Shaping Future Leaders | NWU 2025 Undergraduate Humanities Degree

Admission requirements

Please note that the below admission requirements are subject to change pending selection and possible faculty-specific requirements.

Study information is subject to change and summarises the general fields of study. This information was compiled for introduction and orientation purposes and the North-West University accepts no liability for inaccuracies that may occur in this guide. The official yearbook of the University must in all cases be consulted during the process of compiling a programme for a specific field of study.

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Please note that, owing to specific capacity constraints, the University reserves the right to select candidates for admission to certain fields of study. This means that prospective students who comply with the minimum requirements will not automatically be admitted to the courses in question. Because of the capacity limitations and the high demand from students for admission to particular fields of study, students will be selected on the basis of their Grade 12 results for admission to these fields.

Humanities

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Degree	Field	Requirements	APS	Campus	Possible Career Opportunities
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Governance	with Public Administration with Politics and Public Administration with Public Administration and Social Studies with Public Administration and Geography with Public Administration and Labour Relations Management	DURATION: 3 years	25	Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	Public administrator (junior, middle and senior management) Budget analyst Public administration consultant Service delivery specialist Project / regulatory / procurement administrator A wide range of career opportunities exist at national, provincial and local government levels and also in the executive, legislative and legal branches of government.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Governance	with Municipal Management and Leadership	Candidates interested in this degree must have a minimum of two years working experience within the public sector, preferably the government’s local sphere. This is a limited contact programme. DURATION: 3 years	25	Potchefstroom	Public administrator (junior, middle and senior management) Budget and policy analyst Procurement Manager Public administration consultant Service delivery specialist Strategic Leadership positions Project / regulatory / procurement administrator A wide range of career opportunities exist on the local government level and hereto also in the executive, legislative and legal branches of government.
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Governance	with Policing Practice	English level 4 (50-59%) If Grade 12 was obtained before 2008 (National Senior Certificate) please visit https://distance.nwu.ac.za/Policing for more information on the requirements. DURATION: 3 years	25	Distance Learning only	Public administrator (junior, middle and senior management) Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer Field Investigation Officer
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc)	with Political Studies and International Relations	DURATION: 3 years	24	Mahikeng	Political scientist
Bachelor of Administration in Development and Management	with Local Government Management	English level 4 (50-59%) Mathematics level 3 (40-49%) OR Mathematical Literacy level 4 (50-59%) DURATION: 3 years	21	Mahikeng	Administrator Community worker International correspondent Public Administration consultant Mediator Non-profit administrator Policy advisor Researcher Teacher/Lecturer Politician Analyst
Extended Bachelor of Administration in Development and Management	with Local Government Management	English level 4 (50-59%) Mathematics level 3 (40-49%) OR Mathematical Literacy level 4 (50-59%) DURATION: 4 years	20	Mahikeng	Administrator Community worker International correspondent Public Administration consultant Mediator Non-profit administrator Policy advisor Researcher Teacher/Lecturer Politician Analyst
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication		English (HL or FAL) level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Mahikeng Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	Internal communication practitioner Public /media relations, marketing, brand, reputation or stakeholder management Creating communication material or publications Online content or social media management Stakeholder relations management Sponsorship liaison Corporate communication consultant Journalist (digital, print, broadcast) Influencer and media policy analyst Academia and Researcher Publisher and Technical writer
