SOCALL0/301/4/2023

Tutorial letter 301/4/2023

School of Computing
This tutorial letter contains important information
for all the students in the School of Computing
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ 2

1. WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING ............................................................................. 4

2. CONTACTING THE UNIVERSITY ........................................................................................................ 4

2.1. DIGITAL ACCESS CENTRES ................................................................................................................... 4

3. COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING .......................................................... 4

4. COMMUNICATION WITH THE LECTURERS.................................................................................... 4

4.1. E-MAIL (RECOMMENDED) ........................................................................................................................ 4

4.2. TELEPHONIC .................................................................................................................................................. 5
4.3. APPOINTMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 5
4.4. EUP1501 ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

5. COMMUNICATING WITH TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND E-TUTORS .................................... 5

6. COMMUNICATING ON THE INTERNET ............................................................................................ 5

6.1. THE MYUNISA WEB SERVER ................................................................................................................. 5

6.1.1 Join myLife and myUnisa ......................................................................................................................... 6
6.2. THE OSPREY WEB SERVER ................................................................................................................... 6
6.3. GUIDES FOR WEB TOOLS ....................................................................................................................... 7

7. NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF YOUR LECTURERS ............................................... 7

8. GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING OUR MODULES ........................................................ 11

9. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIBRARY ....................................................... 11

9.1. REQUESTING BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY .................................................................................. 11

9.2. JOURNAL ARTICLES FROM THE LIBRARY .................................................................................... 12
9.3. USING THE UNISA LIBRARY CATALOGUE ..................................................................................... 13
9.4. LIBGUIDES ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
9.5. SUBJECT DATABASES ............................................................................................................................. 14
9.6. ELECTRONIC BOOKS ............................................................................................................................... 15
9.7. REQUESTING A LITERATURE SEARCH .......................................................................................... 16
9.8. REFERENCING ............................................................................................................................................ 16
9.9. PERSONAL LIBRARIAN SERVICE ....................................................................................................... 17
9.10. USEFUL LIBRARY LINKS ...................................................................................................................... 18
9.11. GOOGLE SCHOLAR ................................................................................................................................ 18
9.12. TURNITIN ..................................................................................................................................................... 18

10. TUTORIAL MATTER ............................................................................................................................ 19

11. ASSIGNMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 19

11.1. THE PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................................................. 19

11.2. STUDYING IN GROUPS ......................................................................................................................... 19
11.3. PLAGIARISM ............................................................................................................................................... 19
11.4. EXAMINATION ADMISSION ................................................................................................................. 20
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11.5. SEMESTER / YEAR MARK .................................................................................................................... 20
11.6. DOING AND SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................................... 20
11.7. ASSIGNMENT REMARK AND RECHECK ....................................................................................... 21
11.8. PRACTICAL WORK .................................................................................................................................. 21

12. EXAMINATIONS ................................................................................................................................... 22

13. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS .............................................................................................. 22

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1. WELCOME TO THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING

We welcome you as a registered student in the School of Computing and wish you a successful year of
study.

The purpose of this tutorial letter is to provide you with general information regarding the modules offered
by the school as well as the names and contact details of your lecturers. To avoid unnecessary duplication,
general information applicable to all the modules may not be repeated in the study material for each
module. Module specific information including assignments is either included in Tutorial Letter 101 or
myUnisa or both. You can find links to myUnisa and the Unisa library on the web page of Unisa
(www.unisa.ac.za). General information about assignments, examinations and booksellers can be found on
myUnisa.

2. CONTACTING THE UNIVERSITY

Visit www.unisa.ac.za and follow the link Contact us

(http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us) to obtain information on how to contact the
University. Information about Unisa’s regional centers is also listed here.

2.1. DIGITAL ACCESS CENTRES

Unisa has entered into partnerships with establishments in various locations across South Africa to enable
Unisa students free access to computers and the Internet. This access enables you to conduct the
following academic related activities: registration; online submission of assignments; engaging in e-tutoring
activities and signature courses, etc. Please note that any other activity outside of these is for your own
cost, for example, printing, photocopying, etc.

For more information on the digital access centre nearest to you, please visit http://my.unisa.ac.za/ and
select menu Student Support & Regions from which you choose the link Tuition Support
(https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Learner-support-&-regions/Tuition-Support/Digital-Access-
Centres). The page that is loaded when choosing Tuition Support, has two links on the left panel. Select
Digital Access Centres for more information on digital access centres.

3. COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING

The home page of the School of Computing is http://osprey.unisa.ac.za/. Please do not phone the School
of Computing regarding non-academic matters. For non-academic queries see Section 2 of this tutorial
letter (previous Section).

A general e-mail address [email protected] is available for the school. Use this e-mail address when
you have a general query regarding the School of Computing.

4. COMMUNICATION WITH THE LECTURERS

4.1. E-MAIL (RECOMMENDED)

If you have a problem regarding any aspect relating to the content of your modules, you can address it to
the specific module e-mail address that is provided on myUnisa. Always provide the student number in your
e-mail. Please use these addresses on myUnisa and not your lecturers' individual addresses (unless you
are specifically asked to do so).
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4.2. TELEPHONIC

Section 7 of this tutorial letter lists all the modules, lecturers for the modules, their telephone numbers and
their email addresses. As a general guideline you should first check if your lecturer is available for
telephonic queries at a given time – see Section 6.2 on how to check if your lecturer is available for
telephonic query. If you cannot get hold of one of the lecturers on the specific module, leave a voice mail or
you may leave a message with one of the secretaries at 011 670 9715 for the Computer Science
department or 011 670 9188 for the Information Systems department – please refer to Section 7 to
establish if your module is offered by which department). When leaving a message clearly indicate your
name, student number and telephone number. The lecturer will contact you as soon as possible.

4.3. APPOINTMENTS

We would like to help you as much as we can, but you must make an appointment beforehand if you wish
to see us personally. It may not be possible to meet you physically. However, academics can arrange an
electronic meeting with you.

