Recent Updates

Rhodes University - Faculty of Science

This page is presented as an interesting archive of developments in the rules and offerings of the Science Faculty over the last decade

Developments in 2010

(11 January 2010)

Mid year exclusion on academic grounds

The University Senate revoked the Faculty of Science's right to exclude students mid-year for ainadequate performance. Students who fell into this category will, however, be strongly recommended to withdraw from the University, as there is ample evidence to suggest that they will inevitably be excluded at the end of the year in any case and will achieve little by staying on (other than to mount up expenses for themselves!)

Applied Physiology and Anatomy (APA 201/202) no longer offered as a subject

The APA 2 course, with constituent semesters APA 201 and APA 202 will no longer be offered. This course was a required ancillary for students wishing to major in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics. Such students will now have to obtain credit in another subject, preferably at second year level, such as Zoology 2, Botany 2, Entomology 2, Ichthyology 2, Chemistry 2 etc. Students are reminded that a subject often taken as a co-major with HKE - namely Psychology - is a group B subject: the credits needed to cover the withdrawal of APA 201/202 will have to be chosen from the Group A list of Science subjects, and may not include subjects such as Information Systems, Philosophy or Management.

Changes in structure of mathematics courses

As from 2010, Maths 102 will be subsumed into the first semester of the full year course Maths 1. Lectures for MAT 102 are simply those for the first semester of MAT 1, and take place in period 6 every day. Students will have the option of obtaining a credit for MAT 102 if they pass the June examination and then withdraw from MAT 1, or of continuing with the second semester course to obtain the two credits for the full MAT 1.

MAT 101 is taken primarily by Pharmacy students, although it is acceptable as a credit in a BSc curriculum. MAT 101 + MAT 102 are not equivalent to MAT 1, although the combination MAT 101 + 102 can still earn you two semester credits. MAT 101 is not held at the same time as MAT 1, but in the timetable slot 4-5-1-2-3.

Developments in 2009

(11 January 2009)

Changes in Chemistry ancillary requirements

To major in chemistry, you now need two (not four) semester-credits in any of Physics, Maths, Computer Science or Statistics. These would normally comprise one full year in one of the subjects.

New semester course in Computer Science

The Computer Science Department has introduced a new third year semester-credit. CSC 303 covers gaming theory and web design and applications. It is an optional extra semester-credit, it does not replace either CSC 301 or CSC 302. If you are interested in this course, speak to the Head of Department.

Developments in 2008

(17 December 2008)

Mid year exclusion on academic grounds

As from 2008, the Faculty will also exercise the right to exclude students mid year for inadequate performance.

Students on the main program who do not achieve an average mid-year examination mark of at least 40% may be excluded
Students on the Extended Program who do not achieve an average mid-year mark of at least 55% may be excluded

New joint Honours programme

The departments of Botany and Environmental Science will offer a specialist honours course in Biodiversity amd Conservation.

Logic 101 withdrawn

Logic 101 will not be offered. It may be offered again in the future, but for the moment the rules for the BSc(InfSys) and BSc(SofDev) degrees, for which Logic 101 was formerly a compulsory course, have been amended to read

FIRST AND SECOND YEARS

Computer Science (CSC 1 and CSC 2)
Information Systems (INF 2)
Economics (ECO 1) or Management (MAN 1)
Accounting (ACC 1)
Statistics (STA 101 or STA 1D, or an alternative course in Statistics)
Mathematics (MAT 102 or MAT 1)
Electronics Literacy (PHY 1E2)
Three further semester-credits in Management or Economics or Mathematics or Statistics or Mathematical Statistics or Logic or some other subject approved by the Dean.

Developments in 2007

(5 January 2007)

Applied Freshwater Ecology

The "Freshwater Ecology" course is no more, and students majoring in Environmental Science, Ichthyology or Geography no longer have the option of taking it in place of one of the other semester courses in those subjects.

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics is offered at the postgraduate level. A joint Honours programme is offered between the Department and the departments of Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics. Candidates for this programme must have completed a BSc structured as follows:

CHE 1 CSC 1 MAT 1 STA 1 CEL 101

BCH 2 CSC 2 MAT 2 or MST 2

BCH 3 CSC 3 or MAT 3 or MST 3 MIC 202

This curriculum will prepare students for careers in the bioinformatics sector, and be the entrance route to the MSc(Bioinformatics and Computational Molecular Biology) in the future.

CEL 101 and MIC 202 are strongly recommended as additional credits (giving 19 or 20 credits overall). MIC 202 can be taken without MIC 201, as long as BCH 201 has been taken.