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Graphic Design		English level 5 (60-69%) A screening proses The screening phase consists of: a) The submission of a photo portfolio of graphics or works of art as a skills test in practical projects. b) Submission of an academic record; c) Conduct an interview. Screening information is subject to change, please ensure you visit: https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/communication/bachelor-arts-graphic-design for latest information on the intake and screening procedures. As part of the selection criteria, students must meet the minimum requirements and successfully complete the screening phase. Only after this will student be notified if their application was successful or not. DURATION: 4 years	24	Potchefstroom	Professional graphic designer Publication designer Brand manager Typographer and layout artist Art director Creative director Copywriter Web, app & UX designer Interaction designer Packaging designer Editorial illustrator Storyboard artist Comic book artist Botanical illustrator Technical illustrator Graphic novelist Surface designer Animator and motion graphics artist Film maker and screenwriter Game designer Sound designer Concept Artist, 3D Artist and animator, Social media content creator Freelancer in any of the above fields Academic and researcher
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Graphic Design	with Communication	English level 5 (60-69%) A screening proses The screening phase consists of: a) The submission of a photo portfolio of graphics or works of art as a skills test in practical projects. b) Submission of an academic record; c) Conduct an interview. Screening information is subject to change, please ensure you visit: https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/communication/bachelor-arts-graphic-design for latest information on the intake and screening procedures. As part of the selection criteria, students must meet the minimum requirements and successfully complete the screening phase. Only after this will student be notified if their application was successful or not. DURATION: 4 years	24	Potchefstroom	Professional graphic designer Publication designer Brand manager Typographer and layout artist Art director Creative director Copywriter Web, app & UX designer Packaging designer Surface designer Animator and motion graphics artist Film maker and screenwriter Game designer Sound designer Concept Artist 3D Artist and animator Social media manager Marketing strategist Market researcher Corporate communications consultant Brand manager Freelancer in any of the above fields Academic and researcher
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Language and Literary Studies	The following subjects are offered: English (ENLL) Language Practice (LPRA) Setswana HL (SETM)	English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Setswana for mother-tongue speakers (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana/Sesotho/Sepedi HL level 4 (50-59%) Setswana for non-mother-tongue speakers (ATSN): no pre-requisites DURATION: 3 years	24	Mahikeng	Teaching (when combined with a postgraduate teaching certificate/diploma) Academia and research Translation and interpreting work Lexicography, language and terminology development Copywriting, scriptwriter editing and proofreading Speech pathology (requires further study) Translation, interpreting, subtitling and audio description Specialised secretarial and administrative work Language specialisation in government and industry sectors Foreign language practice and services
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Language and Literary Studies	with Languages with Language Practice with Language Practice and Communication The following subjects are offered: Afrikaans and Dutch (AFLL) English (ENLL) French (FREN) German (GERM) Language Practice (LPRA) Sesotho (SSLL)	Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Sesotho (SSLL): Gr. 12 Sesotho HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Sesotho FAL level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Vanderbijlpark	Teaching (when combined with a postgraduate teaching certificate/diploma) Academia and research Freelance writing and journalism Translation and interpreting work Lexicography, language and terminology development Copywriting, scriptwriter editing and proofreading Speech pathology (requires further study) Translation, interpreting, subtitling and audio description Specialised secretarial and administrative work Language specialisation in government and industry sectors Foreign language practice and services
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Language and Literary Studies	The following subjects are offered: Afrikaans and Dutch (AFLL) Creative Writing (SKRK) English (ENLL) French (FREN) German (GERM) Language Practice (LPRA) Setswana – HL (SETM) Setswana – SAL (ATSN) South African Sign Language (SASL)	Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Setswana for mother-tongue speakers (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana/Sesotho/Sepedi HL level 4 (50-59%) Setswana for non-mother-tongue speakers (ATSN): no pre-requisites DURATION: 3 years	24	Potchefstroom	Teaching (when combined with a postgraduate teaching certificate/diploma) Academia and research Freelance writing and journalism Translation and interpreting work Lexicography, language and terminology development Copywriting, scriptwriter editing and proofreading Speech pathology (requires further study) Translation, interpreting, subtitling and audio description Specialised secretarial and administrative work Language specialisation in government and industry sectors Foreign language practice and services
