Welcome to the Faculty of Humanities at Nelson Mandela University. You are joining a vibrant community of scholars, teachers, and students who are passionate about the arts, the humanities, and the social sciences, and their role in making sense of our world and creating sustainable solutions to transform society.

Mandela Uni is the only University we know of that has placed value in the humanities and their potential in transforming the university and society through the Revitalisation of the Humanities as one of its strategic priority areas. As the Humanities Faculty, our intellectual project is driven by the need to reinvigorate the value of the humanities in addressing societal challenges, fostering critical engagement, and shaping transformative learning that contributes to social justice and sustainable development.

Our vision is to be a Faculty that advances Africa-purposed humanities education in service of the public good. Our mission is to provide transformative, Africa-centred humanities education that draws from African intellectual traditions, advances transdisciplinary knowledge, and contributes to the public good. These reflect the dynamism, imagination, and social engagement characteristic of our Faculty.

Our Faculty is comprised of three interdisciplinary schools: Governmental and Social Sciences, Language, Media and Communication, and the Visual and Performing Arts. Each school has its unique departments, with a variety of offerings that explore the human experience, culture, and society.

As an undergraduate student in the Humanities Faculty, you will study the arts, humanities and social sciences – including subject areas such as visual and fine arts, music, graphic design, fashion, journalism, media, communications, languages, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, public administration history, politics, and governmental studies. Through these subjects, you will develop critical thinking, creativity, and a deep understanding of the human experience from an African perspective. You will engage with complex social, cultural, and political issues, refine your ability to communicate effectively, and cultivate the skills needed to drive meaningful change in society. Through interdisciplinary inquiry and experiential learning, you will be empowered to challenge dominant narratives, contribute to knowledge production, and shape a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future - for our region, the continent and beyond.

At postgraduate level, you will benefit from a rich academic environment, with expert supervision and industry-relevant skills provided by our dedicated lecturers and professors. We have research chairs that are led by dynamic and leading researchers in their fields. These are the themes of the research chairs: African Feminist Imaginations, Identities and Social Cohesion in Africa, as well as Ocean Cultures and Heritage.

Our research centres and hubs, the Raymond Mhlaba Centre, the Centre for Philosophy in Africa, the Centre for Women & Gender Studies, and the Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution complement our learning and teaching and research. Above all, they offer additional opportunities for our Faculty’s academic engagement and provide an opportunity to shape public discourse. These public engagements foster a deep connection between academia and real-world issues.

Except for the arts disciplines, a number of our qualifications may be seen as not leading to a well-defined profession, but their value is in that they create a path to another qualification. The typical example is that of President Nelson Mandela who studied a Bachelor of Arts as his first degree, before he went on to do legal studies to be a lawyer. It is also important to note that our qualifications are also interdisciplinary - combining subjects in the Humanities and Economics. Such offerings will grow in the near future.

Many of our students also go on to be public servants, policy analysts, media experts, etc. In the Humanities Faculty, we go beyond practical or technical skills. We focus on nurturing critical thinking, creativity, and compassion – qualities that are essential and make you highly competitive in the labour market.

At Nelson Mandela University, we firmly believe in the transformative power of the Humanities to shape a more thoughtful, compassionate, and just world. We look forward to welcoming you to our Faculty and working together to make our vision a reality!

Professor Pamela Maseko
Executive Dean: Faculty of Humanities