3 message from the vice--chancellor dear prospective student i am delighted that you are considering applying for postgraduate studies at the university of cape town. i expect that you are likely to have various options for your postgraduate studies, so i hope that this prospectus will both enthuse you and answer questions you may have about applying. choosing a university for postgraduate study, particularly if there is a research component to the degree, should be informed by at least six things: the quality of the supervisors; the reputation of the university; the facilities for research; the existence of research teams and units that have a critical mass of ongoing projects so that one is part of a group and can readily join a flowing river of productive research activity, rather than trying to swim alone with minimal direction and support; the ability to prepare you for the next stage in your career, and opportunities to have fun. firstly, at uct you will have the opportunity to get a worldclass training from outstanding teachers and undertake innovative research with internationally experienced supervisors. as a postgraduate student you will benefit directly from the latest scholarly work and discoveries made by our distinguished researchers. the vast majority of our postgraduate teachers have phds; more have national research foundation ratings than at any other university in sa; some 280 post--doctoral fellows further contribute to research programmes; we have the highest number of a--rated scientists and sa research chairs. secondly, obtaining a degree from the university of cape town means that you will have a high quality education from an internationally recognized university that is regarded as a global leader in many fields. thirdly, our resources and facilities support postgraduate work. in this prospectus you can read about our library initiatives, it and computing support, the wide range of academic and professional development opportunities, and the connections between research and solving actual problems in the community or clinical settings. if you have need of specialized laboratory set--ups and apparatus, we are very likely to have those but we encourage you to make direct contact with the head of the relevant department to enquire further. fourth, uct has seventy--four recognized research entities including 9 medical research council units. our research leaders raise over r800 million a year in research grants and contracts. we have many industry supported research programmes and laboratories. and we have people and structures to support you such as the director of postgraduate studies, the postgraduate funding office, the writing centre, research methodology courses, and much more. finally, most of our academics have extensive networks and collaborations with global partners. as a result, many graduate students have the chance to interact and work with academic leaders from around the world, increasing your opportunities for when you join the globalized world of work. by the time you graduate, you are likely to have built up a network of professional contacts at uct, other south african universities, industry (depending on your field of study), and further afield in africa and abroad who can assist you in your further career choices, whether that is to become an academic or to pursue your career in other fields. you will have a great time! you are likely to make new and lasting friendships and, after graduating, will join an extensive alumni community of over 100,000 members reaching all corners of the globe. postgraduate students from africa and from the rest of the world make uct a vibrant and cosmopolitan place. almost a quarter of the postgraduate students are from countries other than south africa. in short, uct strives to provide each postgraduate student with a well--rounded enriching experience that includes academic growth, professional preparedness, cultural engagement and participation in social and sporting activities. all this on the most spectacularly situated campus at the foot of table mountain. as a last word i d like to mention finances. we re aware of the financial demands on senior students. have a look at the various financial support options available to you through the postgraduate centre & funding office. we look forward to welcoming you to uct. max price vice--chancellor 2