Agricultural education and training

Clicking on the university name will take you to its website.

CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (CPUT)

Faculty of Applied Sciences

Relevant departments are Agriculture, Biotechnology and Consumer Science, Environmental and Occupational Studies, Food Technology, and Horticultural Sciences. Contact numbers and information can be found on the website.

National Diplomas in Agricultural Management and Agriculture (Animal Production or Crop Production), Horticulture, Consumer Science, Environmental Health, Environmental Management, Food Technology and Nature Conservation are offered. BTech and MTech qualifications in these areas are also offered.

CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (CUT)

Health and Environmental Sciences

Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture offers a Diploma (NQF 6), Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) and Post Graduate Diploma (NQF 8) in Agricultural Management. It also offers an Advanced Diploma in Agricultural Extension (NQF 7), a Master’s (NQF 9) and Doctoral degree (NQF 10) in Agriculture, as well as Post-Doctoral Fellowships in Agriculture.

Short courses are also offered, and students and lecturers are involved in community service and frequently liaise with industry. 

Merit bursaries from the 2nd year of study, and Innovation fund bursaries for research projects are available.

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (DUT)

Applied Sciences

Department of Horticulture

N Dip and B Tech are offered in horticulture

Department of Biotechnology and Food Science 

N Dip and B Tech are offered in Horticulture, Biotechnology and Food Science. Undergraduate degrees, honours, masters and PhD qualifications offered.

MANGOSUTHU UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (MUT)

Faculty of Applied and Health Natural Sciences

Department of Agriculture 

Three year National diplomas in Plant production or Animal production offered. Bursaries are available.

NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY (NMU) GEORGE CAMPUS (SAASVELD)

Faculty of Science

Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas are offered in Agricultural Management, Forestry, Nature Conservation and Wood Technology. Bachelor of Science Honours in Natural Resource Management is offered, as are Master’s Degrees in Agriculture, Forestry and Nature Conservation. PhDs can be done in Agriculture and Nature Conservation.

NELSON MANDELA UNIVERSITY (NMU) PORT ELIZABETH NORTH CAMPUS

The Department of Agriculture offers a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Agricultural Management, and MSc and PhD qualifications in agricultural research are also offered.

NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY (NWU) MAHIKENG CAMPUS

The School of Agricultural Sciences comprises of 4 disciplines: Agricultural Economics and Extension, Animal Health, Animal Sciences and Crop Sciences. Students are enrolled into under- and post-graduate programmes where they are expertly trained in the various disciplines. The School also houses the Centre for Animal Health Studies, which trains Animal Health technicians at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. 

NORTH-WEST UNIVERSITY (NWU) POTCHEFSTROOM CAMPUS

• The School of Geo- and Spatial Sciences consists of Geology, Geography and Environmental Management and Urban and Regional Planning. Its research initiatives span biodiversity and conservation ecology, water sciences, soil science, and environmental planning.
• The School of Biological Sciences offers Zoology, Microbiology and Botany.
• A unique BSc degree in Tourism combines tourism with subject specific disciplines of Botany, Zoology and Geography.
• You can do Honours in Environmental Sciences with different sub programmes, including: Ecological Interactions and Ecosystem Resilience; Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology; Aquatic Ecosystem Health; and Integrated Pest Management.
• The School of Economic Sciences offers a BCom in Agricultural Economics and Risk Management.
• The Research Entity Environmental Science and Management offers a range of subjects that have a bearing on agriculture (mentioned in the relevant chapters of this publication) e.g. Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology, Environmental Management and Integrated Pest Management. 

SOL PLAATJE UNIVERSITY

Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences

One of the four clustered departments is Biological and Agricultural Sciences (biology, botany, zoology and agriculture). It offers a three-year Diploma in Agriculture.

STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY (SU)

Faculty of AgriSciences 

Departments are Agricultural Economics, Agronomy, Animal Science, Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Food Science, Forest and Wood Science, Genetics, Horticultural Science, Plant Pathology, Soil Science, and Viticulture and Oenology (DVO). The faculty also hosts the Institute for Wine Biotechnology (IWBT), Institute of Plant Biotechnology, SA Grape & Wine Research Institute, SARCHI Postharvest Technology, the Centre for Food Safety, African Wildlife Economy Institute and the Southern Africa Food Lab.

TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (TUT)

Faculty of Science

Departments relevant to our website are Animal Sciences; Biotechnology and Food Technology; Crop Science; Environmental Health; Environmental Water and Earth Science; Horticulture; and Nature Conservation.

UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE (UFH)

Faculty of Science and Agriculture 

Departments are Agricultural Economics and Extension; Agronomy; Agriculture Economics, Extension & Agribusiness; Biotechnology & Biological Sciences (includes Microbiologgy, Botany, Zoology and Entomology); Chemical and Earth Sciences (Remote Sensing, GIS, Geography and Geology); and Animal & Pasture Sciences.

UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE (UFS)

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences 

Of interest to Agribook are two of the four divisions – Agricultural Sciences and Natural Sciences. Agricultural Sciences: Agricultural Economics; Animal Science: Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences; Sustainable Food Systems and Development. Natural Sciences includes: Centre for Environmental Management; Disaster Management Training and Education Centre; Genetics; Geography; Geology; Institute for Groundwater Studies (IGS); Microbiology and Biochemistry; Plant Sciences; and Zoology and Entomology. The faculty also hosts the Paradys Experimental Farm..