4.4. EUP1501

All communication to the EUP1501 module should be directed to one of the following e-mail addresses:

[email protected] For EUP1501 general enquiries

[email protected] For myITLab queries

We prefer e-mails to communicate with the EUP1501 support team but if you cannot then you may call the
following numbers between 08:00 and 16:00 weekdays only. Telephone number: 011 670 9140 or
011 670 9142

5. COMMUNICATING WITH TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND E-TUTORS

If you are an EUP1501 student, you will be grouped and allocated a teaching assistant. You will be
informed via your myLife e-mail about your group allocation and your teaching assistant.

All students registered for first level, second level and third level modules other than EUP1501, should be
assigned to an e-tutor in their respective modules. You will be informed of your e-tutor during the year.

6. COMMUNICATING ON THE INTERNET

The Internet provides an alternative means of communication with the administrative sections of Unisa, with
your lecturers and with other students. It is a useful way to obtain information, get assistance from your
lecturers and keep in touch with your fellow students. The Internet facilities which are currently available
are as follows:

6.1. THE MYUNISA WEB SERVER

For study at the School of Computing you need to have regular access to myUnisa, UNISA’s official web
based self-service portal. The URL for myUnisa is http://my.unisa.ac.za/.

This system, for example, can be used to

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• submit assignments electronically (multiple choice as well as other kinds of assignment). Consult
myUnisa for the format of your assignments and submission procedure.
• check assignment due dates;
• track assignments to see whether they have been received, registered and correctly uploaded. It is
your responsibility to make sure that your assignment reaches Unisa.
• find out if an assignment has been marked;
• find out what marks have been awarded for a specific assignment;
• download study material.
• read module announcements;
• view prescribed books;
• find names of fellow students who have chosen to share their contact details with the rest of the
class;
• find provisional and final examination dates;
• take part in discussions on the forums.

Some modules offered by the School are fully online. If you are registered for such an online module, you
will be expected to make use of myUnisa more extensively than explained above and you will not be
receiving any printed study material.

6.1.1 Join myLife and myUnisa

Go to http://my.unisa.ac.za/, then click on Claim Unisa Login on the top right of the Web page. Follow the
steps. The final page will display your myLife e-mail address and your initial Unisa password which is for
both the myLife and myUnisa systems. Your initial Unisa password will also be sent to the cell phone
number displayed on the page for safekeeping.

Watch the short video clip on how to access your myLife e-mail account and login to myUnisa:
http://podcasts.unisa.ac.za/library/attachments/F499D73D-6B03-42CE-B061-3FA7346C6F13/6EF8773F-
E925-430E-8FE2-7697F1239F5E.m4v

Problems or queries regarding your myUnisa password, should be e-mailed to [email protected]

or [email protected] or phone 012 429 3111.

myUnisa is using Moodle, a learning management platform, from 2022. You will notice that the look and
feel of your module sites are different from the module sites of previous years.

6.2. THE OSPREY WEB SERVER

The School of Computing has its own web server. The URL is http://osprey.unisa.ac.za/. To access the
services listed below, you must personalize the Registered students page for your modules. To do this
select the modules you have registered for in the list given on the right-hand side and click the submit
button.

This page uses cookies to store your preferences, so make sure that the security settings on your browser
allow you to store cookies. Similarly, if you want to change your preferences, you will have to delete the
cookies (click on the Re-personalize page on the Registered Students page).

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After personalizing the Web page, you can access the staff availability page and the software disk. The staff
availability page (see an example screenshot below) indicates which of your lecturers are unavailable,
attending meetings or available for telephonic queries. Note that when a lecturer is available, it does not
necessarily mean that the lecturer is in the office at that moment. It means that they are "around", and that
you should try later if your call is not answered.

6.3. GUIDES FOR WEB TOOLS

Unisa library has several guides on various web tools, which will be useful in your online studies. Find them
at https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/web2tools

7. NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS OF YOUR LECTURERS

Given below is the list of modules, lecturers for the modules, and their telephone numbers. Due to
numerous staff members leaving and new members joining the school, it is advised that you check the
module myUnisa page to get information on the current lecturers in a module. Before you call a lecturer, it
is recommended that you first check if the lecturer is available via the staff availability page on Osprey as
explained in Section 6.2. If you cannot get hold of the lecturer on the specific module leave a voice
message or contact the secretaries (see Section 4.2).

Given below is the list of modules offered by the Computer Science department:

