Students must elect to pursue a specialization in Geology, Geological Engineering, or Mining Engineering. Those interested in paleontology at the PhD level enroll in the Geology Specialization. Each specialization has different background and program requirements. The available coursework and current faculty expertise support the following areas of concentration.

The Ph.D. program in Mining Engineering fully taught in English, is designed to provide a sophisticated knowledge base and advanced skills at the expert level for individuals planning a career in academia, industry, and research settings in any of the subfields of the Mining Engineering discipline.

PhD in Geotechnics and Underground Engineering The study is focused on the field of behaviour of geomaterials, geomechanics, technology of realization of geotechnical, underground and mining constructions corresponding to the development of digitization and stratification of engineering constructions (including BIM technology), behaviour of geotechnical and underground constructions subjected to extraordinary loads, development of methods of modelling of various types of geotechnical constructions, environmental geotechnics and the problems of energy geotechnics associated with geothermal energy.

This program illustrates the latest in mining technology. It also depicts the various tasks a mining engineer accomplishes throughout the life of a mine, including deposit search, site value determination, mineral extraction, and post-mining reclamation. It focuses on sustainable land management that meets economic and environmental needs. It covers both aboveground and underground methods of mining for a wide range of substances, including metals, non-metals, and fuels.

This programme research should illustrate the latest in mining technology. Describing the several tasks that a mining engineer performs during the life of a mine is also a salient topic: deposit exploration, site value determination, ore extraction and post-mining reclamation. Candidates should focus on sustainable land management that meets economic and environmental needs and cover both surface and underground mining methods for a wide range of substances, including metals, non-metals and fuels.

The Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology at the University of Pretoria is a leading source of graduates in the engineering, built environment, and information technology professions. We achieve this by a focus on research to drive innovative and inquiry-led teaching for educating and positioning our students to be leaders in their professions. The Faculty has extensive and cutting-edge teaching, learning and laboratory facilities integrated with the excellent suite of facilities and services offered by the University. We facilitate access to our qualifications through our extended programs but expect our students to excel and develop as future professionals through our program offerings. We invite you to consider enrolling in one of our programs if you share our vision of excellence and want to position yourself as a leader in the professions that we support.

The doctoral study in the Mining and Mining Geomechanics programme is designed for graduates of the master’s degree programme in Mining of Mineral Resources. This degree programme is designed to provide students with the opportunity to prove successful in various academic and research institutions, as well as in companies and public institutions engaged in the creation and development of applications covering relevant procedures and technologies used to support the work activities of these entities in practice.

The program provides a firm grounding, through research, the specialization in the concepts and modern methods of Mining Engineering.