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 specialized skills in their chosen field of study.

Registration and Admission

To register for a master's or doctoral degree, applicants must first receive confirmation from Unisa that their application for admission has been accepted. Returning students must check their myLife emails for confirmation, while new students will receive confirmation via the email address provided during the application process.

• Applicants may only register once they have received confirmation from Unisa.
• Re-registering students (who made sufficient progress during the current academic year) and students who officially deferred their studies must register online during the approved registration period for 2026.
• Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply for admission during the next application period and check whether the qualification for which you intend to apply is on the list of qualifications that you can apply for until the end of June 2026.

Registration Periods

The registration periods for master's and doctoral qualifications are as follows:

• Master's & doctoral qualifications: Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and closes on 31 March 2026, with the final date for payment being 31 March 2026.
• MCompt, Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Leadership (MBL) qualifications: Registration opens on 7 January 2026 and closes on 21 February 2026, with the final date for payment being 21 February 2026.

Time Limits for Degrees

All master's and doctoral qualifications are structured over a defined period. The time limits for these degrees are:

• Coursework master's degree: A maximum of three years with an option to apply for one additional year.
• Research master's degree: A maximum of three years with an option to apply for one additional year.
• Doctoral degree: A maximum of six years with an option to apply for one additional year.

Catalytic Niche Areas (CNAs)

Unisa has identified 10 Catalytic Niche Areas (CNAs) to be operationalized within the colleges:

1. Marine studies
2. Aviation and aeronautical studies
3. Automotive
4. Energy
5. Space study and square kilometre array
6. Fourth IR and digitalisation
7. Natural sciences (biotechnological studies)
8. Health studies/medicine
9. Feminist, womanist and Bosadi theorisations
10. Student support and co-curricular activities

Curriculum

The curriculum for each program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of their field of study. For example, the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice includes:

Compulsory Modules

• DLSCJ91 - Mini Dissertation: Criminal Justice (Pre-requisite: MPSCJ90)
• FOR5905 - Forensic Methods and Techniques
• FOR5906 - Advance Intelligence
• FOR5907 - Selected Crimes & Transgressions (Module A)
• FOR5908 - Selected Crimes & Transgressions (Module B)
• MPSCJ90 - Masters Research Proposal in The School of Criminal Justice

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice

Qualification Details

• Qualification code: 98625
• Qualification type: Coursework
• NQF level: 9
• Total credits: 180
• SAQA ID: 5395

Purpose Statement

The primary purpose of the 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. The second purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with graduates who can synthesize information autonomously in specialized fields of study in order to provide leaders who can handle contradictions and evaluate highly complex problems independently. The third purpose of the qualification is to provide South Africa (and other countries) with people who can demonstrate specialized leadership, self-reflexivity, and adaptability.

Rules

The curriculum consists of four (4) compulsory modules, a research proposal module, and a mini-dissertation. Students may register for the research proposal module after two (2) modules have been passed. Students are required to first register and comply with the requirements for the research proposal module before registration for the mini-dissertation will be allowed.