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The University of the Free State (UFS) Department of Plant Sciences (Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campuses) consists of the following divisions:

Botany (Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa)
Plant Breeding (Bloemfontein)
Plant Pathology (Bloemfontein)

These divisions are multi-disciplined and cover plant-related teaching subjects and research. Some subjects of interest include:

Conventional Plant Breeding
Ecology
Ecophysiology
Ethnobotany
Evolutionary Ecology
Food Nutritional Value and Protein Quality
Molecular Plant Breeding
Molecular Plant Pathology
Mycology
Palaeobotany
Physiology and Biochemistry
Phytomedicine
Plant Disease Epidemiology
Plant Pathology
Plant Phylogenetics
Plant-Animal interactions
Pollination Ecology
Proteonomics
Rust Pathology
Soil Health Ecology
Taxonomy
Systematics
and many more.

Students and researchers have access to the most modern laboratories and scientific equipment.

Important Links:

2027 Undergraduate Prospectus
2026 Faculty Rule Book (All campuses)
2027 Postgraduate Prospectus

Apply online

Undergraduate studies

Code	Learning program	Requirements
BC4320 Q4310	BSc in Botany (BFN Campus) BSc in Botany (Qwaqwa Campus)	AP score =32	Level 4 - Tuition language	Level 5 - Mathematics and Life Sciences and Physical Sciences
BC431920	BSc in Biochemistry and Botany
BC432031	BSc in Botany and Genetics
BC432041	BSc in Botany and Plant Breeding
BC432042	BSc in Botany and Plant Pathology
BC432049	BSc in Botany and Zoology
BC432082	BSc in Plant Health Ecology
BC432742	BSc in Plant Health Management
QC432075	BSc in Botany and Life Sciences (Qwaqwa)
BC540041	BSc Agric in Plant Breeding	AP score =32	Level 4 - Tuition language	Level 5 - Mathematics and Life Sciences and Physical Sciences
BC540042	BSc Agric in Plant Pathology	AP score =32	Level 4 - Tuition language	Level 5 - Mathematics and Physical Sciences and Life Sciences or Agricultural Sciences

Postgraduate studies

Honors Degree

BC460020	BSc Honours in Botany	Selection	60% average for third-year Botany modules	30 September
BC460041	BSc Honours in Plant Breeding	Selection	60% average for third-year Plant Breeding modules
BC460042	BSc Honours in Plant Pathology	Selection	60% average for third-year Plant Pathology modules
BC460082	BSc Honours in Plant Health Ecology	Selection	60% average for third-year Plant Health or appropriate Plant Pathology modules
BC560041	BSc Agric Honours in Plant Breeding	Selection	60% average for third-year Plant Breeding modules	30 September
BC560042	BSc Agric Honours in Plant Pathology	Selection	60% average for third-year Plant Pathology modules
QC460020	BSC Honours in Botany (QwaQwa)	Selection	60% average for third-year Botany modules

Master's Degree

BC480020	MSc in Botany	Selection
BC480041	MSc in Plant Breeding	Selection
BC480042	MSc in Plant Pathology	Selection
BC480081	MSc in Plant Breeding Interdisciplinary	Selection
BC480082	MSc in Plant Health Ecology	Selection
BC480083	MSc in Plant Pathology Interdisciplinary	Selection
BC580041	MSc Agric in Plant Breeding	Selection
BC580042	MSc Agric in Plant Pathology	Selection
BC580081	MSc Agric in Plant Breeding Interdisciplinary	Selection
BC580083	MSc Agric in Plant Pathology Interdisciplinary	Selection
QC460022	MSc in Botany (QwaQwa)	Selection

Doctoral Degree

BC490020	PhD in Botany	Selection
BC490041	PhD in Plant Breeding	Selection
BC490042	PhD in Plant Pathology	Selection
BC490081	PhD in Plant Breeding Interdisciplinary	Selection
BC490082	PhD in Plant Health Ecology	Selection
BC490083	PhD in Plant Pathology Interdisciplinary	Selection
QC490020	PhD in Botany (QwaQwa)	Selection

Bloemfontein Campus contact details: QwaQwa Campus contact details:

Departmental Head Prof Adre Minnaar-Ontong T: +27 51 401 9100 E: MinnaarA@ufs.ac.za	*Departmental Head* Prof Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen T: +27 58 718 5330 E: SteenhuisenS@ufs.ac.za
Program Director Dr Angeline Jacoby T: +27 51 401 9568 E: PlantPD@ufs.ac.za	*Program Director* Dr Pululu Mahasa T: +27 58 718 5036 E: MahasaPS@ufs.ac.za
Botany Dr Lize Joubert T: +27 51 401 2655 E: JoubertL@ufs.ac.za	Botany Prof Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen T: + 27 58 718 5330 E: SteenhuisenS@ufs.ac.za
Plant Breeding Prof Rouxlene van der Merwe T: +27 51 401 9672 E: VanDerMerweR@ufs.ac.za
Plant Pathology Prof Willem Boshoff T: +27 51 401 2466 E: BoshoffWHP@ufs.ac.za

BLOEMFONTEIN CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Elfrieda van den Berg (Marketing Manager)
T: +27 51 401 2531
E:vdberge@ufs.ac.za

QWAQWA CAMPUS FACULTY CONTACT

Dilahlwane Mohono (Faculty Officer)
T: +27 58 718 5284
E:naturalscienceqq@ufs.ac.za

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