Environmental Science

There are now two semesters in Environmental Science 3 - ENV 301 and ENV 302, both of which must be taken to complete a major in Environmental Science. The "Freshwater Ecology" and "Environmental Economics" options that were previously available to stand for "ENV 301" are no longer available in this role.

Mathematics

Mathematice 1E1 and 1E2 have been discontinued. Students who perform poorly in MAT 1 in the June exams will be transferred to a remedial programme similar in structure to that used successfully in Chemistry ("Chemistry 1R") for some years, and will complete the course over two years.

Developments in 2006

(5 January 2006)

BSC(Information Systems) and BSc(Software Development)

Following some years in which students who originally registered for these degrees experienced difficulty in changing to another degree if they decided that the programme was not suited to their needs, it has been decided that students enrolling in their first year for either of these degrees should be registered for

Computer Science 1, Accounting 1, Management 1, Economics 1, Maths 102, Stats 1D

rather than, as heretofore, only for

Computer Science 1, Accounting 1, Management 1, Maths 102, Stats 1D

This will allow for an easy conversion after the first year to a BCom (for which Accounting, Management, Economics, Stats 1D and usually Computer Science 101 are compulsory courses) or to a BSc (in which Maths, Stats, Computer Science and Economics are all possible options).

Furthermore, more stringent rules have been put in place to handle cases where students underperform:

BSc(Inf Systems) and BSc(Software Development) students who obtain between 50% & 60% for CSC 102 will be counselled to move to a degree in the Faculty of Commerce. The reason for this is that a detailed analysis of data over the last 5 years suggest that these students have only about a 50% chance of passing CSC 201. Students who move to degrees in the Faculty of Commerce at this stage should still be able to complete a degree in a total of three years.
BSc(Inf Systems) and BSc(Software Development) students who fail CSC 2 (in their second year at Rhodes) will be required to change to a degree in the Faculty of Commerce. This will almost certainly require another two years (4 years in total) to complete the degree.
The (four year) BSc (Software Development) is a "flagship degree". Since analysis of 5 years of results suggests that students with 37 Swedish points or less have had an ever worsening chance of passing CSC 201, students will in future only be accepted for the BSc(Software Development) if they have at least 40 Swedish points.
Students must obtain at least 60% in CSC 102 and pass at least 8 of the 10 semester credits in their first year of study to remain in the BSc (Software Development) programme. Students who fail to achieve this result will be required to drop down to the (three year) BSc (Information Systems) degree or possibly change to a degree in the Faculty of Commerce.

Greater effort will be made in orientation week to ensure that students understand that Computer Science can be taken as a major subject in many different degrees in the Faculties of Science, Commerce and Humanities, but that selecting to do Computer Science in the BSc(Information Systems) or BSc(Software Development) degrees could result in their being shifted to a Commerce degree if progress is unsatisfactory.

Cell Biology, Biology, Botany and Zoology

The first year biological courses have been restructured. A common first semester course CEL 101 (Cell Biology 101) will be followed by either (but usually both) of ZOO 101 (Zoology 101) and BOT 102 (Botany 102).

Credit in all three of these semester courses will be needed for students to be able to proceed toward majors in any one of Botany, Entomology, Ichthyology or Zoology.
Credit in CEL 101 and at least one of ZOO 101 or BOT 102 will be needed for students to proceed towards a major in Microbiology.
Credit in CEL 101 and ZOO 101 will be required for students enrolled for the BPharm degree (this replaces BIO 101 + BIO 102, but effectively changes very little).
Satisfactory performane in CEL 101 will be required before a student may be registered for BOT 102 or ZOO 101.
It will be possible to get an "aggregate credit" for Zoology 1 for CEL 101 + ZOO 101 (where one of these is passed and the other narrowly failed) or for Botany 1 for the combination CEL 101 + BOT 102 (where one of these is passed and the other narrowly failed). However it will not be possible to obtain "aggregate credit" for both Botany 1 and also for Zoology 1.

Botany

The course formerly known as Biodiversity 301 has been renamed Botany 301.

Geography

As from 2006, students wishing to continue into GOG 102 must have either obtained a matriculation pass in Geography or performed satisfactorily in Earth Science 101 - that is, Geography 102 will no longer be available as a way of finding a filler subject in the second semester!

Statistics

Statistics 101 will be offered in the first semester in two alternative timetable slots, one of which replaces the slot formerly known as Statistics 1F.

Supplementary examinations and aggregation

To conform with the practice in other Faculties, it will now be possible to obtain an aggregate pass in a subject by combining marks earned in a February supplementary examination with marks earned for a complementary examination in the preceding November. However, as before, results for February examinations will be classified only as "Pass" or "Fail".

Supplementary examinations will no longer be offered in Mathematical Statistics 2.

Students who are offered supplementary examinations on the basis of June results will be required to indicate whether it is their intention to take up the offers to write (in November), and will be penalised for not attending such examinations as they have undertaken or been required to write.

Extended DPs

As from 2006, applications for extended DPs must be made within two weeks of the start of the course involved.

Developments in 2005

(29 January 2005)

Extended Programmes

Following the provision of generous funding from the Ministry of Education, the previous "Foundation Programme" has been replaced by the "Extended Science Programme", a specific package of courses administered by Miss Michelle Wait and Ms Candice Platt from the Academic Development Centre. Previously, students admitted to a "Foundation Programme" were allowed to choose from a limited variety of mainline courses, with rather mixed fortunes being the result. Students now register for the credit bearing courses Mathematics 1L, Computer Skills 1S and Introduction to Science Concepts and Methods. "ISCM" is a course to which contributions are made from a wide spectrum of departments.

Mathematics

Note that, as from 2005

Maths 1 is only offered as a full-year course (not in two independent semesters)
That is, Maths 1 is no longer offered as "MAT 101 + MAT 102" or as "MAT 102 + MAT 101"
The (second semester) course MAT 101 is needed as a prerequisite course for Pharmacy students
The (first semester) course MAT 102 (or full MAT 1) is needed as a prerequisite course for Computer Science majors
MAT 1E1 is no longer equivalent to MAT 101
MAT 1E2 is no longer equivalent to MAT 102
However, MAT 1E1 followed by MAT 1E2 is deemed to be equivalent to MAT 1
MAT 1E2 will not be offered in 2005.

Anatomy and Physiology

For some years BSc students have had the option of enrolling for a course given in the second year of the BPharm degree, namely "Anatomy and Physiology", known to generations as "PC210". This option is not available in 2005 because of a lack of resoursces.

Another second year level course, "Applied Physiology and Anatomy" (APA 201/202), is a prerequisite for students majoring in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics. Only students who have passed HKE 1 may take this course, so it is not generally available to BSc students either.

Environmental Biotechnology

The MSc in Environmental Biotechnology and the Higher Diploma in Environmental Biotechnology will not be offered in 2005 after all.

Ichthyology

Ichthyology 2 and 3 have been moved to a different time slot. In the new slot students are afforded the option of majoring in Ichthyology and Botany, a useful combination as a precursor to studying Marine Biology at Honours. However, Ichthyology now clashes with Microbiology, Geography and Computer Science. Previous years' enrolments and registration patterns suggest that this will not be problematic.

Computer Science 1L is no longer permitted as one of the the two "mathematical" prerequisites for an Ichthyology major. Students are advised to take full courses in Maths, Stats or Computer Science instead.

Statistics

The first year level course "Statistics" has been moved to a different time slot.

Computer Science

The Computer Science 1B course which formed a part of previous "foundation courses" has fallen away. It has been replaced by the courses "Computer Skills 1S" (for the Science Extended Programme), "Computer Skills 1H" (for the Humanities Extended Programme), and "Computer Skills 1C" (for the Commerce Extended Programme). These courses are no longer taught by the staff of the Computer Science Department, but by specialist staff in the Academic Development Centre.

Developments in 2004

(16 December 2003)

Cell Biology

Advance notice is given of a plan to introduce (in 2004) a first year level semester-course entitled "Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology", which should be of interest to anyone contemplating a life science degree.

Environmental Biotechnology

The MSc in Environmental Biotechnology and the Higher Diploma in Environmental Biotechnology will not be offered in 2004, owing to staff shortages. It is hoped to offer them both again from 2005.

Zoology and Entomology

As from 2004, students who wish to major in Zoology will have to attend ZOO 301 and ZOO 302, while students who wish to major in Entomology will have to attend both ENT 301 and ENT 302. That is, the courses ECL 301 (Applied Enviromental Freshwater Studies) and BIO 301 (Biodiversity) may no longer be used as alternative semester credits for a major on Zoology or Entomology.

Information Systems

As from 2004, Information Systems INF 201 may be followed either by INF 202 (aimed at Information Systems majors) or by INF 203 (aimed at Accounting majors).

