UNISA 2018 Application For Admission Drive Opening Soon

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Tireman 44444, Aug 2, 2017.

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  1. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    For those of you wanting to take the plunge...here it is..Now one word of warning...it might take awhile for them to get back to you.

    2018 application for admission drive will be open soon
    • Undergraduate qualifications: 14 Aug – 29 Sept 2017
    • Postgraduate diplomas & honours, master's & doctoral degrees will open 29 Sept – 11 Nov 2017
    For all the info on applications visit > Apply for admission
     
  2. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight New Member

    Got a lot to think about when it comes to attending UNISA... I applied to the PhD program but they denied me because I completed my Masters without a dissertation. They said I need to complete a Masters with a dissertation to get admitted to their PhD program :( Not sure I want to complete another Masters degree just to attend UNISA for a PhD....

    Any comments of suggestions on my situation? Is this the Norm ??
     
  3. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight New Member

    I tried to apply for UNISA PhD program but was denied because my Masters did not require a dissertation but UNISA requires a Masters with dissertation. UNISA
     
  4. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    That could be a department decision . I am not sure. I did complete a thesis for my MA in history. I suppose you could appeal
     
  5. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Since their doctoral programs are "dissertation-only" degree, it doesn't seem inappropriate that they'd want to see some indication of your ability to do high level research. I'd also say that this anecdote conflicts with an often expressed sentiment, "Oh, UNISA, anybody can get in there." If the department that interests you has an MPhil program you could apply to that with the idea being that if your research progresses well they could allow you to upgrade your status to the doctoral level and expand your research project accordingly.
     
  6. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight New Member

    How do you like attending UNISA ? Do you find it easy to navigate and complete assignments? One of my major concerns is fighting a system for work submitted but not reflected in final grade.. Then having to play catch up, find and fix....
     
  7. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    I am in the doctoral program in history. There is one class you sign up for each year. It is a research class that is just that, research. You are working on your dissertation. I can only speak on that part. Undergrads have modules. At first, back in 2009, the website was a mess. I had to have a third party help me to pay my tuition. Now it is fine. As I have stated before, you are own your own for 90 percent of the program.
     
  8. guyfawkes

    guyfawkes Member

    Since I am nearing the completion of my master's degree program, I have been looking into South African PhD programs, and was wondering if you knew the answer to this, as you are enrolled at UNISA: I read somewhere that UNISA is the only open distance learning institution with university status. They are not the only South African school with "university" in their name, though, so is this true? Or is it something more along the lines of their being a flagship school? Or is it just outright false?
     
  9. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  10. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

  11. mintaru

    mintaru Active Member

    That leads me to the question of the extent to which Masters degrees without a dissertation or thesis exist at South African universities. Are there any? I ask because I know there are quite a few Continental European countries where such degrees do not exist. It is usual for universities in these countries to require a Masters with a dissertation to get admitted to a PhD program.
     
  12. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    There are plenty of "taught" Masters degrees at ZA schools. We just never talk about them because they are not DL.
     
  13. mintaru

    mintaru Active Member


    That's true, but that fact alone is no answer to my question. There are of course taught Master's without any dissertation, but many taught Master's (depending on the country) include a short dissertation, or sometimes a so called research project. I could be wrong, but I think research project is just another word for short dissertation. All South African taught Master's I found so far are of that second type. That does not mean Master's degrees without dissertation do not exist in ZA, but it seems these degrees are relatively rare.
     
  14. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    You might be right. Aside from being an interesting factoid, is there any special significance to this ?
     
  15. Dark Knight

    Dark Knight New Member

    So I got an email response from UNISA, they want me to get my Masters degree evaluated by SAQA because I did not write a dissertation for my degree.

    This is so weird, never have I been questioned like this for my education. I'm thinking it's another way of them getting money.


    *
    A Master's/ Magister Technologiae Degree in Police Science; Forensic Investigation; Corrections Management; Security Management; Criminal Justice; Criminology; or an appropriate Master's Degree. In addition to the above requirements, applicants must submit a transcript or an academic record, as well as a document describing their intended research. Students will be accepted on the following criteria: Suitability and viability of the intended research; Adequate supervisory capacity and research expertise in the discipline or department. An approved selection procedure which is in line with Unisa's policies on equality and diversity in the discipline or department.
    *
    I am concerned that his Master’s degree only constituted coursework of 30 hours. If I use our Module Credits (12 or 24) and its translation into notional hours (120 / 240), then I am not convinced that what he did is sufficient to prepare him for a Phd. Especially since he only did coursework modules and there is no min-dissertation/ some form of research product. While he did do Research Methods in Homeland Security it is very narrow in terms of hours spent.
    *
    I am not sure that he qualifies for entry into the Phd.

    In the meantime, you have to submit your qualification records to be evaluated by SAQA (The*South African Qualifications Authority) because when application opens you need to submit the evaluation done by them.
     
  16. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    I would do it. What do you have to lose? Just my opinion.
     
  17. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Thus far, what have your research requirements been? Presumably, it is qualitative research and not quantitative research because it's in history? Please share what their requirements are (for a history dissertation). Extremely curious. :)
     
  18. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    Well, first you sign up each year for a dissertation course. I thought I had went over this ...but I can only speak for me.

    1. A faculty member must eant to work with you. Dr. Motion chose me for he found my topic interesting.
    2. You receive an email from him. Then you get with him to select a co-chair in your field. I did. He is the firemoar expert in my field.
    3. Your chair from UNISA..in my case, is there for nuts and bolts. He has had NO input on my dissertation
    4. After 8 years, I am still revising. A ton of factors go into that.Your mileage may vary
    5. The two co chairs then pick a committee of 3 peers in your field. They are sending put invitations August 15. The interviews go on ( I am not part of it) but they are sitting. They should be sitting by September 30. They should have at least the document for thier critique.
    6. My defense date us set for December 2027, but it could move. My deadline is Febraiary 28th 2018.

    Again, this is for me and no one else . It is qualitative. YMMV..
     
  19. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    Pm me if you want more.
     
  20. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    To add to this...I used IACI to get in back in 2007 I believe. Dr. Esselen and his crew helped a ton. Without them, I do not think would have gotten in. That was then, this is now. I would contact them by phone. They are 8 hours ahead of me ( CST)
     

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