National Benchmark Test 

It is no longer necessary to write the NBT for selection purposes for any degree programme at the UFS. 

Critical Academic Literacies

The Critical Academic Literacies courses are developmental courses that will support students studying across the disciplines. You will be enrolled for a faculty-specific Critical Academic Literacies course upon registration. If you perform at the required levels in the UFS test of academic language and literacy, then you may be exempted from doing this developmental module. 

Students doing the extended programme must complete the appropriate academic language and literacy developmental module. 

These courses focus on writing guided academic assignments to develop students’ writing ability in various discourses. They also emphasise intensive and extensive reading, and listening and note-taking practices as vital to developing academic skills. Students are introduced to various topics relevant to the respective disciplines through a faculty-specific and resource-based approach. 

Although our focus is on reading and writing, the overall outcomes of the courses are to help students develop:

• Critical reading skills (the ability to extract the main ideas and key details of an academic text);
• Academic writing skills (the ability to express information and opinions clearly and with appropriate organisation in the written mode);
• Oral skills (the ability to express opinions about a variety of issues fluently, critically, as well as creatively in the mode of oral discussion); 
• Critical thinking skills (the ability to apply, analyse, and/or evaluate information); and
• Listening and note-taking skills (the ability to collect and organise important ideas).