Management

As from 2004, two first year level streams will be offered in Management. MAN 101/102 is the "major" stream, while MAN 111/112 is a termianl stream aimed at student who require only an introduction to Management.

Developments in 2003

Geography and Geology

In 2003 the courses GOG 101 and GLG 101 were suspended. In their place appeared a new course, Earth Scienc 101 (EAR 101), which acted as a common feeder to both GLG 102 and GOG 102.

Developments in 2002

(19 December 2001)

Returning and prospective students should take note of the following important changes that will come into effect in 2002:

Computer Science 1

In 2001 the following first year courses were offered in Computer Science at first year level.

Computer Science 1P1 and 1P2 was the course leading to a major in Computer Science. This course was offered in slot 1-2-3-4-5. CSC 1P students had one 3 hour practical per week, and had to pass CSC 1P1 to be allowed entry to CSC 1P2.
Computer Science 101 (L) was the Literacy course, offered twice daily in semester 1 in slots 2-3-4-5-1 and 4-5-1-2-3 to a mixed audience which included 244 Commerce students and 115 Humanities students, and once daily in Semester 2 in slot 3-4-5-1-2 to a mixed audience which included Humanities and Pharmacy students (for whom it is compulsory). For some years this course has been the prerequisite for Information Systems 2 students, which presumably accounted for most of the 244 Commerce students this year. These students had one 1.5 hour practical per week.
Computer Science 1B was a foundation course taken by Humanities (BAF), Commerce (BCOMF) and Science (BSCF) students.

In 2002 the Departments of Computer Science and Information Systems are making the following changes:

Computer Science 1P/1P1/1P2 will be renamed Computer Science 1/101/102.
Computer Science 101(L) will be renamed Computer Science 1L (which is what it has been called informally for some time).
Computer Science 1L (old 101(L)) will be offered once daily in the first semester in slot 4-5-1-2-3 and once daily in semester 2 in slot 3-4-5-1-2. The syllabus will be as in previous years, but the practicals will be of 3 hour duration. (This is possible as a result of the extra public laboratory coming on stream in the old Braae Laboratory.)
Computer Science 101 (old 1P1) will be offered twice daily in the first semester in slots 1-2-3-4-5 and 2-3-4-5-1. The second of these slots is one of the former 101(L) slots.
Computer Science 102 (old 1P2) will be offered once daily in the second semester in slot 1-2-3-4-5. Students will have to pass CSC 101 to gain entry to CSC 102, and pass CSC 102 to gain admission to CSC 201/202 (ie only NCR aggregated passes are allowed in CSC 1).
Computer Science 101 (old 1P1) will have a slightly modified syllabus to enable it to serve as the prerequisite for both Computer Science 102 (old 1P2) and Information Systems 2.
For some years the syllabus for Computer Science 1B has been devised to try to provide a selection of topics from the 1P1 and 1P2 courses. This has increasingly not worked, especially as the course has to some extent been appropriated by BCom and BA foundation students for whom it was never really intended. and because the class is now so large (50 students) that the intensive one-on-one tuition needed to sustain it is no longer possible in the existing laboratories. It is now proposed that it become a "slow stream" version of CSC 101 (old 1P1), in a similar way that Maths 1E1 and 1E2 are offered as slow stream versions of Maths 101 and 102. In this way BCom and BSc foundation students who require CSC 101/CSC 1B as a prerequisite for INF 201 or CSC 102 can master the same material more slowly. So as to limit numbers, it is proposed that theourse no longer be offered to BA Foundation students, but that these students take the CSC 1L1 course in either the first or second semester.
In East London the department of Information systems will continue to offer CSC 1L1 as the prerequisite for INF 201/202 for at least one more year. In East London students may also take a second semester course CSC 102(EL) as an extra credit. This will not have the same syllabus as CSC 102 in Grahamstown and does not act as a prerequisite to Computer Science 201/202; it is hoped to offer the Grahamstown syllabus as soon as staffing resources permit.
The calendar entries that cover these minor changes in syllabus are available here.

Levy on the use of computers

As from 2002, all students will be charged an extra levy for the use of computer facilities. The amount charged will vary, depending on the course being followed, from a minimum of R90 to a maximum of R700 for students taking Computer Science 3 or Information Systems 3. The money raised from this levy will be used to keep the equipment in the public computer laboratories up to date.

Applied Physiology and Anatomy

This course is now only open to students who have already passed Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 1.

Economics 2

This course is again to be offered as two semesters - ECO 201 and ECO 202.

