Welcome to all Humanities Students! In deciding to study Humanities you have chosen to place yourself within an academic community that deals with perhaps the most important questions that face us as human beings – Humanities disciplines inspire and enrich our everyday lives and help us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others and the challenges we face in a rapidly changing multicultural world.

The Faculty of Humanities is the largest faculty at the University of Cape Town and a leading centre for the study of Humanities on the African continent. We are a dynamic, creative and multicultural community that places great value on personal growth and intellectual stimulation through wide-ranging and innovative teaching and research.  We offer the following opportunities:

Growth. In the Humanities, we teach our students critical thinking, inter-cultural communication, ethical reasoning and aesthetic appreciation, encouraging you to be analytical, to question, to engage in ‘out of the box’ thinking, to ask the difficult questions and to use your imagination in dealing both with the theoretical and with real world problems. If this sounds exciting, then you will definitely thrive in this environment and you will enjoy your time with us.

Support. Whether you come from a family whose members have studied at UCT for generations or whether you are the first member of your family or community to come here, we understand that the transition from high school to university can be daunting. There are a number of student support resources are available to assist you along the way:

i)                   Make sure to attend our Orientation programme because it is a vital introduction into the Faculty.

ii)                 Make time to download the Humanities student guide booklets (available on the faculty website) as these will help you navigate student life at UCT.

iii)               Members of academic and administrative support staff are on hand to assist you every step of the way.

iv)               We provide ongoing peer mentorship for those students who need this support.  

Visit our Faculty Office in the Beattie Building for more information on these and other resources available to Humanities students.

Learning. With 19 academic departments that span traditional academic disciplines and the creative and performing arts, with over seventy NRF-rated researchers and internationally respected academics, with many winners of the University’s Distinguished Teacher Award, you will be taught by the best and will be challenged to broaden and deepen your thinking and improve your writing skills. The enormous variety of academic programmes, majors and courses on offer within Humanities enables flexibility in tailoring your academic experience to your passions and interests. This website is a comprehensive resource for information on our undergraduate and postgraduate degree offerings as well as research opportunities. 

Finally, I encourage you to utilise your time here to engage fully with the academic material, to be open to learning from your teachers and from your peers and to use every opportunity for networking so that you graduate from UCT a changed individual, equipped to make a difference in society.

Congratulations on making this excellent choice for your future! I wish you every success on your journey.

Professor Shose Kessi