Module Lecturer Telephone E-mail address

COS1501: Theoretical Computer Mrs D Du Plessis (011) 670 9109 [email protected]
Science 1
COS1511: Introduction to Ms P Mvelase (011) 471 2511 [email protected]
Programming 1
COS1512: Introduction to Mr L Aron (011) 670 9102 [email protected]
Programming 2
COS1521: Computer Systems: Mrs D Du Plessis (011) 670 9109 [email protected]
Fundamental Concepts
COS2601: Theoretical Dr P le Roux (011) 670 9118 [email protected]
Computer Science 2
COS2611: Programming: Data Mrs R van der (011) 471 2929 [email protected]
Structures Merwe
COS2614: Programming: Mala Naidoo (011) 670 000 [email protected]
Contemporary Concepts
COS2621: Computer Ms P Mvelase (011) 471 2511 [email protected]
Organisation
COS2626: Computer Networks I Dr H Abdullah (011) 670 9100 [email protected]
COS2661: Formal Logic 2 Mr K Dolo (011) 670 000 [email protected]
COS3701: Theoretical Ms D Mokwana (011) 670 9134 [email protected]
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Computer Science 3
COS3711: Advanced Dr C Pilkington (011) 471 2130 [email protected]
Programming
COS3712: Computer Graphics Mr L Aron (011) 670 9102 [email protected]
COS3721: Operating Systems and Dr C Dongmo (011) 471 2247 [email protected]
Architecture
COS3751: Techniques of Prof E van der (011) 471 3218 [email protected]
Artificial Intelligence Poel
COS3761: Formal Logic 3 Mr K Halland (011) 670 9114 [email protected]
COS4807: Formal Mr K Halland (011) 670 9114 [email protected]
Logic
COS4840: Ontology Engineering Dr C Pilkington (011) 471 2130 [email protected]
COS4851: Logic‐ Ms D Mokwana (011) 670 9134 [email protected]
Based Reasoning
COS4852: Machine Prof E van der (011) 471 3218 [email protected]
Learning Poel
COS4861: Natural Prof F Bankole (011) 670‐9476 [email protected]
Language Processing
COS4892: Formal Dr P le Roux (011) 670 9118 [email protected]
Program Verification
HPCOS81: Research Mr E Ochola (011) 471 2970 [email protected]
Methodology and Proposal
HRCOS82: Honours Research Prof F Bankole (011) 670‐9476 [email protected]
Report
EUP1501: Ethical Information Mr K Phorah (011) 670 9177 [email protected]
and Communication Technologies Mrs C Hlengwa (011) 670 9281 [email protected]
for Development Solutions Ms SF Mokwana (011) 670 9087 [email protected]
Do not contact the lecturers directly Mr S Lehong (011) 670 9713 [email protected]
for EUP1501. See section 4.4 about Mr P Choshi (011) 670 9121 [email protected]
contacting this module’s team. Ms N Msweli (011) 670 9085 [email protected]
EUC1501: End‐User Ms L Naidoo (011)670 9431 [email protected]
Computing (Theory)
IAD2M1X | IAD2601: Ms L Naidoo (011)670 9431 [email protected]
Information Administration II
IAD2M2X | IAD2602: Ms L Naidoo (011)670 9431 [email protected]
Information Administration II
(Practical)
IAD3M1Y | IAD3701: Ms L Naidoo (011)670 9431 [email protected]
Information Administration III
(Theory)
IAD3M2Y | IAD3702: Ms L Naidoo (011)670 9431 [email protected]
Information Administration III
(Practical)
ICT1511: Introduction to Mr M Molebatsi (011) 670 9085 [email protected]
Programming
ICT1512: Introduction to Ms D van 060 746 7156 [email protected]
Interactive Programming Heerden
ICT1513: Introduction to Web Ms D van 060 746 7156 [email protected]
Design Heerden
ICT1521: Introduction to Mr M Maloma (011) 670 9092 [email protected]
Databases
ICT1531: Workstation Technical Mr M Maloma (011) 670 9092 [email protected]
Skills
ICT1532: Network Technical Prof B Tait (011) 670 9195 [email protected]
Skills
ICT1541: Business Informatics I Mr K Dolo (011) 670 000 [email protected]
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ICT2611: Graphical User Mrs R van der (011) 471 2929 [email protected]
Interface Programming Merwe
ICT2612: Interactive Mr S Mhlana (011) 670 9187 [email protected]
Programming
ICT2613: Internet Programming Dr A Thomas (011) 670 9181 [email protected]
ICT2621: Structured Systems Dr S Ssemugabi (011) 471 2753 [email protected]
Analysis and Design
ICT2622: Object‐Oriented Mr L Nxumalo (011) 670 9126 [email protected]
Analysis
ICT2631: Operating Systems Dr D Bisschoff (011) 471 2109 [email protected]
Practice
ICT2632: Digital Logic Dr D Bisschoff (011) 471 2109 [email protected]
ICT2641: Business Informatics Mr L Nxumalo (011) 670 9126 [email protected]
2A
ICT2642: Business Informatics Mrs M Serote (011) 670 9180 [email protected]
2B
ICT3611: Advanced Graphical Ms D van 060 746 7156 [email protected]
User Interface Programming Heerden
ICT3612: Advanced Internet Dr A Thomas (011) 670 9181 [email protected]
Programming
ICT3621: Database Design Dr S Mtsweni (011) 471 3019 [email protected]
ICT3631: Advanced Operating Dr D Bisschoff (011) 471 2109 [email protected]
System Practice
ICT3641: Business Informatics Mrs R Vorster (011) 471 2208 [email protected]
3A
ICT3642: Business Informatics Mrs R Voster (011) 471 2208 [email protected]
3B
ICT3715: ICT Software Project A Mrs D Scholtz (011) 670 9179 [email protected]
ICT3715: ICT Software Project B Mrs D Scholtz (011) 670 9179 [email protected]
ICT3722: Database Practice Mr M Molebatsi (011) 670 9085 [email protected]

Given below is the list of modules offered by the Information Systems department:

Code & Module Primary Lecturer Telephone E-Mail address

INF1505: Introduction to Business Mr E Bogopa (011) [email protected]
Information Systems 670‐9058
INF1511: Visual Programming 1 Dr P Gouws (011) [email protected]
670‐9113
INF1520: Human-Computer Interaction Prof C van Staden (011) 670 [email protected]
I 9429
INF2611: Visual Programming II Dr P Gouws (011) [email protected]
670‐9113
INF2603: Databases I Mr E Bogopa (011) [email protected]
670‐9058
INF3703: Databases II Mr AE van der Poll [email protected]

INF3705: Advanced Systems Mr E Tabane (011) [email protected]