Botany 1

Students may now take Botany 102 only if they have attended Botany 101.

New research students

Students in the first year of study towards an MSc or PhD are assessed at the end of the year by means of reports submitted by the student and the supervisor to the Dean. Registration for the second year of study is dependent on satisfactory reports.

Management 1

Students may now take Management 102 only if they have attended Management 101.

Geography 3

Students majoring in Geography have the option of taking ECL 301 (Applied Environmental Freshwater Studies) in place of GOG 301 to complete the major. Note that ECL 301 may not be taken as a constituent part of more than one major subject - it can also be taken to form part of a major in a biological science.

Tighter control over Exclusions

The conditions under which students may find themselves excluded on academic grounds have been tightened up. For full details see the detailed page on Academic Status and Exclusions.

Developments in 2001

(2 January 2001)

Mathematics 1L

Entrance into a BSc strictly requires that students have passed matric mathematics at the higher grade. Because of shortcomings in the school system, some students are necessarily admitted to the University who have not been able to attain such a pass in matric mathematics.

To compensate for this shortcoming, the foundational course Mathematics 1L has now been made compulsory for four-year degree students (including BScF students) who have only passed matric mathematics at or below the level of standard grade C. Such students are required to take this course in addition to the standard 18 or 20 credits required for the degree.

New degree in Computer Science and Information Systems

A new four year degree, the Bachelor of Science (Software development) will be offered for the first time from 2001. The curriculum is a slightly restricted version of the existing BSc(InfSys) degree - the subjects in third year are Computer Science 3 and Information Systems 3, and the fourth year is comprised of a selection of topics from the joint Honours course in Computer Science and Information Systems. More details are available here.

Increased fees for Computer Science and Information Systems

Students who take Computer Science 2 or 3, or Information Systems 2 or 3 within a BSc (as opposed to a BSc(InfSys), BSc(InfSys), BBusSci or BComm degree) are charged an extra fee; the effect is that their BSc degree fee becomes the same as the fee for the BSc(InfSys), BSc(InfSys), BBusSci or BComm degree.

New arrangements for Computer Science 1 courses

As from 2001

Computer Science 101 remains as a "literacy" course, offered as a one semester-credit option for students from all faculties who wish to obtain a good background in computer literacy. This course is also a prerequisite for Information Systems 2.
Computer Science 102 has been discontinued. In place of Computer Science 101+102 as the feeder course for Computer Science 2, two new courses (Computer Science 1P1 and 1P2) will be offered.
A pass in CSC 1P1 is a prerequisite for CSC 1P2, and passes in both CSC 1P1 and CSC 1P2 become the prerequisite for Computer Science 2.
Candidates will not be able to obtain exemption from CSC 1P1 on the grounds of having taken Computer Studies at school.
Students who have passed Computer Science 102 in 1999 or 2000, but who intend only to take Computer Science 2 in 2002 are advised to register for the new courses (effectively to repeat Computer Science 1). It is thought that such few students as fall into this category will otherwise have no chance of adjusting to the new syllabus in Computer Science 2 that will come into effect in 2002.
Further details may be obtained here.

Restricted enrolments in HKE and Computer Science

As was proposed earlier, because of a shortage of facilities:

Admission to Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 2 will be on merit, and in addition will be restricted to students who have passed both HKE 101 and HKE 102 - an aggregate pass will no longer suffice.
Enrolments in Computer Science 1P1 and 1P2 may have to be limited to those who propose to major in Computer Science.
Enrolments in Computer Science 201/202 will be on merit, probably limited to the best 90 students who have passed Computer Science 102; students who have passed Computer Science 102 will be given preference over students who have failed Computer Science 2 previously.
Enrolments in Information Systems 3 may be limited to the best 180 students who have passed Information Systems 2.

Developments in Environmental Science

Environmental Science is available as a major subject for BA students as well as for BSc and BJourn students. The list of prerequisites has changed again. To major in Environmental Science a candidate is now required to obtain credit in the following courses:

Geography 1
One of Anthropology 1, Biology 1, Botany 1, Geology 1 or Zoology 1
Environmental Science 201; Environmental Science 202
Environmental Science 302 and one of Biodiversity 301, Applied Freshwater Ecology 301, Economics 301 (ECO 317 plus one additional course module, selected in consultation with the Heads of Economics and Environmental Science), Environmental Anthropology 301, Geography 301 or Zoology 301.

