University of Cape Town

The course presents fundamental environmental and geographical concepts from the fields of human and physical geography and explores the interconnections, flows, and boundaries across these systems. How these systems have played out in the past, how they are changing, and what the future may hold, is critical to a full appreciation of current and future environmental challenges. This course brings together an understanding of both the biophysical geographic settings and processes that inform all facets of our landscapes, and the social engagement with their components, which present both opportunity and limitation to human development. DP requirements: Attendance of all, and satisfactory completion of all tutorial and practical assignments; students must attain an average mark of not less than 40% for the coursework component. Assessment: Essays, assignments and tutorial work count 60%; one 2-hour theory examination written in November counts 40% (subminimum of 40% required).

This course focuses on the study of language in its social context, a branch of Linguistics that is referred to as sociolinguistics. The course includes topics such as: introduction (basic concepts and issues in sociolinguistics); regional variation; social variation; language change, language and social media; multilingualism; language and interaction; gender and language; language contact; pidgins, creoles and new Englishes; language planning and policy; language and education; the sociolinguistics of sign language. DP requirements: None. Assessment: Continuous assessment (essays, projects, tests, etc.) counts 100%.

The marketing concept, the marketing environment, consumer markets and industrial markets, buyer behavior, marketing research, the use and importance of differentiation, market segmentation and target marketing, the marketing mix, product policy, pricing policy, distribution policy, promotion policy, marketing strategy, marketing organization and implementation, measurement and control of marketing effectiveness including the marketing audit. DP requirements: 40% class mark and the completion of all required assignments. Assessment: Essays, case studies, project and test 50%; June / October examinations (2 hours) 50%.

This is an etymology course that aims to improve the vocabulary, especially academic vocabulary. The course consists of two components: focus on concepts associated with the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations of the Mediterranean and key words in English derived from Greek and Latin; knowledge of English word-formation and evolution from the lexical resources of the Greek and Latin languages, as well as other languages, particularly as this knowledge enhances word-building skills and increases confidence in the use of English of an academic register. As an introductory course to the study of language, content that engages the diversity of students’ own lexicons and is cognizant of our African location is used. The course employs innovative teaching and delivery methods, including multilingual pedagogies and digital literacy, that allow more time for active engagement and the development of critical reading and writing skills in the Humanities. DP requirements: Students must attend all tutorials, submit all tutorial assignments, and write all tests. Assessment: One two-hour examination at the end of the semester counts for 50% of the final mark; coursework counts for 50%.

This course is to provide a deep understanding of Organizational Behavior (OB) and its role in fostering effective work environments. Explore how human behavior in organizations is shaped by individual capabilities and workplace relationships, gaining insights into the psychological foundations that distinguish OB from human resource management. The course focuses on applying OB theory to workplace behavior, with particular attention to the South African context, and encourages students to critically reflect on their own professional interactions. This course is restricted to students in their second academic year of study (AYOS). The course is intended for students majoring in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, but students from other streams/faculties may choose this course as an elective. Assessment: Coursework 60% (assignments, tests). Final examination 40%.

This course introduces Geology and covers the essentials of the discipline as follows: crystals and minerals; igneous and metamorphic rocks; structural geology; mineral deposits and economic geology; paleontology; the interpretation of geological maps. A three-day field trip to the Western Cape serves as an introduction to field geology. DP requirements: An average of 30% in all marked classwork and tests. Assessment: Class tests count 35%; field reports count 15%; one 2-hour theory examination written in November counts 50%. A subminimum of 40% is required in the theory examination paper.

As an introduction to cultural and literary studies, this course examines an array of modes of expression to understand how texts of various kinds accomplish their acts of meaning making and persuade their readers. Attention is given to the impact of a text’s form and context in shaping its message, as well as its content. In trying to understand the rhetorical effects of any given text, the course examines examples from across a variety of genres that use words, images, and even sound to engage their audience or readers, within a variety of historical and political contexts. Objects of study include texts that use sound as well as words (such as contemporary ballads, performance poetry and hip hop, or contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays), visual images (such as posters in a protest action, photographs that document war and suffering, and historical maps that retraced the shape the world), and words collated and presented in particular ways on the page (such as the archived documents from the apartheid censors, the published journal of a fugitive slave, the extended prose of a stream-of-consciousness novel). By drawing on key theoretical insights into the politics of representation, the course develops the critical skills needed to become savvy readers of contemporary culture and politics. DP requirements: All written work to be handed in and at least 75% attendance at tutorials. Assessment: Continuous assessment (coursework essays, projects, tasks etc.) counts 60%; end-of semester examination counts 40%.

Africa is religiously pluralistic, having three major religious traditions. These are African indigenous religions, Christianity, and Islam. Each of these is internally diverse and multifaceted, creating a mosaic of religious cultures, rituals, communities, ethics and worldviews. This course investigates the histories, rituals, and discourses of the traditions where they interact, differ, and display common elements. As an introductory course to Religious Studies, content engages the diversity of students' lifeworld's and is cognizant of our African location. The use of innovative teaching and delivery methods, including multilingual pedagogies and digital literacy, that allow more time for active engagement and the development of critical reading, writing, and analytical skills in the Humanities is used. DP requirements: Mandatory attendance of lectures and participation in tutorials. Submission of all work by due dates. Assessment: Continuous assessment (essays, projects, tests, etc.) counts 100%.

The course enables students with no prior knowledge of Afrikaans to develop a basic competency in the language, which is required for basic daily interactions. Afrikaans grammar is taught within context, appropriate vocabulary is systematically expanded, and a variety of relevant written and oral activities are provided to facilitate comprehension. DP requirements: At least 75% attendance at lectures; completion of all assignments and tests. Assessment: One two-hour examination in June or October/November counts for 40% of the final mark; an oral examination counts for 20%; the semester coursework counts for the remaining 40%.

Histories of modernity are inextricably entwined with histories of empires. Even in a time when the formal empires have arguably collapsed, the categories through which we approach the modern world are still deeply shaped by the persistence of imperial modes of thinking. This course focuses on a range of key concepts of modernity and encourages critically thinking about these concepts by drawing particular attention to the tensions between their metropolitan and colonial careers. The course offers a broad and critical narrative of world history from the nineteenth through the twenty first century. A primary goal of the course is to provide an understanding of how these concepts carry many different histories within them, how they are open to contending interpretations, and how crucial the sense of their varied historical contexts is to the practice of social sciences and humanities. As an introductory course to Historical Studies, content that engages the diversity of students' lifeworld's and is cognizant of our African location are used. We employ innovative teaching and delivery methods, including multilingual pedagogies and digital literacy, that allow more time for active engagement and the development of critical reading and writing skills in the Humanities. DP requirements: 100% of required coursework and course evaluation. Assessment: Continuous assessment (essays, projects, tests, etc.) counts 100%.