Yearbooks

Programme: Bachelor of Sports Science [BSportSci]

Kindly take note of the disclaimer regarding qualifications and degree names.
Code Faculty Department
10135010 Faculty of Health Sciences Department: Biokinetics and Sports Science
Credits Duration NQF level
Minimum duration of study: 3 years Total credits: 407 NQF level:  07

Programme information

This three-year full-time BSportSci programme includes basic and applied sciences of the human body and provides a pathway towards a BScHons (Biokinetics) or a BScHons (Sports Science). Qualified BSc (Sports Science) students may also either apply for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education or start working in the sporting industry.

Admission requirements

Important information for all prospective students for 2023

The admission requirements apply to students who apply for admission to the University of Pretoria with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Independent Examination Board (IEB) qualifications.?

    University of Pretoria website click here

    Minimum requirements

    Achievement level

    English Home Language or English First Additional Language

    Mathematics

     

    Physical Sciences or Life Sciences

    APS

    NSC/IEB

    NSC/IEB

    NSC/IEB

    4

    4

    4

    30

    For advice on a second-choice programme, please consult a Student Advisor. To make an appointment, send an email to [email protected].

     

    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

     

    Important faculty-specific information on undergraduate programmes for 2023

    The closing date for all selection programmes is 30 June 2022.  Applicants are 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 following persons will be considered for admission: a candidate who is in possession of a certificate that is deemed by the University to be equivalent to the required National Senior Certificate (NSC) with university endorsement; a candidate who is a graduate from another tertiary institution or has been granted the status of a graduate of such an institution; a candidate who is a graduate of another Faculty at the University of Pretoria; and a candidate who is currently studying at a university.
    • Admission to Health Sciences programmes is subject to a selection process.
    • Grade 11 final examination results will be used for the conditional selection of prospective students.
    • For selection purposes, the sum of the results in six subjects, including English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences or Life Sciences, is calculated.
    • Life Orientation is excluded in the calculation of the Admission Point Score (APS).
    • All modules will be presented in English, as English is the language of tuition, communication and correspondence.
    • Places are reserved in specific categories to ensure an equitable representation of demographically defined designated groups. Selection thus takes place in different categories.
    • For purposes of selection in the Faculty of Health Sciences, the “Designated Group” category includes South African Black African or South African Coloured African candidates. The “Open” category refers to all applicants including applicants from the Designated Group who compete first in the Open category and then in the Designated Group category if unsuccessful in the Open category.
    • Target numbers are specified for all categories as applicable to each programme. Where insufficient applications are received from qualifying applicants in a certain category, the selection committee may decide not to fill all places or to fill the places from qualifying applicants in another category.
    • A limited number of places are made available to citizens from countries other than South Africa (applicants who are not South African citizens), with those from SADC countries being given preference. Permanent residents of RSA are not categorised as foreign students. Applications from citizens from countries other than South Africa  (applicants who are not South African citizens) may also be considered if they are
      • citizens or permanent residents of countries which have relevant government to government agreements with South Africa
      • asylum seekers or refugees
    • Citizens from countries other than South Africa (applicants who are not South African citizens) who do not comply with the conditions above may be considered if space is available.
    • If an applicant has multiple citizenships, which includes South African citizenship, he/she will be considered as a South African applicant.
    • The final number of places allocated to new applicants will be determined on an annual basis taking into account the teaching facilities and resources available and, where necessary, the number of places allocated to students repeating modules in the first year of study of each degree programme.
    • Only applicants who comply with the requirements set out in this document will be considered for selection. However, the achievement of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as only a limited number of students can be accommodated.
    • Selection is based on merit. The faculty does not determine specific selection cut-off values for the different categories. Such values are generated by the competing students within a particular category in relation to the number of places available.
    • A Merit Point Score (MPS) is used for ranking applicants for selection purposes in all programmes. In certain programmes other criteria such as rural residence may be used as part of the selection process.
    • Only first-choice applicants will be considered, except where otherwise specified, in which case second-choice candidates may be considered if there are places available.
    • The top candidates will be selected provisionally up to or surpassing the allocated number, based on experience of the expected number of acceptances. A waiting list is created from the group of candidates with the next highest scores. The length of the waiting list is determined by experience of the number of places likely to become available and to prevent creating unrealistic expectations.
    • All offers are provisional until the final exam results have been received. For applicants in the School leaver categories a provisional place will be confirmed as long as the NSC or equivalent scores do not fall by more than two points from the Grade 11 APS score.
    • After the final NSC or equivalent qualification results are received, provisional offers will be confirmed if the applicant still meets the required criteria. The MPS of those on the waiting list will be recalculated using the NSC or equivalent qualification results and if places become available they will be made offers.
    • Places becoming available in any category after selection due to cancellation or forfeiture will be filled from the waiting list for the specific category.
    • This waiting list will remain active until the end of the second week after the start of lectures.
    • All successful candidates are admitted to the first year of study only. Registered students in the University Experienced categories may apply for credit for equivalent modules which they have completed.
    • Incomplete applications will not be considered and any false information provided by an applicant in his/her application may result in immediate cancellation of the application, admission or registration.
    • Candidates should note that their conditional admission will be revoked if their APS drops by more than two points in their final school examination results.
    • PLEASE NOTE that compliance with the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to any programme in this Faculty.
    • Selection queries may be directed to click here.
    • A student who is made an offer but does not accept it cannot defer the offer and must reapply to be considered in the following year.