Note that a student who majors in Environmental Science and one of Anthropology, Botany, Economics, Entomology, Geography or Zoology may not count Biodiversity 301, Applied Freshwater Ecology 301, Environmental Anthropology 301, Geography 301 or Zoology 301 as a constituent credit of both major subjects. More details of the developments in Environmental Science may be found here.

Developments in Legal Theory

The new lecture timetable sees Legal Theory clashing with Computer Science and with Microbiology. Everything possible was done to avoid this, but Legal Theory is taken with a wide spectrum of other subjects, and this clash seemed to affect fewer people than any other arrangement would have done. Students who wish to major in Legal Theory and Microbiology or Computer Science, or who hope to follow a BSc in Microbiology or Computer Science with an LLB are advised to discuss their options with the relevant deans.

Changes of prerequisites for Chemistry and for Ichthyology

As from 2001, students who wish to major in Chemistry must obtain ancillary credit in any four first year semester-credits of Mathematics, Computer Science, Statistics or Physics.

As from 2001, students who wish to major in Ichthyology must obtain ancillary credit in any two semester-credits of Mathematics, Computer Science or Statistics.

New Honours courses

A new Honours courses is on offer in African Vertebrate Biodiversity, as a variation on Zoology. Candidates who have majored in Zoology are eligible to apply.

Following the demise of the Leather Industry Research Institute, Leather Science Honours is no longer offered.

Conditional registration for postgraduate students

First year MSc or PhD degree students are accepted subject to the condition that registration beyond the first year is conditional upon a satisfactory report on their progress being received by the Dean before the end of their first year.

Developments in 2000

(21 December 1999)

Returning and prospective students should take note of the following important changes that will come into effect in 2000:

Reduced fees for four year degree students

Students accepted for BSc's on condition that they prepare for a four year degree programme are now entitled to pay a lower fee for each of the first two years. Please not that this concession does not apply to students who are accepted onto normal programmes and who then fail, forcing them to extend their stay. "Four year" or "Foundation" students are distinguished by having curricula that also incorporate foundation courses such as ELAP, Computer Science 1B, Mathematics 1L and so on.

Restricted enrolments in HKE and Computer Science

Because of a shortage of facilities:

As from 2001, admission to Human Kinetics and Ergonomics 2 will be on merit, and in addition will be restricted to students who have passed both HKE 101 and HKE 102 - an aggregate pass will no longer suffice.
Enrolments in Computer Science 102 may be limited to the best 180 students who pass Computer Science 101 (or have been exempted from passing it because of their Computer Studies mark at school).
Enrolments in Computer Science 201/202 may be limited to the best 90 students who have passed Computer Science 102; students who have passed Computer Science 102 will be given preference over students who have failed Computer Science 2 previously.
Enrolments in Information Systems 3 may be limited to the best 180 students who have passed Information Systems 2.

Developments in Life Sciences

The third year courses offered in the Life Sciences have been renamed

The final (major) course in Botany is now normally comprised of Biodiversity 301 and Botany 302.
The final (major) course in Entomology is now normally comprised of Biodiversity 301 and one of Applied Freshwater Ecology 301, Entomology 301 or Entomology 302.
The final (major) course in Ichthyology is still comprised of Ichthyology 301 and Ichthyology 302.
The final (major) course in Microbiology is still comprised of Microbiology 301 and Microbiology 302.
The final (major) course in Zoology is now normally comprised of Zoology 301 or Zoology 302 and one of Zoology 302, Zoology 301, Applied Freshwater Ecology 301, or Biodiversity 301.

Biodiversity and Applied Freshwater Ecology cannot, of course, count as components of more than one major subject.

Developments in Environmental Science

There have been further developments (see above)

Environmental Science is now available as a major subject for BA students as well as for BSc and BJourn students. The list of prerequisites has changed considerably. To major in Environmental Science a candidate is now required to obtain credit in the following courses:

One of Anthropology 1, Biology 1, Botany 1, Geography 1, Geology 1 or Zoology 1
Environmental Science 201; Environmental Science 202
Environmental Science 302 and one of Biodiversity 301, Applied Freshwater Ecology 301, Economics 301 (ECO 317 plus one additional course module, selected in consultation with the Heads of Economics and Environmental Science), Environmental Anthropology 301, Geography 301 or Zoology 301.

Developments in Legal Theory

The Faculty of Law have further rationalized the structure of their undergraduate courses. As a result, BSc students may only get 6 semester credits worth of Law courses - known in the aggregate as Legal Theory 1, 2 and 3. The same now applies across all Faculties.

