working outdoors, and an interest in geology or geomorphology will be beneficial. Depending on your personality, you can decide how you would like to divide your time between working in the field and working in the office.
Geology is split into many sub disciplines, which include mineralogy (the study of rock-forming minerals), petrology (the study of rock formation), structural geology (the deformation and behaviour of rock under stress) and economic or mining geology (identification of mineral resources and contribution to the day-to-day operations of mines).
As a geologist, you can choose whether you would prefer to work in a mine or laboratory, or as an exploration geologist in the field. The programme also allows entry into applied geological professions such as hydrogeology and engineering geology.
Apart from working in the mining industry, candidates also find employment at analytical facilities, in forensics, or in the insurance industry.
For more information, please consult the Faculty webpage.
Large international mining companies are significant employers of geologists and other geoscientists in research, exploration and mining projects. However, employment is increasingly to be found in smaller, entrepreneurial firms (‘juniors’). The Council also offers exciting careers for Geosciences, the CSIR, and the Council for Mineral Technology (MINTEK), DWS, and at museums, engineering firms and consulting companies. Graduates may even operate as self-employed consultants in their own firms. Laboratory specialists, for example, mineralogists, identify and examine minerals using sophisticated instruments and analytical equipment. Environmental and engineering geologists study the interaction between human activities and the geological environment, such as the pollution of soil and groundwater. They investigate geological structures and soil, and rock properties at construction sites, for example, dams, tunnels and mines, to provide valuable information before construction. They also locate and evaluate suitable construction materials. The task of the hydrogeologist is to look for groundwater and monitor the responsible exploitation of that water.
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Important information for all prospective students for 2023
The admission requirements below apply to all who apply for admission to the University of Pretoria with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Independent Examination Board (IEB) qualifications. Click here for this Faculty Brochure.
Minimum requirements | |||
Achievement level | |||
English Home Language or English First Additional Language | Mathematics | Physical Sciences | APS |
NSC/IEB | NSC/IEB | NSC/IEB | |
5 | 5 | 5 | 34 |
Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS.
You will be considered for final admission to degree studies if space allows, and if you have a National Senior Certificate (NSC) or equivalent qualification with admission to bachelor’s degree studies, and comply with the minimum subject requirements as well as the APS requirements of your chosen programme.
Applicants with qualifications other than the abovementioned should refer to the Brochure: Undergraduate Programme Information 2023: Qualifications other than the NSC and IEB, available at click here.
International students: Click here.
Transferring students
A transferring student is a student who, at the time of applying at the University of Pretoria (UP) is/was a registered student at another tertiary institution. A transferring student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance. Students who have been dismissed from other institutions due to poor academic performance will not be considered for admission to UP.
Closing dates: Same as above.
Returning students
A returning student is a student who, at the time of application for a degree programme is/was a registered student at UP, and wants to transfer to another degree at UP. A returning student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance.
Note:
Closing date for applications from returning students
Unless capacity allows for an extension of the closing date, applications from returning students must be submitted before the end of August via your UP Student Centre.
Candidates who do not comply with the minimum admission requirements for BSc (Geology), may be considered for admission to the BSc – Extended programme – Physical Sciences, which requires an additional year of study.
BSc – Extended Programme – Physical Sciences Minimum requirements | |||
Achievement level | |||
English Home Language or English First Additional Language | Mathematics | Physical Sciences | APS |
NSC/IEB | NSC/IEB | NSC/IEB | |
4 | 4 | 4 | 28 |
Note:
*The BSc – Extended programmes are not available for students who meet all the requirements for the corresponding mainstream programme.
*Please note that only students who apply in their final NSC or equivalent qualification year will be considered for admission into any of the BSc – Extended programmes. Students who are upgrading or taking a gap year will not be considered.
3 years, full-time
All modules will only be presented in English, as English is the language of tuition, communication and correspondence at the University of Pretoria.
Faculty Yearbooks: click here.
The University of Pretoria has decided not to set a specific closing date for applications to non-selection programmes for 2023. Applications will close when the available study spaces are filled (close on availability of space). Once the available number of study places for a specific programme are filled, no further applications for that particular programme will be considered. All applicants are therefore strongly advised and encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible after 1 April 2022 and to check the application site (UP Student Portal) regularly.
The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences is home to more than 6 500 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Faculty presents degrees in fields ranging from the proverbial A to Z – from actuaries to zoologists, and consists of 13 departments.
All degree programmes are designed to develop problem-solving individuals who can easily adapt to changing circumstances and take the lead in their chosen fields of specialisation. The qualifications awarded are of world-class and provide access to a multitude of career opportunities for dynamic and creative people. According to the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings the University has achieved new world rankings in Physical Sciences, a discipline which features strongly in NAS and also maintains excellent positions on the ISI Web of Science (WOS) field rankings in Plant and Animal Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and Environment and Ecology Sciences.
In the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, we strive to continuously improve our high impact research and significantly address the national shortage of PhD graduates that respond to global and local challenges.
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