Development 670‐9133
INF3707: Database Design and Dr B Chipangura (011) 670- [email protected]
Implementation 9106
INF3708: Software Project Mr AE van der Poll [email protected]
Management - Overlap with Software
Project Management (ITS4725)
INF3720: Human-Computer Interaction Dr B Chipangura (011) 670- [email protected]
II 9106
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INF4817: Software Engineering Dr V Mzazi (011) 670- [email protected]
9057
INF4820: Human-Computer Interaction Prof S Eybers (012) 420- [email protected]
3709
INF4825: Software Project Prof H Lotriet (012) 429- [email protected]
Management 2132
INF4831: Information Security Prof A da Veiga (011) [email protected]
670‐9175
INF4860: E-Learning: Concepts and Prof P Mkhize (011) 471- [email protected]
Principles 3565
INF4883: Enterprise Architecture Prof H Lotriet (012) 429- [email protected]
2132
IRM4720: Principle concepts of ITSM Prof S Eybers (012) 420- [email protected]
3709
IRM4726: (Service Management Dr M Phahlane (011) 670- [email protected]
Functions (Service Desk)) 9176
IRM4724: Development Software IV Mr E Tabane (011) [email protected]
670‐9133
IRM4721: Networks IV Dr H Abdullah (011) 670- [email protected]
9100
IRM4722: Information Technology Prof P Mkhize (011) 471- [email protected]
Ethics 3565
IRM4727: Service Operation Dr G Howard (011) [email protected]
Processes 471‐2273
IRM4729: Research Script Dr L Motsi (011) 670 [email protected]
9426
IRM4728: Incident & Problem Dr J Mabila (011) [email protected]
Management 670‐9283
IRM4723: Database Systems IV Dr S Ssemugabi (011) 471- [email protected]
2753
IRM4725: ICT Project management Dr V Mzazi (011) 670 [email protected]
9057
IRM4811: Service Design Dr G Howard (011) [email protected]
Management 471‐2273
IRM4812: Service Level & Supplier Dr J Mabila (011) [email protected]
Management 670‐9283
IRM4813: Knowledge Management Dr L Motsi (011) 670 [email protected]
9426
IRM4814: Change Management Dr M Phahlane (011) 670 [email protected]
9176
IRM4815: Information & Computer Prof A da Veiga (011) [email protected]
Security 670‐9175
IRM4816: Service Validation, Testing Dr L Motsi (011) 670- [email protected]
& Evaluation 9426
ITM5911: Advanced Overview of ITSM Prof E Kritzinger (011) [email protected]
and Strategy Generation 670‐9116
ITM5912: Financial, Demand and Prof M van der (011) 670- [email protected]
Service Portfolio Management Merwe 3863
ITM5913: ICT Quality, Risk Prof M van der (011) 670- [email protected]
Management & Law Merwe 3863
ITM5914: ICT Project Management Prof E Kritzinger (011) [email protected]
and Leadership 670‐9116
MST4801: Technology Enhanced Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
Learning in MST (Development) 6191
HRSTE82: Report for Honours Degree Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
in Mathematics, Science and 6191
Technology Education
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HRMCO82: Honours Report in Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
Computing Education 6191
MPSTE90: Proposal for Masters in Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
Mathematics, Science 6191
HPSTE81: Proposal for Honours Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
degree in MST Education 6191
DPSTE00: Doctoral proposal CSET Prof K Padayachee (012) 337- [email protected]
6191

Please note that e-mail is the preferred mode of communication. You are requested to make use of the e-
mail addresses for module related queries as suggested on your module page on myUnisa and/or in
Tutorial letter 101 of your module.

8. GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING OUR MODULES

• Please note that most of our modules are year modules. Usually, a year module runs over the whole
year (with the examination in October/November) and a semester module runs over the first half of the
year (with the examination in May/June) and over the second half of the year (with the examination in
October/November).

• In many of our modules you are required to work on a computer. If you do not have access to a
computer, it may be possible to use the facilities at one of UNISA’s computer laboratories or Digital
Access Centres. Information regarding UNISA’s computer laboratories or Digital Access Centres can
be found in Section 2.

9. IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIBRARY

The librarian responsible for our school is:

Dr Filistéa Naudé, Tel: +27 11 471 2471, Email: [email protected]

You will need to sign on to the Unisa Library’s network

(https://cas.unisa.ac.za/cas/login?service=https%3a%2f%2f2.zoppoz.workers.dev%3a443%2fhttps%2foasis.unisa.ac.za%2fpatroninfo) to make use of
its online resources which include the library’s catalogue, subject databases, e-journals, book and article
requests, inter-library loans, and renewal of the library books.

Note that you will be prompted to provide your student number and myUnisa password whenever you want
to access any of the library’s services or resources.

9.1. REQUESTING BOOKS FROM THE LIBRARY

Recommended books can be requested online, via the Library catalogue. More information on requesting
material is available at: https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request

The preferred method of requesting a book or journal article is

• electronically
http://oasis.unisa.ac.za and select either Book or Article Requests under the My Library tab. Sign on using
your student number and myUnisa password, fill in the details of your book or article and submit your
request.
For queries regarding your book and article requests, please phone + 27 12 429 3133 or refer to the
library webpage https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Lending-services

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Journal articles are posted to you free of charge.

Remember to provide the complete reference for journal articles i.e. the author, article title, journal title,
journal volume and issue number, page numbers.

It is important that you return your books on time, in order to avoid having to pay a fine.

The preferred method of renewing a book is

• electronically
http://oasis.unisa.ac.za and click on myLibrary/Renewals/Login under the My Library tab. Sign on using
your student number and myUnisa password. Select the items you want to renew. Click on Renew selected
or Renew all

but you may also

• telephone + 27 12 429 4164 or +27 12 429 3133

NB: You may not renew items on a waiting list or items that have already been renewed three times.

You are responsible for the cost of returning your books to the library. Remember to always keep proof
that you have returned your books.

9.2. JOURNAL ARTICLES FROM THE LIBRARY

Recommended journal articles

These can be downloaded from OASIS. Under search options, click on Course code search and type in
your course code, eg. CST1501. Click on the Electronic reserves for the current year. The articles are
available in PDF (portable document format).

The Adobe Reader should be loaded on your computer so that you can view or print scanned PDF
documents. This can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.adobe.com.

E-reserves can be downloaded from the Library catalogue. More information is available at:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

Electronic journals

Most of the journals in the Unisa Library are available electronically. This means that you can print or
download journal articles from your computer rather than requesting them from the library. You will need to
install the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer in order to view and print full text articles.

There are two ways of finding out whether a journal is available electronically:

• via Find e-journals on the library’s homepage

http://www.unisa.ac.za, click on Library, Find e-journals and type in the journal title. A link will be provided if
electronic access is available. It is strongly recommended that you use this valuable resource frequently.

• via the catalogue

http://oasis.unisa.ac.za, click on Journal title under the Search Options tab and type in the journal title. If
access is available, a View full text … link will appear. Click on it to start searching.

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E-Journals Libguide: https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ejournals

9.3. USING THE UNISA LIBRARY CATALOGUE

You can search for books on the catalogue by author, title, keyword or subject.

