• Welcome Kaino Ngunoue Uahatjiri Mbaukua to your Virtual Campus

    Studying Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Pretoria

    Explore Our Virtual Campus

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Research Excellence at University of Pretoria

Research at the University of Pretoria (UP) is at the apex of the University’s long-term strategic plan, UP 2025, which is to be a leading research-intensive university in Africa. Equally important is the University’s international visibility and the impact of its research and innovation on socio-economic development in South Africa and in the region. UP therefore deliberately balances its focus on research and innovation and the partnerships fostered by creating an environment that is conducive to scholarly pursuits. A wide range of research and professional areas underscores the strength of UP in research and postgraduate education, and also the areas in which UP is positioned as a research leader in Africa and internationally.

UP has been home to some of Africa’s most significant leaders in research. Each year the increasing number of National Research Foundation-rated researchers is evidence of the University’s commitment to attracting and retaining researchers of the highest distinction, as well as young researchers with the potential for research excellence.

It is through the sustained individual and collective actions of our researchers that UP continues to strengthen its identity as a leading research-intensive university in Africa.

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Academic Programmes

Available Postgraduate Programmes

The hopes of South Africa rests, to a very large extent, on developments in Science, Engineering and Technology. The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences provides leadership in the fields of natural sciences and mathematics. It has substantial records of research achievement, with highly qualified academics who actively engage in research and in the generation of new knowledge, who teach at postgraduate levels.

Read more about the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences’ postgraduate programmes.

 

Research Areas and Supervisors

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences rates among the most diverse and best science faculties in South Africa. The Faculty is intensely involved in four of UP’s Institutional Research Themes, which are Energy, Food, Nutrition and Well-being, Genomics and Animal and Zoonotic Diseases.

UP aims to create an enabling environment in which our postgraduate students and their supervisors can function optimally. Our supervisors provide academic guidance and mentorship to students and are key role players in the administrative efficiency of postgraduate study.

Read more about the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences research areas

Research That Matters

GENERATING NEW SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE

Prof Vinesh Maharaj
Deputy Dean: Research and Postgraduate Education

The Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences contributes substantially to the building of research and teaching capacity in South Africa by producing highly skilled graduates, as well as generating new scientific knowledge through our research publications.

A significant number of our scientists are evaluated internationally and acknowledged by the National Research Foundation as researchers of high international standing – and in some cases, as world leaders in their fields. The Faculty is proud to host 50% of the A-rated researchers, and 40% of the NRF-rated researchers at UP.

In this Faculty, we constantly push the frontiers of knowledge and develop new technology that will help the Faculty to stay in step with the challenges of a continuously changing world.

We endeavour to enhance the postgraduate student experience and the research outputs of the Faculty and support our postgraduate students’ careers, particularly those of the young academics in science.

Institutes, Centres and Units

The internationally acclaimed institutes, centres and units that are aligned to the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences address global challenges, such as sustainable energy, safe water, biodiversity and conservation, climate change and natural disasters, through a range of multidisciplinary research programmes.

The breadth and diversity that this Faculty has to offer, as well as the currently well-recognised fields of excellence, provides for immense potential to further advance the University’s research profile.

Read more about the Institutes, Centres and Units aligned to the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Your Postgraduate Journey

The University of Pretoria welcomes you to its comprehensive and exciting postgraduate degree programmes. Your postgraduate journey starts from the point of registration to graduation, with guidance from an academic supervisor allocated to you. As soon as a supervisor has been appointed to oversee your research project, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which stipulates responsibilities of the student and those of the supervisor, must be signed.

A plagiarism policy should also be signed together with the MOA. In order to support your efforts to graduate successfully and on time, there are critical milestones that should be achieved during the whole journey. Details of the milestones are given in an online system called the Graduate Research Management (GRM) system that has been developed to facilitate monitoring of progress of students in the postgraduate journey.

