Enrol for Online Studies at UP
UPOnline offers a future-focussed approach to learning, with a growing number of part-time, fully online postgraduate programmes, to make quality education accessible to a wider student audience. Completing your accredited qualification from a top university, means you don’t need to travel to classes or pay for extra accommodation. Online studies provide you with the freedom to continue your education and your normal employment. The online modules allow you to study anytime, anywhere, and on any device with the support and motivation of call centre staff and online facilitators. A further benefit of enrolling for a UPOnline programme is that you only need to pay for one module at a time.
Quality Education
This is an entirely new mode of teaching at the University. Students in a traditional setting register once a year for four or five modules that must be taken concurrently. In the online model, we take in new students every eight/sixteen weeks, with six intakes a year. You will, therefore, enrol for a single module at a time and only pay for the module that you are busy with. You will be assessed continuously throughout the module, accumulating your grades as you progress. At the end of the 8 (or 16) week module, upon successful completion, you will register and pay for your next module.
The quality of, and recognition for the fully online qualifications, is the same as with all other UP offerings, in the traditional face-to-face/contact mode of delivery. Since all of UP’s academic programmes are accredited by the Council for Higher Education (CHE), the same rigorous process applies to the online programmes. The benefit of the fully online study option is that students are not required to attend lectures or write exams on campus. Students can conduct their studies online from anywhere, and engage in diverse assessment opportunities throughout the module such as projects, assignments, quizzes, discussion forums, and journals.
What is unique about UPOnline offerings?
You can expect a number of unique features when you enrol in a UPOnline programme.
- In a UPOnline programme, there is no physical face-to-face component, although there could be a virtual face-to-face contact. All interactions with staff and students, educational content, learning activities, assessment, and support services are integrated and take place online.
- Online programmes allow access to programme material on any device provided that a stable internet connection is available.
- Whilst certain online programmes are offered on a full-time basis, the most are offered part-time.
- The online programmes are structured with 6 enrolment opportunities per year.
- You enrol for a single module at a time. Modules are either 7 or 14 weeks in duration.
- Throughout the year modules are structured as 7 weeks of learning, with 1 week recess in-between modules. At the end of the year there is an additional recess period.
- Payment can be made per module, or in full upfront.
- Coursework is offered semi-synchronously, meaning that you will do some parts of a module at your own pace, but others on a fixed schedule. Typically, new content and assignments are released on a weekly basis. Note, you may still connect synchronously in “real-time” via a virtual medium with your fellow students and online facilitators if there is a need to do so.
- In addition to the online facilitators, UPOnline programmes have dedicated call centre staff who motivate and support you with any queries you may have.
- UPOnline programmes have been designed to provide a highly engaging and interactive learning experience, through features such as interactive videos, discussion forums, drag and drop activities, check-your-knowledge quizzes, and much more.
Computer Literacy
The University of Pretoria makes use of Blackboard, branded as clickUP, which is an online system that acts as a virtual classroom. ClickUP contains your study material as well as a simple, convenient, and reliable web conferencing and virtual classroom solutions specifically built for education and training.
ClickUP is accessible via a web browser on any computing device, e.g. a laptop, tablet or smartphone, and a useful student guide is available. Students are required to have some technical and digital literacy skills before enrolling, such as the ability to:
- navigate the University’s eLearning environment (clickUP);
- use the email service in the learning management service (LMS), which is Blackboard and branded as clickUP;
- manage digital files – create, store, upload and attach files to assignment submissions using applications such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint and others;
- use the Library or Library databases for research and make use of proper referencing techniques;
- use a webcam, upload videos or audio files, use social media for communication or to collaborate electronically; and
- download and install software and applications.
Undergraduate
We know that you have worked really hard and have always wanted to #ChooseUP because it is one of the best universities in Africa. To be part of our family, you need more than suitable subject choices or good marks at school; you need to be committed and passionate about your chosen field. If you can think of a study field or career that suits your personality, interests, goals, and what you’re good at, you will enjoy what you do and being really great at your studies and future career. Please pay attention to opening and closing dates for applying to study at UP.
Postgraduate
A Postgraduate Diploma is generally multi- or interdisciplinary in nature but may serve to strengthen and deepen the student’s knowledge in a particular discipline or profession. The primary purpose of the qualification is to enable working professionals to undertake advanced reflection and development by means of a systematic survey of current thinking, practice, and research methods in an area of specialisation. This qualification demands a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence, as well as the ability to relate knowledge to a range of contexts in order to undertake professional or highly skilled work.