• Author
Type the author’s last name first followed by the initial or the full name e.g. Clingman S or Clingman
Stephen

• Title
Type as much or as little of the title as you like e.g. Ethics and experience: moral theory from just war to
abortion or Ethics and experience

• Keyword
Keywords use free language or exact phrases and can be used when you are unsure of a title. Remember
that keywords can retrieve a large number of results because the whole record is searched e.g. ‘global
warming’ or ‘diversity management’.

• Advanced keyword
This allows you to select the fields in which your keywords must occur e.g. a simultaneous search in the
author and title fields. To access the advanced keyword search, click on Search options on the catalogue’s
homepage and select Advanced keyword.

• Subject
Subject headings assist you to find material that focuses on a particular topic. The library uses the Library
of Congress’s predetermined terms. If you do not know the correct Library of Congress Subject Heading,
rather perform a keyword or title search to find at least one relevant title on your topic. Use the full display
of that record to find the appropriate subject heading(s).

You can also search for journal titles on the catalogue but remember that this search does not give you the
titles of articles. The preferred method of finding a journal title is via the e-Journal Finder.

UNISA LIBRARY APP

The Unisa Library App can be used on your cellphone or tablet to access the library’s services and
resources.

Download the app from Google Play or I-Store, or at http://www.libanywhere.com/m/917.

Accessing the Library Catalogue on your cell phone

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9.4. LIBGUIDES

These subject guides have been compiled by librarians to help you find resources to use to find information
on your topic. To access them, go to the http://libguides.unisa.ac.za. You can then select the relevant
subject guide from the list provided.

The subject guides are divided according to types of material shown in the tabs at the top of the subject
guide. These subject guides give you access to the many online subject databases available in your field of
research. Many of these databases contain full text books and articles which can be viewed, printed and
downloaded.

Remember that off-campus access will require your student number and myUnisa password.

Important: It is recommended that you also download browsers such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome
and Mozilla Firefox and make use of them in the event that you get an error message.

Recommended guides:

• Request recommended books and access e-reserve material:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request

• Requesting and finding library material: Postgraduate services:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad

• Finding and using library resources and tools (Research Support):

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/research-support

• Frequently asked questions about the Library:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask

• A-Z databases:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php

• Subject-specific guides:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/?b=s

• Information on fines & payments:

https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/fines

9.5. SUBJECT DATABASES

The Unisa Library subscribes to many online subject databases which all registered Unisa students can
access. They contain bibliographic references to academic, peer-reviewed journal articles in your field of
study, as well as references to theses, books and chapters which are not necessarily available in the
library. Many of these databases also contain full text articles which can be viewed, printed and
downloaded.

Each subject database is slightly different but they all

• use Boolean logic to formulate a search strategy

• allow you to edit, refine, limit and mark your search results
• allow you to print, e-mail or save your search results

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• allow you to export them to an online bibliographic manager e.g. RefWorks or Mendeley
• allow you to register as an individual user so that you can personalise the database
• allow you to set up table of contents, author, search or citation alerts

Most databases have Help links to guide you through their unique features and their search options, as well
as a new features link which enables you to view and implement upcoming features. Frequently Asked
Questions also provide ready answers to standard questions about the database. Often databases also
provide free access to quick tutorials on aspects of searching for information and database features.

Remember that off-campus access will require your student number and myUnisa password.

You can access the databases either by

• Library guides

Go to http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/.

The library guides group together the appropriate databases for each academic discipline so it is a good
idea to use this option if you are unfamiliar with the resources relevant to your research.

or

• A-Z list of electronic resources

Go to http://www.unisa.ac.za, click on Library and then Find e-resources

(https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/az.php) You will get a page called Terms and Conditions. Click on Accept and
then select the tab A-Z on the following page. This is a comprehensive alphabetical list of all the databases
to which the Unisa Library subscribes.

9.6. ELECTRONIC BOOKS

The Unisa Library has a growing collection of electronic books which can be read online. Most of them
allow you to print or download sections of a book depending on the publishers’ license agreements.

You can access electronic books in the following ways:

• via the catalogue

Go to http://oasis.unisa.ac.za and change Title to Keyword. Type in your keyword(s) and change “View
Entire Collection” (drop-down menu) to “E-books”.
Click on the “website” link in each search result to access the e-book.

• via the Find e-resources link

Click on “Find e-resources" from the Library website. Click on the drop-down menu for “All Database
Types” and select E-books. You will then get an alphabetical list of all our e-book databases, where you
can find relevant e-books.

It is strongly recommended that you use this valuable resource frequently.

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• via the E-journal Finder link
If you are looking for a specific e-book, you can click on the “E-journal Finder" link on the Library website.
Type in the title of the e-book and you will be able to access the e-book if our library subscribes to it.
Remember that not all the books you will need for your research are available electronically. Many of them
are print copies and these must be requested from the Unisa library.

9.7. REQUESTING A LITERATURE SEARCH

The Branch Librarians at each Unisa regional centre offer general training in the use of the library’s
catalogue and keyword searches.

This online request service is delivered by the Information Search Librarians Team to all Unisa students. A
literature search is a selected reading list on a research topic.

We would like to recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your browser.

How to request a literature search from the Information Search Librarians Team:

1. Go to Microsoft Office 365 at http://portal.office.com and sign in with your myLife email
address and myUnisa password.
2. Open myUnisa and log in using your myLife email address and myUnisa password.
3. Click on myModules > then click on Sites > then click on Library > then click on Literature Search
Request Form.
4. Complete the form and click on Submit once
5. Check your myLife mailbox for the acknowledgement email.

Read more at http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Request-a-

literature-search.

Please note:

• We are using a new system for literature search requests. The new system does not assign
reference numbers. Check your mailbox for the acknowledgement email after submitting your
request.
• This form is used only to request a literature search and not to request books for loan or copies of
articles, etc.

• It is important to submit your request well in advance of your deadline because we receive a
large volume of requests. Requests will be attended to on a first-come, first-served basis
• If you are eager to get started immediately, you might like to do a quick and easy search via the
Library search engine which searches across all our resources.

