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 advanced knowledge and skills in their chosen field, as well as the opportunity to conduct original research.

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 an appropriate postgraduate diploma, or a 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at NQF level 8.
• A student who is admitted on the strength of a postgraduate diploma or a 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at level 8 and who has not completed a module in research methodology may be required to complete such a module at NQF level 8 for NDP before he/she will be allowed to register for the dissertation.
• All students with foreign qualifications, including those with qualifications from African countries, must have their qualifications evaluated at SAQA.
• 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.
  • There is an approved selection procedure which is in line with Unisa's policies on equality and diversity in the discipline or department.
• Applicants who would like to apply for admission through recognition of prior learning (RPL) must be at least 35 years old and have at least eight years' relevant work and research experience in the study field in which they would like to apply for admission to a qualification.

Time Limits for This Degree

All master's and doctoral qualifications are structured over a defined period. A student registered for a 180-credit structured research master's degree must complete the study program within three years. A student may make application to their supervisor for one additional year of study. The supervisor will consult with the Executive Dean of the College in which the student is registered.

Research Master's Degree

A research master's degree comprises a dissertation on an approved topic. Students will be expected to have a research proposal approved in the first year of study. If a student does not complete a research proposal in the first year of study, they will not be permitted to continue with the qualification. They will also be excluded from applying for admission to the same college for a period of two years.

Research Focus Areas

Unisa has various research focus areas across its colleges and departments. Students can view a list of departments and research focus areas for the College of Human Sciences. The research outline must align with one of the departmental research focus areas. Unisa's Catalytic Niche Areas include:

• 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

Unisa's admission policy has changed, and students are now required to submit a detailed research outline for the qualification for which they apply. The research outline must 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 the student is interested in the topic

Master of Information Science

The primary purpose of the Master of Information Science qualification is to provide graduates with foundational, reflexive, and practical competence in Information Science. The qualification aims to deliver comprehensive library and information services to society, provide opportunities for personal intellectual growth and gainful economic activity, and prepare graduates to conduct research to solve problems related to library and information services.

Qualification Details

• Qualification code: 98410
• Qualification type: Full Research
• NQF level: 9
• Total credits: 180
• SAQA ID: 15592

Admission Requirements

• An appropriate bachelor's honors degree, or an appropriate postgraduate diploma, or a 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at NQF level 8 in Information Science with an average of 60%.
• A student who is admitted on the strength of a postgraduate diploma or a 480-credit bachelor's degree with a minimum of 96 credits at level 8 and who has not completed a module in research methodology may be required to complete such a module at NQF level 8 for NDP before he/she will be allowed to register for the dissertation.

Student Fees and Funding

• Application fee: R150.00
• Student fees: Available on the Unisa website
• Funding opportunities: Available on the Unisa website

Application and Registration

• Applications for master's and doctoral qualifications are open until 19 December 2025.
• Students must apply for a Unisa student number and apply for admission during the application period.
• Only students whose application for admission was approved and re-registering students will be allowed to register online within the approved registration period for the 2026 academic year.