STUDENT RESOURCES

Many of you will be aware that the Department of Architecture at the University of Pretoria has, for the past 15 years required of prospective students who apply for admission to our undergraduate programme to undertake job-shadowing so as to better inform themselves about the nature and operation of their chosen profession through first-hand experience. My research indicates that job-shadowing is a critical part of an applicant’s preparation, not only because it corrects naïve perceptions (such as that architects ‘draw plans’ all day long), but also because it reveals that it is a many-faceted career (most applicants are not aware that site visits form part of many projects); it most definitely also serves to motivate serious applicants and remove doubts they may have when they observe what practice actually entails.

Amid the pandemic and all the other challenges the profession and academy face, I therefore appeal to you to, wherever possible and only if you are able to observe all COVID-19 protocols, to seriously consider requests from prospective students who are tasked with job-shadowing.

We do not require practitioners to sign any forms, draft confirmation letters or give us other feedback. We simply request that you allow applicants to observe your activities and to offer them some insight into the richness of architectural practice.

With my thanks and best wishes

Dr Nico Botes

BArch MInt PhD (Pretoria)

Coordinator: Undergraduate Programmes • Convenor: Selection (Coursework Programmes)

Department of Architecture, University of Pretoria
Office +27 (0)12 420 4600 nico.botes@up.ac.za
Student Administration Officer +27 (0)12 420 2550 arch.admin@up.ac.za
www.up.ac.za/architecture

The one year full-time, or two year part-time, MArch degree (a practice-based postgraduate research degree) will provide
current BArch graduates with a higher-level qualification that is aligned with current SACAP registration requirements, a route for furthering PhD studies while providing greater opportunities for external examination, successful tendering and contract research. It will also make a substantial contribution to the record of architectural practice in South Africa.

Prospective students, with at least 10 years’ of practice experience, will undergo a selection process that will be based on a motivational proposal submitted to the Department of Architecture.

UFS offers three masters programmes:

• BC470314 MArch (Professional) is aimed at students that obtained the BArch and BArchHons degrees,
• BC480314 MArch (Design) is aimed at practicing architects with the old BArch (Professional) degree, with a substantial body of
work that they can analyze and present to the benefit of the profession, and
• BC480314 MArch (Research) is aimed at architectural scholars that would do research on a particular aspect of architecture.

The MArch (Professional) degree is linked to a RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) programme.  UFS consider applicants with a NQF level 7 qualification and minimum of seven years of registration with SACAP for part time, two years of study.
All applicants to the different UFS programmes in architecture must go through a selection process to be admitted.