You may request a literature search using the MSWord copy of the request form ONLY if you do not have
access to the Web request form via myUnisa.

9.8. REFERENCING

Reference Techniques

It is very important to find out which reference technique and bibliographic style your department prefers
and to use them consistently throughout your dissertation. The most commonly used are the Harvard, the
American Psychological Association (APA) and the Modern Languages Association (MLA) methods.

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Managing your references

Many software tools are available to help students and researchers collate and manage citations and
references, e.g. RefWorks, Mendeley, Endnote and Zotero. The University subscribes to Mendeley and
RefWorks. Refer to the Unisa Reference Management Tools Libguide:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/reference_management_tools.

RefWorks is a web-based bibliographic citation manager that allows you to collect, save and organize
bibliographic citations for journal articles, books, web sites and other sources that you have found during
your research. With it you can create correctly-formatted bibliographies in your preferred style. This service
is available free of charge to all Unisa students and is accessible both on and off campus. To use the
software, you will need to create an account. To access RefWorks: https://refworks.proquest.com, or via
Find E-Resources > A to Z list. RefWorks Libguide for help and support: https://proquest.libguides.com/refworks

Mendeley is a free open source citation manager and academic social network that can help you organize
your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research:
 Automatically generate bibliographies
 Collaborate easily with other researchers online
 Easily import papers from other research software
 Find relevant papers based on what you're reading
 Access your papers from anywhere online
 Read papers on the go, with our iOS and Android apps.

Create your free Mendeley account http://www.mendeley.com. Remember to install the Desktop
application, Web importer and Plugin for MS Word. Mendeley Tutorials & help:
https://www.mendeley.com/guides. Remember to sign up with your Unisa email, to access the Unisa
Mendeley Institutional Edition.

To access Mendeley: www.mendeley.com , or via Find E-Resources > A to Z list.

9.9. PERSONAL LIBRARIAN SERVICE

A list of Personal Librarians and their departments can be accessed at

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-services/Research-support/Personal-
librarians

Clients with special needs

A list of library services and equipment is available at http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/disability.

For additional information, please contact [email protected].

PREDATORY OR LOW-QUALITY JOURNALS

Information on how to identify a quality journal for your research, and what predatory journals are, can be found at:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/journalquality

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9.10. USEFUL LIBRARY LINKS

• For general library enquiries: [email protected] or +27 12 429 3133/3134

• For a general Library overview, go to https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/About-
the-Library
• Library catalogue: http://oasis.unisa.ac.za
• Unisa Branch Libraries: http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Branch-locator
• Plagiarism brochure: http://www.unisa.ac.za/plagarism
• Research Skills Libguide: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_Skills
• Research Support Libguide: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/research-support
• Library guides: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/
• Library Technology Support Libguide: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/techsupport or Lib-
[email protected] (insert your student number in the subject line please)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
• Ask a Librarian library guide: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask
• Frequently asked questions: http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Frequently-Asked-
Questions
• Specific contact details for student assistance and services:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us/Student-enquiries

9.11. GOOGLE SCHOLAR

If you are searching for information using Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.co.za), you can change the
settings in Google Scholar to enable you to access all the articles that are available free of charge in the
Unisa library. After changing the settings you will see the words UNISA Library on the right-hand side of the
screen which will indicate that the item is available free of charge. Click on the UNISA Library link, type in
your student number and myUnisa password to access the full-text material.

1. Click on Settings at the top of the page.

2. On the next page, select Library Links from the column on the left-hand side.
3. Type in the name “University of South Africa Library”.
4. Click on the search icon.
5. Tick the “University of South Africa” – UNISA Library” box
6. Click on the Save button at the bottom of your screen to save this setting.

9.12. TURNITIN

Turnitin is a web-based teaching tool used for students to prevent plagiarism by checking for originality.
The Turnitin website can be found at www.turnitin.com.

All postgraduate students (incl Honours) can submit their work directly to Turnitin. Students are
automatically given access to Turnitin once their respective supervisors/lecturers are registered.

All queries regarding the use of Turnitin can be emailed to [email protected].

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10. TUTORIAL MATTER

In addition to general tutorial letters like this one, the tutorial matter for every module that is not completely
online consists of tutorial letters specifically meant for that module, as well as a prescribed book, a study
guide where applicable, and possibly also recommended books and additional reference material. Specific
software might also be part of the tutorial matter. How to acquire the prescribed book, study guide,
recommended books, additional reference material and software is explained in Tutorial Letter 101 of the
module. If your module is online, use myUnisa specifically the Lessons to obtain more information about
the module study material.

Software is required in some modules. In some cases, it will be provided to you (see the open-source
software repository, http://osprey.unisa.ac.za/download/Disk/) and in other cases you will have to acquire it
yourself. Full details are given in Tutorial Letter 101 or Lessons on myUnisa of the relevant module.

11. ASSIGNMENTS

11.1. THE PURPOSE OF ASSIGNMENTS

Although examination admission and the semester or year mark for a module are determined by
assignments, this is not their main purpose. We consider the completion of assignments an essential part
of the educational and learning process. By doing an assignment you get the opportunity to determine your
own understanding of the tutorial matter and we get the chance to ascertain whether your knowledge and
understanding are adequate (to be able to give you better guidance). Since Unisa is a comprehensive open
distance learning university, we have no other way to attain this goal.

Assignments are therefore primarily intended to help you to understand the tutorial matter. Some modules
use assignments to ascertain whether you are able to apply the theory because examination questions may
be more theoretical.

The purpose of assignments is not achieved when you do not submit your own work. For this reason,
lecturers are strict about due dates. The solutions are sent out after those dates.

11.2. STUDYING IN GROUPS

You are welcome to work together in small groups. This can be very useful and stimulating and may result
in greater enjoyment of your studies as compared with studying in isolation. You may phone the University
to obtain the names of other students in your area. Refer to Tutorial Letter 101/myUnisa of the relevant
module: some lecturers may expect you to list the names and student numbers of the members if you work
in groups.

