Program Overview

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Programme: BEng Mining Engineering

The BEng Mining Engineering programme is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field of mining engineering. The programme is accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and complies with the academic requirements for registration as a professional engineer.

Programme Information

The programme is presented over a period of four years and consists of a combination of theoretical and practical modules. The learning outcomes of the programme include:

• Engineering problem solving
• Application of specialist and fundamental knowledge
• Engineering design and synthesis
• Investigation, experimentation, and data analysis
• Engineering methods, skills, tools, and information technology
• Professional and general communication
• Awareness and knowledge of the impact of engineering activity on society and the physical environment
• Work in teams and in multidisciplinary environments
• An awareness and ability for lifelong learning
• An awareness and knowledge of principles of professional ethics and practice

The learning contents of the programme include six essential knowledge areas:

1. Mathematics, including numerical methods and statistics (13%)
2. Basic sciences: the natural sciences essential to the programme (15%)
3. Engineering sciences (40%)
4. Engineering design and synthesis (16%)
5. Computing and information technology (5%)
6. Complementary studies: communication, economy, management, innovation, environmental impact, ethics, engineering practice (11%)

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
• A candidate who is a graduate of another faculty at the University of Pretoria

Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS. Grade 11 results are used in the provisional admission of prospective students. A valid National Senior Certificate (NSC) with admission to degree studies is required. Minimum subject and achievement requirements are set out below.

Minimum Requirements for 2017

The minimum requirements for admission to the programme in 2017 are:

• Achievement level: Afrikaans or English: 5, Mathematics: 6, Physical Sciences: 6
• APS: 35

Other Programme-Specific Information

Most modules offered at the School of Engineering are semester modules having credit values of either 8 or 16. A student may be permitted by the Dean, on recommendation of the relevant head of the department, to register for an equivalent module in an alternate semester.

Promotion to Next Study Year

The promotion requirements for each year of study are as follows:

• Promotion to the second semester of the first year and to the second year of study: A new first-year student who has failed in all the prescribed modules of the programme at the end of the first semester is excluded from studies in the School of Engineering.
• Promotion to the third year of study: A student who complies with all the requirements of the second year of study is promoted to the third year of study.
• Promotion to the fourth year of study: A student who complies with all the requirements of the third year of study is promoted to the fourth year of study.

Pass with Distinction

A student graduates with distinction if:

1. No module of the third or fourth year of study of the four-year programme was repeated and a weighted average of at least 75% was obtained in one year in all the modules of the final year of study
2. The degree programme was completed within the prescribed four years for the four-year programme

Core Modules

The core modules for each year of study are as follows:

Year 1

• UPO 112: Academic orientation 112
• CHM 171: General chemistry 171
• EBN 122: Electricity and electronics 122
• FSK 176: Physics 176
• MGC 110: Graphical communication 110
• NMC 113: Materials science 113
• PWP 121: Workshop practice 121
• SWK 122: Mechanics 122
• WTW 158: Calculus 158
• HAS 110: Humanities and social sciences 110
• HAS 120: Humanities and social sciences 120
• WTW 164: Mathematics 164

Year 2

• BES 220: Engineering statistics 220
• JCP 203: Community-based project 203
• MSD 210: Dynamics 210
• MTX 221: Thermodynamics 221
• PMY 210: Virtual reality introduction to mining 210
• SUR 220: Surveying 220
• SWK 210: Strength of materials 210
• WTW 238: Mathematics 238
• WTW 256: Differential equations 256
• WTW 258: Calculus 258
• WTW 263: Numerical methods 263
• PPY 220: Experiential training 220
• MPR 213: Programming and information technology 213
• PJJ 210: Professional and technical communication 210

Year 3

• GLY 151: Introductory geology 151
• GLY 161: Historical geology 161
• PME 320: Mineral economics 320
• PNB 300: Industrial excursions 300
• PSC 321: Introduction to project 321
• MTV 310: Thermoflow 310
• PMY 311: Surface mining and geotechnics 311
• PPY 320: Experiential training 320
• PMY 320: Mining 320
• PRX 321: Explosives engineering 321
• NMP 310: Minerals processing 310
• BSS 310: Engineering management 310
• MIA 320: Engineering activity and group work 320

Year 4

• GLY 254: Structural geology 254
• GLY 352: Geodynamics and ore formation 352
• PEE 410: Mine ventilation engineering 410
• PMY 410: Mining 410
• PNB 400: Industrial excursions 400
• PSZ 410: Strata control 410
• PMZ 422: Mine design and research 422
• PSC 411: Project 411
• PMY 423: Mine operational risk management 423
• IPI 410: Engineering professionalism 410

Minimum Credits

The minimum credits required for each year of study are as follows:

• Year 1: 146 credits
• Year 2: 144 credits
• Year 3: 144 credits
• Year 4: 142 credits