Visual Arts | UP Courses BA Visual Studies

rogramme information

With the increasing importance of the visual medium in the communications and cultural media, informed interaction with all forms of visual culture has become imperative. This programme aims to promote visual literacy by offering instruction in the analysis, interpretation and evaluation of various aspects of visual culture, in both an historical and contemporary context.
Closing date for applications: 30 September annually.

Admission requirements

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 Grade 12 certificate 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; and a candidate who is a graduate of another faculty at the University of Pretoria.

Candidates who comply with the minimum subject requirements and achievement levels as well as the APS requirements of these programmes will be granted placement in the programmes, subject to the availability of space. The abovementioned is not applicable to selection programmes.
To retain admission, learners will be expected to obtain an APS of at least 28 in Grade 12. Prospective students who have already been granted provisional admission in these programmes, but obtained at least an APS of 27 in Grade 12, will be considered by the Admission Committee should space be available. The Admission Committee of the Faculty of Humanities will consider these students once the results of the National Benchmark Test (NBT) are available and depending on the availability of space.
The Faculty will assess satisfactory performance in the NBT in the light of its commitment to ensure that an appropriate proportion of the applicants will be drawn from the disadvantaged category of the population.
Applicants who meet the minimum APS requirement, but who do not comply with the subject requirements must write the NBT.
Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS.

Minimum requirements
Achievement level				APS
Afrikaans or English
NSC/IEB	HIGCSE	AS-Level	A-Level
5	3	C	C	30

Other programme-specific information

Students who are deemed to be at risk of their level of academic literacy are compelled to take ALL 110 and ALL 125.
Students who are deemed NOT to be at risk of their level of academic literacy are compelled to take language modules to the value of 12 credits from the list of language modules (see Academic literacy).

Elective modules for the first year
Select any three disciplines (subjects) at year level one and do two semester modules from each of these disciplines (to the value of 66 credits). If the DFK and/or BEM modules are selected, an additional module must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement of 66.
Yr level 1 modules:
APL 110,120 [12 each] DFK 110,120 [10 each] EFK 110,120 [12 each] FIL 110,120 [12 each] INL 110,140 [12 each] BEM 120 [10] GES 110,120 [12 each] REL 110,120 [12 each]
(See Language Groups)
Elective modules for the second year
Select two disciplines (subjects) which were successfully completed at year level one and do both semesters at year level two (to the value of 80 credits). If DFK and/or BEM are selected, an additional semester module must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement of 80.
Yr level 2 modules:
APL 210,220 [20 each] DFK 210,220 [15 each] EFK 210,220 [20 each] FIL 210,220 [20 each] INL 240 [20] BEM 212,224 [16 each] GES 210,220 [20 each] REL 210,220 [20 each]
(See Language Groups)
Elective modules for the third year
Select one discipline (subject) which was successfully completed at year level two and do both semester modules at year level three (to the value of 60 credits). If DFK and/or BEM are selected, an additional semester module must be taken to meet the minimum credit requirement of 60.
Yr level 3 modules:
APL 310,320 [30 each] DFK 310,320 [20 each] EFK 310,320 [30 each], FIL 310,320, INL 360 [30 each], BEM 314*,321 [20 each] GES 310,320 [30 each] REL 310,320 [30 each]
*Please note that STK 110 is a prerequisite for BEM 314 and should already be taken in the first year of study.
(See Language Groups)
LANGUAGE GROUPS FOR SELECTION IN PROGRAMMES
Note: You should consult the alphabetical list of modules for full information on all the language modules listed below, as some of these modules have specific requirements/prerequisites.
Module group 1 – Afrikaans
Year level 1
• As a first language: AFR 110,120
• For speakers of other languages (also for speakers of other languages who are registered for qualifications in education and law) AFR 114
• For law students (first language): AFR 110 Note: AFR 120 may be taken additionally.
• For students following a programme in education: AFR 110,120; (first language); AFR 114 (speakers of other languages)
Year level 2
• As a first language: AFR 214, AFR 210,220
• For students following a programme in education: AFR 214, AFR 220
• Language, culture, communication and media: LCC 210,220
Year level 3
• As a first language: AFR 311,321
• For students following a programme in education: Any modules with alpha codes AFR and LCC offered at year level 3.
• Language, culture, communication and media: LCC 312,320,322
Module group 2 – English
Year level 1
• For special purposes: ENG 118
• For academic purposes: ENG 110,120
Year level 2
ENG 210,220
Year level 3
• ENG 310,320
• ENG 311,322
Module group 3 – French
Year level 1
• For beginners: FRN 104,181 (LLM students)
• Cultural-professional (for students who have passed French in Grade 12): FRN 113,123
Year level 2
FRN 211,221
Year level 3
Cultural-professional: FRN 361,362,363,364
Module group 4 – German
Year level 1
• For beginners: DTS 104
• Cultural-professional (for students who have passed German in Grade 12): DTS 113,123
Year level 2
DTS 211,221
Year level 3
Cultural-professional: DTS 361,362,363,364
Module group 5 – Greek
Year level 1
GRK 110,120
Year level 2
GRK 210,220
Module group 6 – Hebrew
Year level 1
HEB 110,120
Year level 2
HEB 210,220
Module group 7 – Latin
Year level 1
LAT 110,120 (students who passed Latin in Grade 12 may start immediately with Latin at year level 2)
Year level 2
LAT 210,220
Year level 3
LAT 310,320
Module group 8 – IsiNdebele
Year level 1
For speakers of isiNdebele as home language or first or second additional language
NDE 110, AFT 121
Year level 2
NDE 210, AFT 220
Year level 3
NDE 310, AFT 320
Module group 9 – IsiZulu
Year level 1
• For beginners: ZUL 110,120
• For speakers of isiZulu as home language or first or second additional language: ZUL 111, AFT 121
Year level 2
• For students who did ZUL 110,120 at year level 1: ZUL 210,220
• For students who did AFT 121: ZUL 111 at year level 1: AFT 220, ZUL 211
Year level 3
ZUL 310, AFT 320
Module group 10 – Sepedi
Year level 1
• For beginners: SEP 110,120
• For speakers of Sepedi as home language or first or second additional language: SEP 111, AFT 121
Year level 2
• For students who did SEP 110,120 at year level 1: SEP 210,220
• For students who did AFT 121, SEP 111 at year level 1: AFT 220, SEP 211
Year level 3
SEP 310, AFT 320
Module group 11 – Setswana
Year level 1
• For beginners: STW 110,120
• For speakers of Setswana as home language or first or second additional language: STW 111, AFT 121
Year level 2
• For students who did STW 110,120 at year level 1: STW 210,220
• For students who did AFT 121, STW 111 at year level 1: AFT 220, STW 211
Year level 3
STW 310, AFT 320
Module group 12 – Spanish
Year level 1
For beginners: SPN 101,102
Year level 2
SPN 211,221
Year level 3
SPN 311,321
Module group 13 – Portuguese
Year level 1
• For beginners: PTG 101
• Portuguese language and culture (for students who have passed Portuguese in Gr 12): PTG 113,123
Year level 2
PTG 211,221
Year level 3
PTG 311,321
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 Humanities 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 in English: The NSC Grade 12 English mark will be used to determine whether students in the Faculty of Humanities should register for the academic literacy modules (ALL 110 and ALL 125 in English):

Home Language: Students with a 4 or lower register for ALL 110 and ALL 125.
First Additional Language: Students with a 5 or lower register for ALL 110 and ALL 125.

Students following a degree programme in Afrikaans: The NSC Grade 12 Afrikaans mark will be used to determine whether students in the Faculty of Humanities should register for the academic literacy modules (VAG 110 and VAG 125 in Afrikaans):

Home Language: Students with a 4 or lower register for VAG 110 and VAG 125.

All students in the Faculty of Humanities who are identified as being at risk in terms of their level of academic literacy, are compelled to obtain at least 12 credits in the academic literacy modules ALL 110 or VAG 110 and ALL 125 or VAG 125.
All students in the Faculty of Humanities who are not at risk in terms of their level of academic literacy, are compelled to obtain at least 12 credits in language modules:
Department of English
ENG 110 Introduction to literature in English (I)
ENG 120 Introduction to literature in English (II)
ENG 118 English for specific purposes
Departement Afrikaans
AFR 110 Afrikaanse taalkunde en letterkunde
AFR 120 Afrikaanse taalkunde en letterkunde
AFR 114 Afrikaans vir sprekers van ander tale (I)
Department of African Languages
NDE 110 Introduction to isiNdebele grammar – Capita selecta
* Students who want to take isiNdebele in the second semester, should also register for AFT 121 (African languages literature: Capita selecta)
ZUL 110 IsiZulu for beginners
ZUL 111 Introduction to isiZulu grammar – Capita selecta
* Students want to take isiZulu in the second semester, should also register for AFT 121 (African languages literature: Capita selecta)
SEP 110 Sepedi for beginners
SEP 111 Introduction to Sepedi Grammar – Capita selecta
* Students who want to take Sepedi in the second semester, should also register for AFT 121 (African languages literature: Capita selecta)
STW 110 Setswana for beginners
STW 111 Introduction to Setswana Grammar – Capita selecta
*Students who want to take Setswana in the second semester, should also register for AFT 121 (African languages literature: Capita selecta)
Department of Modern European Languages
DTS 104 German for beginners
DTS 113 German: Cultural-professional (1) *Prerequisite: Grade 12 German
FRN 104 French for beginners
FRN 113 French: Cultural-professional (1) *Prerequisite: Grade 12 French
SPN 101 Spanish for beginners
SPN 102 Spanish for beginners
PTG 101 Portuguese for beginners
Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures
HEB 110 Hebrew
LAT 110 Latin
GRK 110 Greek