UNISA Botany Course Module 2025-2026
Students that take Botany as a major subject must include CHE1501, 1502, 1503, an essential component of Biological sciences, in their curriculum and pass it together with all the other requirements set for the degree before he/she can qualify for the completion of the BSc degree. The degree will not be conferred before the abovementioned Chemistry requirements are met.
Botany Major Combination
NQF Level: 5: BOT1501, BOT1502, BOT1603, CHE1501, CHE1502, CHE1503, EUP1501, STA1510
NQF Level: 6: BOT2601, BOT2602, BOT2603, BOT2604
NQF Level: 7: BOT3701, BOT3702, BOT3703, BOT3704
| Plant Anatomy, Structure and Function – BOT2601 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
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Co-requisite: BOT1501 (or XOT1501) |
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into the anatomy of vascular plants. |
| Systematics of Vascular Plants – BOT2602 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
|
Co-requisite: BOT1502 (or XOT1502) |
| Purpose: To enable students to acquire knowledge and competencies underpinning plant biodiversity and plant systematics. In addition a basic knowledge of research methodologies together with writing and reporting skills is required. |
| Plant Physiology, Water Relations and Plant Nutrition – BOT2603 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
|
Co-requisite: BOT1501 (or XOT1501) |
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into plantwater relations, mineral nutrition and phloem transport. |
| Botany II (Practical) – BOT2604 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Pre-requisite: BOT1603 & (CHE1501 (or XHE1501) or CHE1502 (or XHE1502) |
Co-requisite: Any two of the following: BOT2601, BOT2602, BOT2603 |
| Purpose: To enable students to understand the principles of botany investigations and to have practical experience of selected laboratory techniques. |
| Introduction to Medicinal Plants – BOT2605 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
|
Co-requisite: CHE1501 (or XHE1501) & CHE1502 (or XHE1502) |
| Purpose: Students registering for this module will be introduced to the history of herbal medicines, the economic viability of, and issues impacting on the use of herbal medicines. |
| Plant Physiology – BOT3701 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Pre-requisite: BOT2603 |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into enzymology, photochemical processes, carbon metabolism, environmental implications, respiratory metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, hormones and growth regulators. |
| Aquatic Ecology – BOT3702 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into the ecology of aquatic plants; aquatic ecosystems; environmental variables and monitoring techniques; data processing; sustainable use. |
| Terrestrial Ecology – BOT3703 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into the ecology of terrestrial plants, terrestrial ecosystems, vegetation dynamics, survey techniques, data processing, sustainable use, biomes and vegetation types. |
| Botany III (Practical) – BOT3704 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 7 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English,Afrikaans |
|
| Pre-requisite: BOT2604 |
Co-requisite: Any two of the following: BOT3701, BOT3702, BOT3703 |
| Purpose: This module form part of the degree Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences. Upon completion of the module students will have done hands-on work and applied theory mastered in modules BOT3701, BOT3702 and BOT3703, which are closely linked to this module. They will have to demonstrate and apply insight into enzymology, photochemical processes, carbon, nitrogen and respiratory metabolism, plant hormones and environmental implications. Basic knowledge of the ecology of aquatic and terrestrial plants and ecosystems as well as environmental variables, survey and monitoring techniques, data processing and sustainable use must be demonstrated. |
| Medicinal Plant Use – BOT4801 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: To identify common South African medicinal plants; analyse the different parts of plants used in traditional medicine; medicinal uses; major chemical constituents and rationale for their uses; explain the importance of conservation of medicinal plants. Analyse the storage of plant parts; apply chromatographic techniques to identify main chemical compounds found in medicinal plants. |
| Advanced Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature – BOT4802 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: To perform a critical review of the different methods and approaches of plant classification and their principles, interpret and apply the rules of plant nomenclature and typification, as delineated in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, evaluate the various sources of taxonomic evidence used in plant classification, to develop the competence required to correctly identify and classify both known and unknown plant species, indigenous and exotic plant species and their families. |
| Plant Structure: Cytology, Morphology and Anatomy – BOT1501 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into Botany as a science; basic laboratory procedures, processes and techniques; prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; primary and secondary cells and tissues; tissues in normal and modified plant organs, life cycles of plants; role of plants in sustaining life on earth. |
| Research Project (Botany) – BOT4803 |
| Honours |
|
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 36 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: The fundamentals of research, with the final outcome being the completion of a research project. Thus, within a selected research topic, students conduct a research project, use appropriate basic methodologies, complete the research and prepare and submit a research portfolio. |
| Plant Biodiversity and Environmental Botany – BOT1502 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Semester module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insights into the study of the evolution of plants, basic classification, prokaryotes, algae, bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, ecology and the biosphere, ecosystem dynamics, conservation biology and environmental problems. |
| Advanced Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature – LSH4809 |
|
Year module |
NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: This module forms part of the Bachelor of Science Honours in Life Sciences with Botany stream. Students who complete this module will be able to examine, identify and describe the phylogenetic related of plants and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of plant systematics and taxonomy. These students will add to the skills base of the graduates who will find employment either in the government service or in the private sector. |
| Plant Structure: Cytology, Morphology & Anatomy (Extended) – XOT1501 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insight into Botany as a science; basic laboratory procedures, processes and techniques; prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; primary and secondary cells and tissues; tissues in normal and modified plant organs, life cycles of plants; role of plants in sustaining life on earth. |
| Plant Biodiversity and Environmental Botany (Extended) – XOT1502 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 5 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
| Pre-requisite: XOT1501 |
|
| Purpose: To enable students to gain insights into the study of the evolution of plants, basic classification, prokaryotes, algae, bryophytes, seedless vascular plants, gymnosperms, ecology and the biosphere, ecosystem dynamics, conservation biology and environmental problems. |
| Botany I (Practical) – BOT1603 |
| Under Graduate Degree |
Year module |
NQF level: 6 |
Credits: 12 |
| Module presented in English |
|
|
Co-requisite: BOT1501 (or XOT1501) or BOT1502 (or XOT1502) |
| Purpose: To enable students to understand the principles of botany investigations and to have practical experience of selected laboratory techniques. |
