Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University will award more than 6 300 certificates, diplomas and degrees at 13 graduation ceremonies in Port Elizabeth and George from 10 to 20 April 2015, an increase of close to 14% since its first graduation a decade ago.
This brings the total number of qualifications awarded since the establishment of NMMU in 2005 close to 50 000.
This year the overall figure includes 446 master’s degrees and 71 doctorates, as well as 42 master’s technology and one doctoral technology degree.
Since the university was established from the merger of the University of Port Elizabeth, the Port Elizabeth campus of Vista University and the Port Elizabeth Technikon, NMMU’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and IT (EBEIT) has had the most significant increase in graduates – more than doubling its figures in the last ten years from 462 in 2005 to 950 this year.
A new professional engineering degree, the four-year Mechatronics programme, was partially responsible for the large increase in qualifications achieved in this faculty.
In addition, the School of ICT – part of the Faculty of EBEIT – had a huge increase in student numbers from 2005. Two new qualifications which added to the student numbers substantially are the Higher Certificate: IT (User Support) which was implemented in 2009 and the National Diploma: IT (Support Services) which was implemented in 2007.
In total the School’s numbers grew from 567 students in 2005, to 1215 students in 2012 and stabilised thereafter.
Leading the way with the most postgraduate degrees this year is the Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences with 508 graduates, including 222 master’s degrees – up from 163 in 2014. The Faculty also boasts over 2000 graduates – the most of NMMU’s seven faculties and translates to a 74% increase since 2005.
The Faculty also boasts its first Master’s degree in Accounting since the formation of the new institution.
The Faculty of Science once again produced the most doctoral degrees – 19. This is the sixth consecutive year they have produced the most doctorates.
NMMU has introduced a number of new degrees during its short history, all in line with national needs, such as its four-year degrees in Dietetics and Emergency Medical care, along with its Pharmacy Technicians qualification. The University was the first to introduce the two-year programme and will see its first graduates cross the stage during the final ceremony on Tuesday 21 April.
Graduation programme:
Friday, 10 April 2015
Session 1: 10:00 George Campus – all programmes
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Session 2: 09:30 Faculty of Arts (Postgraduate qualifications including Bachelor of Technology degrees
Session 3: 14:30 Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology (School of the Built Environment and School of Information and Communication Technology
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Session 4: 09:30 Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Information Technology (School of Engineering)
Session 5: 14:30 Faculty of Law, Faculty of Health Sciences ((Postgraduate qualifications including Bachelor of Technology degrees)
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Session 6: 09:30 Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences (School of Economics, Development and Tourism and Graduate School)
Session 7: 14:30 Faculty of Education (Undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications)
Friday, 17 April 2015
Session 8: 09:30 Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences (School of Management Sciences – excluding Undergraduate Diploma qualifications)
Session 9: 14:30 Faculty of Science
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Session 10: 09:30 Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences (School of Accounting)
Session 11: 14:30 Faculty of Arts (Undergraduate qualifications)
Monday, 20 April 2011
Session 12: 09:30 Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences (School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources and School of Management Sciences – Undergraduate Diploma qualifications)
Session 13: 14:30 Faculty of Health Sciences (Undergraduate qualifications)
Alan Straton
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