The GRM system will help you to monitor your progress in terms of achievement of all the pertinent milestones in your postgraduate journey. In addition, various structures of the university are there to provide you with a wide range of academic as well as administrative support. More information about the postgraduate journey and support programmes offered can be found in the postgraduate roadmap.

Funding Opportunities

As a postgraduate student or prospective student at UP, there are a number of research resources available to you to identify suitable research funding opportunities. Apart from the University, many companies and institutions offer scholarships and bursaries for postgraduate studies. The University manages a number of financial funds on behalf of institutions who provide such funding. Applications for financial assistance, bursaries or funding must be submitted concurrently while you apply for admittance to your postgraduate programme. Funding is subject to approval and availability.

Read more about funding opportunities.

 

Explore Our Campus

Start Your Virtual Experience Start Your Virtual Experience

The University of Pretoria's (UP) Hatfield Campus is situated in Lynnwood Road, Hillcrest, in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. The campus is one of the most picturesque in the country. It is spread over 24 hectares and also houses most of the University's residences. The lively Hatfield cosmopolitan shopping area is within walking distance of UP's residences.

We're delighted that you're interested in studying with us.

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Postgraduate Accommodation

Welcome to TuksRes - "Your home away from home"

TuksRes Intro

If you are looking for that special place you can call your home away from home, then a residence at the University of Pretoria (UP) is just the place for you. With us, you will find an environment that is conducive to working and studying hard.

About Student Accommodation

Hatfield Accommodation

Jakaranda Residence

Jakaranda Residence

Protea Mbalenhle Residence

Protea Mbalenhle Residence

Tuksdorp

Tuksdorp

Xayata Residence

Xayata Residence

Other Postgraduate Interests

Entrepreneurship at UP

Entrepreneurship at UP

Entrepreneurship at the University of Pretoria is about working towards an entrepreneurial university by providing the whole entrepreneurial process under one roof, taking you from an idea to commercialisation.

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Student Support

Student Support

The Department of Student Affairs supports you on your journey to success by helping you to further develop your strengths, looking after your wellness and health, making education accessible for students with disabilities, and ensuring good student governance.

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THE UP WAY

THE UP WAY

THE UP WAY is our way of life at the University of Pretoria. It is our ethos, our vibe, our way of life and what we stand for as an institution.

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Sport

Sport

With more than 30 sport clubs and 10 sport academies, TuksSport offers a home for dedicated sport people.

TuksSport not only focuses on top performers, but also on club contestants and recreational sport participants. It provides a comprehensive high performance support programme for participants on national and international level, including scientific and medical support, sport testing, training, fitness, technical and tactical expertise, sport injuries and sport psychology.

TuksSport @ UP – message from TuksSport Director

TuksSport UP Your Game

Click on the links below to view Panoramas

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The Javett Art Centre

The Javett Art Centre

With one foot firmly rooted in academia, and the other embedded in the public, the Javett-UP makes the Pan-African Artistic practices accessible, relevant and engaging.The building is on the south campus of the University of Pretoria and connects the Hatfield campus to the South Campus via a bridge over Lynnwood Road. Underneath the building, the student gallery links UP’s Departments of Architecture and Visual Arts and a number of other exhibition spaces, housing various temporary exhibitions.

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Career Services

Career Services

Earning a degree is a great achievement. But what happens when you’ve completed your studies? How do you find a job and gain experience? UP's Career Services office helps you to prepare for the real world.

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Arts and Culture

Arts and Culture

Your academic success is important, but university life is also about having fun and exploring your talents to become a well-rounded graduate who is ready for the world beyond university. At the University of Pretoria we have a vibrant student life and there are many arts, cultural, sporting, and academic extramural activities that you can participate in.

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International Students

International Students

The University of Pretoria (UP) enhances its international standing through multifaceted internationalisation programmes. The programmes are facilitated and coordinated by the International Cooperation Division (ICD), who ensure that the doors of UP are always open to international students, academics, administrative staff, collaborative researchers, policymakers, funding organisations and other stakeholders. On average, UP has over 4,000 international students annually.