Supplementary examinations and aggregated passes

The attention of students is drawn to the current rules for supplementary examinations, and should note in particular that supplementary examinations are not recommended or approved for any second year or third year subjects in Science and Commerce, with the exception of Accounting 201 and Maths Stats 201.

New rules for Honours registration

Students normally register for Honours degrees over a single full-time year. Students may occasionally be permitted to take honours courses over not more than two years as full-time or as part-time students.

Students who originally register to take the honours degree over two years may, if progress is satisfactory, be allowed to change registration to complete the degree in the first year as full-time students. Full-time students who originally register to take the degree over one year may be advised by the Head of Department to take the degree over two years, or may opt to change registration to part-time. Any such changes must be effected no later than the end of the second week of the second semester.

Full-time candidates may withdraw from an Honours course during the second semester, but may not alter their registrations otherwise - that is, they may not opt to change to two year registrations late in the day.

On the recommendation of the Head of Department, candidates who withdraw may be permitted to register for the course in the following year, but will be required to complete all requirements for examination (including practical and project work) as though they had not previously been registered.

New Honours courses

New Honours courses are on offer in

Ergonomics, Environmental Science, Landscape Process and Management, and Spatial Development.

New Masters courses

A new MSc course in Environmental Biotechnology is being offered in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology.

Developments in 1999

(5 December 1998)

New subject groupings and opportunities in the BSc degree

As from 1999, the subjects that can be taken in a BSc degree will be classified simply into one of two groups, A and B.

Group A is comprised of subjects that are most naturally taken in BSc degrees (rather than in degrees like BCom):

Three-year majors (studied in first, second and third year):

Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, Geology, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics (formerly known as Human Movement Studies), Mathematics, Physics, Zoology

Two-year majors (studied only in second and third year):

Applied Mathematics, Applied Statistics, Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Entomology, Ichthyology, Mathematical Statistics, Microbiology

Non-major subjects (studied for one year only, but of considerable value in broadening the scope of the degree):

Applied Physiology and Anatomy, Biology, Electronics Literacy, Logic, Statistics.

Group B is comprised of all other subjects, most of which, of course, fall more naturally into degrees offered in other faculties. These include:

Accounting, Afrikaans, Anthropology, Art (in various options), Classical Civilization, Drama, French, German, Greek, History, Industrial Psychology, Information Systems, Journalism & Media Studies, Latin, Legal Theory, Linguistics and English Language, Management, Music (in various options), Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Xhosa

Restrictions on subject choices in the BSc degree

If your major subjects are both chosen from Group A, then your entire degree must be made up of 18 semester credits:

All 18 semester-credits may be chosen from Group A;
Alternatively, at least 14 semester-credits must be chosen from Group A, and at most 4 semester-credits may be chosen from those offered by a single department in Group B.

The restriction to a single department from Group B is significant - it means, for example, that one cannot obtain credit in a mixture of uncorrelated single-semester courses from among the many of these that are on offer in various Faculties. But it does mean that one can, for example, start on a BSc intending to major in (say) Journalism and Maths, and then decide after passing the first two years that one wishes to major in Maths and Computer Science instead without losing all the (4) credits in Journalism.

One can choose one (but not both) of the major subjects from Group B. In this case, the entire degree must be made up of 20 semester-credits. Apart from the credits needed to obtain the one major subject from Group B itself, one may not incorporate credit for any courses chosen from this group, with three exceptions:

If the major subject from Group B also has a prescribed ancillary among the subjects in that group, credit may be obtained for that ancillary (this happens, for example, in the case of a Management major, which requires that a student also get credit for Accounting 1)
Students majoring in Legal Theory are allowed and encouraged to obtain 8 semester credits in courses offered in various aspects of Legal Theory
Music students majoring in Musicology and Compositional Techniques, or in Ethnomusicology and Compositional Techniques, are also allowed to obtain credit in Practical Studies in Music.

Take note also of the following points

If Psychology 1 is to be taken at all in a BSc then it must be with the intention of majoring in the subject. This is because there are enormous numbers of BA and BSocSci students taking Psychology as essential parts of their degrees, and so the number of places in Psychology available to BSc students is severely limited.
Unless you plan to major in a subject from Group B, you should not really consider taking a subject from this group in your first year, because this severely restricts the options that can be taken in second year, and can lead to severe and unpleasant constraints later in the degree.
In recent years there have been several requests for students to be allowed to major in Information Systems in an ordinary BSc (rather than only in the BSc(InfSys) degree). This will now be possible but note that (a) Information Systems is now in Group B which requires 20 credits for the degree and (b) such students will not also be allowed to count credits in Management, Accounting, Commercial Law and so on towards an ordinary BSc. The preferred way to major in Information Systems (which will clearly benefit from having exposure to other commercially oriented subjects) will continue to be by reading for the BSc(InfSys) degree.
The university timetable is drawn up to try to handle the most commonly occurring subject combinations. In practice this means that BSc students who wish to major in a Group B subject might find that it is very difficult to arrange their curriculum to fit into the minimum three year period.

