Program Overview

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Master's and 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 advanced research training and academic preparation for students seeking to pursue careers in academia, industry, or government.

Admission Requirements

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

• Applicants may only register once they have received confirmation from Unisa that their application for admission has been accepted.
• Returning students must check their myLife emails for confirmation, while new Unisa students will receive confirmation via the email address they provided at the time of application.
• 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.

Registration Period

The registration period for master's and doctoral qualifications is as follows:

• Registration opens: 7 January 2026
• Registration closes: 31 March 2026
• Final date for payment: 31 March 2026

Time Limits for Completion

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

• 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

PhD by Publication

A doctoral student may elect to complete their doctoral degree by publication. A PhD by Publication refers to a doctoral degree that comprises several peer-reviewed publications written as an introduction, discussion, and conclusion that has been put together as separate chapters, contributing to a unified research theme within a specific field.

Curriculum

The curriculum for master's and doctoral programs includes:

• Compulsory modules
• Elective modules
• Research proposals
• Oral defenses (viva voce)
• Manuscripts submitted for publication to recognized accredited journals

Doctor of Philosophy in Management Studies

The Doctor of Philosophy in Management Studies is a full research qualification that requires students to produce a doctoral research thesis, which meets international standards of scholarly and professional writing under supervision in the various specializations within Management Studies.

• Qualification stream: Finance, Risk Management, and Banking
• Qualification code: 90021 - FIN
• Qualification type: Full Research
• NQF level: 10
• Total credits: 360
• SAQA ID: Not specified
• Rules: The curriculum consists of a thesis that incorporates a research proposal, an oral defense (viva voce), and two manuscripts, based on the candidate's research, submitted for publication to a recognized accredited journal.
• Purpose statement: The purpose of this qualification is to enable the learner to produce a doctoral research thesis, which meets international standards of scholarly and professional writing under supervision in the various specializations within Management Studies.