     

    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.

    • Students who have been excluded/dismissed from a faculty due to poor academic performance may be considered for admission to another programme at UP, as per faculty-specific requirements.
    • Only ONE transfer between UP faculties and TWO transfers within a faculty will be allowed.
    • Admission of returning students will always depend on the faculty concerned and the availability of space in the programmes for which they apply.

    Closing date for applications from returning students is the same as the above

    Other programme-specific information

    Students who obtain a 4 or 5 in the compulsory Academic Literacy Test (TALL) will be exempted from the ELH 121 and ELH 122 modules.

    Examinations and pass requirements

    • In accordance with the stipulations of the General Academic Regulations a year, semester or quarter mark of at least 40% is required for admission to the examination in all undergraduate modules in the University where year, semester and quarter marks apply.
    • The final mark for a specific module is calculated from the examination mark as well as the mark compiled from the evaluation of a student during continuous, objective and controlled assessment opportunities during the course of the semester/year. A final mark of at least 50% is required to pass.
    • In the case of modules with practical components, students are required to also comply with the applicable attendance requirements with regard to acquiring practical skills before a pass mark can be obtained for the module.
    • There are two main examination opportunities per annum, the standard and supplementary examination. In respect of first-semester modules, the standard examination opportunity is in May/June and the supplementary examination opportunity in July. In respect of second-semester modules, the standard examination opportunity is in October/November and the supplementary examination opportunity in November/ December of the same year.Only two examination opportunities per module are allowed. If a student fails a module at the second examination opportunity, the module must be repeated.
    • A supplementary examination opportunity in a module is granted to students in the following cases:
    • If a student obtains a final mark of less than 50% in the relevant module at the standard examination opportunity and thus fails.
    • If a student does not obtain the subminimum in the examination, as required for a specific module.
    • If a student does not sit the examination in a module at the standard examination opportunity due to illness, official UP recognised sports participation or extraordinary circumstances.
    • If a student fails a module at the standard examination opportunity, the examination mark obtained in the relevant module at the supplementary examination opportunity will be calculated as the final mark. The marks obtained with continuous evaluation during the course of the semester/year will not be taken into calculation. If the student passes the module at the supplementary examination opportunity, a maximum of 50% is awarded as a pass mark to the module in question.
    • If a student could not sit the examination in a module at the standard examination opportunity due to illness, official UP recognised sports participation or extraordinary circumstances, the continuous evaluation mark, together with the examination mark obtained in the module in question at the supplementary examination opportunity, will be calculated as the final mark obtained in the module.
    • A student requiring a limited number of modules to complete his or her degree, may in terms of faculty regulations, be admitted to a Chancellor's examination in the modules in question.

    Promotion to next study year

    Admission to the second year of study

    1. To be admitted to the second year of study, a student must pass PRC 100, EXE 110, FSG 110,MTL 180, ANA 123, EXE 120 and FSG 120.
    2. Modules can only be repeated if they can be accommodated within the existing examination timetable.
    3. Students who are repeating the first year of study, retain credit for examination modules passed.

