Founded in 1873 as the University of the Cape of Good Hope, the institution became the first public university in the world to teach exclusively by means of distance education in 1946. Throughout the years, Unisa was perhaps the only university in South Africa to have provided all people with access to education, irrespective of race, colour or creed.
- #901 Ranking
- 124 Masters
- 948 Academic Staff
- 193,543 Students
- 9,677 Students (int'l)
- 137,416 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
Master's Programmes
Business & Management (33)
- M.A. Banking Law
- M.A. Business Management
- M.Sc. Corrections Management
- M.A. Financial Management
- M.A. Logistics
- M.A. Marketing
- M.A. Marketing Management
- M.A. Operations Research
- M.A. Sociology
- M.A. Tourism Management
- M.A. Transport Economics
- M.A. Urban Ministry
Humanities (33)
- M.A. African Languages
- M.A. Afrikaans
- M.A. Applied Linguistics
- M.A. Arabic
- M.A. Archaeology
- M.A. Art History
- M.A. Biblical Archaeology
- M.A. Classical Studies
- M.A. English Studies
- M.A. French
- M.A. History of Education
- M.A. Inclusive Education
- M.A. Islamic Studies
- M.A. Italian
- M.A. Judaica
- M.A. Linguistics
- M.A. Philosophy
- M.A. Portuguese
- M.A. Religious Studies
- M.A. Romance Languages
- M.A. Sociolinguistics
- M.A. Theory of Literature
- M.A. Theory of Literature
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (24)
- M.Sc. Applied Mathematics
- M.Sc. Astronomy
- M.Sc. Chemistry
- M.Sc. Chemistry Education
- M.Sc. Computing
- M.A. Financial Management
- M.Sc. Life Science Education
- M.Sc. Mathematics
- M.Sc. Mathematics Education
- M.Sc. Physics
- M.Sc. Physics Education
- M.Sc. Statistics
- M.Sc. Statistics Education
Social Sciences (24)
- M.A. Archaeology
- M.A. Clinical Psychology
- M.Sc. Criminology
- M.A. Development Studies
- M.A. Economics
- Master Geography
- M.A. Islamic Studies
- M.A. Logistics
- M.Sc. Police Science
- M.A. Psychology
- M.Sc. Security Management
- M.A. Sociolinguistics
- M.A. Sociology
- M.A. Transport Economics
- M.A. Urban Ministry
Education & Training (23)
- M.A. Applied Linguistics
- M.Sc. Chemistry Education
- M.Sc. Computing Education
- Master Curriculum Studies
- Master Education in Socio-education
- M.A. History of Education
- M.A. Inclusive Education
- M.Sc. Life Science Education
- M.Sc. Mathematics Education
- M.A. Philosophy
- Master Philosophy of Education
- M.Sc. Physics Education
- M.A. Psychology
- M.Sc. Statistics Education
Law (23)
- M.A. Banking Law
- M.A. Business Management
- M.A. Corporate Law
- M.Sc. Criminal Justice
- M.Sc. Criminology
- M.A. Family Law
- M.A. Human Rights Law
- M.A. Insurance Law
- M.Sc. Jurisprudence
- M.A. Labour Law
- M.Sc. Police Science
- M.A. Private Law
- M.A. Property Law
- M.Sc. Security Management
- M.A. Urban Ministry
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (8)
- M.Sc. Consumer Science
- M.A. Development Studies
- Master Geography
- M.Sc. Life Sciences
- M.Sc. Nature Conservation
- M.Sc. Ornamental Horticulture
Computer Science & IT (4)
- M.Sc. Computing
- M.Sc. Computing Education
- Master Geography
- M.A. Information Science
Agriculture & Forestry (2)
- M.Sc. Ornamental Horticulture
Applied Sciences & Professions (2)
Arts, Design & Architecture (2)
- M.A. Art History
- M.A. Musicology
Medicine & Health (2)
- M.A. Clinical Psychology
- M.A. Public Health
Engineering & Technology (1)
About
History
Explore the more than 140 years of Unisa’s existence and celebrate our decades of service to students in South Africa and beyond. Learn more about Unisa’s evolution from a small, colonial examining body into one of the world’s largest open distance learning institutions — an exuberantly African global leaders.
Education
The three core business areas of Unisa are teaching, research and community engagement. Our world-class research is spearheaded by the Research and Innovation portfolio and community engagement by our Community Engagement and Outreach Policy. We also place great importance on the celebration and promotion of our African arts and culture through various endeavours.
Research
Offering study opportunities to more than 400 000 students from across South Africa, Africa and other parts of the world, Unisa offers a diverse choice of study fields at levels from certificate to degree. The university is considered South Africa’s most productive* accounting for 12.8% of all degrees conferred by the country’s 23 public universities and universities of technology.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021
GSSA 2021
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
University Ranking
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2022
901 -300
2021
601 200
2020
801
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2023
1001 -200
2022
801 200
2021
1001
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2023
-
2022
-
2021
921
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Services
Student services
An unparalleled range of study choices is offered, ranging from short courses and certificate programmes to three-and four-year degrees and diplomas, to over 400 000 current students. As one of the leading research institutions on the continent, the research efforts have won us numerous awards, recognitions and honours.
Library services
Our library boasts over 2.7 million items and supports Unisa staff and students in teaching and research. We subscribe to an increasing number of electronic journals and electronic books that are available to students and staff online at any time.
Accreditation
It is recognised by the South African Department of Education (DoE), accredited by the South African Council on Higher Education (CHE) and all its qualifications are registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Student Reviews
Im a vibrant person looking forward to study abroad and the goal is to finish studying and work
Anonymous rated 5 out of 5 stars
Poor student and lecturer communication
It was very challenging but the lectures were.
Ethel Sibande rated 5 out of 5 stars
I really like the assignment and the replies from the lectures
A self-sustaining time
Anonymous rated 3 out of 5 stars
Everything was mainly online and self-study. Nothing exciting was happening and there was a lack of peer support.
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