The Occupational Therapy profession is growing in South Africa. As more and more people realize the benefits of Occupational Therapy, they are seeking to study it as a career. The good news is that there are plenty of universities across the country offering this course. In this post, we’ll look at some of these universities and their rankings so you can decide where would be best for you to study occupational therapy in South Africa.
Cape Town
You can find the following universities in Cape Town:
- University of Cape Town, is the oldest university in South Africa and one of the top 10 best universities in Africa.
- Stellenbosch University is one of the top 20 universities in Africa and ranked seventh among African universities in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018.
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), was established as an independent public institution within Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality by an act of Parliament on 23 March 2008. It opened its doors to students on 1 January 2009 at two campuses – Bellville Parklands Campus (main campus) and Port Elizabeth Campus. In 2013, NMMU took over additional campuses including Somerset West & Strand Campus (Western Cape), Eastern Cape – Port Elizabeth Campus; Kimberley Campus; Pretoria Campus; Durban North & Westville Campuses – which form part of a larger network with similar structures across South Africa under guidance from NMMU headquarters based at Bellville Parklands.[1]
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and home to some of the country’s largest universities. Of these, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) is ranked number 1 in South Africa and also has a very good reputation. The qualification you choose to study at UJ could include a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD level qualification.
If you are considering studying occupational therapy at UJ then there are two main options:
- Occupational Therapy (Bachelor of Science Honours) – This course usually takes 4 years to complete and awards an honours degree in occupational therapy;
- Master of Human Biology (Occupational Therapy) – this course usually takes 3 years or 6 semesters to complete and awards an honours degree in human biology;
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University is a top 20 university in South Africa, and it’s the oldest university in the country.
The Stellenbosch campus is located about an hour outside Cape Town, which means you’ll be able to enjoy all of the city’s famous attractions without having to deal with its high rents or traffic jams. The university itself has a good reputation for its medical school, and it has been consistently ranked among the best schools in South Africa.
Many students say they love living in this small town because they get to experience what life was like before modernization took over most of Africa.
Durban
Durban is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and has a population of over 3 million people. It has many universities and is known for its beaches and sun. The city also has many hospitals, making it an ideal place to study occupational therapy.