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Language Technology		Mathematics level 5 (60-69%) And one of the following language subjects: Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Setswana for mother-tongue speakers (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana/Sesotho/Sepedi HL level 4 (50-59%) Setswana for non-mother-tongue speakers (ATSN): no pre-requisites And one of the following subjects: Information Technology, Accounting, Physical Sciences with a final mark on level 4 (50-59%). DURATION: 3 years	24	Potchefstroom	Academia and research Industry that uses computers to enable interactions with customers Natural language processing research and development groups, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM
Diploma in Music (DM)		Completed matric / National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for diploma study At least 50% (level 4) for English in Grade 12 Successful completion of a language proficiency test, a musical aptitude test and an audition A laptop or equivalent device to participate in learning and assessment activities DURATION: 3 years	APS of at least 18 OR an equivalent qualifi- cation in which the modules for the final year have been passed with an average of at least 60%	Potchefstroom	Arrangement Composing or conducting Education, Academia and Research Music Journalism Radio, television, digital media or the recording industry
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music and Society		Completed matric / National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for degree study, and an APS of at least 21, and at least 50% (level 4) for English in Grade 12 OR A diploma in music or an equivalent qualification in which the modules for the final year have been passed with an average of at least 60% Successful completion of a practical audition (Grade 3 standard), a theoretical placement test (Grade 2 standard), and a language proficiency test A laptop or equivalent device to participate in learning and assessment activities DURATION: 3 years	APS of at least 21 OR an equivalent qualifi cation in which the modules for the final year have been passed with an average of at least 60%	Potchefstroom	Arrangement Composing or conducting Education, Academia and Research Entertainment / performance Music Journalism Agent and Artist manager Audio and broadcast engineer Radio, television, digital media or the recording industry
Baccalaureus Musicae (BMus)		Completed matric / National Senior Certificate with an endorsement for degree study Successful completion of a practical audition (Grade 6 standard), a theoretical placement test (Grade 5 standard), and a language proficiency test A laptop or equivalent device to participate in learning and assessment activities DURATION: 4 years	APS of at least 24 OR a diploma in music	Potchefstroom	Arrangement, lyricist, song writer Composing or conducting Education, Academia and Research Entertainment / performance Music Journalism, therapist, production Musicologist Radio, television, digital media or the recording industry Event production and production
Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil)	with Philosophy, Politics and Economics	DURATION: 3 years	26	Potchefstroom	Compliance coordinator Economic and Political research analyst Politics or government service Public policy analysis and development Marketing and sales Project and development manager Politics sector related careers The business and banking sector The legal profession Academia and Research Economic and political Leader
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Humanities	with Afrikaans and Dutch	Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	A job directed where human-directed skills are needed, careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: African Studies and development Ethics officer Political Leader Language consultant Teacher (please see additional requirements) Computer consultant / salesperson / administrator Liaison Officer Environmental consultant or community engagement expert
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Humanities	with English	English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Mahikeng Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	A job directed where human-directed skills are needed, careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: African Studies and development Ethics officer Political Leader Language consultant Teacher (please see additional requirements) Computer consultant / salesperson / administrator Liaison Officer Environmental consultant or community engagement expert
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Humanities	with Setswana	Setswana (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Setswana FAL level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Mahikeng Potchefstroom	A job directed where human-directed skills are needed, careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: African Studies and development Ethics officer Political Leader Language consultant Teacher (please see additional requirements) Computer consultant / salesperson / administrator Liaison Officer Environmental consultant or community engagement expert
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Humanities	with Sesotho	Sesotho (SSLL): Gr. 12 Sesotho HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Sesotho FAL level 5 (60-69%) DURATION: 3 years	24	Vanderbijlpark	A job directed where human-directed skills are needed, careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: African Studies and development Ethics officer Political Leader Language consultant Teacher (please see additional requirements) Computer consultant / salesperson / administrator Liaison Officer Environmental consultant or community engagement expert