New rules for aggregate credit in the BSc degree

As from 1999, aggregated credit will only be given for components of a subject taken within a single calendar year, and the calculation of aggregated credit will take place in December. This means that such credit will be based on the marks scored in June and November (or November and November if a supplementary for a June examination is written in November). You will not be able to get aggregated credit by combining a February supplementary result with a June exam result, for example.

New rules for supplementaries and aggregated credit for various subjects taken in the BSc degree

The Departments of Economics, Information Systems and Management no longer offer supplementary examinations at second and third year level. Nor will they make provision for aggregated credit in these subjects. Students will have to pass both components separately to be allowed to continue to the next level, or to complete their major subject.

The Department of Botany will no longer allow for aggregated credit in Botany 2 and 3. Students will have to pass both components separately to be allowed to continue to the next level, or to complete their major subject.

New possibilities in Music courses in the BSc degree

The Department of Music and Musicology now offer two major streams and one non-major stream:

Musicology and Compositional Techniques 1, 2 and 3
Ethnomusicology and Compositional Techniques 1, 2 and 3
Practical Studies 1 and 2

BSc students will be able to obtain at most 8 semester-credits in these courses for the degree if they take one major stream (i.e. that major stream plus Practical Studies 1). They may also take Practical Studies 1 and 2 as 4 standalone semester-credits if they do not major in a Music course.

New semester-credit course to be offered in the BSc (and other) degrees

As from 1999 the Department of Mathematics (Pure and Applied) will offer a "foundation" level course Mathematics 1L that will earn successful candidates a single semester credit. Students will be advised or required to take this course if they are among the minority who are admitted to the Science Faculty without having obtained a Higher Grade Pass in Maths at the Matric level, but indicate that they intend to study Mathematics at Rhodes. Students who have passed Higher Grade Mathematics will not be allowed to register for the course.

Departmental name change

The Department of Human Movement Studies has changed its name to the Department of Human Kinetics and Ergonomics.

Degree to be dropped

Following on the name change for the Department of Human Movement Studies, the University has decided to drop the specialist degree title BA(HMS). In future, students may obtain a BA or a BSc with a major in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, but these degrees will simply be known as BA or BSc. (This may have implications for foreign students obtaining study permits, so such students should be careful.)

Structure of the BSc degree prior to 1999

As from 1999 the possibilities for structuring a BSc have changed quite significantly. The structure that pertained until the end of 1998 is still available here.

Developments in 1998

(January 14, 1998)

Ichthyology is now a 2-year major subject. Ichthyology 201 and 202 will be offered for the first time in 1998, and Ichthyology 301 and 302 from 1999. A major in Ichthyology can follow a first year in Zoology or Biology. Chemistry 1, and two of Maths 101, Stats 110 and Computer Science 101 are necessary prerequisites.

Environmental Science is now a 2-year major subject. Environmental Science 202 will be offered for the first time in 1998, and Environmental Science 301 and 302 from 1999. A major in Environmental Science fits into a specific degree pattern, with a fairly complex set of prerequisites. See their calendar entry for details.

Students registering for the first time in 1998 who wish to major in Psychology or Industrial Psychology now have to obtain 20 semester credits, not 18, to qualify for the degree.

Maths 1A and 1B have been replaced by Maths 101 and 102, each of which will be offered in each semester. Thus one can take Maths 101 followed by 102, or vice versa, depending on what best suits your timetable.

Chemistry 1S and 1P have been replaced by Chemistry 101/102. However, the class will be divided into groups for BPharm students and BSc students as before.

Computer Science 101 (Literacy) will be offered in both semesters.

A new course, Electronics Literacy (PHY 1E2), will be offered by the Physics Department in the second semester, and will be open to all science students. This should be of particular interest to students interested in learning about computer hardware, and will form a useful course in conjunction with Computer Literacy (CSC 101).

CHE 1	CSC 1	MAT 1	STA 1	CEL 101
BCH 2	CSC 2	MAT 2 or MST 2
BCH 3	CSC 3 or MAT 3 or MST 3	MIC 202