University of Pretoria - Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

University of Pretoria - Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences

The pandemic has allowed us to re-imagine what a university should look like and how it should conduct its core business of research, teaching and learning, and community engagement. We have moved away from emergency online teaching, and we are transitioning towards a hybrid learning model, where high-quality, purposefully designed on-campus activities will complement a sophisticated online learning environment for a better education. It will provide you with more flexibility to complete your education without sacrificing the quality that UP, and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (NAS), are well-known for.

Hybrid learning is just one of the many ways in which NAS leads education on the continent. The pandemic has taught us the value of science for society. The diversity of our programs, our industry connections, the quality of our research, and our deep and meaningful community engagement projects all contribute to your education to launch you on a pathway to a fulfilling career that will have an impact on the world.

Our excellence in teaching and research is recognised by our large number of partners outside of academia. We work together with several companies, non-profit organisations, industry bodies, and government departments, which means that the qualification you receive from NAS gives you a unique edge for employment. The excellent research and teaching you are exposed to during your training, combined with valuable real-world experience, will make you a sought-after candidate for employment.

We are known for our expertise in forestry and agriculture, the life sciences and mathematical and statistical sciences—all supported by genuine scholarship and excellence in the basic sciences. We offer some unique degrees (in Meteorology and Nutrition, for example), and even though there may be similar offerings elsewhere, we have attractive double major options (and even a unique triple major in Human Physiology, Genetics and Psychology). Food- and water security in Africa, which are two of our many focus areas, can be approached from many angles: climate change, biotechnology, crop development, breeding, data science, agricultural economics, insurance risk, consumer behaviour, indigenous crops, pests and diseases, carbon cycling and environmental change, to name but a few.

As a student in NAS, you will be mentored by leading scientists and trained in the use of state-of-the-art equipment. Here you will be at the forefront of scientific research, and you will be inspired to think innovatively. In NAS, we have a deep appreciation of humanity’s connection to the living world, and we explore new opportunities for investigating how it shapes our livelihoods.

NAS is a faculty known for its diversity in respect of people and disciplines and how we view the world. This diversity, which helps us look at old problems from new perspectives, plays a crucial role in ensuring our excellence in teaching and research. It also provides an ideal template for cross-cutting research, where diverse disciplines combine forces to solve the societal problems of the day.