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Humanities	with Social Sciences (PC, VC) with Psychology (MC, PC, VC) with History (MC, PC, VC) with Geography (MC, PC, VC) with French (PC, VC) with German (PC) with History of Art (PC) with Latin (PC) with Politics (PC, VC) with Social Anthropology (PC) with Sociology (MC, PC, VC) with Philosophy (MC, PC) with History and Society (MC, VC) with Psychology and Society (MC, PC, VC) with Geography and Society (MC, VC) with Politics and Society (VC)	DURATION: 3 years Please take note of the language entrance requirements: • Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) • English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) • Setswana (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Setswana FAL level 5 (60-69%) • Sesotho (SSLL): Gr. 12 Sesotho HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Sesotho FAL level 5 (60-69%)	24	Mahikeng Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	A job directed where human-directed skills are needed, careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: African Studies and development Ethics officer Political Leader Language consultant Teacher (please see additional requirements) Computer consultant / salesperson / administrator Liaison Officer Environmental consultant or community engagement expert
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc)	with Development Studies (MC) with Geography (MC, PC, VC) with History (MC, PC, VC) with Population Studies (MC) with Psychology and Social Sciences (MC, PC, VC) with Social Anthropology (PC, VC) with Sociology (MC, PC, VC)	DURATION: 3 years Please take note of the language entrance requirements: Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Setswana (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Setswana FAL level 5 (60-69%) Sesotho (SSLL): Gr. 12 Sesotho HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Sesotho FAL level 5 (60-69%)	22	Mahikeng Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	Careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: Market Research Policy or data analyst Development specialist State and civil society research organisations Economist Industrial organisational psychologist Sociologist Geographer Psychologist Anthropologist Historian
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc)	with Economics	Mathematics level 3 (40-49%) DURATION: 3 years Please take note of the language entrance requirements: Afrikaans (AFLL): Gr. 12 Afrikaans HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Afrikaans FAL level 5 (60-69%) English (ENLL): Gr. 12 English HL level 4 (50-59%) OR English FAL level 5 (60-69%) Setswana (SETM): Gr. 12 Setswana HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Setswana FAL level 5 (60-69%) Sesotho (SSLL): Gr. 12 Sesotho HL level 4 (50-59%) OR Sesotho FAL level 5 (60-69%)	22	Mahikeng Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	Careers will be affected by the majoring option you choose but includes the following professions: Market Research Policy or data analyst Development specialist State and civil society research organisations Economist Industrial organisational psychologist Sociologist Geographer Psychologist Anthropologist Historian
Bachelor of Arts (BA)	with Sociology and Geography with Sociology and Labour Relations Management	DURATION: 3 years	22	Potchefstroom	Labour relations practice Direction and Human Resources Management Management, mediation and intervention in the workforce: Local Employment and Development Agents, Occupational Risk Prevention, Public Administrations Social-labour auditing Labour administration and research, multiple careers in government, private sector and trade union organisations Academia and research Management consultant Community development worker Project manager Human rights officer Quality control manager Consumer relations specialist Agricultural Manager Land Economist Climatology Geographic Information Systems Analyst Emergency Management Ecologist Conservationist
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Behavioural Sciences	with Sociology and Psychology	DURATION: 3 years	22	Potchefstroom Vanderbijlpark	Industrial-organisational Psychologists Marketing Manager and Marketing Manager Behavioural Therapist Councillor Consultant Psychologist Guidance councillor Community health worker Community worker Lecturer Social researcher Market researcher Market research analyst Teacher, Academia and research Social researcher Market researcher Market research analyst Teacher

HEQSF alignment

All universities in South Africa were obligated by law to take part in a National Project driven by the regulatory bodies (Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), to align all qualifications with the Higher Education Qualification Sub Framework (HEQSF). The NWU is thus currently in an ongoing process of aligning our qualification and programme offering with the requirements of the HEQSF.

Prospective students must take notice of the fact that NWU qualification names, programme names as well as the composition of curricula may change due to the HEQSF Project, prior to registration for the 2026 academic year. Successful candidates are advised to contact the relevant faculty to ensure that they register for the correct qualification, programme and / or curriculum.

Undergraduate Studies

Humanities 2026

Admission requirements

Humanities