The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is a vibrant and diverse academic community, recognised for our excellence in research, teaching and creative practice. Through our 18 departments, thirteen research centres, more than 70 NRF-rated researchers, four SARChI Chairs, and a National Centre for Excellence in Scientometrics and Science Policy, we engage with the pressing social, cultural, political, technological and creative questions of our time. Rooted in Africa and globally connected, our work addresses challenges central to South Africa and the world — from social justice, governance and multilingualism to digital transformation, sustainability and the creative economy. Across the humanities, social sciences, languages and creative arts, we generate new knowledge, foster innovation and help shape a more just and sustainable future.

We offer 14 Bachelor degree programmes that equip students with the knowledge, skills and versatility to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Our graduates are creative, discerning, highly skilled and sought-after employees who thrive across sectors, from journalism, digital media and policy development, to data analysis, education, and the creative industries.

Our faculty consists of 18 departments that are grouped into languages, arts and social sciences. The languages include departments like African Languages, Afrikaans and Dutch, Ancient Studies, English, General Linguistics, and Modern Foreign Languages. The arts include Drama, Music, and Visual Arts while the social sciences include Geography and Environmental Studies, History, Information Science, Journalism, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology and Social Anthropology. Together these departments offer a range of subjects that will make up your degree programme and equip you for the knowledge economy and a workplace that requires graduates with generic thinking, writing and research skills, who are able to work in teams and make a contribution to society through critical, engaged citizenship.

BA in Development and Environment: Learn about how communities work in interaction with the natural environment through processes of economic and socio-economic development.

BA (Music): Combines training in music with the option of gaining expertise in a language, social science or mathematics and thus provides the ideal foundation for a teaching career.

BA in Law: This programme lays the foundation for advanced legal studies while simultaneously providing insight into human behavior and social issues. It also gives on access to the postgraduate LLB programme.

BA in Political, Philosophical and Economic Studies (PPE): Is aimed at those interested in careers in management, the civil service, banking and investment, journalism, the diplomatic service and academia.

BMus: Offers specialised training to prepare you as a music teacher, performing artist (soloist, accompanist, orchestral player or conductor), music technologist, researcher or composer.

B in Data Science: In the Geoinformatics focus area you will learn to apply data science concepts to geospatial data. Using geocomputation, geo-tools are developed to work with geographic data in a computational way, focusing on code, reproducibility and modularity. Geovisualization helps communicate complex ideas because it uses the powerful medium of the map, integrated with other electronic multimedia.

B in Social Work: Prepares you as a professional social worker and enables you to register with the South African Council for Social Service Professions.

BA in Visual Arts and Design: Has a wide range of creative and educational applications and prepares you for careers in the creative industries. The programme has three streams, namely Fine Arts, Visual Communication Design, and Creative Jewellery and Metal Design. The streams make it possible to qualify as fine artist, graphic and communication designer, jewellery designer and jewellery manufacturer, and/or art and design theorist. 

BA in Drama and Theatre Studies: Prepares you for a career in the theatre, radio, film and TV industries, as actor, director, scriptwriter, technician, manager, critic, and researcher.

BA in the Humanities: Provides access to a variety of careers by teaching you to think, read and write analytically and critically, identify problems, communicate effectively and respond to changing sociocultural demands and circumstances.

BA in Human Resource Management: The development of human capital is key to economic progress. Human Resource Managers use their knowledge of Industrial Psychology (a major subject) to develop and manage employees. 

BA in International Studies: With training in economic and political issues, and languages such as French, German and Chinese, this programme is your key to an exciting career in tourism, the media industry, international organisations, the business world or the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. 

BA in Language and Culture: Prepares you for language- and culture-related occupations such as teaching, the publishing and book industry, journalism and the media, the diplomatic service, tourism, the translation industry, and the music and theatre world.