Program Overview

Programme: BScHons in Applied Science specialising in Industrial Systems

The BScHons in Applied Science specialising in Industrial Systems is a postgraduate degree that focuses on the application of scientific principles to industrial systems.

Programme information

The curriculum is determined in consultation with the relevant heads of departments. A student is required to pass modules to the value of at least 128 credits. The degree is awarded on the basis of examinations only.

Admission requirements

General Admission Regulations:

• All applications must be accompanied by the following documents:
  • Certified full academic transcripts from undergraduate to current level;
  • Certified copy of ID or passport;
  • A research concept note (not applicable to honours or coursework master's degrees): A description of the proposed research field indicating a research topic and the broad scope of the proposed study, not exceeding 500 words.
• All applicants with international qualifications must submit the following documents, subject to provision number 9:
  • A SAQA evaluation of the completed qualification or a comprehensive Foreign Qualification Report
  • TOEFL or IELTS or Pearson Test of English or Oxford Test of English test results (if applicable)
  • Certified copy of passport.
• All postgraduate applications are subject to departmental admissions processes.
• Admissions is based on the content of and performance in the prior degree, bridging arrangements (where required), academic merit and prior work experience (if applicable).
• Admission to all qualifications is subject to supervisory capacity and/or research projects in the field of specialisation in a department, therefore the relevant department has the right to limit the number of students per year.
• Complying with the minimum admissions requirements, does not automatically guarantee admission to the degree.
• Proposed research studies for masters and doctoral applicants should align with the research focus of the relevant department.
• If a qualifying candidate has expressed an interest in a field of study that the relevant department cannot accommodate, the applicant may be considered for an alternative project.
• All postgraduate applicants must be proficient in English as English is the official language of tuition, communication and correspondence at the University of Pretoria. Candidates who cannot provide evidence that previous studies were completed in English, must submit TOEFL or IELTS or Pearson Test of English or Oxford Test of English test results with their application.
• All applicants must be computer literate.
• All students need to have access to an internet enabled device, as well as consistent email and internet access.
• Allowance will be made for the diversity profile of students in accordance with the University strategy.

Minimum Admission Requirements:

• Three-year Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) degree (in Natural Sciences) with a cumulative weighted average of at least 60% for the degree
  or
  relevant BTech qualification excluding the National Diploma; i.e. one offered by a department of civil engineering at a university of technology in South Africa, with a cumulative weighted average of at least 75% for the degree
  and
  no modules failed in the BTech degree
  or
  Relevant Advanced Diploma qualification (NQF Level 7), excluding the National Diploma; i.e. one offered by a department of industrial engineering at a university of technology in South Africa, with a cumulative weighted average of at least 70% for the diploma
  and
  no modules failed in the Advanced Diploma
  or
  Four-year engineering-based university degree not recognised by ECSA for registration as a professional engineer
  or
  relevant four-year bachelor's degree in engineering that the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) regards as acceptable for registration as a candidate engineer and for eventual registration as a professional engineer
• Comprehensive intellectual CV

Other programme-specific information

The programme consists of three compulsory modules (64 credits) with any relevant core module as prerequisite and the remainder of credits either core and/or non-core modules.

Examinations and pass requirements

• The examination in each module for which a student is registered, takes place during the normal examination period after the conclusion of lectures (i.e. October/November or May/June).
• A student must obtain at least 50% in an examination for each module where no semester or year mark is required. A module may only be repeated once.
• In modules where semester or year marks are awarded, a minimum examination mark of 40% and a final mark of 50% is required.

Pass with distinction

A student passes with distinction if he or she obtains a weighted average of at least 75% (not rounded) in the first 128 credits for which he or she has registered (excluding modules which were discontinued timeously). The degree is not awarded with distinction if a student fails any one module (excluding modules which were discontinued timeously). The degree must be completed within the prescribed study period.

Core modules

• BAN 780: Industrial analysis 780
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Descriptive models are used to describe how systems or processes operate, and the outputs of these models are used as inputs for prescriptive and predictive models.
• BCS 780: Industrial and systems engineering research 780
  • Credits: 32.00
  • Module content: This is a compulsory research module.
• BLK 781: Supply chain processes 781
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Supply chain engineering is an area in which Industrial Engineering is often applied to execute, manage, or improve elements of product and service supply chains.

Elective modules

• BBA 781: Enterprise engineering and research methods 781
  • Credits: 24.00
  • Module content: Enterprise Engineering can be defined as the body of knowledge, principles, and practices to design an enterprise.
• BDE 780: Research methods 780
  • Credits: 8.00
  • Module content: Industrial Engineering Research includes a wide range of research methods that may be qualitative and quantitative in nature.
• BGH 780: Quality management 780
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: Professionally, engineers are confronted with issues related to product quality and performance or organisational excellence.
• BOZ 780: Operations research 780
  • Credits: 32.00
  • Module content: Building on undergraduate modules in Operations Research, the module aims to extend the mathematical programming and optimisation capabilities by introducing uncertainty.
• BPZ 782: Manufacturing planning and control systems 782
  • Credits: 32.00
  • Module content: Review of the general framework for the planning and control of manufacturing and service systems.
• BSS 780: Systems engineering 780
  • Credits: 24.00
  • Module content: Systems engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering profession that focuses on the conception, design, development, architecting, integration and management of complex systems over their life cycle.
• BTH 780: Reliability engineering 780
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: To make students conversant with the concepts, tools and techniques of reliability engineering.
• BUY 780: Simulation modelling 780
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: In recent years, the boundaries between different simulation paradigms such as discrete event simulation, system dynamics and agent-based models have become less distinct.
• BVK 780: Supply chain design 780
  • Credits: 16.00
  • Module content: This module builds on the foundational supply chain knowledge gained in prerequisite modules and aims to provide students with insight into the various elements of supply chain design.