Washington & Jefferson College

Fact Sheet:

Host City:

Grahamstown lies some 60 kilometres away from the coast. The town was founded in 1812 by Colonel John Graham and served initially as a military base for the protection of the British settlers. Grahamstown eventually became the second-largest town of the Cape Colony in the 19th century.  Grahamstown impresses with its beautiful Victorian residences, historical buildings and monuments. The Rhodes University belongs to the oldest and most renowned universities in South Africa.

Over the last years, Grahamstown has become the festival capital of South Africa, with at least 15 festivals celebrated each year. Particularly popular and important is the National Arts Festival in July, a gigantic cultural spectacle which attracts half a million theatre and music friends from all over the country.

Institution:

Rhodes University is one of the oldest South African universities, celebrating its centenary in 2004. It strongly resembles a premier U.S. liberal arts college: it is both small, with just over 6000 students, and at the same time boasts an impressive faculty in terms of both teaching and research. The student body is racially mixed, even as the university has the highest percentage of foreign African students (i.e., not from South Africa) in a South African university (25%). The University is set in a beautiful and safe campus and offers comfortable accommodation and modern facilities.

Rhodes University was established in 1904 with 50 students. Today there are more than 4,500 students studying in 38 departments spread over eight faculties - Arts, Science, Law, Education, Commerce, Social Science, Divinity, and Pharmacy. The University also offers the ideal physical environment for studying. Architecturally, it is a pleasing blend of historical and contemporary building styles.

All classes will be taught by regular Rhodes University faculty. Rhodes University uses the tutorial method of instruction.

Program in Brief:

Rhodes University is located in the beautiful and historic city of Grahamstown. Graced with lovely grounds, and nestled in the hills of the city, Rhodes is a 45-minute drive from beautiful and unspoiled beaches. Rhodes University's unique location and size creates close contact between students and their lecturers in surroundings that foster fellowship and learning. Small classes mean more personal attention and encourage greater involvement of students in their work. The challenge of poverty, urbanization and education in South Africa, is found in the community of Grahamstown, and provides additional invaluable material for scholars and humanists alike.

Majors/Courses Available:

All majors welcome; some courses include business (accounting, commerce, economics), education, humanities (art, journalism, music, literature, philosophy, social science, social work), law, pharmacy, information systems, and science.

Curriculum:

Students will be able to take courses in the following disciplines: African Languages, Anthropology, Chemistry, Classics, Drama, Economics, Education, English, Arts, Foreign Languages, Journalism and Media Studies, Mathematics and Computer Science, Music, Geography, Philosophy, History, Politics, Law, Business Studies, Biology, Environmental Science, Psychology, and Sociology. The program will be academically rigorous, with students required to do extensive research using local resource facilities. Teaching is largely based on the tutorial method where classes are split into small groups and students are able to benefit from informal discussion.

Housing and Meals:

Rhodes University will provide housing on its campus grounds. Students will be housed in single rooms in one of the Rhodes University's 35 residences or "houses" (dorms). Each residence is equipped with its own dining hall, washer/dryer, TV, lounge area, and is located within easy walking distance of Grahamstown.