​The Life Skills programme aims to assist first year students to develop meaningful academic and personal skills, knowledge and abilities that could enhance their University experience and potentially enable them to draw on higher education experience as an enabler of life chances. This programme is offered via lectures over one full academic semester. The course is structured in such a way that it complements the major subjects that students will be enrolled for in their first and subsequent study years.

​The Directorate of Student Development and Support presents the Life Skills programme to achieve three major outcomes. Programmes are also structured according to the three basic principles:

Three major outcomes:

• Effective living
  
• Effective learning
  
• Employability
  

Three basic principles:

• An outcomes based approach that implies creative facilitation and, when required, continuous assessment.
  
• Maximum practical application and internalisation opportunities.
  
• Flexibility and client need orientation.
  

The themes of the Life Skills programme may include topic such as:

Academic themes

• Goal setting.
  
• Time management.
  
• Information processing /SQ₃R /Summarising.
  
• Classroom skills / Cornell note-taking strategy
  
• Memorising skills.
  
• Test taking and exam strategies / integration of academic skills.
  

Personal themes

• Understanding the challenges of adjustment to student life.
  
• Managing personal stress effectively.
  
• Conflict management / problem solving.
  
• Relationships and friends.
  

If your department is interested in implementing Life Skills as part of your academic programme, your are welcome to contact us.​​