Arcadia University: Study at the University of the Western Cape

  South Africa

• Cape Town: 
Cape Town (Kaapstad)

Term: Fall, Spring 

Description: The University of the Western Cape (UWC), situated in Bellville, about 15 miles from Cape Town city center, is a leading research and teaching institution in South Africa that played a unique role in "the struggle" against apartheid. UWC was founded in 1959 as the University College of the Western Cape for the purpose of educating non-white youth of the region. Student and faculty protests at UWC, from 1973 through the 1990's placed the university at the center of the opposition to apartheid. Following the end of apartheid, President Nelson Mandela appointed many prominent faculty and alumni of UWC to his cabinet.

Today, Archbishop Desmond Tutu serves as Chancellor of UWC, and the university is fully integrated with a student body that reflects the diverse nature of the South African population in terms of race, religion, and economic background. UWC has gained a reputation as a leader in research and teaching both at the national level as well as internationally with programs such as the International Ocean Institute and the School of Public Health and was commissioned by the World Health Organization to provide courses for other African countries.

Arcadia University study-abroad students will have access to all faculties and courses at UWC, provided the prerequisites can be met and will take an average of six modules per semester of study. All courses are taught in English with the exception of advanced language courses. While Liberal Arts and Humanities hold an important place at UWC, equally as important and strong are the faculties dedicated to practical fields such as Education, Law, Health Sciences, and Nursing. UWC has the only schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry in the Western Cape - open to undergraduates as well as graduate students.

The UWC faculty is well known internationally and has many partnerships with universities and institutes elsewhere in Africa and around the globe. In addition to your coursework at UWC, all students are required to participate in the core seminar "Contemporary Issues in South Africa," which is intended to provide a forum for reflection and analysis on current issues and challenges facing South Africans.

Credits and Grades   
Courses at UWC are called "modules" of study. Each module is one semester long and undergraduates usually take eight modules in the first year and 12 modules during the second and third year. This generally means that you will choose six modules per semester of study at UWC.

Modules carry between 2 and 4 credits each depending on the type of module, number of contact hours, and whether a practical component is involved.

Modules are numbered according to level:

First Year courses 100 Level
2nd Year Courses 200 Level
3rd Year Courses 300 Level
Honors Courses 400 Level
Post Graduate Courses 400 Level and Higher

Highlights: UWC's mission statement includes this summary of the institutions: "A place of quality, a place to grow from hope to action through knowledge." UWC's faculty are willing to "walk the extra mile" for the committed student and that is apparent both inside the classroom and outside. This is a student centered institution where teaching takes priority over research at the undergraduate level.

The campus of the University of the Western Cape in Belville has a clear view of the impressive Table Mountain and there is a nature reserve integrated into the campus with 29 hectares utilized by the university as well as primary and high school pupils from the local community.

Social and Cultural Opportunities
There is an exciting vibe on campus focused around the student center and the year-round activities organized by students for students. The UWC Sports Council represents the student sport organizations on campus and within South Africa. The sports stadium on campus accommodates 20,000 spectators and is used for major soccer and rugby events. The campus boasts one of the few heated "rimflow" Olympic size swimming pools in the Western Cape. Students who wish to compete at the highest varsity levels as well as those interested in a weekend pick-up game can choose from a range of sports clubs including: basketball, body-building, boxing, chess, cricket, golf, handball, judo, karate, mountaineering, pool, rugby, soccer, softball, squash, tennis, triathlon, and volleyball.

Apart from the sports clubs, UWC students have established political, cultural, and religious societies.The UWC Centre for Performing Arts offers opportunities for students to learn to play a musical instrument, to dance, to sing, and to act. Drama, dance, and instrumental groups hold concerts and performances throughout the year. There is a student newspaper and a Radio society on campus for budding journalists and broadcasters.   

Just step into the student lounge or on of the cafeterias on campus and you will be overwhelmed with information about lectures, movies, parties, and other exciting events taking place on the UWC campus each day.

Through linkages with a variety of institutions around the world, UWC attracts more than 300 international students each year. The total population of the university is approximately 14,000. The student body of UWC is the most representative of the population of South Africa in the Western Cape. The largest percentage of students now come from homes where an African language is spoken, followed closely by English and then Afrikaans.

Cost in US$: Please visit website

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.