Welcome to the Faculty of Science
The faculty has a long and distinguished history. Formally established in 1918 by UCT’s founding act, today it’s a sizable faculty consisting of 12 departments and multiple research units whose teaching and research is internationally acknowledged for excellence.
Academic Departments:
Areas of Research Focus:
African Climate and Development
Africa occupies a critical global position for the study of large- scale climate and environmental processes. These systems affect much on the African continent – its changing climate, its biota and human development.
Biodiversity and the Greater Cape Floristic Region
The Greater Cape Floristic Region includes the fynbos biome – which competes with the Amazon rainforest in terms of diversity – and the world’s greatest arid hotspot, the Succulent Karoo. The region also includes high levels of animal biodiversity and offers important perspectives on landscape development, climate change and Earth history.
Chemistry and Biology for Health in Africa
The major global medical need of the 21st century will be in Africa. The clinical expertise at UCT, coupled with the wide ethnic diversity of patients, makes the Western Cape a good environment to conduct translational science and medicinal research that is relevant to Africa.
Marine Biology and the Southern Oceans
The marine environments around South Africa are amongst the most diverse in the world, and the interplay between the two major currents – the Benguela and the Agulhas – and the three major oceans are central to African climate variability.
Southern Skies and Evolving Universe
Easy access to the Southern African Large Telescope and the Square Kilometre Array makes the faculty a global research leader in the study of the southern skies and the early universe.
Human Evolution and the African Quaternary
Our location provides faculty researchers with access to unique archaeological sites and Southern-Hemisphere climatic and environmental records over the time span of the Quaternary, which allows a better understanding of this important time period in Africa.