The admission requirements are as follows:

• BCIS: Matric with a minimum AP of 30 and Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 50%.
• BSc(IT) majoring in Computer Science and Business Management: Matric with a minimum AP of 32, Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 50% and Physical Sciences with at least 50%.
• BSc(IT) majoring in Computer Science and Chemistry: Matric with a minimum AP of 32, Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 60% and Physical Sciences with at least 60%.
• BSc(IT) majoring in Computer Science and Physics: Matric with a minimum AP of 32, Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 60% and Physical Sciences with at least 60%.
• BSc(IT) majoring in Computer Science and Mathematics: Matric with a minimum AP of 32, Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 70% and Physical Sciences with at least 60%.
• BSc(IT) majoring in Data Science: Matric with a minimum AP of 32, Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) with at least 70% and Physical Sciences with at least 60%.

• What is the duration of your undergraduate programmes?
  • All our undergraduate programmes take three years to complete.
• Do you offer a bridging course for students that don’t meet the requirements to study?
  • Yes. There is an extended BSc programme that caters for students that do not meet some of the requirements. Refer to our faculty’s yearbook for further information.

• What skills do I need?
  • The ability to learn concepts and apply them to other problems.
  • Basic mathematical and logical reasoning skills.
  • A passion for problem solving.
  • Good communication skills.
  • Good writing skills.
  • Confidence around a computer.
  • Resourcefulness.
  • An inquisitive mind.

• What is Computer Literacy?
  • Computer literacy focuses on basic computer usage, such as the use of word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation tools.

• What is Information Technology?
  • Information Technology is a broad field that encompasses a number of different disciplines and is loosely used to refer to anything related to the use of computer technology. Examples of these disciplines that are provided by the Department of Computer Science and Informatics at the UFS include Computer Science and Information Systems.

• What is the difference between Information Systems and Computer Science?
  • Computer Science focuses on the scientific aspects of Information Technology. Computer Science students study the following topics to develop new and innovative ways with which information can be transformed and manipulated.
    • Object-oriented programming
    • Data Structures
    • Patterns
    • Computer hardware
    • Internet programming
    • Human-Computer interaction
    • Software engineering
    • Networking
    • Database systems
  • Computer Science can be taken with Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics (referred to as Data Science), Physics or Chemistry. In Mathematics, you will study concepts such as linear and discrete mathematics. In Physics, you will study principles of waves, electronics, electromagnetism, solid state Physics, etc. Our Chemistry students focus on Analytical, Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry. In Mathematical Statistics, you will encounter topics such as sample distributions, inference, regression, and time series. For detailed information, please refer to our programme booklet.
  • Information Systems (IS) on the other hand, utilises existing technologies to solve business problems. IS students focus on theory and programming, database design, web development, and statistics that are specifically tailored to solve business needs. Specific IS modules will be taken along with some of the generic programming and database modules mentioned above:
    • Information Systems
    • Software Design
    • Systems Analysis and Design
    • Systems Infrastructure and Integration
    • Information Systems in Organisation
  • In addition, our IS students take modules from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences:
    • Business Management
    • Human Resources and Labour Relations Management
    • Business Calculations and Statistics
    • Industrial Psychology
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Marketing

• What does your Honours programme entail?
  • Our Honours programme will expose students to specialised fields such as
    • Data Warehousing
    • Business Intelligence
    • Data Science
    • Human Computer Interaction
    • Advanced Computer Networks
    • Information Security
    • Digital Forensics
    • Advanced Databases
    • Advanced Internet Programming

• What programming languages are taught?
  • Our primary programming language is C#. Database courses make use of Microsoft SQL. Web development involves HTML, CSS. and ASP.Net MVC. We also teach Visual Basic for our Microsoft Office courses.

• Should I study full time or part time?
  • Ideally you should study full time, as the workload can be very demanding at times. Certain courses also require compulsory class attendance.

• What is the length of the honours programme?
  • You have a choice of doing your honours degree over one year or two.

• Can I do outside work while doing honours?
  • Yes, you can! A large portion of our students are already employed outside the department. However, it is advised that you do your honours degree over two years if you plan on studying part time.

• What are the research areas at your department?
  • Our research areas include
    • Block Chain Technology
    • Computer Science Education
    • Data Science and Text Mining
    • Eye Tracking
    • Eye Tracking Applications Research
    • Human-Computer Interaction
    • Wireless Communication Systems

• Who are the industry partners on our Academic Advisory Board?
  • BBD
  • Digital Platforms
  • IBM
  • IoT.nxt
  • Microzone
  • Missing Second Technologies
  • Oracle
  • SAS
  • Xineoh