Higher education
Higher education in South Africa
Unlike Dutch higher education, South African higher education is not divided into and . South African higher education institutions can offer both types of education. This often means that for each diploma we have to determine whether it is HBO or WO. Below, we describe the diplomas that we often see.
HBO
Higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). HBO is more oriented towards professions in specific areas than WO, and has traditionally been offered at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen).
WO
Research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). WO is oriented more towards theory and research than HBO, and has traditionally been offered at research universities (universiteiten).
Higher Certificate
- : 1 year.
- Content: professionally oriented programmes with general subjects.
- Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
- a National Certificate; or
- a National Senior Certificate (NSC) on which it is mentioned that the student has met the minimum admission requirements of Higher Certificate, (National) Diploma and/or bachelor's programmes.
- Function of the diploma: work and sometimes access to bachelor's programmes. They can sometimes get exemptions for part of the bachelor's programme.
- Diploma: Higher Certificate.
Duration
The official length of the full-time programme (not part-time) without study delay.
We compare a Higher Certificate to 1 year of HBO.
(National) Diploma
- Duration: 3 years.
- Content: professionally oriented programmes.
- Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
- a Higher Certificate; or
- a National Senior Certificate (NSC) on which it is mentioned that the student has met the minimum admission requirements of Higher Certificate and (National) Diploma programmes.
- Function of the diploma: work. Also, students with a (National) Diploma can often obtain a bachelor degree by studying 1 extra year after completing the (National) Diploma programme. They often get exemptions for part of the bachelor's programme.
- Diploma: (National) Diploma.
We compare a (National) Diploma (duration: 3 years) to 3 years of HBO.
Bachelor’s degree
- Duration: 3 to 6 years, depending on the study programme:
- commerce, humanities and science: 3 years;
- dentistry: 5½ years;
- law and nursing science: 4 years
- medicine and veterinary science: 6 years.
- Content: varies per study programme, sometimes an internship, usually no thesis.
- Admission requirements:
- A National Senior Certificate (NSC) grants admission if it is mentioned on the diploma that the student has met the minimum admission requirements of Higher Certificate, (National) Diploma and/or bachelor's programmes. Also, there are extra requirements for certain subjects and/or grades.
- In some cases, a Higher Certificate grants admission to bachelor's programmes in a related field of study, sometimes with exemptions.
- A (National) Diploma may also grant admission to bachelor's programmes in a related field of study, with exemptions.
- Function of the diploma: access to honours bachelor's programmes, sometimes access to master's programmes, and work.
- Diploma: Bachelor, such as:
- Bachelor of Architecture;
- Bachelor of Arts;
- Bachelor of Commerce;
- Bachelor of Engineering;
- Bachelor of Science;
- Bachelor of Technology.
We compare a bachelor's degree (duration: 3 years) to 3 years of HBO.
We compare a bachelor's degree (duration: 4 years) to an HBO bachelor's degree or a WO bachelor’s degree. This depends on the content of the study programme.
We compare a bachelor's degree in dentistry to half a year of a 3-year WO master's programme in dentistry.
We compare a bachelor's degree in veterinary science to 1 year of a 3-year WO master's programme in veterinary medicine.
We compare the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBCh) to 1 year of a 3-year WO master's programme in medicine.
Honours bachelor's degree
- Duration: at least 1 year.
- Content: profession-oriented or research-oriented subjects. Students study further in the field of study of their bachelor’s degree.
- Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree.
- Function of the diploma: deepening the knowledge that students have acquired during the bachelor's degree, access to master's programmes and work.
- Diploma: an honours bachelor's degree, such as:
- Bachelor of Architecture Honours;
- Bachelor of Arts Honours;
- Bachelor of Commerce Honours;
- Bachelor of Music Honours;
- Bachelor of Science Honours.
We compare a honours bachelor's degree to an HBO bachelor's degree or a WO bachelor’s degree. This depends on the content of the study programme.
Master's degree
- Duration: 1 or 2 years.
- Content: either research and a dissertation or a package of taught subjects that is concluded with a final paper or research report.
- Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
- a honours bachelor's degree; or
- a bachelor’s degree following a study programme with a duration of at least 4 years.
- Function of the diploma: access to doctoral programmes or work.
- Diploma: a master's degree, such as:
- Master of Arts;
- Master of Commerce;
- Master of Engineering;
- Master of Philosophy;
- Master of Science;
- Master of Social Science;
- Master of Technology.
We compare a master's degree to an HBO master's degree or a WO master’s degree. This depends on the content and duration of the study programme.
Doctoral degree
- Duration: at least 2 years.
- Content: research and a dissertation.
- Admission requirements: a master's degree and possibly extra requirements.
- Diploma: a doctoral degree, such as:
- Doctor of Commerce (DCom);
- Doctor of Laws (LLD);
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).