Program Overview

Master's & Doctoral Degrees

The University of South Africa (Unisa) offers a range of master's and doctoral degrees across various colleges and departments. These programs are designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge and expertise in their chosen field of study.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to a master's or doctoral degree program at Unisa, students must meet the following requirements:

• An appropriate bachelor's honors degree or a postgraduate diploma
• A 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at NQF level 8
• An average of 60% in the relevant field of study
• Foreign qualifications must be evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)

Student Fees and Funding

The application fee for master's and doctoral degrees is R150.00. Student fees vary depending on the program and are available on the Unisa website. Students can also apply for funding and bursaries to support their studies.

Application for Admission

Applications for master's and doctoral degrees are open until December 19, 2025. Students must apply for a Unisa student number and upload all supporting documents during the application period.

Registration

Only students whose application for admission was approved and re-registering students who made sufficient progress during the current academic year will be allowed to register online within the approved registration period.

Curriculum

The curriculum for master's and doctoral degrees at Unisa includes a range of courses and research programs. Students must register for the correct courses and follow the approved curriculum to complete their degree.

Master of Arts in Communication Science

The Master of Arts in Communication Science is a research-based degree that aims to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in communication science.

Purpose Statement

The primary purpose of this qualification is to enable graduates to become specialists in a particular discipline or within an interdisciplinary framework by gaining in-depth knowledge in a complex area of study.

Qualification Code and Type

• Qualification code: 98512
• Qualification type: Full Research
• NQF level: 9
• Total credits: 180
• SAQA ID: 5395

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Arts in Communication Science, students must meet the following requirements:

• An appropriate bachelor's honors degree or a postgraduate diploma
• A 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at NQF level 8 in Communication with an average of 60%
• Students with foreign qualifications must have their qualifications evaluated by SAQA

Research Focus Areas

The College of Human Sciences has a range of research focus areas, including:

• Marine studies
• Aviation and aeronautical studies
• Automotive
• Energy
• Space study and square kilometer array
• Fourth IR and digitalization
• Natural sciences (biotechnological studies)
• Health studies/medicine
• Feminist, womanist, and bosadi theorizations
• Student support and co-curricular activities

Research Outline

Students must submit a detailed research outline as part of their application. The outline should include:

• Title
• Summary of topic
• Short literature review
• Expected contribution of the study
• Methodology to be followed
• Availability of the data
• List of references
• Reasons why you are interested in the topic

Time Limits for this Degree

The maximum time limit for completing the Master of Arts in Communication Science is three years. Students may apply for an additional year of study, but this must be approved by the supervisor and the Executive Dean of the College.