The internationalisation programmes spearheaded by the ICD include:

  • International students (including short-term exchange programmes, full academic programmes, joint degrees)
  • International programmes and agreements (including visiting professors, conference attendance, institutional agreements)
  • International mobility projects (students, academic staff and administrative staff covered)

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Library

Library

The University of Pretoria boasts some of the best university libraries in South Africa. They provide a comprehensive information service for the University's students and staff.

By keeping abreast of the latest technological and professional advances and providing up-to-date information services, the library’s staff members and 11 site libraries are able to provide a relevant and stimulating environment for our students and staff.

Have a look at our world-class libraries:

Library – Message from the Director

Library

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Future Africa

Future Africa

The University of Pretoria’s Future Africa campus is the place where Africa’s leading scientists and scholars from across the world and from a broad range of disciplines come together to leverage the benefits of transdisciplinary research to address the grand challenges that face Africa and the world.

Issues of critical relevance to Africa are tackled: from sustainable development and good governance, citizen participation and human rights, to advancing innovation for the bioresource economy.

In a world where ideas and technologies evolve rapidly and the challenges we face are multifaceted and transnational, Africa needs a new generation of original thinkers with international perspectives, yet with a scholarly vision and voice that is rooted in Africa.

The Future Africa campus provides a dynamic living, learning and research environment where a community of scholars and other societal role players will engage to advance excellence in scholarship, dialogue and impact. Here the continent’s brightest young geneticists, chemists, economists, lawyers, engineers, social scientists and other specialists are able to work side by side in an environment that facilitates world-class creativity, collaboration and critical thinking.

Video on Future AfricaVideo on Future Africa

Click on the links below to view Panoramas

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Financial Aid

Financial Aid

University of Pretoria understands that studying at a tertiary level comes with many expenses for you and your family. Sometimes students find it difficult to cover all of their university fees along with the related costs like paying for textbooks, food, and transport. We have financial aid available to all students regardless of their household income, study programme or year of study.

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What hybrid learning is like at UP

What hybrid learning is like at UP

Hybrid = Contact + Online. UP’s hybrid teaching and learning model makes transitioning to fully online learning so much easier. Let’s hear what some of our students have to say...

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Postgraduate Academic Support

Postgraduate Academic Support

The University of Pretoria (UP) values its people and strives to create an enabling environment to induct researchers into a productive research culture. It is crucially important that researchers obtain support and encouragement when completing postgraduate qualifications, applying for grants, becoming rated or receiving negative feedback on submitted papers or applications.

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Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities

The University of Pretoria has an institutional commitment to ensure an integrated and inclusive learning experience for students with disabilities. UP’s Disability Unit supports students with disabilities in partnership with departments and faculties.

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Hatfield

  • Cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street
    Hatfield
    Pretoria
    South Africa
  • www.up.ac.za
  • 012 420 5241 / 012 420 5039

Any further questions?

Our Course Enquiries team are ready to hear from you. You can get in touch in the following ways:

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The University is firmly committed to protecting the privacy of users of the website. No personal information about users of this website will be disclosed to a third party without the prior consent thereto by the user. (Personal information shall at all times be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act 4 of 2013).)

The University reserves the right to automatically collect information on users' usage of the website (for example, via cookies) in order to improve users' browsing and interaction with the University and for non-personal statistical purposes.

Changes to this privacy policy

The University reserves the right to change, amend, or update this privacy policy periodically.

Modifications to the website

The University reserves the right to modify, change, amend or discontinue the website (or any part thereof) temporarily or permanently, without prior notice.

Links

The University may provide links to other websites or resources. This does not imply the University's endorsement of such sites. The University does not have any control over these websites and will, therefore, not be liable for any damages whatsoever arising from the utilisation of these websites by users.

