My plan is the pursuit of a PhD after I earn my masters. I looked at UNISA's website and it said the PhD is awarded with a dissertation/thesis. Isn't there any other requirement? The dissertation is a major project, but it seems that more requirements would be needed. How is the fee structure translated in American tuition terms? I'm used to tuition per credit. I can figure out the dollar amount by looking at exchange rates. Finally, how are international PhD's accepted in the world of academia? When I attended a B&M school for my BA in History, some of my PhD professors had degrees from the UK.
I'm uncertain of the fee structure at that school but in my PhD program at UOVS I register for one course (the PhD research course) and pay the fee for the entire year. The dissertation is the entire program. There is no "coursework" per se. Much has been written on this forum regarding "dissertation-only" PhD programs AKA "research doctoral programs." This is the model generally used in Britain, Australia and South Africa. You might want to use the search function to read up on it. BTW, I suspect that you'd have great difficulty in being admitted to this program if your only degree is your Bachelors. Because it is essentially a research oriented program, they typically require that you've previously demonstrated adequate research skills (as in a Masters thesis). While this is not a universal truth, you may have better luck applying to the Masters program and then sliding into the Doctoral program afterwards. Good luck. Jack
Jack, I hope to be finished with my MBA by September and am looking at doctorates. Where is UOVS? I want a dissertation-only approach ( I think) and it may help. thanks, John
Do you have to go to South Africa to defend your dissertation, is it done over the phone or internet-how is it done? Thanks for your reply.
Do you have to go to South Africa to defend your dissertation, is it done over the phone or internet-how is it done? Thanks for your reply.
Bloemfontein--University of the Free State. On-site defence or not? Varies by faculty. Get it settled in writing at the outset.
Uncle said it for me. The University of the Free State can be found here: http://www.uovs.ac.za Check it out. I never got it in writing. The fact is, I'm saving so much money that even if I have to make a trip to ZA someday, it'll still be worth it (and probably fun too). Jack
Masters in Education, PhD in another field I have a B.A. in History and a secondary teaching credential. This summer I will begin classes at UIS for my Masters. After transferring in 12 credits, I should be able to complete the following 28 credits in a year if I enroll all three sessions. Because of the hold-up with CCHS, I did not have my paperwork in time for this spring, so I have some time before classes start. I want to do some preliminary research during this time, which includes a trip to Europe, for my Phd. I have a specific topic (history) in mind for my dissertation, but I wonder if the university will accept a Masters in Education for the prerequisite degree. Formatting for a Masters in Education thesis is different than History (Chicago), but I see no problems with that issue. Comments, please.
This wont answer your question, but what is your specific topic in history. I am assuming that it is European History..right?
If you do a google search, you will find many professors teaching with foreign credentials. However, you will find also that south african degrees are not exactly the most prestigious ones. UK, European and even Australian degrees seem to be more accepted in academia than degrees from developing countries. This is not a rule, but a simple google search can give you an idea of the acceptability of foreign degrees.
As someone who is in the process of doctoral research I'd like to state as gently as I can that when you're asked about a specific topic for your dissertation, your answer, "Modern European and US history and the Reformation" will not be nearly specific enough. I'm not trying to be critical, it's just a "heads-up." Good luck. Jack
