Undergraduate & honours qualifications

Diploma in Civil Engineering

Qualification code: 90137
NQF level: 6
Total credits: 360
SAQA ID: 111282
APS/AS: 18
Rules:
Please note that all practicals will be conducted at Unisa Science campus, in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. Further note that this is compulsory to all students and for all the engineering modules that require practical work in the laboratories. Compilation of curriculum: A student may register for a maximum of 60 NQF credits per semester (consequently 120 NQF credits for an academic year); Students should take cognizance of prerequisite modules when selecting modules for registration. From 2024, Engineering modules will be offered as year modules only. Please click on the modules to see further information.
Purpose statement:
The specific purpose of educational qualifications designed to meet this qualification are to build the necessary knowledge, understanding, abilities and skills required for further learning towards becoming a competent practicing Professional Engineering Technician. Engineering learners completing this qualification will demonstrate competence in all eleven graduate attributes contained in ECSA generic document. Qualification Standard for Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 6).The qualification design reflects the new standard for engineering technicians as required by the Engineering Council of South Africa (referred to as the ECSA hereafter) based on the new Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF (ECSA document E-02-PN revision 3 from 26 November 2015: Qualification Standard for Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 6). This qualification was endorsed by constituents from industry via advisory committee meetings for civil engineering. The qualification is expected to be viable in terms of learner numbers as the current National Diploma in Civil Engineering Technology qualification has shown significant learner numbers (average of 1655 enrolments per year for the past two years). Furthermore, this new Diploma in Civil Engineering will be the only one that is offered via an open and distance learning institute. As such, it will be accessible to learners countrywide, and is more likely to be taken up by employed learners who would not be able to attend full-time courses offered by residential institutions.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

  • Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. 
  • Re-registering students may register for the 2024 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.


How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

  • Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.
  • Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

  • 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
  • 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

While you are deciding on the modules for which you will be registering, write down the module names and codes so that you have something to refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information (eg semester/year module, NQF level)

First level

Second level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
CDW2602 - Civil Engineering Drawing II Pre-requisite:EDW1501
CMT2601 - Construction Methods
DCM2601 - Documentation
EPN2601 - Earthworks and Pavement Design Pre-requisite:GSM1501, MAT1581
GEE2601 - Geotechnical Engineering Pre-requisite:GSM1501
MAT2691 - Mathematics II (Engineering) Pre-requisite:MAT1581
RCD2601 - Reinforced Concrete Design Pre-requisite:CMA1501, TST1501
SAN2602 - Structural Analysis Pre-requisite:TST1501
STR2601 - Structural Steel Design Pre-requisite:TST1501, CMA1501
TRE2601 - Transportation Engineering Pre-requisite:GSM1501, MAT1581
WTE2602 - Water Engineering II Pre-requisite:WTE1501

Third level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
ACC2601 - Aqueous Chemistry for Civil Engineers
PEC3603 - Engineering Practice: Civil (Project Based Learning) Pre-requisite:SUR1501, GSM1501 , CMT2601, DCM2601, GEE2601, SAN2602, CDW2602, TRE2601, EPN2601, RCD2601, STR2601, WTE2602