We expect, however, that each member of the group to do his or her own assignments and will write
and submit his or her own programs. The purpose of assignments, as explained above, is not achieved
when you do not submit your own work. So, discuss problems, find solutions, etc., in the group but then do
the assignments yourself. It is dishonest and unethical to submit the work of somebody else as your own.

11.3. PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the act of taking words, ideas and thoughts of others and passing them off as your own. It is a
form of theft which involves a number of dishonest activities (see www.unisa.ac.za > Register > Student
policies & rules > Policy for Copyright Infringement and Plaigarism.pdf). Please refer to Student Disciplinary
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Code available at www.unisa.ac.za > Register > Student policies & rules > Student’s Disciplinary Code.pdf
(https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Apply%20for%20admission/Documents/Policy_copy
right_infringement_plagiarism_16November2005.pdf). N.B.: Note that copyright exists on Unisa tutorial
matter. You are, for example, not allowed to use any Unisa solutions when you do assignments.

11.4. EXAMINATION ADMISSION

You will find information about the list of criteria for examination admission in Tutorial Letter 101 or on
myUnisa of the relevant module.

The following is also important:

• Please make note of your examination dates and arrange with your employer for leave in good time.
• Make sure that there are no clashes on your examination timetable. Contact the department of Student
Administration if clashes do occur.

11.5. SEMESTER / YEAR MARK

The marks that you obtain by submitting assignments will contribute to the final mark obtained for a specific
module. For most modules the marks that you obtain for the contributing assignments will be converted to
form 20% of the final mark for the module. This is the ‘semester mark’ or ‘year mark’.

The weight of the contribution of every assignment to the semester or year mark differs from assignment to
assignment and from module to module. In some cases, the assignments have identical weights and in
other modules not. You will find the details in Tutorial Letter 101 or on myUnisa of a specific module.

An example: Suppose a specific module has 4 assignments with weights of 20%, 25%, 25% and 30%,
respectively. Now suppose that your marks for the four assignments are 20%, 80%, 60% and 50%,
respectively. Your semester/year mark will be calculated as follows:

(0.20 x 0.20) + (0.80 x 0.25) + (0.60 x 0.25) + (0.50 x 0.30).

This gives us 0.04 + 0.2 + 0.15 + 0.15 = 0.54. Thus, your semester or year mark is equal to 54%.

If we convert this to 20% of your final mark, it will be 10.8%.

It should be clear that it is to your advantage to complete and submit as many assignments as possible and
to do your best in every one of them.

N.B.: For most of the modules, the year mark only contributes if you obtain 40% or more for the
examination.

Please note that in general the year mark or semester mark is not considered for supplementary exams but
for aegrotat exams.

11.6. DOING AND SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS

We are aware of the very difficult conditions under which many students study, and that unforeseen
circumstances may occur. We therefore advise you to start your studies well in advance, after carefully

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planning the time you have available for studying, to suit your circumstances. This planning should be done
using the due dates of the assignments as a guideline. Due dates for all assignments are specified in
Tutorial Letter 101 or on myUnisa of every module. Please note that it is your responsibility to make
sure that your assignments reach the University. You may check this by using myUnisa. We try to mark
assignments within 4 weeks of the due date. Please make enquiries if you have not yet received a mark
six weeks after the due date.

Assignments may not be sent directly to the lecturers. Follow the instructions provided to you by your
lecturer on how and where to submit your assignments.

Remember that your assignment must have precisely the same number as the one specified in Tutorial
Letter 101, or on myUnisa of the module. Even though Assignment 2 may be the first assignment done by
you, it must be numbered 02 and not 01.

Consult myUnisa for detailed information regarding the submission of assignments. Electronically submitted
assignments should be in one of the formats specified on myUnisa. If such an assignment contains
diagrams and figures, we recommend that you convert it to PDF format before you upload it to myUnisa.

You must submit your assignments electronically via myUnisa.

EXTENSION OF DUE DATES

In some cases, the due date of an assignment may be extended. Every module has its own procedure
for this. Sometimes it is impossible to extend a due date, sometimes an assignment may be submitted a
certain number of days after the due date if a note is included, sometimes a lecturer has to be contacted, et
cetera. The information is given in Tutorial Letter 101 or on myUnisa of a specific module.

11.7. ASSIGNMENT REMARK AND RECHECK

A student is welcome to query his/her assignment marks with the primary lecturer, via email, within 14
calendar days from the date that the marked assignment is released to the student. If a lecturer has
specified a certain period longer or shorter than 14 days, you need to adhere to the lecturer’s instructions.

11.8. PRACTICAL WORK

MANY of the modules offered in the School of Computing include a practical component. It is important to
recognise the value of the practical assignments. Practical work takes up a great deal of time and you
must, therefore, start doing it early. If you do not have access to a computer, it might be possible to use the
facilities at one of Unisa’s computer laboratories (see Section 2).

You will need software for the practical work. In some cases, you must buy the software yourself and in
other cases it is available as part of the open-source repository of the school. Information regarding this can
be found in Tutorial Letter 101 or on myUnisa of the relevant module.

NOTE: It is unlikely that you will be able to pass the examination of a programming module unless
you have completed the practical assignments during the year.

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12. EXAMINATIONS

DEMARCATION OR SCOPING OF EXAMINATIONS

Lecturers are not allowed to inform students which parts of the module content will be in the exam and,
which parts will not. Thus, students should be prepared to answer questions that test any aspect included
in the syllabus of a module.

13. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We receive many calls from students asking the same questions. We have therefore decided to include a
list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) in this tutorial letter. Please read through the FAQs before
contacting the school.

13.1 WHAT IS TUTORIAL LETTER 101 (TL101)?

You will receive a TL101 for every module for which you are registered. TL101 contains essential
information such as information on administrative matters, assignment details as well as the prescribed
textbook for that specific module. It is essential that you read carefully through the TL101 for each
module.

Do note that you will not receive any tutorial letters if you are registered for fully online modules offered by
School of Computing. To obtain the study material, scheme of work, study resources and assignments for
such modules you need to login to myUnisa.