    Admission to the third year of study

    1. To be admitted to the third year of study, a student must have passed all the first and second-year modules.
    2. Students who are repeating the second year of study, retain credit for examination modules passed.

    Academic exclusion

    1. A student following the BSportSci programme will only be allowed one opportunity to repeat a year of study.
    2. A student who does not comply with the abovementioned requirements but nevertheless wishes to be admitted to the School, may request the Dean/Chairperson in writing to consider his or her application for readmission in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

    Pass with distinction

    The degree is conferred with distinction on a student who obtains a cumulative average of at least 75% for all modules over the three years of study (not rounded).

    General information

    University of Pretoria Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) verification project

    The higher education sector has undergone an extensive alignment to the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQF) across all institutions in South Africa. In order to comply with the HEQSF, all institutions are legally required to participate in a national initiative led by regulatory bodies such as the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The University of Pretoria is presently engaged in an ongoing effort to align its qualifications and programmes with the HEQSF criteria. Current and prospective students should take note that changes to UP qualification and programme names, may occur as a result of the HEQSF initiative. Students are advised to contact their faculties if they have any questions.

    Minimum credits: 136

    Fundamental modules

    Core modules

    • Module content:

      *Closed - requires departmental selection

      This module serves as the foundation of the necessary knowledge required to understand human anatomy as well as facilitate the students’ understanding in future applied anatomy modules. This module covers the following aspects of human anatomy: anatomical terminology, osteology, arthrology, the muscular system, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection
      This module serves as an introduction to the fundamental concepts related to sports injuries.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection
      This module serves an introduction to research and information technology in Sport and Exercise which include computer skills; research techniques; library services and functions; literature searches; referencing techniques; plagiarism as well as ethics and theories in research. The content not only covers the steps of the research process but also explains the researcher’s role in the research process.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      The module focuses on a study, critique and analysis of the development of movement skills in humans from infancy to older adulthood, and on an examination of the way different motor, cognitive and social abilities affect how, when and why an individual learns motor skills. Students will gain a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts related to motor learning and motor development, and will be provided with a solid background regarding the fundamental motor skills developed during childhood and adolescence.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module focuses on the basic principles of exercise programme design. Students will gain a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts related to exercise and will be provided with a solid background regarding the development of an exercise program.  Programme development aspects for cardiorespiratory exercise, weight management and body composition programs, stretching and flexibility training, strength and endurance training, speed development and plyometrics, balance and proprioception programs, exercise selection, and periodisation are included.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module introduces students to physical fitness assessment, fitness test administration, exercise testing principles and procedures, assessment of fitness components, test quality in exercise science, evaluating and interpreting test data.

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    • Module content:

      Introduction (terminology and anatomical orientation); chemical principles; cytology and histology; neuro-physiology and the senses; haematology and body fluids; cardiovascular system.

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    • Module content:

      Respiratory system; nutrition; digestion and metabolism; kidneys and acid-base equilibrium; endocrinology; reproduction physiology and reproduction; skin and body temperatures.

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    • Module content:

      The acquisition of a basic medical orientated vocabulary compiled from Latin and Greek stem forms combined with prefixes and suffixes derived from those languages. The manner in which the meanings of medical terms can be determined by analysing the terms into their recognisable meaningful constituent parts, is taught and exercised. The functional use of medical terms in context as practical outcome of terminological application is continually attended to.

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    • Module content:

      Note: PHY 131 is aimed at students who will not continue with physics. PHY 131 cannot be used as a substitute for PHY 114.

      Units, vectors, one dimensional kinematics, dynamics, work, equilibrium, sound, liquids, heat, thermodynamic processes, electric potential and capacitance, direct current and alternating current, optics, modern physics, radioactivity.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection.

      This module will serve as the foundation for swimming, netball, athletics and gymnasium movement skill acquisition. The module serves as exposure to and experience in the movement skills practiced in swimming, netball, athletics and gymnasium. This will aid the Sport Scientist and Biokineticist to better understand and condition clients and patients practicing these sports.Sports-specific skills, team situation; rules and regulations, refereeing; game analysis; coaching.

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    Minimum credits: 141

    Core modules

    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      An analysis and critique of how motor learning is affected by adulthood and aging and how to design appropriate programmes to maximise motor skill acquisition.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      The module aims to further the knowledge and application of fundamentals concepts related to sports injuries. 

