Department of Social Work and Criminology, University of Pretoria

11/09/2026

Today, the Department hosted an Information Day for our third-year Social Work students as they prepare to make important decisions about their fourth-year placements.

Our fourth-year placement organisations, who are critical stakeholders in our students’ learning process, joined us to give brief presentations about their organisations, the services they offer, and the learning opportunities available to students. This was aimed at ensuring that students have the information they need to make informed decisions when selecting their placements for the upcoming year.

It was an engaging session that also gave students the opportunity to ask questions, interact with our placement partners, and gain clarity on areas they were uncertain about.

We sincerely appreciate our stakeholders for their continued willingness to collaborate with the Department in the education and training of our students. These partnerships play an important role in ensuring that our students gain meaningful practical experience and are well prepared by the time they complete their studies.

08/09/2026

We congratulate our HoD, Prof Bila, on the outstanding achievement of presenting four postgraduate students at the Faculty of Humanities Spring Graduation, held on 4 September 2026.

Among the graduates were two PhD graduates, Lehlogonolo Poopedi, who is also a colleague in our department, and Monique Marais, as well as two Master of Social Work (MSW) graduates, Keabetswe Mfelang and Nhlakanipho Mdunge.

This achievement is a testament to Prof Bila’s dedication to postgraduate supervision, academic excellence, and the development of the next generation of scholars and professionals.

We are proud of Prof Bila and our graduates and celebrate this wonderful milestone with them. May this be the beginning of many more accomplishments

01/09/2026

As part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to staying connected with our students, our HoD, Prof. Bila, has been conducting class visits across the different year groups during the second semester.

Yesterday, 31 August 2026, Prof. Bila visited our second-year Social Work students as part of these ongoing engagements. The visit provided an opportunity to connect with students, check in on their well-being and remind them of the importance of looking after their mental health and overall well-being.

She also highlighted the various support systems available to students within the Department and across the University of Pretoria, encouraging students to make use of these resources whenever needed.

These engagements are a reminder that leadership is not only about leading from an office, it is also about being present, listening, connecting and supporting students where they are.

01/09/2026

On 3 August 2026, Prof. Booyens, a Criminology lecturer in the department participated in the UP Stars Mentorship Programme and House Humanities Career Day, held under the theme Degree Discovery.

The event provided Humanities students with an opportunity to explore diverse career pathways and gain valuable insight into how their academic qualifications and skills can translate into meaningful career opportunities.

Through engagements with academics, alumni and industry professionals, students were encouraged to think broadly about their future and the many possibilities that a Humanities qualification can offer.

Read more about Prof. Booyens’ participation and the career insights shared during the event:

https://www.up.ac.za/social-work-criminology/news/prof-booyens-inspires-humanities-students-through-criminological-journey-academia-0

Prof. Booyens Inspires Humanities Students Through a Criminological Journey in Academia Posted on September 01, 2026 On 3 August 2026, Prof. Booyens, a Criminology lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Criminology at the University of Pretoria, participated in the UP Stars Mentorship Program...

28/08/2026

We are incredibly proud of our staff members who shared their research, innovations, and insights at the conference, contributing to meaningful conversations on graduate readiness, multilingual education, and the innovative use of technology in social work education.

We are especially proud of the following colleagues who presented their work:

👏 Dr Jordaan & Prof Geyer
“Strengthening Foundations of Graduate Readiness: Lessons from Newly Qualified Social Workers”

👏 Dr Claasens
“The Power of Four – Integrating an English, Afrikaans, isiZulu and Sepedi Vocabulary Bank to Support Multilingual First-Year Social Work Students in 2026”

👏 Dr Chiba
“Student Perceptions and Engagement with AI Role Play as an Experiential Learning Tool in Social Work Education”

We celebrate their commitment to innovation, scholarship, and student-centred teaching and learning, and their contribution to advancing conversations that shape the future of higher education and social work education.

Well done colleagues! We are proud of you.

28/08/2026

We are proud to share that some of our staff members attended the 12th Flexible Futures Higher Education Innovation Conference, held from 26–27 August 2026 at Future Africa, University of Pretoria.

The conference was held under the theme “Curriculum for the Future-Ready Graduate”, bringing together higher education practitioners and thought leaders to engage on innovative approaches to teaching, learning, curriculum development, and preparing graduates for an ever-changing world.

We remain committed to continuous learning and embracing innovative practices that prepare our students to thrive in the future.

21/08/2026

On 19 August 2026, we had the privilege of welcoming back two of our Social Work alumni, Chene Boshoff and Thomas Wiesner, who returned to present a class on Child Protection to our current fourth-year Social Work students.

We are incredibly proud to see our former students now employed and practising as qualified social workers, putting their knowledge and skills into action in the field.

It is especially meaningful to see our alumni return to invest in the next generation of social workers by sharing their current practice knowledge, experiences, and valuable insights with our students.

Thank you, Chene and Thomas, for giving back, and reminding us of the importance of learning from one another across generations of social workers.

From students to colleagues, and now returning to inspire and equip those following in their footsteps, what a proud moment!

19/08/2026

The Faculty of Humanities, recently hosted an engaging career event as part of the UPStars Humanities Faculty career initiative, bringing students into conversation with industry professionals.

We were pleased to welcome representatives from Online Intelligence invited by Prof Booyens, who shared valuable insights into their career journeys, the world of work, and the diverse opportunities available to Humanities graduates.

This served as a valuable opportunity for our students to gain practical industry perspectives and explore how their skills and qualifications can translate into meaningful career pathways.

Thank you to Online Intelligence for engaging with our students and contributing to their career development.

Read more about the event and insights in the link provided below:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HgAR5yEnu/

A big thank you to Prof Booyens and the Department of Social Work and Criminology, University of Pretoria for inviting Online Intelligence to participate in the recent UPStars Humanities Faculty career event.

The event gave Humanities students the opportunity to explore the range of career paths available to them and gain practical insight into how their skills can translate into the working world.

Representing Online Intelligence, Kris Olivier and Onthatile Moalusi shared their own career journeys, experiences within the company, and insight into the work we do. They also highlighted the important role Analytics plays within our broader business and discussed some of the skills and experience that can help graduates stand out when entering the job market.

Opportunities like these are especially valuable because they allow students to engage directly with professionals who were once in a similar position and to gain a clearer understanding of where a Humanities qualification can lead.

We are grateful for our continued relationship with the University of Pretoria and for the opportunity to support student development, share industry perspectives and introduce the next generation of graduates to the diverse career opportunities available within our field.

18/08/2026

The Department of Social Work and Criminology proudly congratulates Ontshiametse “Ontshi” Thlopane, our Master’s student in Criminology, on being crowned 1st Runner-Up at Miss World South Africa 2026 and winning the Best Social Cause category.

Ontshi is completing her Master’s degree under the supervision of Dr Laetitia Coetzee, combining academic excellence with a strong commitment to social impact.

We are incredibly proud of you, Ontshi!

Read the full article to learn more about her inspiring journey and work through .

21/07/2026

The Department of Social Work and Criminology proudly congratulates Nadia Martins, an MA Criminology student, on her nomination as an Erasmus+ Exchange Student at the University of Minho in Braga, Portugal.

We are incredibly proud of her and wish her every success as she embarks on this exciting international opportunity.

Read the full story below to learn more about Nadia's inspiring journey and what this opportunity means for her academic and professional development.