Bachelor of Engineering Technology in Mechanical Engineering

Industry-oriented:

ECST’s programmes are designed by highly qualified academics who have real-world industry expertise, ensuring that you graduate with cutting-edge skills that are valued by employers in South Africa and around the world.

The admission requirements are:

• National Senior Certificate, National Certificate (Vocational), Senior Certificate or equivalent qualification at NQF Level 4 that meet the minimum admission requirements for a Bachelor’s degree in the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework
• A minimum of 50% in English at NQF Level 4
• A minimum of 60% in Mathematics or Technical Mathematics at NQF Level 4
• A minimum of 50% for Physical Science or Technical Science at NQF Level 4
• Basic computer literacy.

Applicants with previous learning or matriculation exemption certificates will be able to apply, subject to meeting the following requirements:

• Applicants with previous work experience, relevant learning and knowledge could enter the programme through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process
• Applicants who will be turning 23 or above in their first year of study could be submitted subject to obtaining an exemption certificate from the Matriculation Board.
• Applicants aged 45 years and above can be submitted subject to obtaining mature age exemption from the Matriculation Board.
• International students must have their school qualifications evaluated by the Matriculation Board, which will issue a certificate of exemption to those who qualify.

Recognition of previous learning and/or work experience

Applicants with relevant previous learning and/or work experience could apply to ECST for formal recognition. Applicants may be granted access to the programme on the basis of the previous learning and/or experience. ECST could recognise the credits you were awarded for modules completed in a similar accredited degree, subject to certain conditions. A separate fee may apply for such recognition.

For more information, please refer to ECST’s Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Accumulation and Transfer Policy that can be requested from the Admissions Officer:

[email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry to the programme. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Assistance to meet entry requirements

If you don’t meet the entry requirements for English or Mathematics, ECST will be able to guide and assist you to upgrade your skills to the required levels through online courses.

Graduates will have diverse employment opportunities working as Engineering Technologists in a wide range of manufacturing, industrial, chemical, military, mineral process and mining industries.

Potential job roles include engineering technology and entry-level management positions in areas such as:

• Mechanical design and manufacturing
• Material fabrication
• Mechanical power
• Mechanical engineering contracts, sales, commissioning and consultation
• Industrial operations and maintenance
• Mechanical project management and business development
• Automotive engineering
• Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning Systems
• Fluid mechanics, hydraulics, pneumatics, pumps and piping
• Process plants, piping and pipelines
• Condition monitoring and maintenance
• Renewable energy.

This programme is mainly designed to benefit school leavers and graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges who are not yet employed and who have no previous work experience. The purpose is to develop young people as new entrants into the workplace. However, this does not exclude others who are interested in doing this degree and meet the entry requirements.

Applicants who are in Grade 12 will be provisionally selected on the basis of their Grade 11 results. The final selection will be based on the Grade 12 results and meeting the entry requirements for Bachelor’s degrees stipulated by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

The programme will be offered through blended learning that combines classroom-based teaching sessions with online learning. The first year will be delivered through contact at ECST’s offices in Midrand, with a large part of the programme being delivered online learning in the second year, and the third year will be mostly online.

PLEASE NOTE: All students must have computers and reliable access to the internet to participate in this programme.

Contact sessions

Students will attend contact sessions at the Midrand campus from February to November of the first year of enrolment. The learning sessions will consist

of teaching by lecturers who are subject experts, group and individual tutorials, group activities, small group learning sessions, the practical application of learning in workshops and individual learning support by Learning Support Officers.

Online delivery

ECST uses top-class technology to make your online learning experience very interesting and rewarding.

From the second year, some of your lectures will be online, which you will be able to participate in

through easy-to-follow instructions on how to use the online system.

The online component of the programme will be delivered through live interactive sessions over the internet, which will be recorded for students to access on the Moodle learning portal. Students will be able to view these in their own time – even if they had participated in the online session, and to view other learning resources provided in the eLibrary on Moodle.

The practical application of learning is an essential component of this programme. Students will do practical hands-on workshops in the well-equipped laboratory at ECST’s campus and on additional equipment at the Tshwane South TVET College.

Virtual and remote labs

You will also have the opportunity to use cutting-edge professional engineering software and lab equipment to apply what you learnt in practicals in virtual and remote labs. You will be able to work in these labs anywhere in the country, as long as you have an internet connection. The technology will enable you to ‘play around’ with innovative technology to perform activities that simulate real-work processes, for example designing power networks and constructing models, and even using robotic automation.

Students will receive all the books and learning materials they need, either in hard copies or in electronic versions. You will also be able to use the text books and other publications in the physical library on campus for additional research.

Online learning resources

All students will have free access to extensive online resources in the eLibrary, which includes:

• SAI Global Standards, with the international engineering standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the International Standards Organisation (ISO)
• IEEE Xplore STEM45 Journal collection
• Engineering Source online database
• Knovel online library
• General Library Resource with 500+ highly specialised engineering and academic text books and engineering standards.

ECST has many processes for assisting and supporting you through your learning journey: lecturers who are dedicated to helping you succeed, group and one-on-one tutoring sessions, technical support for working in Moodle and accessing online learning resources, and dedicated Learning Support Officers for each student group.