College of Humanities

Welcome to the College of Humanities. Our college, the largest at UKZN, comprises six schools namely:

• School of Applied Human Sciences
• School of Arts
• School of Built Environment and Development Studies
• School of Education
• School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics
• School of Social Sciences.

As Deputy Vice-Chancellor, I am supported by six school Deans as well as a Dean of Teaching and Learning and Research, while  administrative support is provided by the College Director of Professional Services who has the function
and role of a College Registrar.

In 2017 we have registered 20351 students. Yes, humanities is the size of some universities!

With the increasing number of students passing Grade 12 in South Africa, our College has found itself the desirable destination for many young people who wish to pursue careers that will allow them to contribute positively in their
lives, communities, the country and the world over.

The quality of the teaching, learning and research that we provide cannot be doubted. Over the years, our students have gone on to be accepted in graduate programmes in top universities throughout the world. This affirms the dedication
our staff and students display in all their academic endeavors.

The College of Humanities continues to conduct strategic research, which ensures global reach and local impact simultaneously. It is not uncommon to have some of our academics conduct research for, in partnership with or with international
organisations such as agencies of the United Nations, the African Union, European Union, the Wellcome Trust and Irish Aid. Our academics regularly serve on various government boards and special committees founded to inform government
policy, research and responsiveness to the many societal problems faced in the growing South African democracy.

The College has two SARChi chairs in poverty studies and more than 60 academics rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF).

The Sneddon Theatre in Durban and the Hexagon Theatre in Pietermaritzburg are also part of the College of Humanities.

Many people reading this message may have attended College spectaculars such as the Durban International Film Festival, The Time of the Writer, Poetry Africa or the Dance Festival known as Jomba. These festivals are supported by a
variety of partners, including the eThekwini Municipality.

The College of Humanities is not only a hub of learning, it is also a place to network, form lifelong partnerships and international bonds – especially for our students. This is because yearly the number of international students enrolled
increases. Currently the College has 741 international students from more than 40 countries. This is positive testament that our College has global appeal, further supplemented by its beautiful location on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal.

The College has expanded its global footprint by engaging in strategic Memorandums of Understanding with Universities on the African continent as well as those in Europe and North America. We are very proud of the doctoral schools
and supervision cohorts we have set up in Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Swaziland.  These partnerships allow us to address our own challenges while reciprocally offering knowledge from our unique experiences to our global partners.

This website is designed for current and prospective students and staff members from all corners of the globe to interact with us, receive information, enquire and be exposed to our good work. Each one of the schools within the College
has a dedicated webpage, which will assist in getting information that is specific to a student’s study interests, research and/or teaching expertise.