Higher education
Students can obtain the following diplomas at South African higher education institutions:
Higher Certificate
- Duration: 1 year.
- Content: professionally oriented programmes with general subjects.
- Admission requirements: National Certificate or National Senior Certificate (NSC) which states that the graduate has met the requirements for admission to Higher Certificate programmes.
- Diploma: Higher Certificate.
(National) Diploma
- Duration: 3 years.
- Content: professionally oriented programmes.
- Admission requirements: Higher Certificate or National Senior Certificate (NSC) which states that the graduate has met the requirements for admission to (National) Diploma programmes.
- Diploma: (National) Diploma.
We compare the (National) Diploma following a 3-year programme, to 3 years of higher professional education (HBO).
Bachelor’s degree
- Duration: 3 to 6 years; programmes in humanities, commerce and science usually last 3 years, nursing science and law 4 years, architecture 5 years, dentistry 5½ years and veterinary science and medicine 6 years.
- Content: varies per specialisation, sometimes an internship, usually no thesis.
- Admission requirements: the National Senior Certificate (NSC) which states that the minimum requirements for admission to bachelor's degree programmes have been met + extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. A (National) Diploma may also grant admission to bachelor's programmes in the same specialisation, with exemptions.
- Diploma: Bachelor, such as Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Technology, Bachelor of Engineering.
We compare the bachelor's degree, following a 3-year programme, to 3 years of higher professional education (HBO).
We compare the bachelor's degree in architecture to a WO bachelor’s degree.
We compare the bachelor's degree in dentistry to at least a WO bachelor’s degree.
We compare the bachelor's degree in veterinary science to at least a WO bachelor’s degree.
We compare the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBCh) to at least a WO bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor honours degree
- Duration: at least 1 year.
- Content: deepening the knowledge that students have acquired during the bachelor's degree.
- Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree.
- Diploma: Bachelor Honours, such as Bachelor of Arts Honours and Bachelor of Commerce Honours.
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: a bachelor honours degree or a bachelor’s degree following a 4- tot 6-year programme.
- Diploma: Master, such as Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Technology, Master of Commerce, Master of Engineering, Master of Social Science, Master of Philosophy.
Doctoral degree (PhD)
- Duration: at least 2 years.
- Content: research and a dissertation.
- Admission requirements: a master's degree and possibly extra requirements.
- Diploma: PhD and Doctor of Philosophy.
Types of higher education institutions
Higher education institutions in South Africa can offer both higher professional education and research-oriented higher education. There are 2 types of higher education institutions:
- public universities; and
- private higher education institutions
Public universities
There are 3 types of public universities:
- universities;
- universities of technology;
- comprehensive universities.
Universities
Universities are the traditional academic universities. They offer mainly research-oriented higher education.
Universities of technology
Universities of technology are non-university institutions (technikons) that turned into universities. These institutions offer higher professional education. When students do research, it is practice-oriented.
Comprehensive universities
Comprehensive universities are a combination of the traditional academic universities and universities of technology. They are the result of mergers of technikons and traditional universities. Comprehensive universities offer both higher professional education and research-oriented higher education.
Private higher education institutions
Higher education is also offered by private higher education institutions. These institutions mainly offer higher professional education.