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      Understanding the basic principles of substrate location and utilization in an exercise and sport-related context, as well as the application of nutrition recommendations for exercise and sport.

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    • Module content:

      This practical-orientated module will provide students with training in basic life support, automated external defibrillation, and first aid treatment to the suddenly ill or injured patient.  The theoretical content will be offered in an interactive format where students are expected to master the content as self-directed learning.  Practical skills will be demonstrated in the skills laboratory and students will get the opportunity to practice the skills under guidance and supervision.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed - requires departmental selection

      This module will serve as the foundation for rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis movement skill acquisition.This module serves as exposure to and experience in the movement skills practiced in rugby, hockey, cricket and tennis. This will aid the Sport Scientist and Biokineticist to better understand and condition clients and patients practicing these sports.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      Homeostasis, thermoregulation, bone and connective tissue adaptations, muscle adaptations, and muscle force development.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module focuses on the biomechanical principles involved in human movement and sports activities. It comprises primarily of the study of linear and angular kinematics and kinetics of human motion and introduces the student to various applications and measurement techniques used in biomechanics.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module builds on the knowledge attained in ANA 123 and involves comprehensive study of the muscular system (origin, insertion, action and nerve supply of the muscles of the human body) and the nervous system.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      Exercise metabolism, cardiovascular adaptations, respiratory adaptations, and water, electrolyte and acid-base balance responses to exercise.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module will provide the basic knowledge of management (planning, leading, organising and controlling) of sporting and health promotion events and exercise facilities.

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    Minimum credits: 130

    Core modules

    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      The module focuses on the practical application of the fundamental concepts related to exercise as well as principles for exercise programme design.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module includes the theoretical study and practical demonstration of exercise tests for health-related and sport-related physical fitness components, as well as exercise test data interpretation, evaluation and reporting.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This unit involves the application of biomechanical principles to analyse human motion using various biomechanical methods.  Students will learn to collect and analyse two-dimensional video and force platform data, with a focus on gait analysis and exercise training techniques.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      In this module the focus will be on fundamental quantitative or experimental research methodology, and statistics. The student will have the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the module through the medium of a written theoretical examination and a research proposal.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      Theoretical knowledge will be gained in the understanding of region specific sport injuries. This includes the mechanism of injury, type of injury, assessment and management of the sport injury.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      In this module students will form an understanding of the multi-dimensional nature of sport psychology, with specific reference to Performance Termination (PT), Performance Dysfunction (PDy), Performance Impairment (PI) and Performance Development (PD) as portrayed in the Multi-Level Classification System for Sport Psychology (MCS-SP). Through studying the MCS-SP students will understand the role of sport psychologists in the sport context, how sport psychology focuses on the psychological well-being of athletes within sport organizations, as well as the psychological aspects that contribute to excellence in sport performance.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection

      This module serves as the platform for supervised practical training and application in exercise testing and interpretation for sport-related physical fitness components,  exercise programme design and implementation for sport-related physical fitness, and sport science work experience. This module requires the student to have accumulated 45 hours of Sport First aid.

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    • Module content:

      *Closed – requires departmental selection.

      Allostasis, energy dynamics, fatigue, immune system considerations, muscle hypertrophy, DOMS, NSAIDs, environmental physiology.

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

    The General Academic Regulations (G Regulations) and General Student Rules apply to all faculties and registered students of the University, as well as all prospective students who have accepted an offer of a place at the University of Pretoria. On registering for a programme, the student bears the responsibility of ensuring that they familiarise themselves with the General Academic Regulations applicable to their registration, as well as the relevant faculty-specific and programme-specific regulations and information as stipulated in the relevant yearbook. Ignorance concerning these regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for any transgression, or basis for an exception to any of the aforementioned regulations.

    University of Pretoria Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) verification project
    The higher education sector has undergone an extensive alignment to the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQF) across all institutions in South Africa. In order to comply with the HEQSF, all institutions are legally required to participate in a national initiative led by regulatory bodies such as the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The University of Pretoria is presently engaged in an ongoing effort to align its qualifications and programmes with the HEQSF criteria. Current and prospective students should take note that changes to UP qualification and programme names, may occur as a result of the HEQSF initiative. Students are advised to contact their faculties if they have any questions.

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