Short courses for commercial and emerging farmers are available in Afrikaans, English or Sesotho. To find out about the financial planning and strategic management courses offered by the Centre for Agricultural Management, call 051 401 2557 / 3551 or visit www.ufs.ac.za/agriman.

UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL (UKZN)

College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science (CAES) https://ww1.caes.ukzn.ac.za

The School of Agriculture and Science is mainly of interest to us. See https://agriculture-science.ukzn.ac.za. The disciplines here include Agricultural Management and Agricultural Science. Agricultural Management covers areas such as agricultural economics, farm business management, food systems management, and extension and rural resource management. Agricultural Science covers animal & poultry science, crop science, horticultural science, plant breeding, plant pathology, and soil science.

Other disciplines in this school include Geography and Biological Sciences.

The other school of interest to us is the School of Engineering (includes Agricultural Engineering). See ww1.engineering.ukzn.ac.za/discipline/agricultural-engineering.

UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO (UL)

School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Departments are Agricultural Economics and Animal Production; Geography and Environmental Studies; Plant Production, Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering; and Water and Sanitation.

Research facilities include the Aquaculture Research Unit, the Experimental Farm, the Centre for Rural Community Empowerment and the Limpopo Agro-Food Technology Station.

UNIVERSITY OF MPUMALANGA (UMP)

Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences

Two of the three schools in this faculty are of interest to us i.e. the School of Agricultural Sciences and the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences.

The School of Agricultural Sciences: Diploma programmes in Plant or Animal Production; Advanced Diploma programmes in Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Production Management, Animal Production, and Postharvest Technology are offered. Add to this the Bachelor of Agriculture in Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, and a Bachelor of Science in Forestry.

Postgraduate offerings include a Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture, a Bachelor of Agriculture Honours in Agricultural Extension & Rural Resources Management, Master of Science in Agriculture, Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Extension, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agriculture.

Included in the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences qualifications are a Diploma and Advanced in Nature Conservation, Bachelor of Science, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. Postgraduate qualifications in Nature Conservation, Geography, Entomology, and Ecology can be done. Also on offer are Masters and PhDs.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (UP) 

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

This is the largest contact university in South Africa. The departments of this faculty are listed on its web pages, and include a link to where contact details and information are given. Departments in the faculty include: Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development; Animal Science; Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology; Consumer and Food Sciences; Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology; Geology; Plant and Soil Sciences; Zoology and Entomology.

Their institutes, centres and units include: African Centre for Gene Technologies; Centre for Environmental Studies (CFES); Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI); Mammal Research Institute (MRI); UP Water Institute; Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU); Botanical Garden; and the Schweickerdt Herbarium.

The Faculty offers nearly 140 high-quality postgraduate degrees on honours, master’s and doctoral level.

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (UP) 

Faculty of Veterinary Science

On the website, find the interactive links to the departments: Anatomy and Physiology, Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Paraclinical Sciences, Production Animal Studies, Veterinary Tropical Diseases. Centres include the Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Equine Research Centre, World Organization for Animal Health Collaborating Centre, and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. It also hosts a Veterinary Academic Hospital.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)

The method of studying at UNISA – distance learning along with practical modules at a centre near you – makes this an ideal method of studying or upgrading your qualifications, whether you are an extension officer, potential farmer or entrepreneur.

The College offers both diplomas and degrees under one roof. In Agriculture, for example, a National Diploma and BTech in Agricultural Management as well as a generic BSc (Agric) are offered.

School of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• Department of Agriculture and Animal Health – the focus is on agricultural management, animal health, food nutrition, food security and social development. This department also hosts the Unit for Indigenous Technological Knowledge Services. 
• Department of Life and Consumer Sciences – Life Sciences e.g. animal physiology, biochemistry, botany, biology, microbiology and zoology; Consumer Sciences e.g. food, clothing and textiles, nutrition and hospitality

School of Environmental Sciences

• The Department of Environmental Sciences focuses on environmental Science, Environmental Management, Ornamental Horticulture and Nature Conservation. 
• The Department of Geography offers undergraduate degrees in environmental management and geography modules up to doctoral level. 

The College also hosts the Applied Behavioural Ecological & Ecosystem Research Unit (ABEERU) and the Flylab Genomebase.

UNIVERSITY OF VENDA (UV)

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture

Of interest to us are the following departments: Food Science and Technology; Animal Science; Plant and Soil Sciences; Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness; Agricultural and Rural Engineering; Forestry; Biological Sciences; Earth Sciences; Geography and Environmental Sciences; and Biochemistry and Microbiology. It also hosts an experimental farm and the Institute for Rural Development.

UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE (UWC)

Faculty of Natural Sciences 

• Departments in the faculty include Biotechnology, Earth Sciences, Medical Biosciences, and Biodiversity and Conservation Biology.
• Units/Institutes of interest to Agribook include the Institute for Water Studies, Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, and UWC Nature Reserve Unit. It hosts the UNESCO Chair in Hydrogeology.

Faculty of Natural Sciences

• The School of Natural Medicine (SoNM) includes the study of Traditional Medicine (TM) and Phytotherapy.

UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND

Faculty of Science and Agriculture 

• Departments include Agriculture; Biochemistry and Microbiology; Botany; Consumer Sciences; Engineering; Geography and Environmental Studies; Hydrology; and Zoology.

VAAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (VUT)

Faculty of Applied & Computer Sciences

• Natural Sciences includes Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences.