Accreditation for unisa (southAfrica)

If UNISA is like the US distance universities, you are responsible for ordering your own books. This site is a list of their bookstores, but if you have the ISBN, you can try to order elsewhere. Just google the ISBN, and you will see!

Many of the study aids should be online. I have taught at several online schools and the study aids are online, as are some of the books.

I have not studied at UNISA, but I would start the dialog with the department of psychology to see if they are a good fit. However, at UNISA, you need to get a student number (see the application process) to show that you are serious about applying, I suppose, and then use it in your correspondence.

Jump into the world of distance learning. There is nothing to fear and much to gain. Make sure to tell them you are from ZA. That may help somewhat.

 

Unisa inrolling

From what I know (I may be wrong) The university supplies the study aids and the books .One pays enough $$ so that the uni can supply these things

 

Not quite:

You seem to be a little mixed up. Unisa tuition is a fraction of what most universities charge, and few of them supply free textbooks.

You will also have to get your B degree from Israel evaluated by Saqa before it will be accepted by Unisa.

 

Never heard of Saqa

I will have my BA translated by an acredited translator.

BTW I did search the Unisa Educational dpt and did not find an e mail . I would like to e mail them .
I e mailed the unisa registration dpt and did not get a reply as of yet (september is when I e mailed them last)

 

Angie, after everything you've said, I think Unisa would be a good fit for you. Unisa will take a lot more work on your end to get admitted, get through classes and meet the requirements to graduate but, as you say, it's unisa or nothing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

Unisa inrolling

I think that getting through an American LD college would be even more difficult. What might make the prosess simpler through UNISA is the fact that Im an XSouthAfrican . Im used to the system there

I ofcourse would prefere an on Campus studies here but as I said getting admited to an MA in psychology here is almost impossible.

 

UNISA WEB site

From all the times Ive searched their site I see that the site is pritty unadvanced. No easy to navigate and fine e mails of specific departments (I for example looked with a magnifining glass :laugh: for the e mail of the masters in Education (MA edu psychology) and could not find it.
2- Its quite difficult to communicate with then via e mail.. not very efficient

Being an on line uni I wonder why that is so??
They should be even more addvanced then on campus uni Thechno wise
more efficient answering e mails ect..

I wonder if I inroll will I have even more problems
supervisors not answering mails
web page falling
study aids not arriving
and exams not arriving to the exam centers

:-\

anyone have any answers on Unisa efficientiancy and attitude towards students?

10X once again

 

Highly recommend Unisa

I completed a master's with Unisa and have never regretted it.

The school is globally recognized and highly reputable.

The admissions process has been 'tightened up' the past couple of years... making the school even more credible.

I plan to enroll in another Unisa degree program and have no reservations about doing so.

Best wishes with your studies and kind regards.

 

UNISA is efficient and thorough... Nothing will arrive late and exam results are fas!

First, UNISA is not an online university. It is a correspondence universsity. Most of its tuition (teaching) is done through postal mail services.

With the consolidation of the schools I mentioned earlier they have tried to become more efficient. This includes doing away with the live telephone contact center in favor of email help desks. This has been a bit of a disaster. In addition UNISA has tried to get better at being online (they first stated by moving tutorial letters and the calendar to CD ROMS that were sent to anyone who could use them. The majority of students do not have computers, so postal mail remains the main means of communication.

They are extremely good at insuring that everyone has their materials in hand quickly. In addition, appointed testing centers are scrutinized and loose their invigilation if they do not return examinations within a few days of the student completing the exam. The proctors are given special envelopes and express postage to return the examinations.

Once you are in, UNISA is very efficient. From the outside before being accepted the process is a little cumbersome. Again, that is where John Craparo really helped me.

DG

 

Angie, I think that the tradeoff that you need to accept (if you’re going to attend UNISA) is that you won’t have anyone holding your hand through either the application or the actual degree progress. The low tuition and the ability to earn a degree that you need are balanced by the lack of user-friendliness of the programs at Unisa.

I would suggest that you do a search of this website and note names of those who have successfully graduated from Unisa (like Haggai12) and send them PMs (personal messages) via this forum. You most likely wouldn’t gain from using the IACI, which is the North
American clearing house for UNISA but it wouldn’t hurt to contact them to see if they could help.

Since you are from SA, the good points about this school are really overwhelming, so I encourage you to use and apply the research skills that you will need for your research degree and to keep working towards enrollment and graduation.

Almost all of the people here who have used UNISA are happy with it and say that it’s a good decision. Best of luck to you.

 

This is what worries me. The Afrikaners are quite efficient but even since the end of appartheid SA has become .. quite slow when it comes to bureaucracy.

And that's my concern.

 

There are some options in USA.

For example many DETC accredited universities have payment plan, somethink like 100 US $ a month.

One that comes to my mind is California Coast University.

I think there are others that much cheaper.

Just a thought.

 

Unisa VS other uni's

Anyway you look at it UniSA is cheeper (100 Rand =70$ more or less) The American\British are much more expensive

 

R100 is about US$13.

 

Rand Vs the Dollar

????:eek5:

Me thinks you should check again coz there is no way!

Its about 100$= 80 Rand

 

Lukeness was right. 100.00Rand = 12.5USD (as of 7:23am today). Here's the currency conversion tool I use:

XE - The World's Favorite Currency and Foreign Exchange Site

 

Unisa and Rand

Well if that is the case it is no wonder thato many Americans choose to do their degree's through UniSA .
Its Way cheeper then any American uni and recognized internationaly.


And if one was to pay in euro it would be even cheeper

 

DistanceGrad,

Thanks for your comments regarding the UNISA DETC connection. This confirms pretty much what I believed since the DETC lapes of 2007. Having learned a bit about DETC on the ground, the schools tell me it is a daunting task. No joke.

Thanks!

Abner :smile:

 

Abner,

I think it is very tough. Aside from John, I also know professor Kilfoil who worked on the UNISA acreditation with DETC while a Fullbright Scholar on loan from UNISA to Penn State. She said the work was extensive and took 4 people over three years to compile the information and visits needed.

Best,
DG

 

distancegrad - your description of unisa and the enrollment process falls in line with what we've heard from others. unfortunately, the idea that the unisa organization is impossible to navigate continues to prevail around here. I hope that more people take the plunge.