13.2 ARE THERE ASSIGNMENTS THAT I NEED TO COMPLETE? DO I HAVE TO SUBMIT THE
ASSIGNMENTS?

Each module has at least one compulsory assignment that you need to complete and submit by the due
date mentioned in your TL101 or on myUnisa. Please check carefully under the assignment section of your
TL101 or on myUnisa how many assignment(s) you need to complete, what kind of assignment(s) they are
and what the submission date(s) are.

13.3 DO I HAVE TO BUY THE PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS? CAN YOU RECOMMEND ANY
FURTHER READING MATERIAL?

If you are required to buy any textbook(s) for your module, particulars will be given in the TL101 or on
myUnisa. The same applies to recommended reading(s).

13.4 WHAT DO I DO IF I EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTENT OF THE STUDY

MATERIAL?

Contact your teaching assistant or e-tutor or one of the lecturers responsible for the module immediately.
Please do not hesitate to contact us. You can phone any of the lecturers (check osprey for staff
availability), or send an e-mail (recommended). Most modules also have e-tutors.

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13.5 I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED MY STUDY MATERIAL. CAN YOU SEND IT TO ME?

• The School does not dispatch study material.

• You download your study material on myUnisa.
• If you are registered for a fully online module, you will not be receiving any printed study material. Log on
to myUnisa to access your study material.

13.6 WHEN DO CLASSES START AT UNISA?

There are no classes; Unisa is a university that offers distance learning and is not a residential University.
We do not, therefore, offer classes to our students daily; but we do offer selected tutorial classes with a
tutor electronically. Be wise and find out more about these (refer to TL101 or myUnisa for more
information).

13.7 DO I HAVE GROUP DISCUSSIONS (THAT IS, VISITS FROM LECTURERS AT VARIOUS
VENUES)?

Information concerning group discussions (or workshops) for individual modules will be provided in TL101
(or on myUnisa), and/or follow up tutorial letters you will receive during the semester/year. Group
discussions will also be announced and scheduled on myUnisa.

13.8 WHEN AND WHERE AM I WRITING THE EXAMINATION?

Lecturers do not schedule examination dates. This is done by the Examinations department. Should you
have any enquiries about the examination date and time, please contact Exams. Note that Unisa has been
conducting online examinations since 2020. The details of the online examinations will be communicated to
you by the university well before the exam date.

13.9 WHEN WILL THE EXAMINATION RESULTS BE RELEASED?

This is a decision taken by the Examinations department. The results are released when all the
administration around it is complete.

13.10 WHERE DO I FIND MY EXAMINATION RESULTS?

You can find your examination results on myUnisa.

13.11 WHAT DO I DO IF I AM NOT HAPPY WITH MY RESULTS?

You can refer to myUnisa and follow the links Assignments & Examinations > Examinations.

13.12 WHERE DO I APPLY FOR MY EXAMINATION SCRIPT TO BE REMARKED OR

RECHECKED?

You can refer to myUnisa and follow the links Assignments & Examinations > Examinations.

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13.13 WHEN DO THE SUPPLEMENTARY EXAMINATION/ AGREOTAT EXAMINATIONS TAKE
PLACE?

It will be available on myUnisa.

13.14 WHAT IS MYUNISA?

myUnisa is the online learning management system of the University. If you are registered for a fully-online
module you will be using myUnisa extensively.

For non-fully online modules, you can find your study guides and tutorial letters in PDF format on the
website for your module. You can communicate with your lecturers, with other students and with the
administrative departments of Unisa – all through the computer and the Internet. You need to have Internet
access to use myUnisa.

13.15 WHAT IS RPL?

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is the recognition by Unisa of any non-accredited learning of tertiary
level related to a Unisa discipline which occurred before you decided to register for an academic
qualification.

• The RPL programme at Unisa enables you to gain recognition and credit for what you already know and
are able to do at a level equivalent to University study.
• You receive credit for what you have learned from experience, training courses, etc.

RPL makes it possible for you to earn credits towards a UNISA qualification, thereby shortening your study
time, and decreasing your study fees. For more information, go to www.unisa.ac.za and follow the links
Colleges > Science, Engineering & Technology > Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
(https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Apply-for-admission/Recognition-of-Prior-Learning-(RPL)).

13.16 I WANT TO TRANSFER CREDITS FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSITY. HOW DO I DO THIS?

You need to fill in an exemption application form, which is available on Unisa’s website and submit the form
with all the relevant documents to the university as stated in the form.

13.17 WHAT CAN AN E- TUTOR DO FOR ME?

Most modules offer electronic tutoring. A tutor can assist you to understand your study material, approach
your assignments correctly, offer you more opportunities for practicing skills, etc.

13.18 WHAT CAN I DO IF I AM NOT A CONFIDENT READER OR WRITER?

The Directorate for Counselling and Career Development can assist you to improve your study skills. Go to
myUnisa, then follow the links Student support & Regions > Counselling and Career Development > About
DCDD.

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13.19 WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED A PLACEMENT FOR WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING
(WIL)?

Most WIL courses have a questionnaire in Tutorial Letter 101 or on myUnisa as well. Regional offices
should also be able to assist you.

13.20 HOW MUCH CONTACT CAN I EXPECT?

Distance education relies on independent self-study, so the study material on its own should enable you to
complete the module successfully. However, the University also offers some forms of contact besides
letters, phone calls, e-mail, or visits to lecturers in their offices. Most of the modules offer e-tutoring and
electronic classes/discussions. The Directorate for Counseling and Career Development has counselors,
literacy centers, peer collaborative learning facilitators, etc.

13.21 WHERE CAN I OBTAIN FINANCIAL AID?

Go to Unisa’s Web page and follow the link Contact Us.

13.22 HOW DO I COMMUNICATE MODULE SUGGESTIONS, COMPLIMENTS AND

COMPLAINTS?

If you have module suggestions, compliments or complaints, please send a detailed e-mail to your module
lecturer. Should you wish to escalate your complaints or compliments, use the e-mail address
[email protected].

©
UNISA 2023

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