Engineering, Technology, and Science

GPA

3.0

Additional Requirements

Please refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria 

Requirements

All Cape Town ETS students take 3 to 4 courses for a total of 12-18 semester credits. At least one course must be in a STEM field (it can be a CIEE, ASU online, or UCT course).  

For visa requirements, a minimum of two courses need to be taken in-person.  

Students choose from: 

• CIEE courses 
• Minimum of 2 courses taught in English at the University of Cape Town (up to 13 credits) 
• Up to 2 ASU online courses (up to 8 credits total) 
• Spring Term: students can choose to enroll in session B only 
• Fall Term: students have the option to enroll in session A and/or B 

Program Credit

Total credit: 12-18 U.S. semester/18-27 quarter credits.   

Course Credit

• CIEE Courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours 
• UCT Courses: typically, 2.5-6.5 U.S. semester/3.75-9.75 quarter credits; typically, 120-300 notional hours per course.  
• ASU Online Courses: Typically, 3-4 U.S. semester/4.5-6 quarter credits 

Academic Culture

CIEE courses are scheduled Monday through Thursday. Students should expect to have daily homework assignments and continuous assessment. Most courses combine lectures with local co-curricular excursions to help students gain a better understanding of the local culture. Class attendance is mandatory, and absences affect final grades.  

In general, UCT lecturing is more teacher-centered, seen as the instructor mainly leading the lectures and facilitating the course discussions. The presence of international students in local courses is normal as UCT universities have huge international representation and academic partnerships globally. Study abroad students are highly valued by lecturers as they see it as an opportunity to add foreign perspectives to the local audience. Classes at UCT are typically scheduled Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Students are expected to attend at least 75-80% of the course’s in-person sessions. Students usually have weekly tutorial assignments and readings informed by the instructor on an online platform (Vula and AmaThuba) for the course or via email. UCT lectures do not often include local field trips, but will have guest speakers to help students gain a better understanding of the subject matter and local culture relevance. Students are not required to buy books, most of the bibliographical materials are provided by the course facilitator on the online platform and it is usually available in the host institution library.  

ASU Courses: You may find yourself in classes with students from ASU, other American universities, and students from around the world. Some are earning their degrees entirely online, while others, like you, are supplementing their education with an online course. You’ll receive direct and individualized support from faculty, 100% online. Most ASU online courses are asynchronous, meaning there are no set log-in times, but make sure to verify this before the add/drop deadline in case you want to make a change.

Class Format

Courses taught at the CIEE Cape Town study center are typically for CIEE students only. Host Institution classes include both local and international students. A typical class schedule includes a combination of both CIEE and Host Institution-administered classes and will span from Monday to Friday. Classes at CIEE and the Host Institution meet 2-4 times per week, for anywhere from 1-3 hours per class session, depending on the course. Attendance in CIEE classes is strictly enforced, both for classes and required co-curricular excursions. Instruction is supported and augmented online by CIEE’s learning management system, Canvas. Instruction at the Host Institution is supported and augmented online by UCT’s learning management systems, Vula and AmaThuba. 

ASU online courses meet in “sessions” that are 7.5 weeks long in semesters and 6 weeks long in the summer, and all work must be completed within the session dates regardless of when your other CIEE courses begin or end. You’ll need a standard PC or Mac desktop or laptop computer with a download speed higher than 25 Mbps, as well as access to email, productivity software like Microsoft Office and other applications needed to perform a variety of educational functions. Most course materials you will need are available online. Since you are working mostly or entirely asynchronously, you’re given deadlines for your assignments by your instructor or in your syllabus, but you can work at your own pace within these due dates. Most instructors suggest a recommended pace to optimize your learning, but you have the flexibility to complete your ASU courses while pursuing your studies at your CIEE location.

Grading

CIEE reports all final course grades to students’ home institutions using a U.S. letter grade equivalent scale of A-F. For CIEE-administered courses, students’ grades are based on attendance, class engagement, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. Learning outcomes assessment is continuous through personal reflections, evaluation feedback, self-assessment, and requirements as set out in course syllabi. UCT courses are graded using a 20-point grading scale, and primary assessments may be held as either oral or written examinations, and final exams are typically worth 50-70% of the final grade for the course. Attendance is compulsory in UCT classes. Students must attend a minimum of 80% of all class sessions to be permitted to sit for the final exam. 

ASU grading As a U.S. institution of higher education, the grading practices should be familiar to any CIEE student. “Pass/fail” or “Audit” grading options are not allowed for CIEE students. Please see the CIEE Academic Manual for Students for more information about your grades.

Language of Instruction

English