The PhD Process at UNISA?

Also, when folks say you are on your own, you are on your own. If you can not motivate yourself to get it done, you might be in trouble.

 

I have decided to use the IACI (Dr Esselen) services for several reasons. First, if he can save me time and pain that is valuable for me. Second, searching the forums and Google, I can see the UNISA registration process is not easy and can be very painful. Third, my searches have not uncover any negative reason not to use IACI, what is more most people that have used the service have good opinions about Dr Esselen. Four, couple of days ago (Dec 30, 2010) I tried to use the automatic registration page at UNISA and got to a page indicating they were in vacation and the site will not work until January and that email received during that period will not be answered and will be deleted. In other words, they gave vacation days to their machines!

So, it seems to me that even if I need to pay an extra fee (which does not seems to be the case), going with IACI is a good idea.

 

My area of study is computer science. But, I omitted it because I want to get opinions from any UNISA PhD students, and I’m assuming the processes may be similar for all the colleges (but of course, I may be wrong).

My understanding is that getting into UNISA is a big pain. I have a good understanding of the registration pain and process. But, I have not being able to get an understanding of how is life after you are accepted into the PhD program. So, I’m assuming that life for a PhD student at UNISA should be similar independent of area of study.

 

Many thanks, tireman. That was most enlightening and helpful.

I, along with mkmarin, hope some will show up that can advise as to the UNISA PhD experience.

 

Also, look for RoscoeB

 

Well, I have been in the doctoral program since July 2009. I had to find a chair for my dissertation ( I did and is an expert in my area), for they (UNISA) did not have someone in my area (New Deal). Another historian that teaches there (his specialty is 20th Century South Africa) wanted to take me on as well. I have two co-chairs. My dissertation will go between them until they deem it well enough to move on. Then they will decide upon four experts in my field to judge my dissertation even further. Then, and only then, will all of them deem it worthy, I will have earned my PhD. That is in the history department, others I am not sure.

 

There is this for history...

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