The University does not prohibit third-party sites to link to publicly visible content on this website. However, it is expressly prohibited for any third party to frame any page on this website in any way whatsoever without the prior written approval of the University.

University of Pretoria proprietary rights

The copyright and other intellectual property rights (which include the University’s brand and logo), which are owned by or licensed to the University, existing in and attaching to this website, are the property of the University. These include but are not limited to text, content, design, layout, graphics, organisation, digital conversion and other information related to the website.

Users are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to:

  • access and use this website strictly in accordance with these terms;
  • use this website solely for personal, non-commercial purposes; and
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Any reproduction of the content of this website, or a portion thereof, must include the following copyright notice: ©University of Pretoria. Users who wish to use the content from this website for commercial purposes may only do so with prior written permission from the University.

Disclaimer

It has come to our attention that a website unknown to Universities South Africa as well as UP (saadmissions.com) is using our corporate identity to promote information on SA universities and also invite online applications into the SA public university system. Please note that UP/USAf has no knowledge of this entity and has no association with it whatsoever.

Anyone who transacts through this site does so at their own risk.

This website is for information purposes only. No representations or warranties are given by the University of Pretoria (hereafter referred to as the University) regarding the accuracy of the information this website contains, any material this website provides for or any part of this website. Any reliance by the user on any information this website contains, any material this website provides for or any part of this website, is at the user’s own risk and the University shall not be liable in any way whatsoever in respect of the user or any other person, directly or indirectly, arising from the utilisation of the information this website contains, any material this website provides for or any part of this website.

The user hereby agrees that in the event of any dispute arising from the utilisation of this website in any manner, form or substance whatsoever, the relevant South African law will apply and the appropriate courts of South Africa will have jurisdiction.

Terms of use

It has come to our attention that a website unknown to Universities South Africa as well as UP (saadmissions.com) is using our corporate identity to promote information on SA universities and also invite online applications into the SA public university system. Please note that UP/USAf has no knowledge of this entity and has no association with it whatsoever.

Anyone who transacts through this site does so at their own risk.

By accessing this website, the user hereby agrees to the following:

The use of this website is at the user’s sole risk. This website is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. The University gives no warranty that (i) the information posted on this website will meet the user’s requirements; (ii) the information posted on this website will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, virus free or error free; and (iii) the information posted on this website will be accurate or reliable.

Any material downloaded from or otherwise obtained through this website is utilised at the user’s own risk, and the user will, therefore, be liable for any and all damages of any nature whatsoever arising from such utilisation of the website.

Limitation of liability

The user expressly understands and agrees that the University shall not be liable for any damages (subject to the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (Act 68 of 2008) (even if the University has been advised of the possibility of such damages) resulting from: (i) the use or the inability to use the website; (ii) the cost of procurement of substitute goods and services resulting from any data, information or services obtained or messages received or transactions entered into through the website; (iii) unauthorised access to or alteration of the user’s transmissions or data; (iv) statements or conduct of any third party on the website; or (v) any other matter relating to the website.

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Programme

Programme Directors: Alex Caige and Jodell Kirsten Tantij

09:00About the University of Pretoria
09:05Introduction of the Executive and Deans
Prof Carolina Koornhof
Executive Director: Finance and Business Initiatives
09:09Introduction to the University of Pretoria
Prof Tawana Kupe
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
University of Pretoria
09:19TuksSport
09:22UP Culture
09:24Life in a TuksRes
09:28Student Representative Council
Ms Thuto Mashila
SRC President
09:30Teaching and Learning at the University of Pretoria
Prof Loretta Feris
Vice-Principal: Academic
09:33Bursary draw announcements
09:34Virtual Campus demonstration
09:38Hamper winners announcements
09:40Embrace THE UP WAY
Faculty Information Sessions
10:00Health Sciences | Law | Education
11:00Natural and Agricultural Sciences | Humanities | Theology and Religion
12:00Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology | Economic and Management Sciences | Veterinary Science
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