MSc in Cytopathology
Programme Overview
• Equip you with advanced knowledge of and deeper insight into a chosen subject within cytopathology.
• Promote mastery of the chosen topic through higher levels of analysis of new information, and develop the ability to handle complexities and find solutions.
• Enable you to undertake independent research.
• Prepare you, if aspiring to higher levels of academic research, for doctoral study, and foster an approach based on academic integrity and ethics.
• Contribute to the pool of academics and professionals with the requisite capabilities and critical intellectual skills to ensure the healthy continuance of the discipline.
• Prepare you to utilise your skills to help solve the problems and challenges of the country that fall within the scope of cytopathology.
Learning Outcomes
Specific Admission Requirements To be considered for admission, you must meet one of the following criteria: • An MBChB/BChD degree with a postgraduate qualification in Anatomical Pathology or Oral Pathology; or • An MBChB/BChD degree with at least two years' experience in a cytology laboratory supervised by a specialist cytopathologist or histopathologist with experience in cytopathology. • Registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa is required (not applicable for international applicants).
About Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a research-intensive public institution in South Africa, officially established as a university in 1918, with roots dating back to 1866. Located in the Western Cape Province, it offers 10 faculties — including AgriSciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Health Sciences, Science, Theology, and Military Science — to over 35,000 students across multiple campuses, with more than 150 undergraduate and 800 postgraduate programmes. Stellenbosch holds the highest weighted research output per full-time staff member of any South African university. Its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026, is the focal point for the EXCEL-PHARM partnership. Physically located in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, the FMHS hosts over 5,000 students across more than 90 postgraduate programmes at Honours, Masters, and Doctoral level. The Faculty is anchored by the Stellenbosch University Biomedical Research Institute (SUBRI) — a landmark R1.2 billion facility that brings together over 500 researchers working on Africa's most pressing health challenges, from tuberculosis and HIV to cardio-metabolic and neurological diseases.